What’s in my Camera Bag?
You don’t need expensive equipment to get into photography. Your phone is a great tool for practicing photography and videography. I started out by taking pictures with my iPhone and didn’t invest in a professional camera until September 2023. Even now, I still use my iPhone for recording videos most of the time.
That being said, if you’re considering getting a camera or a drone, I’ll share the gear I use to give you an idea of where to start. I purchased most of my equipment on Amazon, but you can also check other websites or visit local camera stores to explore your options.
Camera
My “beginner” kit
I shoot with the Fujifilm X-T5. I chose Fujifilm because of its film recipes, which let you create a vintage, film-like look straight from the camera. I go into more detail about film recipes here, but what I love most about them is the ability to customize photos without spending hours editing on a computer. You can adjust white balance, clarity, and many other settings directly in the camera to achieve the exact style you’re going for.
I bought my Fujifilm X-T5 on Amazon, but you can also buy it directly from Fujifilm. There are two kit lens options: the 18-55mm and the 16-80mm. I chose the 18-55mm because it had a faster delivery time at the time of my purchase. Although the 18-55mm is a kit lens, it’s incredibly powerful and produces sharp images. It remains one of my most-used lenses to this day. I recommend sticking with the kit lens for a few months to get comfortable with your camera and experiment with different focal lengths (I didn’t invest in a new lens until I had been shooting with my camera for about six months). Once you feel confident, you can gradually start expanding your lens collection. Since lenses can be very expensive, it’s important to make sure you’ll actually use them before making a purchase.
Lenses & Filters
Buying lenses used from a trusted source is a great way to save money, as you can get them in nearly perfect condition for hundreds of dollars less than the cost of a brand-new one. I purchase all my lenses from KEH, and every lens I’ve bought from them has been in pristine condition. I’ve saved a significant amount of money by going this route and highly recommend it. There are other sites out there too, such as eBay and B&H. Shop around for the best deals!
To protect your expensive lens and increase the creativity of your images, I highly recommend buying a filter. Moment is a fantastic place to buy camera filters. While there are other options out there, I prefer Moment because they carry my favorite filter, the CineBloom Diffusion Filter. I’ve purchased all but one of my filters from them.
Here’s a list of all the lenses I own, along with the filters I use for each:
Fujifilm Fujinon XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR
UV filter
CPL filter
Fujifilm Fujinon XF30mmF2.8 R LM WR Macro
1/4 Black Pro-Mist Filter from Tiffen (this is the only non-Moment filter I have because the size of filter needed for this lens isn’t offered at Moment)
Fujifilm Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS
CPL filter
CineBloom Diffusion Filter 10% and 20%
Variable ND Filter 2-5 stops and 6-9 stops
Fujifilm Fujinon XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF1.4X TC WR
UV Filter
CineBloom Diffusion Filter 10%
CPL Filter
Fujifilm Fujinon XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS (uses same size filters as the 80mm macro)
UV Filter
CineBloom Diffusion Filter 10%
CPL Filter
Camera Bag
I researched several camera bags (some costing over $200!) before choosing the one above. It is affordable, durable, and comfortable to wear. The main compartment holds all my lenses, while the top section has space for my drone, snacks, or other gear. If this bag interests you, you can check it out here. I primarily use it for day trips, travel, and road trips or whenever I want to bring all my lenses with me. For longer hikes, I switch to my hiking backpack and limit myself to two or three lenses to keep my load light.
Other Gear
The following list includes items I keep in my camera bag or hiking bag, as well as essentials that help protect my camera and lenses and enhance my workflow:
To protect my filters, I use this filter case. Since it holds only four filters, I always keep one on each of my lenses and carry four additional ones in this case for any extras I might need.
To protect my camera while walking around or hiking in less-than-ideal weather, I use this case for a smaller lens set up and this case for larger lenses.
To protect my lenses in my hiking bag, I use these lens pouches.
This camera clip attaches to my backpack for days when I don’t want to use the camera strap.
This kit keeps my camera nice and clean.
I use a 128GB SanDisk SD card to store photos. I don’t need a larger one because I upload all of my photos to my iPad the same day that I shoot them. I transfer photos to my iPad via a USB C Card Reader.
Drone
I purchased my DJI Mini 3 Pro drone in early 2023. At the time, it cost around $1,000, but the price has dropped significantly with the release of the Mini 4 Pro. If I had known the Mini 4 Pro was coming in 2024, I might have waited, but even so, my Mini 3 has served me well. It captures stunning images and videos, is easy to handle, and remains a reliable part of my gear collection. For now, I don’t see a need to upgrade.
I bought my DJI Mini 3 Pro drone with the DJI RC remote directly from the DJI website. I chose the DJI RC remote because I wanted a dedicated controller without needing to attach my phone.
I purchased an extra set of propellers from the DJI website. I have crashed my drone twice and have broken a few propellers, so I carry a couple of extra ones now just in case.
Just like I use a filter on my camera lenses for protection, I also keep a filter on my drone’s lens to keep it safe. I bought this CPL and ND filter set from Amazon, which includes a variety of ND filters to suit different conditions, from cloudy to very sunny.
Batteries on drones can drain fast, especially in windy conditions. I carry three with me at all times. I use the basic battery that my drone came with and purchased two intelligent flight batteries that have a longer flight time than the standard battery. I carry all three batteries this charging hub that allows me to charge them all at once and store them together.
When using my hiking backpack, I carry all of my drone gear in this waterproof case.
To keep the batteries for my drone and camera charged on longer trips, I purchased this portable power bank.
I use a 256GB SanDisk micro card to store photos and videos. It fits into the same USB Card Reader that my camera’s SD card does.
