My Favorite Photo and Video Gear: Must-Have Items

I have been a photography enthusiast forever and recently purchased new photo gear from Sony. So this post includes a list of my current favorite photo and video gear. Reviews about each of the products below will be shared soon. But in the meantime, I added a few reasons why I love each product below.

Sony Photo and Video Gear

Mirrorless Camera

In November 2022, I purchased the mirrorless Sony A7IV, and so far, I am super happy with it. Before that, I used a Canon 77D DSLR for several years, so it has been quite the upgrade and quite a learning curve. While the Canon camera and its menu were very intuitive, the Sony camera has not been as easy to pick up. Not gonna lie, sometimes I wish I’d gone for the Canon R5. Auto-focus is also a pain point for me with this camera, but the image quality has been outstanding, especially with these three G Master lenses. I’ve only used the A7IV for stills so far, but other reviewers have mentioned its fantastic video capabilities, so I’m sure I won’t be disappointed either.

Sony Lenses

• My favorite lens is the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II and the one I use most often because it is a great all-rounder. I recently purchased the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II and the x1.4 teleconverter as well to extend the reach.
• The FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM has been phenomenal for shooting landscapes, portraits, and wildlife. However, in hindsight, I wish I’d bought the 200-600mm lens.
• I also use the FE 14mm F1.8 GM for night sky photos and wide-angle landscapes.

You can see some of the photos taken with these lenses in these blog posts about wildflowers in Diamond Valley Lake, Anza Borrego State Park, and Joshua Tree National Park.

I also enjoy night sky photography, and this blog post shows the first star trail and comet I shot with my new Sony camera.

Batteries & charging

Back in my Canon days, I loved my Artman batteries because they lasted longer than the official Canon batteries. So when I switched to Sony, I didn’t need to think about it twice and immediately purchased Artman batteries and chargers for my new Sony gear. They are compatible with many other camera brands as well, so give them a try. I also love that I can recharge them when I’m out adventuring with my Anker charging bank.

My GoPro Photo and Video Gear

The best camera equipment for backpackers

For me, GoPro is the best camera equipment for backpackers. Yes, you could just use your smartphone, but GoPro brings many benefits. You’ll be able to save your phone’s battery for staying in touch with family and friends, navigation, and music. The GoPro gets you extra memory storage space and is waterproof. This light action camera comes with more advanced features at a level that smartphones cannot compete with yet. With a GoPro, I can schedule a timelapse to start at a specific time, while I get my beauty sleep. This allows me to capture Milky Way and star trail time-lapses, or a sunrise time-lapse without having to wake up at silly o’clock for it.

My GoPro

The GoPro I currently use is the Hero 9, which is now a little outdated. But if you’re in the market for a GoPro and don’t need the latest technology, the Hero 9 is a great model. I typically use it for paddle boarding and backpacking when I don’t feel like carrying the heavier Sony gear. This Hero 9 has been great for photos and videos on the go and takes very little space. Another thing I love about it is that I can even do star trails with it, which is a special feature of the newer GoPro Hero 11.

The Jaws Arm is AWESOME for holding the GoPro outside above my open roof as I drive.

And I highly recommend the floaty if you ever go in the water with the GoPro. However, be cautious when you take the GoPro out of it because you could end up breaking the back screen as I did. Luckily, I have a GoPro subscription, so I received a replacement GoPro very quickly.

My Tripods

For tripods, I mostly use this 77″ tripod for the Sony camera. The 62″ tripod is great for the GoPro, and I can also use it with my phone, and the Sony camera! I don’t think I would trust the smaller tripod with the heavy Sony camera on a very windy day, but it is a great lightweight tripod, perfect for hiking and backpacking.

How to recharge photo and video gear (and other electronics) in the wilderness

I have owned Anker products to recharge my photo and video gear since 2012.

10K Power Bank

It all started with a 10,000mAh power bank and then I bought a second one in 2014, which I still use to this day. Then in 2020, I also purchased this 20,000mAh USB C power bank, which gives me more power and the ability to charge two devices at once.

20K Power Bank

With this 20KmAh power bank, I can charge my camera batteries and my phone at the same time, while I sleep in the tent. At 12.2 ounces, it is light enough for backpacking and it lasts me for five days or longer depending on my charging needs. I can use it to charge my iPhone, GoPro batteries, Sony camera batteries, satellite phone, headlamp, light torches, FitBit, and music speaker.

I am often asked how long it takes to recharge the power bank, but I always leave it to charge overnight, so I don’t know the exact time it takes. It takes several hours though.

USB-C to Lightning Cable

At the same time in 2020, I also purchased the Anker USB C to Lightning Cable, and it is fantastic. Anker claims it is 12x stronger than regular lightning cables. That is hard for me to quantify, but I can attest that this charging cable is stronger and more resistant to bending and breakage than other charging cables I own that are not from Anker.

Final thoughts

This current setup works very well for me right now, and I don’t plan on changing anything anytime soon. It’s adaptable and covers everything I need and more. Do you own any of these products? What are your thoughts? Comment below.

Post originally published on April 20, 2023, and last updated on January 9, 2024.