Whats in my Camera Bag
Welcome to my comprehensive camera gear guide! As a photographer turned travel creator, I've spent years refining my equipment selection to create the content you love seeing across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. This carefully curated list represents the exact tools I use on my adventures around the world.
I'm sharing all my personal favorites, complete with technical details and my honest experiences with each piece. Consider this your insider's guide from someone who puts this gear through its paces daily!

*This list contains affiliate links and you support me by shopping through them. Much love!

ESSENTAILS

Out of everything in my camera bag, the Capture Camera Clip has been THE biggest game changer for me. Seriously! It's essentially a little clip that attaches to any strap—your backpack, camera bag, or even your fanny pack (which is what I often do when I'm walking around cities). It's been incredibly freeing to go hands-free, especially when I'm hiking or, you know, trying to do literally anything else while shooting.

What makes it so amazing is how it keeps your camera secure but instantly accessible. You just click your camera in, and it stays put—no more swinging around your neck or digging through your bag when you spot that perfect shot. The quick-release system is genuinely one-handed, so I can grab my camera in seconds when I need it. It's honestly the best way to have your camera out and ready at all times.

Yes, it's a bit expensive for what seems like a simple piece of gear, but the quality is insane. The all-aluminum construction feels super solid, and it comes with an Arca-compatible plate that works perfectly with my Peak Design tripod. Peak Design also offers a pretty solid warranty, which gives me peace of mind. At just 84g (3oz), it adds basically no weight to my setup while completely transforming how I shoot on the go. If you're active while shooting, this is absolutely essential gear!

CAMERA BODIES

Sony A7IV | $2,498

The Sony A7IV is the cornerstone of my photography workflow. I actually travel with two of these incredible mirrorless cameras! What makes the A7IV special is its exceptional 33MP full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor paired with impressive low-light performance (ISO range 100-51200, expandable to 50-204800). The 759-point phase-detection autofocus system with improved AI subject recognition captures those split-second travel moments with stunning precision. I'm obsessed with the customizable interface that lets me configure the controls exactly how I want them. The lightweight magnesium alloy body (658g) makes it perfect for travel photography since I quite literally cannot hold up a big clunky camera, and the impressive battery life (580 shots per charge) means I spend less time worrying about power and more time creating. The enhanced Sony color science creates gorgeous images that pair perfectly with my Lightroom Presets, which I've specifically optimized for Sony cameras.

GoPro Hero 13 Black | $399.99

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This compact powerhouse is my go-to for vlogging and underwater content or just anywhere I might get wet. The Hero 13 Black delivers incredible 5.3K video resolution with HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization that makes even my most adventurous footage look professionally smooth. The best part is that you don’t have to film everything twice for IG & Youtube because of the awesome adjustable ratio setting. The 27MP photo capability and enhanced low-light performance make it versatile beyond just action shots.

What I particularly love is the durability—it's waterproof to 33ft without an additional case, perfect for spontaneous ocean dips or rainy adventures. The improved battery life (approximately 80 minutes of continuous 5.3K recording) keeps me shooting longer. For creators seeking an action camera that balances professional features with user-friendly design, GoPro remains unbeatable in my experience.

PRIME LENS

FE 35mm f1.4 | $1398

My absolute ride-or-die lens! Nearly everything you see on my page is captured with this beauty. This G Master prime combines phenomenal sharpness with dreamy bokeh, thanks to its 11-blade circular aperture design and XA (extreme aspherical) elements that minimize aberration even at f/1.4.

Weighing just 524g, it's surprisingly lightweight for its professional-grade build quality. The 35mm focal length offers that perfect balance—wide enough for landscapes and interiors but intimate enough for portraits and detail shots. The silent focusing mechanism is crucial for those quiet moments when traveling. Check out this photo shot with this lens to see the stunning results!

FE 14mm F1.8 | $1498

This ultra-wide prime is my secret weapon for capturing expansive interiors and creating dramatic perspectives. With an impressive 114° angle of view and exceptional f/1.8 aperture (rare for an ultra-wide), this lens performs brilliantly in low-light situations like dimly lit cathedrals or starry night landscapes.

The lens incorporates two XA elements and two ED glass elements to minimize distortion while maintaining edge-to-edge sharpness—crucial for architectural photography. Despite its technical prowess, it weighs only 460g and features a compact design that's travel-friendly. I love playing with the natural distortion to create editorial-style portraits with unique perspectives. Here's an example of what this lens can do!

ZOOM LENS

FE 24-70mm F2.8 | $1598

This versatile zoom lens is my professional workhorse. The second-generation GM version is 20% lighter than its predecessor (695g) while delivering even better optical performance. The constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range creates that gorgeous background blur I love, while four XA elements and two ED elements ensure tack-sharp images with minimal chromatic aberration.

The 24-70mm range covers everything from wide landscapes to intimate portraits, making it perfect for travel when I want flexibility without changing lenses. The improved focus breathing suppression makes it excellent for video work too. Here's a photo showing the beautiful compression this lens creates!

Alix Earle Light | $29

I ordered this viral TikTok light on a whim, and it's honestly revolutionized my mobile content creation. This compact LED ring light offers 3 color temperatures (3200K-6500K) and 10 brightness levels that create professional-looking illumination for iPhone vlogs and selfies.

What makes this light special is its flattering 38° beam angle that softens skin texture while providing enough power (120 lux at 0.3m) to overcome poor restaurant lighting for food content. The rechargeable battery lasts 2 hours at full brightness, and the universal clip fits any smartphone. This tiny powerhouse has earned a permanent spot in my travel kit—I literally never leave home without it!

Insta360 X4 Get-Set Bundle | $560

This flagship 360° camera revolutionizes my content creation workflow. The X4 captures stunning 8K 360° footage and 4K wide-angle video with exceptional clarity and detail. The upgraded FlowState stabilization technology delivers incredibly smooth footage even during high-action activities, eliminating the need for separate stabilization equipment.

What makes the X4 special is its versatility—from invisible selfie stick shots to waterproof capabilities (up to 33ft without additional housing), it handles virtually any adventure scenario. The impressive 135-minute battery life means I can shoot all day without constantly swapping batteries. The AI-powered editing suite in the companion app automatically identifies and highlights the best moments in my footage, transforming hours of editing into minutes. The removable lens guards provide peace of mind when shooting in rough conditions. Check out this creative example of what you can do with 360° footage!

DJI Mini 4 Pro | $1099

This compact drone has completely transformed my aerial photography. Weighing just 249g, it falls under most regulatory weight restrictions worldwide, making it ideal for international travel. Despite its tiny size, it packs a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor that captures 48MP photos and 4K/60fps video with an impressive 10-bit D-Log M color profile.

What truly separates this drone from others is its vertical shooting capability—absolutely essential for creating social media content. The three-way obstacle avoidance sensors provide confidence when flying in complex environments, while the O4 transmission system offers 20km range with 1080p/60fps live feed. With 34 minutes of flight time per battery, I can capture multiple locations without constantly landing to recharge.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo | $669

This compact vlogging camera has revolutionized my on-the-go content creation. The impressive 1-inch CMOS sensor captures stunning 4K/120fps video and high-quality stills, all while maintaining incredible stability thanks to the 3-axis gimbal system.

What makes the Osmo Pocket 3 special is its versatility—the flip screen makes framing selfie shots effortless, while the intelligent tracking keeps subjects perfectly in focus. The Creator Combo includes an essential wireless mic for crystal-clear audio, plus expansion accessories for mounting options. With fast focusing and excellent low-light performance, this pocket-sized powerhouse delivers professional-quality footage that complements my larger camera setup without adding significant weight to my travel kit.

Nomatic Peter McKinnon Camera Pack | $399

This thoughtfully designed backpack is the ultimate travel photography companion. The expandable design (25L-35L) adapts to my gear needs, while the weather-resistant 840D nylon construction keeps my equipment safe in unpredictable conditions.

What sets this bag apart is the ingenious folding divider system that allows me to pack both camera gear and clothing in separate compartments—perfect for minimalist travel. The side access points let me grab my camera quickly without removing the pack, and the dedicated laptop sleeve fits my 16" MacBook Pro securely. The breathable back panel and adjustable harness system make it comfortable even when fully loaded during long travel days.

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Nomatic Peter McKinnon Cube Bag | $124.99

This versatile camera cube transforms from protective storage to functional day bag in seconds. The 21L capacity perfectly fits my essential kit—camera body, 2-3 lenses, and accessories—with customizable dividers that adapt to different gear configurations.

What makes this cube special is its expansion capability. When I reach my destination, it transforms into a standalone shoulder bag with comfortable straps and external pockets for quick access to memory cards and batteries. The water-resistant materials and reinforced stitching provide peace of mind when exploring in variable weather conditions. It pairs perfectly with the larger McKinnon Camera Pack for a complete travel system.

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Peak Design Travel Tripod | $599.99

This innovative tripod has completely changed my approach to travel photography. Unlike traditional designs, Peak Design reimagined the tripod's architecture to eliminate wasted space, resulting in a full-height tripod (60" extended) that collapses to the diameter of a water bottle (3.25").

The carbon fiber construction keeps weight down to just 2.81 lbs while maintaining impressive stability that can support up to 20 lbs of gear. The ball head's unique single-ring design allows for quick adjustments with one hand, and the built-in mobile mount securely holds my smartphone for mobile shooting. What gives me confidence is the precision machined components and weather-resistant materials—I can comfortably set up self-portraits anywhere without worrying about my equipment toppling over.

Phone Tripod Mount | $11.95

This affordable smartphone mount has become essential for capturing behind-the-scenes content. The spring-loaded grip securely holds phones up to 3.5" wide, while the standard 1/4"-20 thread base attaches to any tripod. I personally keep this lil guy mounted to the top of my SonyA7IV. The ball head also provides 360° rotation and 90° tilt for flexible positioning. For $12, this simple tool has dramatically improved my BTS workflow and documentation process.

SAMSUNG T7 Shield 2TB | $149

Reliable data storage is non-negotiable for professional content creators, and the T7 Shield has proven itself time and again. This rugged external SSD offers IP65 water and dust resistance with drop protection up to 3 meters—essential durability for travel photography.

The performance is outstanding with read/write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s through the USB 3.2 Gen2 connection, making quick work of transferring large RAW files and 4K video. The compact size (88 x 59 x 13mm) and lightweight design (98g) make it easy to carry multiple drives for redundant backups. Unlike some competitors, this drive maintains consistent performance even as it approaches capacity—a crucial factor during extended trips when I'm accumulating content daily.

Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) | $49.99

I’ve tried a lot of adapters over the years but this one has a micro chip reader for the drone, a SD card reader for my camera, USBs for all those outdated cords, and is generally fast + durable. This premium hub transforms a single USB-C port into a complete connectivity solution. The 8-in-1 configuration features a 4K@60Hz HDMI port for crisp external displays, Ethernet for reliable wired internet, SD/microSD card readers for quick media transfers, two USB-A and one USB-C data port for peripherals, plus 100W Power Delivery passthrough charging.

What makes the Anker 555 exceptional is its performance reliability and thoughtful engineering. The aluminum enclosure efficiently manages heat during intensive file transfers, while the reinforced cable withstands the rigors of daily travel. The high-speed USB ports support 10Gbps data transfer—perfect for backing up large photo and video files without delays. This single compact device replaces multiple adapters in my workflow, simplifying my mobile setup while maintaining professional-grade connectivity anywhere I go.

16-inch Macbook Pro Apple M3 Max | $4599

As the command center of my creative business, I invested in this powerful mobile workstation. The M1 Max chip with its 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU handles demanding tasks like editing 4K video and processing large batches of RAW photos with remarkable efficiency.

The 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with 1000 nits sustained brightness (1600 nits peak) provides exceptional color accuracy with P3 wide color gamut—essential for precise photo editing. The 64GB unified memory ensures smooth multitasking between Lightroom, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and other creative applications without slowdowns.

Running macOS Sequoia 15.1, this machine delivers incredible performance with its fast SSD storage, dramatically reducing wait times when working with large media files. Despite this power, the thermal efficiency allows for silent operation most of the time, and the impressive battery life means I can work through international flights without worrying about power outlets. It fits perfectly in the protected felt sleeve of my Nomatic bag, making it the ideal travel editing station.