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Sony A7III

Image of Sony full fame Alpha 7 mark 3 camera

You’re a landscape photographer – why did you not go for the A7RIII I hear you ask? Fair point, but there was method in my madness when I decided to buy this camera.

When Sony released the A7RIII they fixed/added the features that most photographers had issues with on the previous generations. Better battery life, dual card slots, better low light performance and a touch screen. After that they released the A9 before releasing the A7III.

In my opinion the A7III came with the best improvements of both the A9 (the same auto focus) and the A7RIII (as detailed above) so for me the purchase was a no brainer.

So I bought the A7III because it saved me paying out an extra £1000, has a great auto focus which is a great advantage for video and commercial work as is the longer battery life.

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Sony A7RII

Front view of Sony A7RII camera body with sensor exposed

View A7RII Brochure

This camera is still my workhorse for landscape photography. It was released as a “game changer” by rave reviews in August 2015, which was towards the end of my year on the road. I had read the press but had no chance of getting my hands on one. It must have been late 2016 or early 2017 before I managed to scrape the pennies together in order to purchase this amazing camera body.

As I am writing this I have already been asked (several times) – Why have you not upgraded to the A7RIII? My answer – I would love to, but I just can’t justify it.

Let me explain…

From a landscape point of view, the A7RII is doing everything I need, which makes it very hard to justify the £1000+ upgrade. Yes, the better battery life and the dual card slots would be nice. (Side note: I did buy an A7III – see above). For my landscapes, I nearly always shoot on a tripod so the improved image stabilisation wouldn’t make a big difference. The sensor is the same 42.4MP as the A7RIII so no advantage there. I also nearly always shoot with an ISO range of 100 – 400, the largest I have used is probably 6400 -12800 for Astro shots, so again the higher ISO range – not a deal breaker. Also I ‘nearly’ always use manual focus and while the new autofocus system is great, I have no use for it from a landscape point of view.

The A7RII is a fantastic camera and paired with a great lens it will give you fantastic results. It has a large sensor, great dynamic range, image stabilisation and it’s not too shabby for video either.

If money wasn’t an option – yes I would have the A7RIII as an all-around camera, all day long. It has better battery, autofocus, image stabilisation and dual card slots. It would fit well with my A7III but currently, my A7RII gives me everything I need from a landscape point of view.

If you are just getting started and looking to get a great camera body I still would not look past this piece of kit especially as the price has dropped since the release of the A7RIII.

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Sony A6000

Image of Sony A6000 APSC camera

I picked this camera up after my world trip, mainly to use as a backup camera as my AR7 had taken a bit of a battering during my travels. Chris Burkard had mentioned that he used the A6000 as his back up camera when I attended one of his workshops in California. Its 24.3MP, APS-C sensor that takes the E-mount lenses – same as the A7 series. I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much but for the price I paid it’s a great little camera and well exceeded my expectations.

It’s small, light, compact, and yet you could fit a large telephoto lens to it if needed. I find myself using my Sony Zeiss 35mm F2.8 (which actually nearly makes it a nifty fifty). This setup is ideal for street photography when travelling or if I need more range when using my 70 to 200mm, I can put the lens on the A600 which makes it the equivalent of the 105 – 300mm lens.

Since I purchased this Sony have released the A6300 the A6400 and A6500. While these have more features, the A600 has dropped in price and you may just pick yourself up a great bargain.

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Sony A7R

Image of Sony Alpha full frame mirrorless camera. Model A7R

View A7R Brochure

This was my first Sony Mirrorless camera and the one I took on my world trip because of the quality and compact size. It is a 36MP full frame sensor. Basically, I loved it – until they released the A7RII and then the A7RIII and then…

So when this camera came out it was a game changer. At the time I was still shooting with my A900 having decided not to purchase the A99. To be honest I had started looking at Canon and Nikon until Sony released the A7 series. It just made sense – had a great sensor, could fit my A-Mount lenses (with an adaptor) and being small but yet powerful made it the perfect camera to travel with.

If you check my portfolio a lot of my shots were taken with this camera and travelled with me to Iceland along with my A7RII but had a little accident. The EVF (electronic viewfinder) doesn’t work any more but you can still use the screen on the back. Which is why it is still in my camera bag.

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Sony A900 DSLR

Image of Sony A-900 DSLR Camera

This was my old workhorse and my main camera body for many years, It was Sony’s first full-frame DSLR, which had an expansive feature set for the relatively low price of around £2000 / $3000 at launch in 2008. The A900, had a 24.6MP full-frame CMOS sensor paired with two Bionz processors. That combination gave users a fully expanded ISO range of 100-6400 and burst shooting that topped out at 5 fps.

It also has dual card slots, one CompactFlash and the other Memory Stick Duo. Adding the battery grip and two batteries along with my Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8, made it a great camera for all day shooting but you certainly know you’re carrying it around. Picking it up recently the weight is incredible, compared to what I am used to nowadays with the A7 bodies.

There are quite a few images on my portfolio pages that were shot with this camera and I still use it now and again for timelapse with an intervelometer.

Lenses

Sony FE 85mm F1.8

Image of Sony E-Mount Prime 85mm F1.8 Lens

One of my favourite A-mount lenses was my Sony Zeiss 85mm F1.4. When I moved to the E-mount bodies I still used it with an adapter. These days Sony has a G-Master 85mm F1.4 which is a great lens but will set you back around £1800.00.

This lens, however, is an 85mm F1.8 and only costs around £600.00. I tested both of these lenses at my local Sony Centre and to be honest I could not justify the £1200.00 difference in the results.

So I did what any sensible person would do; I went home and looked at the files from my A7RII, read every review online, changed my mind several times and then slept on it. The next day I woke up with a fresh head and went and bought the 85mm F1.8 and kept the £1200 for another day.

I have to say, it is a decision that I have not regretted at all. I absolutely love this lens. If you are looking at a lens around this focal length, do yourself a favour and check it out before you make a purchase. You have been told!

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Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS

Image of Sony G-Master 70-200 telephoto lens

I first seriously looked at this lens when I was travelling in Australia. I was attending the Formula 1 Asutralian GP in Melbourne and hired it for couple of days. In the end I liked it but coud not justify its cost and the weight of carrying it for the rest of my trip, not that it’s heavy but when you are carrying everything you own it all adds up.

I was planning a trip to the Scottish Highlands and wanted to take a telephoto lens having sold my old A-Mount 70-400mm. I purchased this 70-200mm F4 over the G Master F2.8 because of price and weight and I have to say that I have not regretted the decision at all.

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Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

Image of Sony E-Mount wide angle 16-35mm F4 Lens

I wanted to purchase this lens before I set off on my world trip. Unfortunately, the release date slipped and I was not able to get my hands on it before I set off. As it turned out I picked it up in Singapore and to be honest it ended up that it was the most used lens of my trip.

The 16-35mm focal length range makes it perfect for landscape photography and these days this and my 70-200mm are ths first two lenses that I pack in my bag.

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Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA

Image of Sony E-Mount Prime 35mm F2.8 lens

This little lens is great for travel and street photography which is what I primarily use it for. It has exceptional quality and is extraordinarily compact making it a near perfect match for full-frame E-mount cameras. It benefits from Zeiss’s optical technology, as it utilizes a Sonnar design with three double-sided aspherical to provide the relatively fast f/2.8 aperture with minimal aberrations. The lens is also equipped with Zeiss’ T* anti-reflective coating to effectively eliminate flare and ghosting.

Taking things up a notch is the linear autofocus motor and internal focusing design, resulting in fast, quiet, and responsive performance in stills and video. On top of all this, the lens uses a seven-blade circular diaphragm for smooth bokeh and has a dust- and moisture-resistant construction that ensure it will keep functioning in less-than-ideal weather conditions.

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Sony SAL 2470 ZA

Side view of Sony Zeiss 2470 lens

This was the first proper expensive lense that I ever bought and still use to this day. It is a very high quality, wide aperture zoom lens covering wide angle to medium telephoto which makes it a go-to lens for many applications.

It has a smooth, silent AF operation using high-torque SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor), 17 lens elements in 13 groups, including 3 aspherical elements and 2 ED glass elements: delivers optical performance equivalent to fixed focal length lenses.

The lens captures clear, sharp, dynamic and dramatic images with lens with little distortion and extreme depth of field. The T* coating on the optical surfaces ensures higher light transmission with minimal flare and ghosting.

This lens made me realise the worth of investing in good glass!

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Sony LA-EA4

Image of a Sony lens adapter

This is Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter that enables you to attach virtually any A-mount lens to an E-mount digital camera body. The adapter features a built-in AF motor, aperture-drive mechanism and Translucent Mirror Technology to enable full-time, continuous, TTL phase-detection autofocus. AF is supported with all A-mount lenses except STF models, and auto exposure will be enabled with all compatible lenses.

Translucent Mirror Technology effectively directs light to both the imaging and focus sensors simultaneously, enabling AF to work seamlessly even during video recording and continuous shooting. For video, aperture is fixed at the maximum f/stop of the lens or at f/3.5, whichever is lower.

The adapter is configured with a tripod mount for supporting large, heavy lenses. Teleconverters and Minolta XI lenses are not compatible.

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Sony LA-EA3

Image of Sony lens adapter

The Sony LA-EA3 A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter enables you to attach any A-mount lens to an E-mount digital camera. It supports Auto Exposure and features an aperture mechanism. The auto ISO function will work, and you can change the aperture in the Alpha camera. The adapter is very lightweight and configured with an integrated, standard 1/4″-20 tripod mount for supporting large and heavy lenses. Auto focus is only available with SAM/SSM lenses for still images but is very slow, taking 3-5 seconds.

The LA-EA3 uses the in-built autofocus engine of the camera (in my case the Sony A7r’s Contrast AF) but Continuous AF is not possible. Switching between autofocus and manual focus can only be done on the lens and not in camera.

The AF in the Sony LA-EA3 is not useable in real world situations. I would go for the Sony LA-EA4 (see above) if you are looking for the most functionality in an A-mount to E-mount adapter. The Sony LA-EA3 might be well suited to your needs if you mainly use manual focus, and without the mirror used in it’s bigger brother, you don’t have any light loss resulting in just a bit higher quality images.

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Camera Bags

Peak Design 30L Everyday Backpack

Image of Peak Design Ash Grey 30L Camera bag

This is the back pack that I use for short trips, city breaks and is generally my carry on bag when flying. I can get a couple of cameras (with lens attached) an extra lens or two, my Mavic Air and my laptop into this bag. It has a flexible in internal layout, which means it can allow me to take less gear and have some room for clothes if it is my only travel bag.

Peak Design descibe it as a pack that adapts to your ever-changing gear, lifestyle and environment, the Everyday Backpack gives you unrivaled accessibility, expandability, and organization. The patented MagLatch provides lightning fast top access, with dual side-loading via two weatherproof side zips. Huge external carry capacity made possible by a versatile tuck-away strap system and 2 expandable external side pockets. Integrated luggage carry makes this bag equally suited for daily commutes and extended travel. Endlessly configurable FlexFold dividers keep photo, drone, or everyday gear organized, protected, and not bunched at the bottom of your bag. Internally padded accessory pockets keep small items in check. Dedicated sleeve for up to 15” laptop, tablet, and documents. Ultra clean aesthetic, all-custom hardware, minimal dangling straps. Weatherproof 400D nylon canvas shell.

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Peak Design | Amazon

Burton Zoom 26L

Image of burto 26L black camera bag

Burton describe it as the original photo pack. As skilled on the hill as it is on the streets. Mobile and low-profile with padded, customizable storage and full-zip back panel for instant access to your entire arsenal.

It’s hard to find a proper camera bag. It’s even harder to find one that is built with snowboarding in mind. The Burton Zoom Pack has what the competition lacks. Field developed for capturing images on and off the mountain, it’s armed with an arsenal of features to make camerawork quick and easy. With customizable stashes and attachments for your shovel, heaters, film, cords, batteries, beverage, and sound…every piece of the puzzle has its place.

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LowePro Toploader AW70

Image of lowepro toploader camera bag

I got this bag to use along with my rucksack for walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It is great as keeps my camera on my chest, is easily accessible and the weight of the camera is well balanced.

It is build for speed, agility and flexibility, the Toploader Pro 70 AW II delivers a compact and fast-access solution to pros that work in the moment and want to wear their gear multiple ways.

Fits Pro DSLR with 24-70mm f/2.8 or 14-25mm f/2.8 lens attached
Wear 4 ways, shoulder, holster style, chest harness or on belt
Bag includes 2 straps to configure in multiple ways
Super-strong Duraflex® metal D-rings to secure straps
Protect gear from the elements with the All Weather AW Cover™

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Tripods

Manfrotto 055 CX Pro 3

Image of dark grey carbon fibre Manfrotto Photography Tripod Tripod

The 055 carbon fibre-3 section photo tripod offers outstanding rigidity and is incredibly lightweight. This engineering masterpiece from Italy has been manufactured to very high standards, and features a 90° column that can be extended vertically or horizontally so you can shoot with greater versatility.

With 100% carbon fibre tubes and an innovative Quick Power Lock (QPL) leg-locking mechanism, you can be assured incredible stability and rigidity under any conditions. This tripod not only absorbs vibrations, it’s also much lighter to carry around than the aluminium version. That mean it is a very good choice for travel photographers.

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Manfrotto BeFree Advanced Twist

Black and red Manfrotto BeFree Advanced travel tripod with twist lock legs and ball head

This is the new version of the tripod that I choose to travel the world with, and I met more than a few photographers who where using the Manfrotto BeFree. That tripod has since been replaced with the Manfrotto BeFree ‘Advanced’ and this time there two type of leg locking mechanisms as well as the aluminium and carbon fibre options as before. I choose the aluminium twist version as I liked the idea of the twist locks and could not justify the cost to upgrade to the carbon fiber version. The tripod comes complete with Manfrotto’s 494 ball head, plate and its own zipped bag. The BeFree Advanced packs down small enough to fit in my hand luggage and to date is every bit as impressive as the previous version.

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Manfrotto Befree Live

Black Manfrotto BeFree Live video travel tripod with twist lock legs and fluid head

Having already purchased the Manfrotto BeFree Advanced and needing a second light but reliable lens for video work this purchase was a no brainer for me. This BeFree Live features the same twist M-Lock legs as the Advance in conjunction with Manfrotto’s BeFree Live Fluid Head.

The Befree Live’s small size does not mean compromising on sturdiness or image quality. This solution guarantees very smooth movements thanks to the fluid head, which features a fluid drag system on pan and tilt and keeps your camera perfectly balanced thanks to its sliding video plate.

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Accessories

Zeiss Lens Wipes

Image of box of 200 Zeiss Lens Wipes

ZEISS Lens Wipes are pre-moistened lens cleaning wipes. They are the perfect solution to safely, quickly and conveniently clean your camera lens and must to have in your camera bag and pockets. Specially formulated to gently dissolve grease and remove smudges and dirt to provide streak-free cleaning for all camera lenses. They are designed for use on all glass and plastic spectacle lenses (particularly high quality, coated lenses) so if you wear glasses you can kill two birds with one wipe!

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Lens Skirt

Image of cloth lens skirt with suction cups

The LENSKIRT is a portable flexible hood which I always carry in my camera bag. You attach one end to a window pane with the suction cups and stick your camera lens in the other. It allows you to shoot pictures (or video) through glass without internal environmental reflections such as yourself, room lights, camera flashes and random light leaks. I have used this handy piece of kit to cut out reflections shooting out of plane windows and to get great night-time cityscapes. Check out this example from the Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center in Seattle. This shot would not have been possible without this simple but essential piece of kit.

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Dymo Label Maker

Dymo 160 Label Manager

I use this all the time! It may be an OCD thing, but I like to label my camera batteries, drone batteries, powerbanks, portable hard drives to name but a few. It just helps me to keep track of everything, rotate my battery useage and put my name on my stuff.

This model lets you edit text easily with one-touch fast formatting keys – bold, italic, vertical, underline and boxed. Type text quickly on the computer-style (Qwerty) keyboard. Create labels with six font sizes, eight text styles, four boxes, plus underline, 228 symbols and clip art.

Happy labeling…

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Extra Label Tape:

Black text on white tape | White text on black tape

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