What gear do i use?
software
Cameras
Sony a7riii
Sony a7riii
Starting off the list with the meat and potatoes of my arsenal is my main camera of choice - the Sony a7riii. Admittedly, my experience with other cameras is fairly limited, however, I will say that once you’ve found something you like, stick with it. I was originally drawn to the Sony world for their immaculate reviews online and incredible low-light performance but more specifically, was enticed by the massive 42mp sensor in the a7riii. For me, this camera ticks all the boxes. You get unbelievably sharp photos with ample ability to crop to your hearts content, along with very usable 4K video and quick autofocus. Though the low-light might not completely stack up with that of an a7siii or a7iii, it protography and videography strengths combined make this camera an absolute weapon in my camera bag. If you’re serious about photography and plan to do a little filming on the side, this is my personal pick, hands down!
Sony a7siii
It was either the FX3 or the a7siii… and I chose the a7siii. Not to say this was the right answer, but with 4k 120 fps, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, full-size HDMI output, all-day battery life, and an ecosystem of amazing Sony lenses to go with it, the quality and flexibility of Sony film cameras is simply unbeatable in my eyes. Whether it’s throwing together a quick edit for Cargroms, or filming a cinematic feature for client work or my main channel, this camera absolutely has me covered. And oh yeah, don’t even get me started on the lowlight capabilities of this camera! No joke, it 100% sees better than my own eyes in the dark… The dual native iso is so impressive that I’ve actually had to stop down to f4.0 or f5.6 while shooting at night so as to not over expose my shots! Crazy. Pair this bad boy with any Sony G Master lens and your shots will look like something out of a movie.
Sony ZV-1
Next on the list is no surprise, another Sony…. Noticing a theme? I picked up a Sony ZV-1 for it’s strengths as a vlogging camera and my decision was born out of the necessity to keep my main a7riii dialed in on photoshoots while still being able to capture vlog clips in between. Having a ZV-1 in my bag affords me the ability to keep my a7riii in Manual mode with the settings dialed so I don’t have to mess about with changing modes back and forth and potentially missing a shot. Additionally, being significantly smaller, the ZV-1 fits, quite literally, in my pocket allowing me to vlog in public and on shoots without having to carry a heavy set up. As a dedicated blogging camera, this is certainly a strong option which is further reaffirmed by its convenient swivel screen and built-in mic array. Now I just need to remember to use the damn thing on some of my shoots! 😂
Lenses
sony g master 16-35mm f2.8
Officially MY FAVORITE LENS OF ALL TIME! That’s not an understatement… If I had to pick one lens to use for the rest of my life, it’s be a 16-35mm. (Side note: I don’t even own a 24-70mm any more and there’s a damn good reason for that down below…) If you’re shooting Sony, you need to be using native lenses. More specifically, you need to be using G Master lenses. While they cost a fortune, something in the way their cameras are optimized for their lenses, the dynamic range feels greater, the sharpness goes up a click, and the overall experience is taken to the next level. Put simply, you’re gonna like the way your shots look after dialing in this setup. As for the 16-35 itself, I’ve often loved a wider look in my photography and this lens gives you the range to fill the frame with a large setting while showing virtually zero distortion (Sony pulling their usual photo-science wizardry). The sharpness and versatility of this lens is like nothing else I’ve used and is leaps and bounds better than the Tamrom 17-28 equivalent and WELL WORTH the price bump for the image and build quality. I will never sell this lens… well, unless one comes along with OSS but until then, a 16-35 will always remain in my bag. P.S. Pop this bad boy on an a7riii and you can effectively turn it into a 16-53mm 😉
sony g 24-105mm f4
Let’s be honest, this lens is not going to knock you on your ass with its crazy wide angle, no-distortion, mind-bending abilities. Nor will it blow you away with its crazy compression or subject separation at 105mm. What pair it with a camera so good in the dark it practically has night vision and give it Optical Steady Shot, and what you end up with is one lens to rule them all. Seriously, with this lens on my a7siii, I can get just about every single shot I need to film a full-on feature film without ever having to swap for something else. The 24-105 replaced my Sigma 24-70 a while back and I can honestly say, this lens is in my bag to stay. From filming Cargroms videos, to tossing this setup on a gimbal, there’s something about the 24-105 that delivers in every single shooting scenario that you really don’t need anything else. Oh and by the way, f4 is PLENTY, especially on an a7siii.
Sony 20mm f1.8
The newest addition to my camera bag, at least at the time of typing this out, is my Sony 20mm f1.8. Like most of my lenses, I bought this new without a scratch on it and had the idea in mind of testing it out as a vlogging lens with the option of selling it if it wasn’t to my liking. Boy have I never been more impressed with a lens in my life. Okay, this is perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but take my word for it, this lens is worth every penny! 20mm makes this lens perfect for vlogging as its wide enough without opening things up to crazy levels of distortion. On top of that, the shallow depth of field combined with quick autofocus make this lens a down-right essential in my video kit. Seriously, if you want a high-quality vlog look, use this lens… SERIOUSLY!
P.S. this is my favorite lens to shoot my 1er on! Any car that isn’t inherently wide irl will look so much more aggressive shot on a 20mm… just a pro tip for all you shooters out there 😉
sigma 35mm f1.4
Okay, here we go… we’re now entering what I would consider to be dangerous waters as I’m about to make a claim that will rock your world. Here goes… This might be my favorite lens of all time! While I have yet to explore different 35mm options, I have a feeling it will be tough for a lens to match the sharpness, build quality, low-light, bokeh producing heaven, that can compete with the Sigma 35mm f1.4, especially not at this price point. This lens just about lives on my camera as I shoot a vast majority of my automotive photo and videos on it. For video, you really can’t go wrong with a 35mm and especially something that lets you shoot into much darker scenarios. But for automotive photos, this lens is a knock-out! Some of my favorite shots were snapped with this lens on and for this reason, it will continue to reside in my camera bag for years to come. Do yourself a favor and buy one plz (not sponsored lol)
zeiss 50mm f1.4
I made some pretty bold claims about the 35mm listed above and I hold true to them, but if there ever was a lens to make me change my opinion, the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 would be it. Talk about a hefty boi, the Zeiss has some weight to it but all that weight goes to good use when you see the level of photo that comes as a result. This lens, as old as it is, yields some of the sharpest results out there and is down-right fantastic with respect to it’s build quality. While this is an expensive option, its certainly worth the money in my opinion. The only issue I have personally, is that the Sigma 35 exists in my bag… I always say 50mm is my favorite focal length and that you need a 50 in your bag if you’re truly serious about photography, and the Zeiss is no doubt the creme of the crop. For these reasons, it stays in my bag. 🤝
sony G Master 70-200mm f2.8
Ahh here it is… the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The mightly G Master 70-200 f2.8. Boy oh boy what a lens this is. Unbelievable range, that Sony high dynamic range look, and auto-focus pairing that will leave you with mind-blowing shots — especially with fast approaching subjects. If you shoot on a track, you’ll know that it can be hard to get close to the action so having a longer lens in the bag is a necessity in these types of situations. While not immediately necessary for most, if you find yourself shooting at the track more and more often and find yourself needing to get that little bit closer to the action, you can’t go wrong with the 70-200. Just a note, I’ve tried both the G Master and the f4 version of this lens and can confirm there is a difference between the two. While I haven’t tried the second version of this lens yet (which I’ve heard is also unbelievable) I find myself completely satisfied with the performance of the Mark I and won’t be upgrading any time soon… Bucket list item will be to shoot an F1 race on this lens at some point. Soon!!!
filters
k&f cpl & nd filter (2 in 1)
Let’s keep this plain and simple: if you’re shooting cars, you need a polarizer. If you’re filming cars, you need an ND filter. If you’d like to mange your light and reflections at the same time, you need a 2 in 1 CPL / ND filter. End of discussion.
I personally use the K&F filter linked below. As far as I can tell, the color shift is relatively mild, and the ND and CPL do the job. I primarily use this filter when vlogging or filming for YouTube as I like to keep that shallow depth of field even in bright daylight but it’s come in handy on cinematic shoots as well. Highly recommended!
Drone
dji air 2s
DJI has a bit of a knack for creating some of the best drone photography and cinematography products on the planned and the Air 2s is no exception. Everytime I use this drone, I am blown away by the quality of the shots. The 5.4k gives you flexibility in post (something that’s greatly valued on a drone when framing your shots or creating simulated movement), the 10-bit color depth is a dream to work with, and the log profiles let me color match with ease to my a7siii with a breeze. My priority with this drone started out with a heavy cinematography focus but I’ve recently been blown away by its photography strengths as well!
Freewell ND, ND/PL, CPL Filters
Quickie for y’all. If you’re shooting professionally on a drone, you’re going to need a set of CPL filters. Preferably so with varying degrees of ND strength as well so you can keep your shutter speed and frame rates locked in for that oh-so nice motion blur! These will also make you go from amateur drone pilot status, to profession cinematographer over night.
Gimbal
DJI ronin sc2
[Coming Soon]
Audio
Zoom h1n
[Coming Soon]
movo vrx10
[Coming Soon]
gopro
Gopro hero 4
[Coming Soon]
Gopro hero 10
[Coming Soon]
Gopro max
[Coming Soon]
Storage
Lexar Professional 128GB sd card
[Coming Soon]
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD - 1tb
[Coming Soon]
Lighting
Nanlite PavoTube II 30X
[Coming Soon]
Tri-pods
22" Platinum Tabletop Tripod
[Coming Soon]
sunpak Travellite pro
[Coming Soon]
camera bags
Douchebags “The Backpack Pro”
[Coming Soon]
Douchebags “The CIA Pro”
[Coming Soon]
Tenba Transport Air Case (2214W)
[Coming Soon]