What’s In My Bag

As a photographer I am always wanting to upgrade my gear to have the best of the best for everything, but it can be a slow process. Here is a list of What’s In My Photography Bag and why I love it, or why I want to switch soon!

Canon 50mm f/1.4 – $349

I could honestly shoot everything with this lens if I had to. 50mm lenses have always been my favorite for shooting portraits and they are wide enough to where you can just back up if you do not have anything wider to shoot with. 

I have had this specific lens for about 5 years and have never had a complaint. When I was in college I bought it when my cheap $50 50mm lens broke after a few uses (I wonder why). I really needed to get a new lens that wasn’t too pricey, but wasn’t a $50 piece of plastic that will break on me. I ended up getting the 1.4 and was so happy with my purchase. One day I will upgrade to the  Canon 50mm f/1.2 – $1299, but I have other lenses that are in more need of replacing!

If you are in the market for a 50mm (if you don’t have one, then you should be), and can swing for the 1.2, I would suggest going with it, but the 1.4 is still a great lens if you are starting out on a budget.

canon 50mm 1.4 lens

Canon 35mm f/1.4 – $1699

The 35mm length is new-ish for me but I love it. It is not much wider than the 50mm but I still love the difference and often have both of them on my bodies at the same time. It is also not too wide so the distortion os manageable.

I use to have the Sigma 35mm 1.4 – $634 for about a year and a half before I was over the problems with that lens and upgraded to the Canon version. The Sigma version is significantly cheaper than the Canon, but it often has focus issues if you look at reviews. I did not have problems with it at first but it did get slightly worse over time. If you are on a budget, the Sigma might be for you. Some people get lucky and never have the problems, and other have it much worse off than I did. Just do your research so you know what you are getting into!

sigma 35mm 1.4 lens

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 – $650

After reading about my previous Sigma experience, you may be wondering why I have another non-Canon lens. I actually got this one shortly after I got the 35 so my husband and I could each have a wider lens at the same time at a wedding. The 24 is not one I use often, really only when we each need one, but it has been a lot more reliable than the 35mm. 

This is my widest lens, and I love having it for certain situations. When I am not at a wedding and am shooting alone, I always keep it in my bag in case a situation arises where the 24 would be best. Like I mentioned earlier, I have a dual harness, so 2 bodies and 2 lenses at all times so I almost never switch lenses while shooting. This one would be the exception for a wider shot where I cannot back up enough. 

I have not had focus issues with this one at all, and am not sure if others have experienced the same issues with it as the 35. I do not use it enough to want to upgrade, and have no complaints about it when I am using it.

sigma 24mm 1.4 lens

Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 -$499

This lens is my only non-prime lens. I only bring it with me to weddings to use during a ceremony so I am not stuck with just 1 or 2 focal lengths. The one I have was a used lens and is pretty old, so it’s auto focus is a bit slow and I am not sure if that is because of the age or if that is just how this lens is. It gets the job done for what I need though.

I have heard really great things about the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 – $1799, and will probably upgrade to that one day. Again, it serves it’s purpose so I am not putting this lens at the top of my list, but I know it could be better. I am sure when I do upgrade to the 70-200 2.8 I will probably love it and regret not making the switch earlier, but for now it is what it is.

canon 70-300mm 4-5.6 lens

Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro – $548

This lens is awesome, but I rarely use it. I love the focal length for really small things, and the macro capability so I can just get real close to what I am shooting. I primarily use this one for product photography when I do that, and detail shots at weddings. Unfortunately a few months ago, I notices a tiny scratch on the lens when I was shooting real close product shots of jewelry, and it is not fixable. I use it still for some things that won’t show the scratch, but for the product photography I do on the side, it was not working for me.

I ended up buying a used Sigma 105mm f/2.8 – $357 so I can get by with what I was using it for at home. The Sigma version is also a macro and about the same focal length and is just fine. The odd thing about this lens is that when t focuses it is loud, but I use it at home on products so it is not a problem for me. 

Both of these lenses work great but are a bit heavier than other lenses. They are physically longer lenses too and bulky. The Sigma is a little more heavy than the Canon, so ideally I only like using these with still subjects and/or with a tripod or with a strobe.

canon 100mm 2.8macro lens

Canon Speedlite 430EX II – $249

I only use external flashes when I am shooting at a reception. I have two of these and my husband and I each take one at wedding receptions. Though I have a lot more experience working with strobe lights in a studio vs external flashes but these seem to work great for us! They are strong enough for what we need them for and don’t seem to drain our batteries as much as I have heard from other photographers that use external flashes.

We have two of the EX II version, which are both actually pretty old, but it seems like the EX III is the version on the market now. I am sure the newer version is the same or better than what we have. The price is also not going to break the bank, especially for something that you are not going to use often.

Canon Speedlite 430EX II

Canon 5D Mark III – $2799

This was my first full frame camera which I got about 5 years ago. I fell in love with it as soon as I got it and was so excited. I have never had a problem with this camera body and it is a very sturdy machine. It is larger than crop-sensor bodies, but I don’t have tiny hands so it felt a lot better for me when I switched. 

One feature that was a game changer was having two memory slots! I did not shoot weddings before I got this camera, so it was not a big deal to only have one memory slot back then, but I sure was happy to make the switch. 

canon 5d mark III camera body

Canon 5D Mark IV – $3399

This bad boy is my second body, which I have had for about a year and a half. Ideally when I am shooting with two bodies at the same time (which is 95% of the time), it would be best to have two of the same bodies; though I do not notice huge difference on the images with shooting with the two different bodies. I plan to get a second one of these soon and have my Mark III as a backup and the camera my husband uses when he shoots with me. Having the three cameras is ideal so I can always have two at a wedding, and so if one craps out on us then we still have 2 more so we each can have a camera. 

A few weeks ago I had my first problem with this camera, and I am only mentioning it to tell my story of why backup cameras are a must. For some reason it was giving me err20 when I would take a picture and just continued to do so. So, I just let it hang on my harness for the rest of the shoot while I switched lenses on my mark III. What would have happened if I were at a wedding and only had one camera and this happened? Nothing good, that is for sure!

This problem randomly happened  a couple times for the next 2 shoots I had that week, and has not happened since. This is just some fluke thing that happened to mine though, when googling about it I did not see people complaining that this happened to their Mark IV. Even though it happened, it will be solved, and I still plan to get another one in addition. 

canon 5d mark IV camera body

I hope that after seeing What’s in My Photography Bag helps you out with which lens or gear you want to buy next! If you are interested in more about products I love to use for my business, check out my blog Post 5 Resources I Could not Run My Business Without. This article contains affiliate links. I only recommend products and brands that I personally love and use for myself and business.

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  1. […] love and use for myself and business. If you are looking for more ideas on gear, check out What’s In My Bag, My Editing Setup and The Small But Necessary Gear For Photographers. All of those articles are […]

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