What’s in my Camera Bag - Stock Photography Edition
Today I’m taking you guys behind the scenes, talking about the stock photography and videography edition of “What’s In My Camera Bag”.
We’ll be chatting about the gear I use for my stock photography and videography, the software and online tools I use on the editing and uploading side of things, and what I think I’m missing from my setup.
Also, I’ll be honest… I’m naturally nosy - not in a “who’s Brad Pitt dating now” kinda nosy, but more in a “what are they doing differently to what I’m doing and what gear have they got?”. So today lets be nosey in my camera bag!
So if you haven’t already, grab a coffee - let's just chill and get comfy for today's edition of “It’s In The Bag”. And if you recognise that reference - you’re officially dinosaur-level old like me.
Now, as you can see, I have lots of photography bits and pieces I’ve collected over the years - but not all of them are necessary or useful specifically for the stock photography that I do. So I’ll get into my personal essentials first, then some extras I occasionally use and I’ll finish up with my current “dear santa” wishlist.
Camera : My Canon 5D Mk iv
Obviously a camera is the first - and most important - place to start. The first camera we bought about 6 years ago was a Canon 600D - also known in some parts of the world as the Rebel T3i, which, personally, I think is a way cooler name. I haven’t played with a lot of other cameras from other brands, but I’m really happy with Canon so I’ve just continued by upgrading through the Canon range.
I think when it comes to professional-level cameras, it’s a really personal choice. There’s a lot of people who say “This brand is better than that brand”, but I think that can create too much “analysis paralysis” for most people. Most high-level cameras - whether it’s Nikon or Sony or Canon, etc - are all just exceptional when you get to the top ranges. And unless you’re a seasoned professional who has preferences from using so many different cameras - I think you just need to like the one you buy.
What feels good to you, what makes you excited when you hold it, and does it have all the bells and whistles and lenses that you want to photograph with?
I have a Canon 5D Mk iv, which is a professional-level camera. I bought it knowing I wanted to step into photography as a career - and it’s such an excellent all-round camera for both photography AND video - and whatever photography or videography path I choose to go down, I know it’ll be versatile enough to go where I want to go, whether it’s lifestyle branding photography or wedding photography or stock photography.
There were 5 really important reasons I wanted this specific camera…
and they all lend themselves well to stock photography and/or videography too.
It has a dual card slot. I’ve had cards corrupt on me and it SUCKS. Thankfully, only when I’ve been working on personal projects - but I would have been mortified if it had been client work and something I couldn’t do again - like a wedding or an event that couldn’t be re-created. So the dual-slot was a MUST HAVE for me as I was looking to step from hobby - to the professional playing field.
You can film in 4k, which a lot of creators are specifically looking for these days when they’re getting stock footage. So you may as well stay ahead of the curve with that, especially since the industry is now moving towards 6 and 8k and higher….
You can film in 120 fps - at 1080p. And it’s buttery and dreamy! This is fantastic for the wanna-be cinematic youtuber in me, but also allows for great slow motion, which, again, a lot of creators appreciate. (*get some 120fps footage*)
It’s full frame. And when you’re working in tighter locations, it’s just another tool in your belt. You can just fit more in the image because of the larger sensor. It’s a true 35mm film size. Sometimes as a photographer you can be shooting in smaller, confined spaces - so the full frame is something I really appreciate.
It works so much better in low light. There’s this cool thing you can do on the 5D - where you can extend the ISO range. The range is huge to start with, but you can really push this thing to extremes and still get a good image. Add in Lightroom’s denoise function in the editing… and once again, the 5D just shows its incredible versatility. (*Footage of me showing the ability to alter the ISO.*)
There is one downside to this camera, and that is that it weighs close to 1 kg - or for my overseas friends - it’s just under 2 pounds. And when you put the 24-70 f2.8 mk 2 L series lens on it that weighs close to the same - you’re looking at almost 2kg all up - or 4 pounds - and that’s without accessories like a flash or if you want to put your cell phone on the top or a microphone.
And I say this because the audience I’m aiming my videos at, are people closer to my age or older, (I’m 43 by the way) and the amount of women, specifically, that I know with weak wrists at my age and up - this is a fairly hefty piece of equipment to be using all the time. It’s my favourite thing, and I couldn’t recommend it higher, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this downside. But, you can mitigate that with tripods or monopods and / or a good neck strap. So just keep that in mind if your wrists, like mine, are a little iffy.
Now, to the best of my understanding, the closest mirrorless counterpart to the 5D, is the EOS 5R with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L series lens… which I thought would be lighter, but when I looked it up, it’s actually about the same weight. So if you’re leaning towards going mirrorless instead of DSLR, this is the closest option as far as I’m aware. I’m keen to try it, but there’s just something about the mechanical sounds and the ability to look through the viewfinder if I want, that I don’t think I’ll ever go across to mirrorless - but, hey - no judgement - we can be friends. lol.
And just as a quick aside on this before I finish up this section - most of the stock images I have up to this point were taken on my older Canon 80D - from before I upgraded - so I don’t want to say that it’s not possible to use a lower-level camera, simply that you have fewer restrictions on the 5D which is something that was really important to me when we bought it.
Lenses - My Canon 24-70mm F2.8 Mk 2 L series lens + my “nifty fifty”, 50mm 1.8 prime lens
The 24-70 was a must-have to go with the 5D when I got it, and the beauty of life through this lens is just awesome.
The funny thing is that I enjoy adding texture and grain to my personal images, but I have so much flexibility with this lens when I get a super clear capture in the first place. And dealing with stock photography, that clarity allows the end client more flexibility in how it’s used.
MY 50mm
One thing I do love about the 50mm prime aside from its gorgeous bokeh and that it’s simply just an excellent lens, is that it weighs less than 200 grams - or 6oz. So sometimes, when I’m out and about and feeling a bit lazy, I’ll throw the 50 on, cos that makes it a LOT lighter!
It really depends on what you’re trying to achieve out of your stock images, as to what you might prefer at the time. 24-70 is more flexible, but the 50 is a lot lighter and less bulky!
Some essential accessories
BATTERIES
Obviously the camera’s not going to work without batteries and cards. In my old camera’s I happily used non-brand batteries, and found them to work well. But for my 5D, I only use Canon batteries. The camera was a huge investment, so I’m going all on brand. I think I read somewhere that you can’t claim against your warranty if you use non-brand batteries too if there’s issues - so that might be something to look into if you’re debating either way.
Also, random tip - if I leave the battery in my 80D, it stays charged and ready to use. If I leave the battery in my 5D, it drains it. I feel like I did know this piece of information at some point, but truthfully, I’m not entirely sure why it does that - so if you know the answer, feel free to drop it in the comments for anyone else that’s curious!
Also, if you’re wondering if you should get the LP-E6N battery or LP-E6NH - the E6NH has a longer battery life, but is more expensive. So, if maximizing battery life is more important and you’re doing shoots away from a power source, the E6NH might be worth the extra cost. But if you're on a tighter budget, the E6N is a cheaper option. And if you’re mainly doing stuff at home, you could get away with just having two and going between them when they’re charged.
BATTERY CHARGER
Also, speaking of charging, you’ll need a charger.
CARDS
And last on the “essentials list”, are the cards - I have Sandisk Extreme Pro’s for both my SD card and CF card - and if you don’t know, CF stands for compact flash.
Capturing photos in burst mode is important to me, as is capturing video so I needed cards that captured quickly - and the “pro” version of these cards apparently captures 25% faster than just the “extreme” version. That’s where the price differences come in - it’s not just about storage capacity, it’s about capture and download speeds and basically if it’s better suited for photos or video or both.
CARD READER
And, speaking of cards, you’ll need a card reader of some description.
LIGHTING
Also, lighting can be an entire video unto itself - so I’ll pop details of what I have currently in the PDF too.
There’s a lot to add to a blog post or video, so I’ve created a slightly more extensive PDF download of all my gear - both current and wishlist:
Editing + File Management
I use Adobe Lightroom - I like the classic desktop version and I use that for all my editing - but I know a lot of photographers use Photoshop. I think lightroom is easier to use - especially if you’re new to editing, because you’re just dealing with the photo, not altering it and putting in layers like in photoshop.
And to manage it all, I use Trello - which will be in an upcoming video.
My “Dear Santa” wishlist…
So as much as I love my setup, there’s still a few things missing that I’d like to get:
A NEW TRIPOD
I’d like a tripod that has the clip in connection for my peak design clip - so I can have it hanging on my belt, use it, and then stick it on a tripod without having to waste time screwing the plate on and off. The Manfrotto tripod I currently have is only rated up to about 1.5 kg’s - and my 5D is close to 2kg - so there are times where it doesn’t hold the weight of the camera, especially if I put it in portrait mode - which truthfully makes me a little nervous. I want something more sturdy for the bigger camera. I’ll include the specifics in the PDF download too.
A CALIBRATOR
I currently have access to an older Spider calibrator through my local camera club - but I’d ultimately like to get one for myself so I have access to it full-time because having calibrated screens is quite important.
A DRONE
A mini DJI pro 3. Because drone shots are a totally new world - I would love one of these for both stock photos and videos… and, let's be honest, also for cooler YouTube footage!
LED LIGHTS
I’d love some cool colour-changing LED lights for times where I want to do studio work, or light painting, or just bring different hues into otherwise normal photos. They’re small and compact and run on batteries. Just gives more creative options.
FILTERS
I really want some ND and Graduated ND filters so I have some more options on really bright days if I want to slow my shutter speed for a bit more movement. It’s great for capturing and representing the hustle and bustle and busy-ness of our crazy world!
So, that’s a quick behind-the-scenes of the main parts of my stock setup.
Make sure you download the PDF, give it a read through, and go and check things out for yourself - cos I get quite excited and this blog could just keep going with all the cool bits and pieces and accessories!
