Gear I Trust More Than My Own Instincts

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Scroll On. Read the Specs. Pretend they Matter.

Below is the gear I actually use — not for a week, not for “testing,” but long enough to develop emotional attachments, irrational preferences, and pretend I’ve achieved work-life balance.

Yes, these are affiliate links. No, you won’t pay more. But if you don’t use them, I might have to start filming my reviews on a toaster and edit in Windows Movie Maker.

So if I’m going continue screaming at my monitor at 2AM while trying to correct skin tones, I might as well get 3% back from Amazon.

A Quick Note to Brands

If you're a gear company and you'd like to send me something to review, collaborate on, or emotionally imprint on — I’m open to it. I don’t guarantee praise, just honest impressions wrapped in mildly unsettling humor. If your product survives the sarcasm, it’ll survive anything.

Hybrid Camera

  • The backbone of my setup. Incredible stabilization, legit autofocus (finally), and heat management that doesn’t panic under pressure — unlike me. Also, ergonomics that don’t destroy my wrists. A rare win.

    Amazon | B&H

  • Lightweight, weather-sealed, and shares a 67mm filter thread with basically everything else I use — which is thrilling in a very specific, adult way. This is my go-to for real estate work and aurora tours. Yes, I guide those. Yes, it’s cold. Yes, I was sleep deprived.

    Amazon | B&H

  • My most-used lens. Great for casual shoots, portraits, and wide enough for establishing shots that imply I have a vision — even if I’m really just winging it and hoping the autofocus gets my good side (don’t worry, it does).

    Amazon | B&H

  • For portraits, events, and zoomed in on people from a safe emotional distance. Again — weather-sealed, lightweight, 67mm thread. We love consistency here.

    Amazon | B&H

  • Shockingly compact and still weather-sealed, which is a rare combo for a lens at this size and price. Also matches the 67mm thread gang — I’m convinced someone at Sigma did that just to be nice. Perfect for event coverage and wide-to-tight establishing sequences.

    Amazon | B&H

Audio

  • A mic. It records sound. Cleanly. Simply. No batteries to charge, no settings to overthink, and no app asking for Bluetooth permissions it doesn’t deserve. It just works — which is more than I can say about myself most days.

    Amazon | B&H

  • Technically a wireless mic, but I mostly use it as a compact audio recorder because it supports 32-bit float — which means I can stop worrying about peaking and start worrying about literally everything else.

    Amazon | B&H

Filters

  • I’ve tried most of the big-name variable ND filters. They all promise “no vignetting.” That was a lie. But I kept using them because I hate myself. Then I found these: magnetic solid NDs. No twisting. No vignetting. No dual-polarizer weirdness. Just slap them on and move on with your life.

    Amazon | B&H

Support & Movement

  • Not bulky. Not annoying. And — crucially — it doesn’t use a ball head, for reasons I’ll never understand because everyone else seems to. Ball heads are great if you enjoy the delicate art of re-leveling your entire shot every time you tilt up two degrees. The 3-way head lets me control pan, tilt, and roll independently, like a civilized human being.

    Amazon | B&H

  • Smooth. Affordable. Doesn’t require a phone app to function — which shouldn’t be impressive, but here we are. Bonus: it has a parallax system for automated orbit shots, so I can pretend I planned that dramatic camera move instead of just hitting “go.”

    Amazon | B&H

Carrying Systems

  • Built for cameras, but honestly feels like it could tow a small vehicle in an emergency. Comfortable, sleek, and gives off just enough "Unlike you, I actually did the research into purchasing the camera I want" energy without screaming it.

    Amazon | B&H

  • A small clamp that lets me detach my camera strap in seconds — because nothing ruins a handheld shot like a strap acting like a clingy ex mid-shoot.

    It’s officially compatible with my existing collection of Peak Design plates (yes, plural), which means I don’t have to choose between convenience and system loyalty. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference — and briefly tricks me into thinking I’ve got my life together.

    Amazon | B&H

That’s the Gear. You Made It.

You’ve reached the end of the gear list — which means you’re either genuinely curious or procrastinating on editing. Either way, I respect it.

Again, using those links helps keep the reviews coming, the camera rolling, and my validation to buy lenses as a “business expense.”

Appreciate you being here. Now go work on that project that you’ll overanalyze later.