All my photo and video gear

Everything I'm currently using for landscape photography and shooting videos for YouTube

All my photo and video gear

Quality camera gear isn't essential for great photography, but it does improve your chances of capturing exceptional images. While skilled photographers can create stunning photos with basic equipment through strong composition and timing, well-designed gear provides distinct advantages. As someone with a design background, I particularly value thoughtfully engineered equipment. Experience has taught me that investing in high-quality gear ultimately saves money and frustration compared to buying cheaper alternatives that deteriorate and need replacement.

Here is all of the gear I'm currently using for my landscape photography, YouTube video creation, printing, and desktop hardware/software.

Camper van gear

The biggest and most important piece of photography gear I own is a custom Sprinter 170 camper van. This vehicle gets me everywhere I need to go off-road, and provides a place for me to camp overnight just about anywhere. I've compiled a separate page of recommended van accessories if interested.

Landscape photography camera bodies and lenses

  1. Fujifilm GFX 100S II - Amazing 102 megapixel digital medium format camera. Switching to this in Fall 2023 was one of the best photography investment decisions I've made. Image quality is superb, loads of megapixels for cropping, and there's just something about its native 4:3 aspect ratio that works for me creatively. Heavier and bulkier, for sure, but worth it.
  2. Fujifilim GF 45-100mm f/4 - My favorite landscape photography lens. Optical stabilization for handheld shooting without a tripod, 82mm filter thread, solid range of standard focal lengths to work with (roughly equivalent to 35-80mm full frame). For landscape images, I most often shoot in its sweet spot between f/8 and f/16. My go-to lens when carrying only one.
  3. Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 - My first GFX lens and a solid #2 in my bag. Its 25–51mm equivalent range is ideal for tight spots where physical space is limited. The optics are great, though the lack of optical stabilization is a shame. 77mm filter thread means I always need a step-up ring.
  4. Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f/5.6 - Perfectly extends the reach of the 45-100mm (without overlap), though I do wish it had slightly more range. Rotating collar feels plasticky and a bit weak, and its lens hood is hard to work around.But for the price, it certainly does the job. Only pack this in my bag when I know I will use it.
  5. Fujifilm GF 1.4x Teleconverter - Increases the reach of the aforementioned 100-200mm by 40% (280mm). Expensive for what it is, but cheaper, lighter and smaller than buying a longer GF prime.

Landscape photography tripods and ball heads

  1. ProMediaGear TR344L 71" tripod - Workhorse of a tripod. Fantastic build quality. Stands taller than the average tripod, which comes in super handy on rocks, slopes and awkward terrain. Can be accessorized with a smaller, lighter Apex (half pound, in fact) and leveling head. Made in the USA too, which is rare to see these days.
  2. ProMediaGear BG50c60 ball head - Super strong and durable. When I lock down my camera, it stays exactly where I want it. Its large dials are so much nicer and easier to use, especially when wearing gloves, than fiddling with tiny knobs. Fits perfectly on both the standard and smaller Apex mounts on the aforementioned TR344L.
  3. RRS GFX L-Bracket - Stays on my GFX 100S II at all times. Essential for quickly switching between landscape and portrait orientations. This model is slim and exceptionally designed, but you can save money with the Kirk BL-GFX100S. I own that one as well and it works fine, though a bit chunkier.

Camera backpacks and storage

  1. Shimoda Explore v2 35 liter - This is the bag I use most often. Large, well padded shoulder straps for optimum comfort when hiking, quality materials and construction. Can easily remove the camera unit and use it as a normal backpack. The bag I prefer using in warmer weather. Note: Use promo code DOMINEY10 to save 10% at the Shimoda Store. (My review)
  2. Shimoda Action X50 v2 - Slightly bigger and more water resistant than the aforementioned Explore. Stores fine in an airplane's overhead bin. I prefer this bag when traveling to wet and/or colder environments. Note: Use promo code DOMINEY10 to save 10% at the Shimoda Store. (My review)
  3. Shimoda Urban Explore 25 liter - Similar design to the Explore and Action X bags, but simpler, cleaner, and more refined for general travel use and around town. Note: Use promo code DOMINEY10 to save 10% at the Shimoda Store. (My review)
  4. Pelican Air 1595 - Rugged hard case with loads of storage, designed for air travel (checked not carry-on). I got mine with the TrekPak divider system.

Filters

  1. Maven magnetized filters - Great magnetized filters with color-coded rings and notch designs that help make finding the right filter faster and easier. Glass is very high quality with little-to-no color shifting. Use these for both still photography and video.
  2. Tiffen 82mm Glimmer Glass - I've tried many diffusion filters when shooting video, and while all do the job of softening harsh detail and blooming bright highlights, this one has the most pleasing, least obvious effect.

Video camera gear (travel)

  1. DJI Osmo Pocket 3 - Surprisingly great little pocket camera with a large flip out screen and rock solid stabilization. Perfect for vlogging style shots.
  2. Fujifilm XM-5 - Recently switched to this for shooting YouTube videos while traveling. Super lightweight, open-gate 6.2K shooting for maximum flexibility when cropping, very reasonably priced. Also using this grip for it.
  3. Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 - There are many X-mount compatible lenses, but I ended up going with Fuji's 23mm f/2 for video. 35mm full frame equivalency (which is my preferred focal length), weather sealing for shooting outdoors, aperture ring, auto focus, and a large f/2 aperture for low light and shallow DOF.
  4. Rode VideoMic Pro+ - Solid on-camera microphone for capturing general audio with the XM-5. Powers off and on automatically with the camera (amazing), plus a rechargeable internal battery.
  5. Ulanzi Zero Y compact tripod - What I use for my video camera when out in the field. Super lightweight and easy to pack and carry. Not robust enough for still photography, but just fine for video. (My review)
  6. Rode Wireless Pro - I've been using Rode wireless microphones for a while now, and the latest version is easily the best. Comes with two transmitters, a receiver, lav microphone, and (my favorite) a rechargeable case that keeps everything charged.
  7. Zhiyun Fiveray M20C RGB - Great little RGBW video light with a magnetized back, diffusion sheet, honeycomb grid and barn doors. Rechargeable and powerable via USB-C.

Video camera gear (studio)

  1. Canon EOS R5 - Now my studio video camera after switching to Fujifilm for photography. Beautiful 4K image, but the 30 minute record time limit is less than ideal. Which is why I connect and use the...
  2. Atomos Ninja V - Great external HDMI monitor for video monitoring and recording. Gets around the R5's 30 minute record time. Recording to these drives and caddies.
  3. Sennheiser MKH 50 - Professional grade condenser microphone that works exceptionally well for out-of-frame mic placements and vocals recorded indoors. Expensive, yes. But if you record voices as much as I do, it's worth investing in.
  4. Rode Streamer X - Seems to be a love/hate kind of product, but it's been working well for me. I plug the aforementioned mic into its XLR input, HDMI in from my R5, and then I use OBS to capture and record the stream in addition to switching views between my camera and desktop.
  5. Manfrotto Deluxe Autopole - Fantastic tension poles for mounting lights, microphones, cameras, or whatever you need without using traditional c-stands or light stands. Fits perfectly in corners and tight spaces. Can be used floor-to-ceiling or wall-to-wall.
  6. Impact Super Clamp and Extension Arm - How I mount lights to the aforementioned Manfrotto Autopoles. Super versatile and easy to adjust.

Travel and hiking accessories

  1. Garmin InReach Mini 2 - Satellite communicator for SOS, GPS tracking, and more. My iPhone has SOS emergency calling, but this device is more durable and its battery lasts for 14 days. One of those insurance policies that helps me feel less anxious hiking solo in remote areas.
  2. GAIA GPS - Incredible (and free) smartphone app for iOS and Windows that tracks hikes and provides digital breadcrumbs to follow when hiking back. I also use this for location scouting to remember specific spots (with GPS coordinates). Essential app.
  3. Apple AirTags - I have one of these on my car keychain just in case I accidentally drop them while hiking. Also great for luggage and vehicles.
  4. AER Slim Pouch - I admit, I'm kind of obsessed with this thing. The perfect EDC pouch for storing small items like Airpods, USB cables, pen, lip balm, etc, etc. Plus, its shape fits perfectly in the top pouch of my Shimoda backpacks for easy retrieval.
  5. AER Travel Kit 2 - I liked the Slim Pouch so much I bought the company's Travel Kit. Perfect for small toiletry items, plus an integrated hook.
  6. Coast PX9R Rechargeable Flashlight - Nice little USB-C rechargeable LED flashlight that's plenty bright for hiking in the dark before sunrise and after sunset.

Desktop hardware

  1. Apple Mac Studio M2 Ultra - Fantastic machine, plenty of horsepower for editing photos and (especially) encoding video. If I didn't work with video the Max would be perfectly adequate (I owned that model before the Ultra).
  2. CalDigit TS4 - Thunderbolt 4 hub providing more connectivity and ports than what the Mac Studio provides.
  3. BenQ PD2770U - This is my primary display. Built-in colorimeter, Adobe RGB support, matte finish, solid color accuracy. (My review).
  4. BenQ SW272U - Very similar to the PD2770U, but without built-in calibration. I use this as my secondary display. (My review)
  5. Mount Pro Vertical Dual Monitor Stand - Both BenQ displays are mounted to this single pole. Wish it were just a little bit taller for higher display positioning, but it does the job. Much cleaner and easier than swing arms. Love it.
  6. Calibrite Display Pro HL - How I calibrate the SW272U. Compatible with BenQ's Palette Master Ultimate software.
  7. Blackmagic UltraStudio Monitor 3G - Turns the second display into a Rec.709 reference monitor when editing video in DaVinci Resolve.
  8. OWC ThunderBay 8 - What I use to store and secure all my photos and videos. Not as fast as SSDs, but the drives are cheaper at this size. And because it's connected directly to my Mac and recognized as an external drive (not networked like a NAS), automated cloud backup through Backblaze is very affordable. (My review)
  9. Mozlteck Brackets - I didn't want the ThunderBay on my desk or the floor, so I mounted underneath using these brackets. Super high quality, absolutely perfect.
  10. Logitech MX Master 3S - I couldn't work without this mouse. I've configured mine with frequently used keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom, Premiere, Photoshop and other apps to optimize efficiency.
  11. TourBox Lite - I've used every model of TourBox, and the Lite is my favorite. Perfect for zooming, adjusting brush size, and triggering frequently used functions. I use it most in Photoshop and Premiere. I prefer the Lite because it's bus powered, smaller, and resists fingerprints. It's also their most affordable model. (My review)
  12. FlexiSpot Bamboo Standing Desk - Decent standing desk at a reasonable price. Rises high enough for a six-foot-four person, like me.

Desktop software

  1. Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop - My bread and butter for years and years and years. I prefer Classic because it allows me to create very large catalogs of locally saved raw images (cloud version of Lightroom caps storage and can get very expensive).
  2. DaVinci Resolve - I used to edit all my video in Adobe Premiere, but switched in 2025 to Resolve for its better color grading system and broad availability of third party DCTL plugins. Amazing piece of software.
  3. Topaz Photo AI - Amazing application for denoising, sharpening and upscaling. (More)
  4. Topaz Video AI - Similar to the aforementioned, but for video. I especially like using this for creating slow motion footage, upscaling and improving older 1080 HD video, and stabilizing shaky footage. (My review)
  5. DxO PureRAW - Incredible raw pre-processing application with better (IMO) lens correction profiles than Adobe. Also helps restore detail and texture. Works well with all raw files, but especially older ones from years past. (My review)
  6. Nik Silver Efex - Dedicated editor tailor made for black and white photography. Been around forever, but still going strong. Sold as part of a collection of plugins, but worth the price on its own. (My review)
  7. TK9 - Fantastic luminosity mask (and more) plugin for Adobe Photoshop. Been using it for years.

Online services and apps

  1. Backblaze - Cloud backup for all my photos and videos. Runs invisibly in the background, automatically uploading everything from the ThunderBay DAS. Their service has never let me down. Affordable pricing for unlimited uploads.
  2. Epidemic Sound - Music and sound effects are critically important to me when producing videos. Epidemic Sound has a huge and ever-expanding library that fits every mood and style. Affordable pricing too. Check out my current favorites.
  3. Squarespace - What I use to publish my photography portfolio. Clean, well designed templates, plus e-commerce for those who want to sell digital products and services. Use promo code DOMINEY to save 10% off a new website or domain registration.
  4. Ghost - Used to publish the site you're looking at! Ghost is fantastic for blogging, building an audience, email newsletters, and even paid subscription tools (similar to Substack).

Printers and paper

  1. Canon PRO-300 Inkjet Printer - Creates amazing prints up to 13x19" (A5+). Great color, deep blacks, connects over Wi-Fi, and the software is surprisingly decent. (More)
  2. Hahnemühle fine art photo paper - Some of the best photo paper out there. I'm especially into their Photo Rag Baryta papers for their brighter, more neutral whites. Simply gorgeous. Absolutely worth picking up a sample pack of to test out with your printer.
  3. Red River fine art photo paper - Excellent, more affordable alternative to the aforementioned, with all the same paper types for black and white and color. Also worth trying out.