The Gear ?

I’m often asked on the camera gear that I use or what I would recommend - so whether you’re just starting out or thinking about upgrading, then this guide is for you! Here you can take a look at the camera gear I currently use, including what I love (or don’t) about each piece, along with what I use them for - and hopefully it may help you with deciding what to add to your gear next…

*Finally, from experience. The biggest piece of advice I can give when it comes to buying camera gear, is… always save for what you really want - or you’ll end up buying twice.

Sony A1 II

Could this be the ultimate wildlife photography camera? Honestly…. it just might be. Sony’s flagship full frame mirrorless camera packs and impressive 50mp fully stacked sensor, shoots up to 30 frames per second and also includes pre-capture, so you’re far less likely to miss those once-in-a lifetime shots. The camera is outstanding all round, from its comfortable ergonomics to the fully customisable controls that let you create your perfect setup. It also features the 4 axis flip-and-tilt rear LCD screen, making it easy to compose shots from almost any angle, and when it comes to wildlife and nature photography, the autofocus system is a complete game-changer, fast, reliable and incredibly accurate. While this camera is undeniably a very expensive bit of kit, it definitely earns its “flagship” status. So if you can afford to stretch your budget, then this is one camera you definitely won’t regret owning.

This is one of the best all-around lenses you can buy, and a must have for many photographers. I often use it when exploring new places for the first time thanks to its lightweight design, constant F2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range and support for teleconverters when extra reach is needed. While it’s a little short for achieving close-ups of small birds, it’s ideal for wildlife hides or zoos where you can get much closer to your subject. The image quality is outstanding too, exactly what you’d expect from a Sony GM lens.

Sony FE 70-200mm GM OSS II

Sony FE 400mm GM OSS

The perfect wildlife lens? Quite possibly… Some might argue that it’s not quite long enough for wildlife photography and that a 600mm F4 would be a better choice, and in certain situations, that would be true. However, I've found that having the flexibility to shoot a little wider and include more of the subject’s habitat, can create some great storytelling images. The F2.8 is the real advantage here, especially on those dark, overcast days we get here in the UK and having that extra stop of light really makes all the difference. The bokeh at F2.8 is exceptional, producing beautifully smooth backgrounds that really make your subjects stand out. If there’s one drawback, it’s the weight... If you are going to be carrying it around all day then I'd definitely recommend bringing along a monopod or tripod. However overall this is an outstanding lens that delivers stunning image quality every time.

Teleconverters give you that extra reach when you need it, turning a 400mm F2.8 into a 560mm F4 with a 1.4x teleconverter, or an 800mm F5.6 with a 2x teleconverter, all while maintaining excellent sharpness and fast autofocus. I’ve found these to be a real game changer for wildlife photography as more often than not, you’ll find yourself just a little too far away, especially when photographing small birds.

1.4x and 2x Teleconverters

I have a wide collection of camera backpacks in various sizes for different situations, but this is without question my go to bag for wildlife photography. It’s exceptionally well made, lightweight for its size and very comfortable to wear. The bag is also expandable, meaning that while it’s classed as a 60L backpack, it’s actually closer to 40L when not fully expanded, giving you full flexibility depending on how much gear you’re carrying. It can handle heavy rain without you needing to worry about your equipment, and even comes included with an additional rain cover just in case. If you’re looking for a reliable, well-designed camera backpack, that is durable and made from premium materials, I can highly recommend this one. It’s also available in three different colours Graphite Black, Navy and the one I have in Pine Green.

NYA-EVO FJORD 60-C (Gen 4)

NYA-EVO XL RCI (Gen 3)

This is the NYA-EVO XL RCI (Gen 3) Interchangeable Camera Insert. An excellent choice if you have any large prime lenses. It comfortably fits the Sony A1 II paired with a 400mm F2.8 lens even with teleconverters attached, and this XL RCI unit will even accommodate a 600mm F4. The big advantage of this, is that you don’t need to break down your camera setup every time you pack it away, which makes your days shooting much easier. There’s also plenty of room for additional lenses, a second camera body and other essential accessories too, and if you don’t need an RCI this big they also have small, medium and large sizes available as well.

Below is the full list of features that the NYA-EVO FJORD 60-C offers:

Memory Cards

When it comes to memory cards, it’s worth taking the time to research which options perform best with your camera. I currently use ultra-fast ProGrade Digital 960GB CFexpress Type A Iridium cards, with sustained write speeds of up to 1,450 MB/s. I’ve found them to be extremely reliable and perfectly suited to handling the large 50mp RAW files produced by the Sony A1 II. If your camera supports dual card slots, I’d also highly recommend writing images to both cards simultaneously for added peace of mind in case of a card failure.

Batteries

I use Sony’s official NP-FZ100 InfoLITHIUM Z-Series rechargeable batteries for my camera, and I’d recommend carrying a few of these so you never have to worry about conserving battery life while out shooting. While there are cheaper third-party options available, I’m happy to pay a little extra for the peace of mind that comes with consistent performance and long-term reliability you get with the official battery.