When I first started doing photography, I did a lot of googling, “What camera should I buy?” “What lens should I buy?” to try and figure out what camera equipment to invest in. There are so many options and I know it can be overwhelming!
So to save you hours of googling and get you pointed in the right direction, I’m going to share the gear that I’ve come to love and depend on. The bold words are links to the item! (I shoot Canon, but I am including some Nikon equivalents at the bottom of the page for those of you who want to go that route!)
CAMERA BODIES
Let’s start off with camera bodies! I currently shoot on two camera bodies, a Canon 5D Mark IV and a Canon R6. The R6 is my main camera that I use on a regular basis, and it’s my lead camera on wedding days (on wedding days, I have two cameras so that a) I can have two prime lenses at once and b) so that I have a backup in case something goes wrong with one of the cameras). The Mark IV has served me SO well (tbh, sometimes I miss it) but I’ll be upgrading her to a second R6 body for next wedding season!
If you are just starting out, I would recommend the Canon t7i. I learned how to shoot in manual on my Canon t2i (that makes me feel old guys) and if you’re into taking photos for fun, this is a perfect option. If you are looking for a full frame option and interested in photography as a career, the Canon 6D was my first full frame upgrade and I loved it! (Nikon equivalent of a Canon 6D at the bottom of the page!)
LENSES
Okay let’s talk lenses! I have two lenses that I shoot on a majority of the time, and they’re prime lenses. The difference between prime lenses and zoom lenses is prime lenses have a fixed focal length, whereas zoom lenses you can zoom in and out!
My go to lenses are the 35mm, 50mm, and the 85mm. The Sigma 35mm 1.4 is a dream! I love 35mms for capturing a wider scene such as a the wedding party or a couple in front of mountains. The 85mm is great for weddings when I want to get clear shots of the bride or groom without being up in their faces!
If you aren’t photographing weddings or can’t shell out the cash for one of the lenses I just mentioned, the Canon 50mm 1.8 or Canon 50mm 1.4 are a perfect first upgrade from a kit lens. I have a Sigma 50mm 1.4 that I LOVE. 50mms produce wonderfully sharp images, are great for low light and the depth of field (which creates bokeh/blurry backgrounds) is great for portraits especially.
If you are planning on photographing mainly landscapes, a Canon 24mm Lens would be a great investment for you - it’s a wide lens that will capture more of the scene!
Additional Gear
A couple other things I always have on me:
Batteries/Charger. I use the basic Canon - I would 10/10 NOT recommend using off brand batteries, I had one as an extra once and accidentally popped it in my backup camera body. The camera started malfunctioning on a wedding day until my assistant switched the battery (which is why I have extras of batteries AND cameras). Save yourself the trouble and get the official battery for your camera body, whether it’s Canon or Nikon etc.
SD cards - kind of a big deal! I mainly use SanDisk 64GB 128GB and SD cards and haven’t had any issues! As with any gear, I would make sure that you have fresh cards every year or two because the older the card is, the higher the chance for corruption. You’re going to want to make sure that they have the highest write speed possible so that your camera doesn’t have to pause to record images in between shots!
Camera Harness - my sweet husband bought me a Coiro Harness for Christmas and it is the BEST on wedding days. I have one camera + lens setup on one side and the second on the other and I can use whichever I need at a moment’s notice! And it’s classy, which I love, cuz we like to serve looks on wedding days.
Lens Cleaner Wipes- this lil guy clears up the glass on my lenses from when I photograph in somewhat adventurous conditions! Small investment to take care of a big investment 👌🏼
I hope this list helped point you in the right direction as you purchase gear! It’s a very brief dive into the wonderful world of camera equipment. To be open and honest with you as I always strive to be, if you purchase your gear from these links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I would be so honored to be a part of your photography in that way!
If you have additional questions or just want to share your excitement about the equipment you decided to invest in, head over to instagram and shoot me a message 😍
love, Rach
Nikon Starter Camera - Nikon D3500
Good Nikon upgrade to full frame Camera - Nikon D750
