All the links

Disclaimer: Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Using those links really helps support the photography and education work that I do.

If you see a piece of gear that I use and don't see the link in this page, please feel free to Contact Me. Thank you for your support.

Camera Bodies

  • Sony a7RV AmazonB&H This is my main camera. An almost perfect photographic tool.
  • Smallrig hotshoe covers AmazonB&H They finally fixed the design, and now they protect better against moisture. They look better, too.
  • Remote Control for Sony Camera USB-C rechargeable, wireless connection and a latch function. Simply works. Only remember to turn off Airplane Mode first.

Zooms

Primes

Straps and Carry

  • Peak Design mobile strap Yes, it's a mobile strap, but I'm willing to push it to the edge of its capacity for the convenience and the minimalist approach. Besides, I no longer own long, heavy telephotos.
  • Peak Design Slide Lite For those more conservative, or with larger and heavier systems that can strain the mobile strap, I recommend the Slide Lite.
  • Peak Design mobile cuff Can't be more minimalistic than that. Love the design.
  • Peak Design Capture Clip V2 The first design of the amazing clip. Not as streamlined as later versions, but it remains the industry standard. I replaced the one on my backpack because the PD was digging into my chest; the Falcam clamping system is much thinner, and as a result more comfortable.
  • Peak Design Field Plate Designed to be detached and re-attached without any tool. The design is brilliant, and I'd like to see the same design on all plates or brackets.
  • FALCAM F38 Quick Release Camera Clip V2 I used the PD Capture Clip for years, but with my current backpack, it dug painfully into my chest. The slimmer design fixes that.
  • FALCAM F38 Quick Release Buckle Base for Shoulder Strap This is a very good idea for when you want to quickly get in and out of a strap without having to disconnect each lug. Just slip in the tripod plate and you are ready to go.

Filtration

  • K&F CONCEPT Magnetic MCUV Lens Protection Filter I bought this by mistake, thinking it was a magnetic filter I could easily swap in and out. It turned out to be a screw-in filter with a magnetic front, so it replaces the UV filter I'd been using on my lenses and also works as the magnetic ring for the rest of the system. It ended up being quite convenient.
  • K&F CONCEPT Magnetic Filter system Includes a circular polarizer, two ND filters, an adapter ring, and a magnetic cap. The perfect starting point for the system.

Camera Support

  • Benro Tortoise Two / GX30 My sturdiest platform for everything including studio work. If I can carry it, I'll bring it.
  • Leofoto LS-255CEX Ranger (Hudson Henry link, since I can't find it anywhere else. It's on sale, so get it while it's hot!) My lighter-weight option, or as Hudson Henry calls it, "The Featherweight." This one I can take anywhere, even when traveling carry-on only.
  • Sirui Traveler X III Officially not one of my tripods. I mostly use it as a phone tripod and light stand. It can work as a camera tripod in a pinch, but I don't trust it for heavier work.
  • Leofoto VH-20 Pan and Tilt Head (eBay link from an authorized Leofoto US seller) It lives on my Ranger. You have to try it to believe how much better it is than a ball head.
  • Leofoto G2 Geared Head It can be used either as a standalone head or as a clamp. I use it as a clamp most of the time, and it's a brilliant solution for precise control.
  • Leofoto LSC-52X Lever Control Arca, Knob-Controlled Picatinny Clamp Replaces the thumbscrew with a flip lever and a safety pin. Very handy when switching between portrait and landscape with an L-bracket.
  • K&F Magic Arm Magic arms are something new for me, and this one is brilliant. It lets me film myself, or the back of my camera, for my YouTube videos.
  • JJC Magnetic Tripod Mount Holds my phone either on the magic arm through the 1/4" screw or directly on a tripod, since the base is also Arca-Swiss compatible.
  • Leftfoto Camera Rail Nodal Slide It's a knock-off of the original, but works just fine for a fraction of the cost.
  • Leofoto TFS S1/4 Long Spike/Rubber Boot Foot It extends the feet of your tripod by a few inches, weighs almost nothing, being made of very high-quality aluminum. It has a rubber cap that you can use on almost any surface without risking damaging wooden floors or similar surfaces.
  • Smallrig foldable L-bracket Great design, although the vertical clamp is a bit thinner than the horizontal, so be aware if you use a lever clamp. It might close tightly when in horizontal mode, but might be a bit loose when vertical. No issues if you use a knob closure system. Still a bit heavy for my taste, so I'm waiting for a better solution, even if not foldable.
  • 3-Legged Thing Ellie PD I've been using Peak Design Capture clips for years. Although I recently replaced mine with a Falcam F38 Clip for comfort reasons, a clip remains my main way of carrying my gear when I'm out and about shooting outside. Using an L-bracket, though, makes it impossible to put the camera on the clips, as they are compatible with the plates, but not with a full dovetail rail. I tried different solutions, but none worked, so I ended up storing the L-bracket in my bag for when I'm using the tripod, and the rest of the time using the capture clip. The new field plate makes it a breeze as a tool-less solution. Then came 3-Legged Thing: in collaboration with PD, they built the plate into the bracket itself. Now it's the best of both worlds. The Smallrig foldable is a great bracket, but it's heavy and is not compatible with the clips. So I finally found the better solution.
  • SmallRig HawkLock Quick Release Half Cage I really thought camera cages were exclusively for videographers. They looked like a good idea, but I thought I'd never get one for my camera. Until I saw this video from Mike Smith explaining how to DIY the perfect L-bracket that won't interfere with your rear screen or connectors, and still make it Peak Design clip compatible. Just a brilliant idea.
  • Falcam F22 and F38 Quick Release L-Bracket Then, after too much research and trial and error, it turns out that Falcam already fixed the problem with a specific L-Bracket that looks like a half cage, and it has some of its features, but you don't need to add extra plates. A bit heavier than the half cage, but if you take into account the couple of plates you need to add to have full functionality, it ends up being a better solution as it provides an extended surface to land your pinky finger.

Illumination

  • Godox iT32 Mini Flash with X5-S TTL Magnetic Trigger This flash unit reminds me of the old Vivitar flash units from the 80s with interchangeable modules for each camera system. In this case it doubles as a remote wireless trigger.
  • GODOX iT30 Pro S TTL Quite small and powerful for what it is. The trigger functionality is very broad, with over 300 feet of reach. Even works with any Godox studio lights. It doesn't tilt up for bouncing off the ceiling. That is what the next product is.
  • Godox TR-S TR for Sony TTL HSS Hot Shoe Riser It lets you tilt the iT30 Pro and bounce off the ceiling. It won't turn to the sides, though.
  • MOUNTDOG Softbox Lighting Kit I don't think you'll find a less expensive alternative. It just works perfectly as my main light for video production.

Bags

  • Shimoda Design Urban Explore 25L Like women's purses, my bag of choice tends to change, but right now this is the best one I've owned. It solves my two-laptop carry problem. Check my video where I explain it.
  • PGYTECH OneMo 7-9L sling It switches from a 7-liter sling to a 9-liter one with the flip of a zipper. Now I can carry both my zooms and add a Kindle or iPad. Perfect for traveling by plane.
  • Peak Design Medium Cube It replaced the stock Shimoda Core Unit for two reasons:
    1. It's a bit smaller, so I can arrange my gear better.
    2. It has a zippered cover and loops to attach a strap, so if I ever need to check the bag, I can easily carry my gear with me and nothing will fall out of the cube.
  • TXEsign Elastic Hook and Loop Straps/Fastener Velcro straps that keep gear from falling off the camera cube.

Power and Charging

Macro and Slide Duplication

  • K&F Concept PK K Mount Lens to Sony I recently bought a near-mint Pentax SMC FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens from a Japanese eBay seller, and this adapter lets me use it on my Sony.
  • Ulanzi VL100 Selfie LED Light It's a very basic, small light. It barely covers the frame of the slide, but it works. I'll share a video on my DIY process for copying slides.

Storage

Technology, Software & Services

  • MacBook Pro M4 Pro My workhorse computer that does all my photo and video editing. (Link is for the latest M5 Pro version)
  • iPhone 16 Pro My 2nd camera body. I also use it for video in good light. (Link is for the latest iPhone 18 Pro version)
  • Adobe Creative Cloud I've been using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom since the first versions, and since it became a subscription I have tried to find alternatives. But I always come back to it. An additional advantage of the subscription is that my main website, martinocando.com, is built on Adobe Portfolio, which is included in the subscription.
  • Apple Final Cut Pro I've tried Premiere and DaVinci Resolve, but Final Cut Pro is so intuitive.
  • Luminar This is a brand new tool for me, and I'm still getting used to it. The AI features are interesting but I'm still not convinced that it'll become part of my workflow. For special cases it might help, but I need to give it more time to make a decision.
  • Amazon Photos If you are a Prime member, you have access to Amazon Photos and you might not know about it. It's simply the best option for cloud storage for JPEGs and even RAWs. Not video, though.
  • Claude Literally changed my life. It's my personal assistant. Tracks my packages, helps me with my site and YouTube channel, handles email. If you haven't switched yet, I think you should consider it, as it will change your world.

Necessities

  • Lepro LED Headlamp Rechargeable IPX4 Waterproof This is the most affordable head lamp I've found. Works great, USB-C rechargeable, waterproof, and has a red-light mode, which is crucial when shooting at night and doing astrophotography.

Cleaning and Maintenance

↑ Back to top