Camera Gear Beginners Actually Need
If you’re starting out in photography, it’s easy to get lost in all the gear. YouTube is a rabbit hole full of affiliate salesmen that will push every lens and accessory under the sun. Brand ambassadors will promote the latest Sony that costs more than a car and photoshop experts will be showing you their 30 step workflow with expensive plug-ins. This confuses me let alone someone who is just starting out.
With so much noise, I decided to put together this blog and share with you what I think is the most useful minimal kit that can be put together at almost any price point. Of course this is just my personal opinion based on my experience and my type of photography. Finally I will share some examples of gear however it is based on what I know and use. There are other brands and systems too.
Body
This is an obvious one… you need a camera. Of course your budget will dictate this however you can pick up a good used body for not much money. I would say around £500 is a good starting point. Personally I would suggest a Fuji XT30 or something similar. If you have more to spend, look at an XT3. If less than an XT2 or XT20.
General zoom
A good general zoom is a great starting point especially if it’s a kit lens. Most zooms will cover a 24-70mm range if full frame or around 18-55mm if a cropped sensor like a Fuji. Kit lenses will also be affordable and most importantly let you figure out what focal length you like to use the most. Finally this is the best lens for travel. Personally I would suggest a Fuji 18-55 or something similar.
Prime
When I first started photography, I slept on primes. I didn’t understand why anyone would want to use them when you have zooms. However once I got my first prime, I quickly realised my mistake. A prime can really push your photography skills as well as providing a smaller, cheaper and lighter package. Often with superior image quality compared to a standard zoom and a more fun shooting experience. If you like to shoot scenes, then have a look at the Fuji 23mm f2. If you prefer subjects or abstracts, then the 35mm f2 will be a great starting point.
Laptop
Even if editing is not your thing, you still need a way to organise and store your files. More importantly you need a decent large screen to review your photos and see where you can improve. For this you don’t need anything fancy and I only recommend two products. If you prefer a traditional desktop experience then you can’t go wrong with a MacBook Air. Another option will be an iPad Pro 11”.
Basic software
You don’t need a £50 Adobe subscription. If you’re on a Mac, the built in Photos app is a fantastic choice. It has almost all the main tools you will need and is one of the best apps for storing and organising your photos. For something more creative and unique, Luminar is a solid choice. Of course if you want the best, then you can’t go too wrong with Lightroom.
Camera insert or sling
You don’t need a camera bag. Most camera bags are over priced, ugly, scream “please steal me”, uncomfortable, not ergonomic and useless for anything other than photography gear carry. Save the money and looking like an easy target. Instead opt out for a small camera insert that you can use with a regular backpack. Although they are very expensive, I personally love Bellroy bags. However a £20 high street backpack and a £15 camera insert from Amazon will also do the job. Another option is a small sling. A premium one is from Bellroy and a good value one is from Uniqlo.
Spare battery, SD card & strap
The only 3 accessories that matter. Running out of juice will ruin your day. Filling up your card will ruin your day. Having your card malfunction will ruin your day. Dropping your camera will ruin your day. A spare battery, spare SD card and a wrist or neck strap are a must.
Help support this ad-free blog by checking out my products below
If you're planning to visit London or you’re a local and want to know some of the best locations for photography, this guide is for you.
What you need to know:
- 170 Page PDF document (94mb)
- 50+ Locations
- 100+ Photo spots
- Only covers locations that consistently deliver good photo opportunities
- Clickable maps
- GPS Coordinates
- What 3 Words Coordinates
- Addresses
How will this guide help you:
- Save you time and give you a clear checklist of where to go
- Show you real world photos I took from the suggested locations
- Show you coordinates for those photos if you want to take the same
- Give you feedback on any pitfalls with specific places and attitudes to photographers
- Food / Drink / Restroom suggestions
- Lens choice suggestions
- General visiting advice
- Inspire you to head out and shoot by removing the “where shall I go” barrier
This guide is a result of years spent living and photographing London in all conditions and seasons. I have only recommended locations that have consistently delivered good photos that I have been happy with. This guide does not cover every spot, that would be impossible and a lifetimes work. This guide is there to put luck in your favour when visiting the capital.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work thus allowing me to make more videos / photos / tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
What on earth is this and why is this so expensive?!?!
A zine is a self-published body of work and serves the following purposes:
It showcases all photos from a given trip or period of time. Think of this as a digital contact sheet. I only share about 50% of the final photos online. This has them all.
It can act as a source of inspiration.
It can act as a visual planning tool for your travels. It will show you the types of photos one can get at said location.
Allows you to support my work, especially if the other products in my store are not suitable for your needs.
So what is a lifetime zine?
One payment gives you access to all current and future zines. You can download to store them offline, and even print them if you fancy.
As it stands, there are 39 zines published, and my first milestone is 100.
The price you pay today gives you full access for life, even if the price increases in the future.
One payment. No subscriptions. Lifetime of zines.
Ewww, digital… really?!
I can’t even imagine the logistical nightmare to print these and ship them to every corner of the globe.
Saves wasting resources.
Works out MUCH cheaper for you. Imagine buying 100 zines…
Formatted for tablets, phones, and laptops.
Makes this accessible to more people.
What’s inside each zine?
Between 100 and 350 photos.
Only the images, no writing.
Each zine focuses on a specific trip, location, or period of time.
When purchased, you will get a PDF document. In the document is a link where you can access all the zines. Each zine can be up to 200mb although I try to keep them closer to 100mb. This allows you to zoom in and see the images up close. However, due to this higher resolution, some older devices might take longer to load the images. For the best viewing experience, I suggest viewing on a device with a big screen, and if you have a choice between scrolling or swiping to change pages, I suggest scrolling for the best experience.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say another massive thank you for supporting me. This is the most direct way you can support my work.
Thank you for your support!
This Fujifilm XT5 set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 25mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
This Fujifilm XT4 set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 21mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
This Fujifilm X100V set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 16mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!