As somebody who usually hates using camera straps, I have nothing but good things to say about this camera strap. It’s comfortable, elegant, and really innovative. Its quick-pull adjusters make changing the length ridiculously fast and easy (there are few things more aggravating than trying to adjust the length on an old school buckle) so it can be quickly switched between an over-the-shoulder strap or a neck strap. It’s smooth on one side and grippy on the other, so depending on your needs for the day you just flip it over.

But my favorite part about it, and the reason that I can’t live without it, is the Anchor Link system. I don’t use a camera strap most of the time, but when the need arises all I have to do is click it into the super strong anchors on my camera and it’s ready to go. You can do it with one hand. Another benefit is that, as part of the whole Peak Design anchor system, my camera always has an Arca-Swiss tripod plate firmly attached to it (I made this decision after arriving in Iceland to shoot the Northern Lights, only to discover that my tripod plate, unfortunately, didn’t make the trip with me). And if that doesn’t sound like a plus to you, don’t worry because it’s optional—there are plenty of other ways to attach the strap anchors to your camera, so you can do what works best for you.

Peak Design’s Clutch hand strap also deserves a shoutout. It’s comfortable, stylish, and fits into the whole PD anchor-strap-plate ecosystem. I have one on all of my cameras pretty much all the time.

Best of all, the Slide now comes in more colors!

I get asked for bag recommendations a lot. I have a couple different ones that I use depending on the specific need, but the 31L Prvke is my go-to and I’ve been very happy with it, especially for traveling. For starters, it’s pretty cool looking. I have the blue one and I really like the color. The camera cube is spacious and can hold quite a few lenses, even big ones like the Sigma 150-600. Fully packed, the bag is heavy, but it’s well-balanced ergonomically so it doesn’t feel too bad on your shoulders, especially if you use the detachable waist straps.

The biggest pro for this bag is how much it holds beyond just the camera gear. It’s been a great bag for me for trips where I’m luggage-limited, like my recent trip to Alaska’s Arctic Circle or when I spent three days in the Amazon Rainforest and was only allowed to bring a backpack. There really aren’t many backpacks on the market that can hold both camera gear and two to three days worth of clothes, toiletries, etc., plus a laptop and/or tablet, and the Prvke is, in my opinion, at the top of the list. And best of all, it’s the perfect size to be a carry-on.

This may not be your go-to bag for a day trip to the park, but if you’re going on an adventure I promise it will serve you well.

This one is less of a specific product and more just a brand, because they make one thing and they do it pretty darn well. Breakthrough has claimed to have the most color-neutral ND and CPL filters on the market, and, from my experience, I whole-heartedly agree. I’ve been nothing but pleased with their quality—no noticeable tint at all. In the past I’d never been a big user of CPL filters, but since I picked one up and forced myself to start using it it’s really been a game-changer for my landscape photography. The ridges along the edge of the filter make it much easier to remove them when they’re screwed on a bit too tight, compared to other brands that are smooth.

I also have one of their X4 UV filters on every single one of my lenses. The glass is perfect, no loss in image quality that I can tell, and it keeps the lenses well-protected from dust and scratches. The filters are a bit more expensive than others you might find, but they’re made from high-end materials and the quality is top notch.

If you’re in the market for any kind of filters, I promise you won’t be disappointed with Breakthrough. They’re the only brand in my bag anymore.

Since I use a separate camera for astrophotography than for everything else, I like to use an L-bracket since it spends 99% of its time sitting on a tripod. One of the best things about Canon’s mirrorless cameras, especially for things like Milky Way where you might have to get low and point high, is the screen that pops out and swivels in any direction. My neck is a big big fan of this feature. The problem is, every L-bracket on the market blocks the screen from swiveling! It’s really a pretty crazy oversight by some of the big names in L-brackets like 3 Legged Thing and Really Right Stuff, so they didn’t get my business this time.

Fortunately, after a year and a half of hunting, I found a bracket that gets the job done while allowing full rotation of the screen and full access to the ports on the side. ProMediaGear knocked it out of the park with this design and I can say that it has quite literally changed my life for the better. The bracket is sturdy and very well machined, and stays firmly and securely on the camera using multiple points of attachment to keep it from rotating through frequent use. Although the side of the bracket is offset forward, it doesn’t block the lens release button or any switches on any of the lenses I’ve used with it. And if it does, it can be easily extended out to the left to create more space (a feature I haven’t used yet, personally, as I haven’t had the need).

The only problem I’ve noticed so far is that it doesn’t fit in the Peak Design Travel Tripod’s built-in head. But it does work just fine in the other Arca-Swiss tripod heads I use, so I think that’s actually a complaint about the PD tripod’s alleged Arca-Swiss compatibility rather than about this L-bracket itself.

A camera bag is all well and good when you’re hiking or limited on space, but I also do a lot of shooting within 10 feet of my car, and in those situations a Pelican case is a must. Especially when you have three other photographers and their gear crammed into one car chasing a storm across the Great Plains—these cases stack up and travel really nicely. It also works great when you have to take a variety of gear on a trip. Sometimes I’ll pack everything in my Pelican case and carry my backpack empty (or, more likely, filled with other non-photo stuff), then when I get to my destination I can switch gear out on a day-to-day basis depending on what I’ll be shooting that day.

The Pelican Air 1535 is carry-on size compliant, yet still big enough to carry two camera bodies and four or five (or seven or eight) lenses. And you should definitely spring for the TrekPak dividers—they are truly what helps this case make my “can’t live without” list. The pull-out foam is a pain, and once you’ve configured your case a certain way it’s stuck like that (I haven’t been able to find replacement foam, officially from Pelican anyway). The padded dividers are secure and modular, but they take up too much space. TrekPak has figured out the best of both worlds: modularity to switch out depending on the gear you need to take plus security to keep your gear protected, all in a slim profile that maximizes gear space inside. They cost more, but you really won’t regret it.

Fully-loaded the case does get heavy, but it isn’t too bad. The Air is lighter than previous generations of Pelican cases so it definitely has that going for it. And the wheels are great. It’s also really safe and secure. While it’s ideal as your carry-on, I wouldn’t really be concerned if I had to check it in (I’d be more worried about my stickers than my camera gear, to be honest), though I haven’t had to so I can’t speak from experience. I did have one airline (Icelandair) tell me that it was too big (or too heavy, I forget which) to be a carry on, but when they asked what was in it and I told them camera equipment they made an exception. Domestically in the U.S. (Delta, American, and Southwest), domestically in Chile (Sky and JetSmart), and on bigger international carriers (AirFrance, Aeromexico, Latam, and KLM) I’ve never had any problems with it being accepted as a carry-on.

And if you need a little bit more space for smaller accessories, the Pelican 1510 Lid Organizer fits perfectly. I attached it with velcro.