MY GEAR
The key pieces of gear I use to create photos and videos, and explore the outdoor world.
Note that some, but not all of the below links are affiliate links from which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These small earnings help keep my site running.
Biomorph ProPlus Desk
I bought this used (no way I could afford the new price), but including it here in case anyone is in the market for the ultimate desk. It has two independently adjustable arc-shaped work surfaces, perfect for adjusting the height of screens or studio monitors separately from a keyboard or mouse. I bought this as the base of my future home radiological workstation, however, it works equally well for editing suite and production studio applications. It supports more weight than you could possibly fit on each work surface (medical imaging monitors are incredibly heavy) and smoothly moves from one position to the next. High quality and highly recommended to anyone who can stomach the price. It has truly increased my productivity.
Zoom H1n
A cheap and handy little recorder. Great quality for the price. I use this whenever I need to quickly capture sound in a convenient manner. Wouldn't recommend using the mic output for use on a camera as it's quiet noisy, but recording sound straight to the unit is fantastic.
MSI Raider GE78 HX 17.3″ Laptop
This "laptop" (more of a desktop replacement) is one of the best you can buy, and in turn, is quite expensive. I got this to run the Varjo Aero for a medical imaging research project, and it is a powerhouse as the specs would suggest. A couple tips for those who might buy it (or other MSI laptops)- Turn off the Killer Wifi "performance enhancements" as they were throttling my wifi connection for anything not gaming related. I couldn't even load a YouTube Video. Also, set a custom fan profile in MSI Center to force the fans on at lower than default temperatures. My graphics card was thermal throttling and forcing VR apps to shut down. Now that I've got everything adjusted, it is a truly remarkable piece of equipment. My personal favorite thing is the screen with 100% DCI-P3 coverage.
LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6
Out of any standard range zoom for travel and adventure, you simply can't beat this focal range. On the wide end you get a truly immersive field of view in the outdoors, also great for capturing what you need to in tight indoor spaces. And at the long end, you get a focal length good for medium close texture or even portrait shots. I've found the optical quality to be excellent. Furthermore, this lens is weather sealed, and I can attest for it's durability (see the description for the S5 - I had this lens on the camera at the time). And perhaps the best part is the price. With a lens this inexpensive, you don't have to be protective of it; you can use it as a tool. And in the unlikely event it breaks or malfunctions (again, its durable), you can buy another one without breaking the bank.
Sennheiser MKE440
A stereo shotgun microphone with internal shockmounts and a low profile. I think this is the best camera mounted microphone. Period. Focuses its pickup on what's in front of the lens, but still gives stereo information for better environmental presence and immersion. The internal shockmounts are phenomenal, and the windscreen combined with the included deadcat captures wind in a way that makes it sound incredibly nat
The Tarptent Protrail Li
A simple but extremely effective shelter when backpacking. This uses tension and hiking poles (or a tripod in my case) to remain standing, rather than traditional collapsing tent poles. This saves a lot of weight. Additionally, the "Li" in the name demarcates the Dyneema Composite fabric version. This material is waterproof, extremely lightweight, and stronger than steel at a molecular level, making it perfect for America's Cup sailing ships, satellite tethers, and of course, backpacking. I've set it up on wet ground with absolutely no leakage through to the inside, and on hard ground littered with small sharp rocks at the base of Grand Canyon with no punctures. It's a remarkable material. Of course, it's quite expensive. But definitely worth it.
Oben CT 3535
A compact lightweight carbon fiber tripod that won't break the bank. On my many outdoor adventures, I end up mounting the camera on this, and carrying the combo by the tripod's neck for days on end. A great range of expansion given it's small size. An integral part of my video kit.
The North Face One Bag
One bag to rule them all. This ingenious multi-flap design means that you really get three bags in one. With the blue topper zipped on, its good down to 40 degrees. With the yellow, its good down to 20 degrees. And with both of them its good down to 5 degrees. I used it in the cold wintertime mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park, sleeping in 5 degree ambient temperatures on top a foot or so of snow. It works.
Shure SM7B
Phenomenal rich, warm character. Exactly what a broadcast/voiceover mic should be. Joe Rogan uses this for his podcast. Michael Jackson's vocals on Thriller were recorded on it. James Hetfield from Metallica uses this for vocals. Enough said. If you're considering it, be sure to get a clean pre-amp that can boost the signal by at least 60db
Audio Technica 897 Shotgun Mic
I originally got this when I needed to film interviews for the marketing videos I made as a part of my small multimedia marketing business. Now that that's behind me, I still use it anytime I need to record sounds with great side rejection.
Panasonic LUMIX GH5
Probably one of the greatest hybrid cameras of all time. Autofocus isn't great and it struggles in low light, but even today it is a great camera if you don't want to splurge for the newer GH6 or jump up to full frame. (This camera was used from "Two Nights Around Lake Vesuvius" through "Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim to Rim" on The Chronicle)
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f2.8
Covers the key focal lengths I tend to use, with a constant aperture. Lightweight. Great optical quality for the price. Optical Image Stabilization to augment the GH5's IBIS. The perfect lens for my backpacking and travel adventures.
Volt1 Audio Interface
I went into Guitar Center planning to buy the Focusrite Scarlett and walked out with this. I made this in-store decision based on the clean looks and favorable reviews, and I certainly haven't been disappointed. My prior audio interface was plagued with constant driver issues which lead to unexpected program closures and days of lost work. Since the day I've plugged this interface in about a year ago, I haven't had a single issue. It's performance has been flawless, and the company who makes it (Universal Audio) seems to be producing a lot of innovative audio interface and recording products. Just something to watch out for.
The Grayl Water Purification System
A genius water purification system. Its not just a filter that relies on trapping small particulates and bacteria. Instead, it uses adsorption (yes, I spelled that correctly). Essentially, the filtration material is positively charged, which grabs onto negatively charged cellular membranes as they pass by. This means the Grayl filters bacteria, protozoa, AND VIRUSES, the latter of which would normally be way too small for a typical filter to catch.
PolarPro 67mm Peter McKinnon 2-5 Stop Variable ND Filter
When shooting video on the S5, this is the Variable Neutral Density filter I choose. It does everything you'd expect a variable ND filter to do, with great optical quality.
Fujifilm XT30 II
I got this as a sort of "everyday carry" camera. Something compact, quick to use, and easy to carry, but with fantastic image quality. I used this as my sole camera during my series of hiking adventures in the Southwestern US, and on a recent trip to Chicago, and this camera was an absolute joy to use. I use this with the 18-55mm Fujinon also included on this page. Overall, highly recommended.
Petzl Iko Core Headlamp
This ingenious headlamp has an innovative new headband design for more comfortable weight distribution and the ability to fold itself into a little stand for use as a lantern. The carrying bag is a white translucent cloth that doubles as a light diffuser when tied over the LED element for less directional light around camp. I used this walking down 5,000 feet of the Grand Canyon's North Rim after dark, and it didn't let me down.
MSR Windburner
A relatively new addition to my collection of gear, I got this after my trusty MSR PocketRocket failed to effectively boil water in the high winds of Rocky Mountain National Park. With this thing, I can boil water in about 1.5 minutes with no issue, no matter the conditions. This more efficient operation saves tremendously on fuel.
Gregory Baltoro 65
My go-to 65L backpack for 3-4 day adventures (even stretched it to 5 across the Grand Canyon). Great organization with easy access to any part of the pack at any time thanks to its multiple access zippers. The load distribution system is comfortable and effective, and the pack has a nice clean and modern look.
Fujifilm XH1
Please note that this is now discontinued, replaced with the updated XH2. Before I had the GH5, I had this. The sensor combined with the Eterna film simulation picture profile lends a certain cinematic character to the videos captured by this camera, even with only 8-bit color. I found the IBIS frustrating for video, but whenever I go out with the intent to capture only photos and no videos, this camera stills comes with me. (This camera was used from "The Dayton Airshow" through "Making the Most of Medical Residency Interviews" on The Chronicle)
ASUS ProArt 1440p 31.5” Monitor
Fantastic color accuracy straight from the factory (though you'll get ever better with a color calibrator, of course), with 100% sRGB coverage and ΔE<2, in a 32" form factor for a very reasonable price. This is a relatively new addition to my workflow, but I've been so impressed that I'm already ready to recommend it. I was initially looking for a 4K monitor, but decided on this one due to the huge price differential, and haven't been even slightly disappointed. Text and small details are incredibly sharp.
KRK Rockit 5 Studio Monitors
I've had the same pair of KRK studio monitors since my sophomore year of college, and they're still going strong almost a decade later (also can't believe college was almost a decade ago). They have a wonderful frequency response, a solid build, and are absolutely necessary for mixing and mastering audio for video.
Fujinon XF 18-55mm
Like the other lens on this list, this one covers a nice range of focal lengths, is lightweight, and has excellent optical quality for the price. Perfect for the sorts of adventures I take.
Panasonic LUMIX S5
After extensive research and experience, I think that for what I do this is as close as one can get to the perfect camera (although with the release of the S5IIX, once could argue for that camera as well, although it is more expensive). It has a fantastic full frame sensor with color science that I prefer over Canon or Sony. Its lightweight, easy to use, and extremely durable. I used the camera in a constant Alaskan rain storm while kayaking around some glaciers without issue. At one point it was sitting in a pool of water about 2cm deep for about 20 minutes. Again, no issue. The weather sealing is seriously impressive. The autofocus is perfectly good for photography, and for video its definitely usable. If people ask me for the best way to get into the full frame category I always recommend the S5, not just because its relatively inexpensive, but because I think its a truly professional tool for use cases similar to mine. Additionally, for more a professional level of video work, there are plenty of great examples of the incredible PRORES RAW footage out of this camera through a Ninja V. Sorry for the essay...
Varjo Aero
In my eyes, the best VR headset out there. I made the jump from my original Samsung Odyssey to this, and as you might expect, the difference is truly night and day. The Aero has ultra-high resolution displays, but even more important is the 95% DCI-P3 coverage, aspherical lenses (no god rays), and foveated rendering with eye tracking (the highest resolution visuals are only rendered where the fovea of your retina is looking, as this is the only component of your eye that can appreciate this resolution, and it saves tremendously on computing power). Its comfortable to use for hours on end. Furthermore, customer service is impeccable, which is a must when using the headset for novel research like me. The only downside: it ruins all other head mounted displays.
