Gear
“Monique, why do you have a reason for everything?”
This statement came across quite often in daily conversations. As an INTJ, I am a natural thinker. Before any decision is made, my logical brain needs to generate enough reasoning to support the conclusion.
Of course, I am not always right. But the reasons/analysis give me a sense of authority when I pull out my credit card or click that buy button….. Camera gears aren’t cheap..
I am nowhere near being professional. In fact, I don’t even consider myself an amateur. Taking photos and videos is simply for fun. And it allows me to create something to share.
Technologies innovate too fast for me to catch up with every latest upgrade. (Maybe I’m just not geek enough?) Also, getting rid of the old gears can be a huge hassle – I hate selling things, especially the part where you meet with strangers and put up with their bargaining.
So I did what works best for my personality – get something decently nice at the time being and hold on to it for a few years. Usually, the top-tier/flagship products from one year can last for a few rounds of upgrades until I can’t stand it anymore (I’m looking at you, Canon 5DII)..
My Memory Crafting Kit
Camera
After years of carrying a heavy DSLR, I finally gave in to something much lighter. I find myself having too many excuses not to capture photos due to the weight of my Canon. It became clear to me that it’s time to switch to a light, yet still full-frame mirrorless.
Basically an A7iii but geared towards filming/vlogging with a flip screen.
Drone
New drones come out every year. And almost every update is a significant leap from the last. So far, I’ve upgraded from Mavic Pro, to Air 2, to Mini 3 Pro.
Lens
Tamron 28-200 F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD for Sony Mirrorless
This lens later took the place of my 28-75mm. The flexibility of a 200mm zoom without switching lenses is such an advantage for filming on the go.
Yes, it would be nice to have the top-tier native lenses like what I did with those Canon red rim lenses. But does that extra thousand dollars justify a GrandMaster glass?
When Tamron debuted their wide-angle for Sony E-mount, I put my name on the pre-order list instantly. Tamron has been serving me well since the switch to Sony. I’ve been waiting for a reasonably priced quality wide-angle till now!
Action
With the internal stabilizer, you don’t need to worry about shaky footage.
This is for the outdoor action shots. Mostly mounted on the outside of my cars using a suction cup mount.
Want to film outside and inside the car simultaneously? Or an “invisible stick”, “hover drone” effect? This 360-degree camera gets it done!