Introduction
One of the questions I'm asked more than almost any other is, "What's in your camera bag?"
Over the years my camera bag has become much simpler. Rather than owning every lens available, I've focused on building a kit that works together. Every piece has a purpose, and almost every item has helped me create one of my favourite images.
Here's everything I currently travel with and why each piece has earned a permanent spot in my bag.
My Main Camera
Sony A1 II
If I could only own one camera, it would be the Sony A1 II.
This is the camera I now use for nearly all of my wildlife photography, bird photography, travel work, and commercial projects. Its combination of speed, autofocus, and high-resolution files makes it one of the most versatile cameras I've ever used.
Wildlife rarely gives you a second chance. Birds take flight unexpectedly, bears suddenly look toward the camera, and whales surface without warning. The A1 II reacts quickly enough that I can focus on the moment instead of worrying about whether my camera can keep up.
It's the camera I trust most, and it's the one that has travelled with me almost everywhere.
My Backup Camera
Sony A7 IV
Every trip needs a backup.
The Sony A7 IV has travelled with me for years and continues to be one of my favourite all-around cameras. It gives me confidence knowing that if something ever happened to my primary body, my trip wouldn't be over.
It also serves another purpose.
When photographing wildlife, I'll often keep two lenses mounted at the same time. Instead of constantly swapping lenses in dusty, rainy, or snowy conditions, I simply grab whichever camera has the focal length I need.
That saves time, protects my sensor, and helps me avoid missing important moments.
My Wildlife Lens
Sony FE 200-600mm G OSS
This is easily my most-used lens.
If you've followed my photography for any length of time, you've probably seen thousands of images created with the 200-600mm.
It's the lens I use for birds, bears, foxes, whales, elk, bison, owls, and almost every wild animal I photograph.
The biggest reason I love it isn't simply the reach.
It allows me to photograph wildlife while giving animals the space they deserve. Staying farther away creates more natural behaviour, produces stronger photographs, and helps minimize my impact on the wildlife I'm photographing.
If I had to recommend one wildlife lens, this would be it.
My Favourite Travel Zoom
Sony FE 70-200mm
The 70-200mm is one of the most versatile lenses I own.
It comes with me on almost every trip because it fills the gap between wildlife and landscape photography.
I use it for travel, environmental wildlife portraits, city photography, events, landscapes, compressed mountain scenes, and even some video work.
It's also one of my favourite lenses for photographing larger mammals where I want to include more of the surrounding environment instead of filling the entire frame with the animal.
Looking at the Small Details
Sony FE 90mm Macro
Wildlife photography isn't always about the biggest animals.
Sometimes it's the smallest details that tell the most interesting stories.
The 90mm Macro comes with me whenever I know I'll have opportunities to photograph insects, flowers, reptiles, amphibians, textures, or tiny details that most people walk past.
It's one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used and constantly reminds me to slow down and appreciate the smaller parts of nature.
My Prime Lenses
Sony FE 50mm
The 50mm is my simple everyday lens.
I use it for portraits, storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, and casual photography when I don't want to carry a larger setup.
Sometimes the best camera setup is simply the one you're willing to bring.
Sony FE 35mm
The 35mm has become one of my favourite lenses for travel.
It feels incredibly natural and allows me to photograph people, streets, markets, small towns, restaurants, and everyday moments without feeling too wide or too tight.
If I'm walking around a new city with only one lens, it's often the 35mm.
Sony FE 24mm
The 24mm is where my landscape photography begins.
I use it for waterfalls, coastal scenes, dramatic skies, environmental portraits, and travel destinations where I want viewers to feel immersed in the location.
It's wide enough to create impact while still keeping subjects looking natural.
Sony FE 14mm
When I want to create something dramatic, I reach for the 14mm.
This lens is perfect for astrophotography, northern lights, towering forests, architecture, and ultra-wide travel scenes.
It encourages creativity because it forces me to think differently about composition.
Video and Audio
Sony Digital Hot Shoe Microphone
Good audio is often more important than perfect video.
Whether I'm filming YouTube videos, recording educational content, or capturing sounds in the field, the Sony hot shoe microphone gives me clean audio without needing complicated external recorders.
It's simple, lightweight, and works incredibly well.
My Drone
DJI Mini 4
A drone lets me tell stories from a completely different perspective.
I use it sparingly and responsibly, always following local regulations and avoiding wildlife, but when appropriate it adds context that simply can't be captured from the ground.
Coastlines, forests, mountains, winding roads, and travel destinations all look completely different from above.
My Most Used Camera
iPhone 15 Pro
Ironically, the camera I probably use the most isn't actually a dedicated camera.
My iPhone is always with me.
I use it for behind-the-scenes content, Instagram Stories, location scouting, quick videos, time-lapses, navigation, note taking, editing social content, and documenting the moments between the photographs.
Some of my favourite memories from trips were never taken with a professional camera.
The Small Accessories I Never Leave Behind
Joby GorillaPods
These little tripods have travelled almost everywhere with me.
They're perfect for time-lapses, YouTube videos, selfies, behind-the-scenes content, and stabilizing a camera almost anywhere.
They're lightweight enough that I never question bringing them.
Teleconverters
Sony 1.4x and 2x Teleconverters
There are times when even 600mm isn't enough.
My teleconverters give me extra reach without carrying another massive lens.
The 1.4x converter is the one I use most often because it maintains excellent image quality while extending my focal length when photographing distant birds.
The 2x converter comes out less frequently but has helped me photograph species that simply couldn't be approached any closer.
Having both gives me flexibility depending on the subject and conditions.
My Favourite Pieces of Gear
People often expect the answer to be the newest or most expensive piece of equipment.
For me, it's much simpler.
If I had to choose just a few favourites, they would be:
- Sony A1 II
- Sony FE 200-600mm
- Sony FE 70-200mm
- Sony FE 14mm
- DJI Mini 4
- iPhone 15 Pro
Those five pieces have helped me create the majority of the photographs and videos you've seen over the past few years.
Final Thoughts
Photography gear is exciting, but it's only a tool.
The best camera is the one that helps you enjoy being outside, tells the story you want to tell, and encourages you to spend more time exploring.
Over the years I've learned that carrying fewer pieces of equipment I know well is far more valuable than owning a bag full of gear I rarely use.
This kit has taken me across Canada and around the world, from photographing puffins in Newfoundland and bears on Vancouver Island to birds during spring migration in Manitoba and wildlife throughout Africa.
Will it change in the future?
Probably.
But for now, this is the camera bag that's helping me create the images I'm most proud of.
– Jared VanderMeer
