I get a lot of questions about the gear I use to make the photos you see on my site. On this page, you'll find some categorized lists of what I'm currently using, what I recommend, as well as some suggestions for kits to get started. Know that gear is a very personal choice, and the gear I choose to own and use reflects the work I do.
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What I’m using
This is the gear I carry on a regular basis. I categorize my equipment into two groups - cameras and lenses, and other stuff.
Cameras and Lenses
My main body. It’s an awesome camera, even better than the R, and I love the R. The key features of the R5 for me for landscape and astro are the dynamic range, the 45 megapixel sensor, and in-body image stabilization. I also really love the autofocus system, especially for chasing the kids!
My secondary/backup body. On most photo-focused trips, I carry both. The R is a phenomenal camera, fun to use, takes great images, and is a lot cheaper than the R5. I wrote a bit about why I like it so much.
This is an amazing general purpose lens for the RF mount. I used to use the RF 24-105/f4L IS, but switched to this lens for a couple of reasons. First, I like having f/2.8 across the whole focal length range. It makes it possible to take one lens into the backcountry and shoot hiking and Milky Way, which is important on weight-limited backpacking trips. Second, this lens is quite a bit sharper than the 24-105. And finally, I can round out the missing 71-105 range pretty well with my other lenses.
This lens is the new gold standard in wide angle lenses for Canon cameras. It takes the excellent 16-35/2.8 v3, adds an extra mm on the wide end, and adds image stabilization. I love it. Having image stabilization in such a wide and fast lens is a total game changer.
I call this lens the dreamboat. The images it makes are phenomenal, and it is tiny and lightweight. It’s not much bigger than the 15-35 when collapsed. For hiking and other outdoor pursuits, I’ve found that having a 70-200 is a better compromise than the 100-500 if weight is more important (although if I expect to see wildlife I’ll usually bring the 100-500). Some folks aren’t happy with the extending zoom, but it doesn’t matter to me.
This lens is so much fun, and an awesome all-day carry wildlife lens when I’m out in the mountains. It’s also an excellent landscape lens, especially in environments where there isn’t a ton of moisture in the air to cause atmospheric distortion. This lens is tack sharp across the whole range, and amazingly is an improvement on the EF 100-400 in that department.
Other stuff
Induro Stealth CLT203 Carbon Fiber Tripod
This is a durable, lightweight, yet sturdy tripod that is a good value for the money. It’s a little more expensive than some of the entry level carbon fiber tripods, but adds a lot of strength and stability in a lightweight package. I like that it has foam around the top of the legs for more comfortable carrying in cold weather.
I love this ballhead. It’s lightweight, durable, locks precisely, and looks like a Transformer. I went through 3 or 4 other ballheads before arriving at this one. Arcatech makes a few other models that are also excellent if you can’t find the GV2.
Recently I’ve switched from B+W to Breakthrough for my CPL filters. The ergonomics of the Breakthrough filters are much better, and the new CPLs are easy to turn (they don’t gum up as much) and have symbols on the outside to help eyeball the amount of polarization. They are hard to get though, so expect to wait a bit, but they are worthwhile.
I’ve also use high quality B+W filters for both UV and some of my older circular polarizers. B+W makes great filters, and especially for a UV filter (that is just offering protection) they are a great value. I find the CPLs a little dark and the ergonomics not as great as the Breakthrough, but they are also cheaper and easier to get.
This adapter is essential to using EF lenses on the R. There is also a control ring version, which I like a lot, but I bought my R this adapter was included, so who am I to argue with free?
Skywatcher Star Adventurer Tracking Mount
This is my preferred tracking mount for Milky Way work, and the basis for almost all of my Milky Way photography these days. It weighs about as much as a solid f/2.8 lens and has a learning curve, but helps produce some incredible images. If you want to learn more about tracking, I cover that extensively in my book.
This is an essential accessory for the tracking mount, that allows for easy polar alignment. It’s a shoddy design to be honest, but it does work once you get used to it.
Only needed for the R since the R5 has a built-in intervalometer. The Shutterboss is an inexpensive intervalometer that makes it possible for me to take pictures and include myself in the frame. My only complaint about these is that the cable connection to the housing can sometimes fray, so I usually wrap a bunch of electrical tape around this part to help reinforce it.
10 stop neutral density filter which is excellent for mid-day work.
6 stop neutral density filter which is what I pull out for a sunset or sunrise.
I started using this filter a few years ago to help combat light pollution in some of the areas I frequently shoot Milky Way. This filter has the effect of eliminating most color casts from cities and other light domes, at the cost of about a stop of light. It’s useful at places like Mt. Rainier where there are light domes on all sides of the mountain. Because you lose a stop of light, you have to compensate somehow, and my usual answer to that is to track for another minute or two longer.
Recommendations
The lists below are my recommendations for various combinations of gear to suit different purposes. Your needs might vary, but these are a good starting point.
Budget Milky Way Kit
If you are looking to put together a Milky Way kit on a budget, here's a basic setup that will produce some great images. This kit focuses entirely on Milky Way at the expense of other forms of photography:
EOS RP + EF-EOS R Mount Adapter
This is the budget version of the EOS R. It’s most similar to the Canon 6d Mark II, which is a fine camera and produces some great images. You need the mount adapter to be able to mount the lens I suggest below, and also it’s just a good idea (and it is usually free on a promotion).
I frequently recommend this lens as a beginner Milky Way lens. It’s fast and lets in plenty of light. It’s wide, which is pretty forgiving for longer shutter speeds and easy to get the whole Milky Way in. It’s only f/2.8, and although isn’t as fast as a f/2 or f/1.4 lens, is pretty forgiving in terms of focus (the depth of field can be tricky on a faster lens and requires practice). Last, it’s pretty cheap, usually a few hundred dollars or cheaper if you watch for promotions. Note that there is also an RF mount version of this lens but it is a bit more expensive than the EF mount version because it has autofocus. The budget EF mount version is fully manual focus, but that doesn’t matter for night sky photography.
I recommend this as an entry level tripod or if you are just on a budget. I used one for years and it held up well, despite some quirks. Get one in a kit with a ballhead if you are really on a budget. You may be able to finder other tripods that are cheaper, but a cheap tripod is often pretty useless for night sky work.
Note that I didn’t include an intervalometer on this list. The RP has a built-in intervalometer, which saves you an extra piece of gear.
Better Milky Way Kit
The budget kit above is pretty spartan. You can improve it by adding one or more of these items. Note that some of these items start to add non-Milky Way specific items, since you are likely going to be shooting other subjects too.
This lens is an excellent second Milky Way lens after you have played with the 14mm Rokinon for a while. It’s sharp, and wide open produces some great images, but stopped down to f/2 the quality is much better. I don’t recommend this as a first lens because f/1.4 is pretty unforgiving for learning how to focus, but once you have mastered that skill, this lens is a huge step up.
Even though the RP includes a built-in intervalometer, an external one is helpful as it also allows you to avoid bumping the camera during a long exposure.
Get this in a kit with the RP. This gives you a general purpose photography lens to shoot when you aren’t shooting Milky Way.
An alternative to the 24-105. This little lens has a huge reach and a small size, at the cost of a relatively narrow aperture. It is definitely not a Milky Way lens, but it is a great all-around lens and the size matches the RP really well. Note that this is not an L lens and it is not weather sealed. You can also get this in a kit with the RP.
Advanced Milky Way Kit
Once you have some more experience, a much better kit can be put together by adding of these items:
Canon EOS R Body, EOS R5 Body, or EOS R6 Body
Compared to the RP, the R, R5, and R6 are all big steps up in functionality and image quality. They all offer a higher resolution sensor, better noise performance, better weather sealing and overall durability, and a battery in common with the 6d, 6d Mark II, and 5d DSLRs. They are also a little bit larger in the hand, which I find more comfortable.
Canon 16-35/f2.8L III or RF 15-35/f2.8 L IS
Despite being zoom lenses, these are excellent choices for Milky Way and will serve your needs in many other situations too.
Skywatcher Star Adventurer Tracking Mount and Skywatcher EQ Base
Adding a tracking mount opens up a world of possibilities for Milky Way work, both in terms of higher quality images as well as the ability to use longer focal lengths and narrower apertures. There is a learning curve though, but I cover tracking extensively in my book.
Non-Mirrorless Alternatives
At this point in time, I strongly suggest choosing the Canon full-frame mirrorless system over the mirrored alternatives. This is where Canon is sinking all of their money and the result is some great lenses for the RF mount, and almost nothing new for the EF mount. However. you might not be ready for mirrorless, or might have other requirements that mean it isn’t right for you. Here are some substitutions you can make to the above lists in that case:
Canon 6d Mark II instead of Canon EOS RP
I used the original 6d for years as my primary camera, and it’s pretty great. The Mark II makes some technical improvements and can be had for a good value. The RP uses almost the same sensor as the 6d2.
Canon 5d Mark IV instead of Canon EOS R
The 5d4 is the equivalent of the R in DSLR-land, but has some features that might make it appealing over the R for some shooters, like dual card slots. It’s a great camera.