Food Photography Camera Bag from the Foodtography Desk

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FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA BAG FROM THE FOODTOGRAPHY DESK

HEY THERE, Foodtographer!

Welcome! We’re so excited you’re interested in learning more about camera gear. As a photographer, getting the right equipment can be a daunting task. Not to mention all the new vocabulary! From makes and models, to focal lengths, fixed frame, cropped sensors, megapixels, and more, things can get confusing. Like, HALP!

Luckily, we’re here to help! In this guide, we’re bringing you our best recommendations for everything you need in your camera bag. We even have multiple suggestions based on different price points to help suit a variety of needs.

Now go out there and assemble that perfect camera bag!

Love & Brownies, Sarah

*Some of the links listed are affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission from the retailer at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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Cameras First things first, cameras! At its core, a camera is a box that lets in light. There are many different ways that cameras can let in light, all with varying degrees of accuracy when it comes to how they record color, contrast, and light itself.

POINT AND SHOOT CAMERAS On the lower-quality end of things are point-and-shoot cameras. These are cameras designed to be easy to use, so much so that you can basically point your camera and shoot! They come with a built-in lens, and are quite limited in their functionality. For this reason, we don’t recommend this type of camera for food photography, as point-and- shoot cameras are really designed for the average person’s travel or family photos, not for food photographers!

MIRRORLESS CAMERAS Mirrorless cameras have become rather popular in recent years because they deliver great quality and are more portable than DSLR cameras. The term mirrorless refers to the way in which the camera captures the image: light passes through your lens and directly onto an image sensor, without the use of a mirror. This means that the camera itself can be a lot smaller, which is a huge plus. However, it’s good to note that the preview image you view on your screen is actually a digital reference, and not a real-time reference of what the camera is about to capture.

Mirrorless cameras are a great option if you shoot video, as they have a lightning fast auto-focus that helps to capture a constantly crisp subject.

One drawback of mirrorless cameras is that they can be limited in how many lenses they are compatible with; in general, lenses are made for DSLR cameras, and while some mirrorless models offer adaptors to mount DSLR lenses onto a mirrorless cameras, not all do. Just something to look into!

So should you get a mirrorless camera? I’d say a resounding yes if you’re shooting video or want a light bodied travel camera that won’t compromise on quality. Otherwise, I’d go with a DSLR.

$ $$ $$$

Sony Sony Sony Alpha A6000 A7 LL A7 III

FOODTOGRAPHYSCHOOL.COM FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA BAG

DSLR CAMERAS Ah, DSLR, the king of cameras! DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex, meaning it combines the optics and mechanisms of a traditional analog camera with a digital image sensor. So, basically… it’s the highest quality image you can get!

In an ideal world, we’d recommend all food photographers get a DSLR camera, as they deliver uncompromising quality, allow for real-time feedback of what your final image will look like, have access to the widest range of compatible lenses, have a long-lasting battery life, and in my opinion feel better ergonomically. Entry-level (or beginner) DSLRs can also be comparatively inexpensive, which is a huge plus.

So in general, I’d say until mirrorless cameras improve in a few areas like their lens compatibility, lack of physical buttons (over digital menus and interfaces), and lack of an optical preview image, I’d invest in a DSLR camera. $ $$ $$$

Canon Rebel T6 Canon 6D mark ii Canon 5D mark iv

Nikon D3500 Nikon D7500 Nikon D850

These are cropped sensor cameras. Crop factor refers to how These are full frame cameras, meaning that they have a standard 35mm much your camera is cropping your image compared to the crop sensor. These sensors are more expensive to manufacture, and result standard 35mm film. If you get these cameras, know that your in a better quality image! camera will make things look closer up than normal.

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Lenses As a food photographer, you really only need two lenses in your kit: a wider lens that can capture a large scene, and a tighter or “macro” lens that can get you super close-up on your food. With that said, there are about a million options to choose from when it comes to lenses.

So there’s some good news and bad news about lenses…. Bad news first: lenses that are less expensive just won’t perform as well as more expensive lenses. Why? Because with cheap lenses, the quality of the glass itself is just not that great. Cheaper lenses are also often batch-manufactured with cheaper materials, whereas more expensive lenses are made with brass or metal, have hand-pressed glass, and go through rigorous inspection. So the good news? When you buy a higher-quality lense — it’s going to be AMAZING! Long story short, you truly do get what you pay for.

The next important thing to know with lenses is the lingo. Basically, all lenses have a “focal length,” which describes how close or far something will appear in your camera. The lower the number (i.e. 22mm): the farther away an object will appear; the higher the number (i.e. 100mm): the closer an object will appear. Lenses are also denoted by their maximum aperture, so if you’re wondering what the difference is between a 50mm f/2.8 lens and a 50mm f/1.4 lens, it’s that the first lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, while the second one has a maximum aperture of f/1.4.

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So what would I recommend if you’re looking to build out your kit? First, start off with the nicest 50mm lens you can afford. The quality alone will take your photos to new heights, instantly. And 50mm is a really great focal length for food photography, allowing you to capture both decently wide overhead and tight shots alike. Alternatively, you could start out with a 24-70mm lens, which would cover nearly all your lens needs.

But if you want to get those beautiful up-close detail shots, I’d invest in a macro lens, as in a lens with a focal length of 85mm or higher. This will be great for detail shots, which are everything in food photography!

From there, you could go a number of ways! if you find that you’re composing tight shots all the time, you could consider investing in another macro lens. Or if you find that you prefer to shoot wider, farther away shots, you might want to get a 35mm.

Last but not least: to zoom, or not to zoom?

Let’s break down the pros of getting a zoom lens (if you want to get closer or farther, you adjust the lens) versus a fixed length or “prime” lens (if you want to get closer or farther, you have to move yourself). A zoom lens provides the greatest versatility, meaning you can use it in a variety of scenes and settings. However, zoom lenses usually only go to f/5, f/3.5, or f/2.8, so if you tend to shoot really close, or have less than ideal light where you might want to open up your aperture, this could be a factor!

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Prime lenses are great because they can give your photos a super consistent look and feel. You can also get a wide aperture prime lens for cheaper than the same aperture on a zoom lens. Plus, prime lenses generally perform better in low light situations. Personally, I have both zoom and prime lenses. You can’t go wrong, it’s just a matter of what’s the most important to you!

And the last thing FOR REAL: brands! Whatever brand your camera is, get the same brand for lenses. There are adaptors that will allow you to use, say, a Sigma lens on a Canon body, but for ease, stick to one brand!

(LENSES LISTED FROM WIDE TO TIGHT FOCAL LENGTH) $ $$ $$$

Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Canon EF 35mm f/2.8 Canon EF 50mm f/1.2

Nikon AF-S 40mm f/2.8g Sony FE 35mm F1.8 Canon 24-70mm f/2.8

*This is my go-to lens! So versatile, and takes amazing pictures.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

Nikon AF-S Micro NIKKOR Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L 60mm f/2.8G

Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC-E

Canon 100mm f/2.8

Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8G

SO WHAT’S IN MY CAMERA BAG?

To be honest, it’s pretty straightforward! I shoot everything with my Canon 5D mark iv. In terms of lenses, the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 is my go-to lens. It’s great for just about everything under the sun. The only thing it can’t do is get really close up. So for those times when I want a macro shot, I use my Canon 100mm f/2.8. And that’s all! Truly, you don’t need much more than that :)

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