Happy New Year! What’s in your camera bag?

[MatthewK]

Happy 2025! What camera/lenses are you starting the new year off with? It’ll be interesting to post up, and then check in next year to see what’s changed/stayed the same

For me, I enter 2025 with a slightly heavier bag than I generally want, as I just haven’t gotten around to deciding what to trim.

Fuji X-T5
Fuji 18 f/2
Fuji 35 f/1.4
Fuji 60 f/2.4
Fuji 16-50 f/2.8-4.8 **
Fuji 16-55 f/2.8 II

Nikon Z8
Nikon Z 100-400
Nikon Z 400 f/4.5 **
Nikon Z 600 f/6.3 PF

(** lenses I’m probably selling)

Still sticking with two systems, something I’ve done since 2018. Last year made an effort to go fully Nikon, but there’s just no way my heart will let go of Fuji. The trio of small Fuji primes are the paint brushes I use to capture family moments, my kids growing up, our travels abroad, and I wouldn’t wish to use anything else for this. I’m wanting to do more 1-lens travel though, so have added the new+smaller 16-55 II; it doesn’t have the same cachet as the primes, but it’ll work splendidly for its intended purpose.

Similar to how I thought about going all Nikon, I also considered the opposite, but Fuji is light years behind Nikon for AF, and their lenses for birding are much more limited (though that new XF 500 f/5.6 is sweet), so that’s off the table as well. I absolutely love the Nikon 600PF and have seriously considered going down to just this one lens for birding, but the 100-400 is such an awesome lens for environmental grabs + the occasional almost-macro shot, so it’s probably safe for now.

So yeah, that’s where I’m at at the start of 2025

 

[Ltdave]

i was SUPPOSED to shoot a Single A hockey game yesterday (away game at our local rival) so i had my 5d4 with 70-200 f2.8L II onboard. the bag was just to schlep the camera around to work (first) along with a couple of spare batteries, memory cards, business cards and a small bottle of gatorade. ended up not being able to make it.

for THIS YEAR, though its all going to be subjective to the subject lol.

i have my portrait stuff of 6m2 with ef 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.4L. ill probably have the 24-70 f2.8L II as well.

for general shooting the 5D3m3 or 5D3m4 with the 24-70 f2.8L II and in the bag the 70-2-00 f2.8L II and a 600ex-rt with the extra batteries, cards etc.

thats my digital kit.

ive gotten back, more and more and MORE into film so any combination of:::

yashicaMat124 (have 2 of them)
Graflex Crown Graphic in 4x5
Graflex Crown Graphic in 2x3
Zeiss Ikonta Super in 4.6x6 (1-5/8x2-1/4)
Zeiss Ikonta Super in 6x9 (2-1/4x3-1/4)

or Canon AE-1/F-1new or Canon P or Canon 7 or Canon Canonette 28 or Kodak signet 40 or Minolta 7s or a TopCon Super DM (have 2 that were gifted to me with 6 lenses and a TON of new in box accessories) or some other camera (maybe a Canon IV b? or even a Leica IIIf) that i find late at night online, when im tired but wired on caffeine

 

[West Coast Birder]

I have reached a steady state of bodies and lenses. I probably have too many but I can't think of anything to acquire or jettison.

 

[joayne]

Well, once I clean out the glitter, confetti and the hat..
I'll get my camera 5DIV ready for the New Year!

 

[MatthewK]

Point of thread is to list your gear you’re starting the year with, and then come back here next year and see what changed/stayed the same

 

[West Coast Birder]

Ha! Sorry about that.

In 2024, I sold my 35/2 IS, a good lens but one that I hardly ever used, as my 24-70 II pretty much covered the focal length while giving away only half a stop and a bit of bulk.

I added a few things. On the top of the list was a RF 100-500. Also got a EOS-R filter adapter (and a variable ND filter) as well as a Yongnuo macro flash.

 

[ShipleyNW]

2024 was my first full year with an RF kit. In 2023, I cashed out pretty much all my EF gear to get 2 mirrorless bodies and 3 lenses. That was a significant decluttering. So far, it's joyful enough.

I did add another body in 2024. I like working with 2 FF bodies and a crop body for reach. I started with an R5 and an R7. That's all I could afford all at once and the camera fund hasn't fully recovered. Still, when the R5ii came out, I told myself, the first used R5 I see for $2000, I'm buying it. In September that happened. That was my only purchase in 2024.

On New Years Eve my bags* held:
R5
R5
R7
RF 24-105/4
RF 70-200/4
RF 100-500
RF-EF adapter
EF-S 10-22
EF-S 15-85
EF 16-35/4

* The R7 and 100-500 live by themselves in the same holster as my old 90D and 400/5.6. A Think Tank Retrospective 30 has more than enough room for both R5s with the other 2 lenses attached. Joyfully decluttered.

On Jan 4, '25 I had an R10 delivered. Haven't had it out yet. My photography fund is a little cash poor right now, but I have my eye on a Sigma 18-50/2.8 and maybe a Sigma 10-18/2.8. Small lenses to pair with that small body. Until then I'll use my EF-S lenses. I wish somebody would make an RF version of that 15-85.