{"id":84549,"date":"2022-06-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=84549"},"modified":"2022-08-23T09:28:09","modified_gmt":"2022-08-23T13:28:09","slug":"whats-in-my-bag-nate-luebbe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/whats-in-my-bag-nate-luebbe\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s in My Bag: Adventure Photographer Nate Luebbe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I started with photography as a way to catalog my experiences outdoors. For me, it was a way to live in the moment. Standing on a summit watching the sun fade beyond the horizon, and the stars slowly emerge from the inky blackness consumes you on a level that’s nearly indescribable. Taking those feelings and attempting to freeze them into a single still frame is an incredible challenge, and a way that I’ve found truly motivates me to get out and experience the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I began, I did that for me. It was my way of forcing myself to look at a moment from every angle, and truly experience the moment I was in. As I grew in my photography, I had several people ask where they could buy these prints. While the concept was foreign, the compliment is immense. The intention of my work is \u2014 above all \u2014 to encourage you to get outside, see the beautiful planet we all live on, and experience moments of your own. If you’re interested to know what I keep in my gear bag to make my adventure photography possible, keep reading below.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Nate Luebbe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Camera Bodies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This body is my primary workhorse. For almost everything I do, it\u2019s just absolute perfection. It has the fastest burst speeds of any camera I\u2019ve ever used, immaculate autofocus, amazing low-light performance, and video specs that would make most cinema cameras drool. There\u2019s almost nothing this camera can\u2019t do. It\u2019s so versatile that I\u2019ve genuinely considered selling my other bodies and making the A1 the only camera I use for all my projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony Alpha a7S III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This is an undisputed photo and video hybrid champion of the consumer camera market. This camera is my go-to for projects with a video focus. Although I don\u2019t find 12MP to be quite satisfactory for most photo work, the incredible low-light performance of this body is nothing to scoff at, and the video capabilities are second-to-none. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony Alpha a7 IV Mirrorless Digital Camera<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In my quest to find a perfect all-around camera to nestle between the A1 and the  a7S III, I\u2019ve recently added the a7 IV to my bag. So far, I\u2019m in love. It\u2019s not quite as fast or high resolution as the A1, and not as capable for videos as either the A1 or the a7S III. But, in reality, it\u2019s the perfect Jack of all trades I\u2019ve been looking for. I find 33MP to be a beautiful sweet spot. At less than half the price of the A1, it really makes sense to have this as a backup on wilderness projects where gear can (and will) get damaged. Plus, I\u2019ve owned every iteration of the A7 since the original \u2014 so why stop now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lenses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sony FE 16-35mm f\/2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This is, by far, my favorite lens I\u2019ve ever used. It\u2019s also my most used lens for landscape photography<\/a>. While the super-wide 16mm field of view isn\u2019t perfect for every scenario, I spend a lot of time in landscapes with towering mountains and expansive vistas. I love being able to fit all that in a single frame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony FE 24-70mm f\/2.8 GM II Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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To say I always have a 24-70 in my bag isn\u2019t exactly a groundbreaking photography tip. Although, there\u2019s a reason this is considered the golden classic of zoom lenses. It\u2019s incredibly versatile in almost any genre of photography. If you dropped me into a random photoshoot with no knowledge of what I was doing, this is the lens I would want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony FE 70-200mm f\/2.8 GM OSS II G Full-Frame FE-Mount Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The updated 70-200mm is lighter, faster, stronger, and better than the old version. This is one of the more exciting upgrades to my camera bag in a long time. I used to carry the 100-400mm  as I enjoy the extra reach. But now that the new 70-200mm is so much lighter, it\u2019s found a permanent spot in my bag for any shoot where wildlife isn\u2019t likely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G Full Frame E-Mount Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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While I don\u2019t often bust this lens out for paid shoots, it\u2019s a personal favorite of mine for anything astrophotography<\/a>. It\u2019s the sweet spot for wide focal lengths and has fantastic f\/1.8 aperture. The incredible optical performance has made this the only lens I reach for when the skies get dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony FE 400mm F2.8 GM (G Master) OSS E-Mount Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When I think of highly specialized lenses with limited use case, this is the first one that comes to mind. It\u2019s not a lens that you bring on every outing, but when you find yourself needing a lens like this, it is life changing<\/em>. This lens has easily the best image quality of any lens I\u2019ve ever used. Every time I put it on my camera I know I\u2019m about to have a blast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tripods<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Full disclosure: I own probably 15 tripods. I \u2014 like many photographers \u2014 bought the cheapest one I could find when I first got started and quickly realized I got exactly what I paid for. For some reason, tripods are an accessory that I tend to accumulate in various shapes and sizes. Because of this, I now have exactly the correct tripod for any given situation. Among all the clutter, a few of them stand out from the pack and are worthy of a specific mention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colorado Tripod Co. Centennial 2-Series Carbon Fiber Tripod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This is it, folks. This is the holy grail of travel tripods. It\u2019s the perfect blend of lightweight yet sturdy \u2014 affordable without being cheap. This truly is the smoothest, most functional tripod I\u2019ve ever owned. Once the folks at CTC flesh out the product line a bit more, it\u2019s very likely that I will use their products exclusively. This isn\u2019t the absolute smallest ultralight tripod available, but it\u2019s incredibly strong, rigid, and still comes in at just over 3 lbs. with the ballhead. I\u2019ve carried it hundreds of miles through the backcountry and to the summit of massive mountains. It is absolutely the only tripod I reach for when I need gear I can trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sachtler aktiv8T Touch & Go Fluid Head System with Flowtech75 Tripod <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Yes, this tripod costs as much as a professional, full frame camera. But when I need to mount a 600mm lens for a smooth tracking shot, this tripod is worth every penny. As mentioned before, I\u2019ve purchased (and destroyed) a lot of different tripods, and I have no doubt this one will survive \u2014 and serve me well \u2014 for decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out more of my work in AdoramaTV\u2019s new docuseries, THE MASTERS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n