As we head into 2025, I’ll keep refining my setup with gear that works seamlessly for how I shoot. It’s not about chasing specs or trends but sticking with tools that make creating easier and more enjoyable. From trusted favorites to new additions, here’s what I’m looking forward to using this year. Let’s dive in!

Main Camera - Sony a7CII

My trusty companion for both photos and videos this year will still be the Sony a7CII. I snagged it in the middle of 2024, and it’s completely replaced my a7IV. I’m all about gear that’s small, lightweight, and easy to carry. Even before getting the a7CII, I was always on the hunt for and using small prime lenses. When paired with the a7CII, it’s even more portable than with the a7IV, and for the kind of photography and video I do, it’s got everything I need.

I don’t need fancy open gate, 4K 120fps with no crop, or any of those advanced video features. I shoot everything in 4K 24fps. As for photography, it’s perfect for me, even a bit too much, maybe. I’m still happy to have all the features and more if needed, and the insane autofocus from Sony is hard to move away from.

Most of the time, I shoot in Medium burst, so I definitely don’t need something like a Sony a1 II with, I don’t know how many RAW files per second. I don’t shoot fast-paced sports or anything that requires such features.

The a7CII is the perfect fit for me. It’s got everything I need for photography and video in a small, compact body.

Lenses

Let’s chat about the lenses that I’ll probably use the most in the coming year.

The Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8 is a reliable lens that I’ve used for years without any issues. It’s small and lightweight, which makes it easy to use and reduces the friction between me and the camera. For my work, f2.8 is more than enough; I don’t need wider apertures when I’m out and about. I have the Sigma 35mm f2 that I prefer for portrait work, but for street and travel, the Sony Zeiss will be my go-to lens. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the sharpness is more than I need. It does everything I need it to do.

My latest lens purchase is the Sony 50mm f2.5 G lens. It’s probably my second favorite focal length after 35mm, and I wanted a lens that looked and performed well. I used to have the 50mm f1.8, which was okay but felt a bit cheap and not very exciting to hold. I switched to this G lens, and I’m really happy with it so far. Like the 35mm Zeiss, there’s a feature I like that’s really useful for my photo video hybrid shooting - the lens hood. You can screw a filter on it, so I put on an ND 4, and when I shoot video, I just have to pop on the lens hood, which is much easier and faster than trying to screw an ND filter on the lens itself. Since I don’t use the hood for photography, I just keep it in my pocket and take it out when I’m recording some clips.

My go-to zoom lens is the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8. It’s way lighter than any other 24-70 options, and I’m totally happy without the 24mm on the wide end. I was also thinking about the Sony 24-50, but I really wanted to have access to 70mm, and 24 isn’t a deal-breaker for me. It would be awesome if they made a 28-70 the same size as the 24-50, but they don’t, so I am opting for the Sigma. It’s light, sharp, focuses super fast, and the image it produces is just gorgeous.

I’m thinking of getting the Sigma 90mm f2.8 lens. It’s super light and compact, and I love the quality of Sigma lenses. I might also get rid of the Sony 85mm f1.8 and replace it with the Sigma 90mm f2.8. With this long focal length, I’ll have plenty of bokeh when I want it, and the Sigma is much smaller and lighter. I’m thinking of trying a fun combo: not using a zoom and carrying two bodies, one with the 35mm Sony Zeiss and one with the Sigma 90mm. I might give that a try and will definitely share my thoughts on the blog and on YouTube

On the go video camera - iPhone 16 Pro

I recently got the iPhone Pro 16, and before that, I was using my iPhone 12 Pro in a pinch. But I never really thought of it as a serious camera for videos. After testing it out, I’m blown away by the footage it takes when you shoot in Apple Pro Res Log. It’s super easy to edit, and it looks great. The shooting itself is also a breeze. I’m going to stick with the native camera app and not try to use it like a cinema camera. I know you can do more with apps like BlackMagic, but that’s not really my style. I just want something I can take with me, open the camera app, and start recording. I’ve been shooting in log formats for a few years now, so I know how to set the exposure without using all those fancy features. The only thing I’m thinking about getting is a case that can hold a VND filter like the one Moment is making. That would help me stick to the 180-degree rule and make the footage look even better. When I got the Osmo Pocket 3, it was love at first sight, but it was maybe too intense, and the love faded away quickly. I’ll still use it to vlog and get footage of myself, but the iPhone is just so much more versatile. The footage looks better, and you have three native focal lengths to play with, which gives you a lot more options for different shots.

Action Cam - GoPro 11

So, you know how I mentioned in the last section that I kinda lost interest in the Osmo Pocket 3. Well, it’s because it’s limited in what you can do with it and it’s not an action camera. With a GoPro or any other action camera, you can easily attach it to your body using a chest strap or some other mount and just forget about it. In the next year, I want to make the video work less of a distraction from the photography work, so I’m going to clean up my GoPro and use it more often. I think it’ll make the photography process while recording video a lot easier, and an action camera is the way to go. I’ll probably post more videos explaining my thought process in a voice-over format, and I think it’ll be a better way to stay fully immersed in the photography while shooting and be a bit more composed, choosing better words to explain my process in the voice-over than doing it on the field.

Oh, and I still have my GoPro 11, which is probably enough for what I’ll use it for. It shoots up to 5.3k, the colors are great, the battery life is decent, and the low light capabilities aren’t the best, but I don’t really shoot at night anyway.

So, I think that’s it! The most surprising thing is that the Osmo Pocket 3 might not be as important in my video-making process in 2025. Other than that, most things will stay the same. I still love the same focal lengths, I’ll keep using Sony, which is the best system from a practical standpoint, and I’ve learned to edit colors after years of using it.

Thanks for reading this blog! See you next time!

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