Equipment list

What equipment do you really need for nature photography? It very much depends on what you want to photograph. Here are some personal suggestions that can get you started, but not everything is needed on this list. Actually, you could start photography only with one item on this list. Your smartphone. But I do not recommend that, if you really want to learn about photography.

I do not guarantee that any of the equipment will help you get better photos. A good photographer can get good photos with any equipment. You buy stuff because you read about it here? Good luck. Buy at your own risk. These tips are based my personal experiences and might not be correct and good for everyone.

One or two cameras

  • One camera with fast autofocus and full resolution frame rate (>10 fps) if you want to photograph wildlife
    • With interchangeable lenses
    • With viewfinder
    • With two dials that can be operated by thumb and index finger
  • A second (smaller/cheaper) camera is nice, so you do not have to swap lenses as often and have a backup with you

Lenses

  • The choice of lens depends on the goal of your photography
    • The focal lengths listed below are for full frame cameras
    • Divide the focal lengths by your camera's crop factor to get the recommended focal length for your camera
    • Every lens can be used for every type of photography, the following list names the more typical use-cases
  • Long telephoto lens with 300 to 900 mm for birds and shy mammals
    • Do not use cheap telephoto lenses without good stabilizers or small aperture (>f8), because they are difficult to stabilize and have bad image quality (especially in low light situations, where many animals are active)
  • Medium telephoto lens with 100 to 300 mm for mammals
  • Portrait lens at typically around 85 mm
  • Macro for insects and plants (e.g. 105 mm, can also be used for portraits)
    • Macro photography might require additional equipment not mentioned here (ring flash, slider)
  • Standard lenses for landscapes, street photography and portraits (50 mm)
  • Wide angle lens for landscapes and nightscapes (15 to 35 mm)
  • Travel zoom (any preferred focal lengths) for lightweight travelling

SD cards

  • Only for digital photography
  • Supported card types depend on the camera body
    • Check camera manufacturer website for compatible cards
  • Invest in high quality and fast storage
  • For longer trips, take backup SD cards, if one is full or should fail

Film

  • Only for analog photography
  • I do not have any recommendations on good film, as I photograph digital only, but most of the entries on the list might still be relevant

Backup battery

  • Get original batteries
    • Many off-brand batteries are cheap garbage that will break very quickly or do not last as long as advertised
    • Check camera manufacturer website for compatible batteries

Filter

  • Disclaimer: I am not an expert on filters
    • I mostly use my telephoto lens for which I do not own any filters
  • If you prefer to get everything in-camera, filters are necessary
  • Good filters that do not tint the image and have a high transmission can be expensive
  • UV filters are sometimes recommended to protect the lens
    • Filters can add lens flares and reduce image quality, depending on filter and situation
    • I have found the lens hood to be enough protection for me
      • But I have yet to photograph in a windy desert
      • And I look after my equipment and am aware of exactly where my lens is at all times
    • I have not found UV filters to do anything for me
  • Polarizers can be awesome to reduce reflections from leafs and water and increase the intensity of the sky
    • You loose some light though
  • For photos including water, neutral density (ND) filters are great, so you can do long exposures during the day
  • For landscapes, graduated ND filters bring the exposure of the sky down, reducing the need for post-processing
    • I do this in post-processing instead

Camera strap system

  • A good camera strap is very important for heavy telephoto lenses
    • For heavy lenses, always attach to the lens not the body, or you risk damaging the lens mount on the camera

Tripod

  • Get a tripod built from light carbon fiber for travels and daily use
  • A more heavy one with a gimbal head is useful for stationary photography with long lenses
    • Get this only if you have a very heavy lens that you cannot lug around, or if you prefer to stay stationary (e.g. in hides)
  • Get quick releases/brackets for your camera and long lenses

Camping chair

  • Only for stationary photography or when using a hide
  • There are quite compact chairs

Camera bag

  • Useful for the second camera or when only using smaller lenses

Camera backpack

  • If you travel a lot, get one where the bag opens up on the back, so it is not easy to steal your equipment
  • A backpack that has separate compartments for the camera equipment and other stuff (clothes, food, drink) is very useful

Remote shutter release

  • For night, long-exposure or time-lapse photography
  • Also useful for triggering in situations where you cannot or do not want to reach for the trigger on the camera itself
  • Check what is compatible with your camera

Rain cover

  • Should be big enough for the camera and the lens
  • Should allow you to operate the camera and optimally also the lens

Clothes

  • Yes, you should wear clothes when photographing...
  • Long clothes against sunburn and mosquitos (if you have either)
  • Waterproof jacket for rainy days
  • Waterproof trousers for very rainy days
  • Warm clothes for winter (if you have a winter)
    • Including gloves that allow you to operate the camera
  • Robust trousers (optional knee padding)
    • I do not think I ever went photographing without kneeling or lying down at some point
  • Comfortable and sturdy hiking shoes
  • Rubber boots or wading pants (if you like to stand in water for some reason)
  • Cap or hat against bright sky, sunburn and rain

Headlamp with red light

  • Very useful if you are up very early or late
  • The red light is awesome for night photography, as you will not be blind every time you turn on the lamp
  • With some practice it can be used for light-painting, if you have no other light brought with you

Smartphone

  • GPS navigation
  • GPS tracking
    • There are dedicated devices, but I have found my smartphone to be accurate enough
  • Bird/animal identification (I do not carry a book in the field anymore)
  • Snap quick images of environments
  • Emergency light if you forget your lamp (or the battery is empty)
  • Always bring a powerbank

Laptop

  • For longer trips to sort out and backup photos after each day
  • A smaller (for example 13") laptop is portable, but can still be fast enough for editing

External SSD/HDDs

  • Get fast and robust external SSDs to store backups during longer trips
  • Get large storage HDDs for regular backups of your photo library

Computer

  • If your laptop is good enough, use that
  • Mid to high-end PC
  • Fast storage (M.2 NVMe SSDs)
  • Optional GPU
    • Some graphics programs can utilize GPUs to apply filters or machine learning models much faster
  • Optional color calibrated monitor (better consistency with other devices/prints)
    • Monitor with 27" and 2K resolution and above is nice to see details
    • These can be expensive, but there are cheaper ones that are sufficient for non-professionals
    • It is possible to calibrate monitor yourself, but it did not work well for me
  • Optional graphics tablet for precise composition work
    • I have one without a screen that has been very useful for nightscapes

Transportation

  • Many remote places are unfortunately very remote
  • You do not need to own a car, but some places are only accessible by car
    • Use car sharing services or rent a car, if you do not need a car otherwise
  • If you limit yourself, you can get by with a good bike and going by bus or train
    • This will of course depend on your (local) infrastructure
  • Be prepared to hike a lot

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