My Gear

Gear doesn’t make the photographer. But the right gear removes friction between your eye and the image.

I researched cameras for months before buying one. Watched every comparison video, read every forum thread, agonized over specs. In hindsight, I should have just bought anything and started shooting sooner. But the engineer in me needed to understand the system first. Here’s what I ended up with and why.

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The Camera

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Why the A6400?

I considered the A7 III (full-frame), the Fuji X-T4, and the Canon M50 II. The A6400 won because:

• Autofocus is unreal. The real-time eye tracking locks on and doesn’t let go. For someone still learning composition, not having to worry about focus is a gift.
• Compact and light. I carry it daily. A full-frame body would have stayed home more often.
• APS-C is a feature, not a compromise. The 1.5× crop gives me extra reach for wildlife and birds — my Tamron 50-400mm effectively becomes 75-600mm.
• Price-to-capability ratio. It punches way above its price, especially on the used market.
• Sony lens ecosystem. The E-mount lens library is massive. Third-party support from Sigma and Tamron is outstanding.

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Lenses at a Glance

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Lens Deep Dives

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Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN — The Wide World

Constant f/2.8 on an ultra-wide zoom is rare and special. I use this for Sydney cityscapes, interior architecture, and starry skies. The wide angle forces a completely different way of seeing — you have to think about foreground interest, leading lines, and depth in a way that tighter lenses don’t demand. At f/2.8, it’s also capable enough for night sky work without needing impossibly long exposures.

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Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN — The Daily Driver

This is the lens that lives on my camera. Constant f/2.8 across the zoom range means I never have to think about losing light when I zoom in. It covers the focal range you actually use 80% of the time — wide enough for groups, tight enough for a headshot. Compact, sharp, and absurdly good for the price. If I could only keep one lens, this would be it.

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Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS — The Travel Swiss Army Knife

When I don’t want to swap lenses — travel, family outings, video work — this is the one. The power zoom is butter-smooth for video, and the 27-157mm equivalent range means I can go from wide landscape to tight portrait without touching my bag. f/4 constant isn’t as fast as f/2.8, but the reach and versatility more than make up for it. The G-series build quality and OSS stabilization are excellent.

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Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN — The Street Eye

45mm equivalent is close to how the human eye sees, which makes it intuitive for street photography. At f/1.4, this lens eats low light for breakfast — I can shoot handheld in conditions where zoom lenses would struggle. The subject separation at f/1.4 is gorgeous, and the compact size means it barely adds weight. This is the lens that taught me to zoom with my feet.

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Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — The Portrait Weapon

84mm equivalent at f/1.4 — this is a portrait machine. The background melts away completely, isolating the subject with creamy bokeh that makes everyone look great. I use this for candid shots of the kids, family portraits, and any time I want that compressed, intimate look. Shooting at f/1.4 after using zoom lenses felt like seeing for the first time.

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Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD — The Reach

600mm equivalent reach on APS-C. Let that sink in. This lens lets me photograph birds at Centennial Park, surfers at Bondi, and wildlife on bushwalks without getting anywhere close to disturbing them. The Tamron VXD autofocus motor is fast and quiet, and the VC stabilization is effective for handheld shooting. It’s bigger and heavier than my other lenses, but the results are worth every gram. Combined with the A6400’s real-time eye AF, it tracks birds in flight remarkably well.

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Support Gear

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Tripod & Gimbal

A tripod was one of those things I kept putting off — until I tried a long exposure at the harbour and realised I literally couldn’t do it handheld. Now it’s essential for low-light work, product shots, and any time I need the camera perfectly still. The gimbal opened up video in a way I didn’t expect — even simple walking shots look dramatically better stabilised.

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Lighting — Godox Flash System

Learning flash was intimidating. Natural light felt intuitive; artificial light felt like cheating. But once I started experimenting with off-camera flash — bouncing it off walls, using it as fill in harsh sunlight, creating dramatic side-lit portraits — I understood why serious photographers can’t live without it. Godox hits the sweet spot of quality and affordability for someone who’s still learning.

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Accessories

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The Roadmap

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Next: Indoor Studio in the Garage

The big project right now is converting part of my garage into a proper indoor shooting space. The plan:

• Backdrop system — seamless paper rolls and muslin backdrops for clean, controlled backgrounds
• Lighting rig — Godox strobes with softboxes and umbrellas for consistent, flattering light
• Props and surfaces — for product photography and newborn/baby setups
• Tethered shooting — camera connected to a monitor so clients can see shots in real time

The goal is to start shooting:

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Then: Expanding the Craft

• Wildlife & birding — The Tamron 50-400mm already gives me incredible reach. I want to dedicate more time to Centennial Park, Royal National Park, and Blue Mountains wildlife. Early mornings, patience, and a lot of failed shots.
• Macro photography — A whole world exists at close range that I’ve barely explored. Extension tubes first, then a dedicated macro lens. Insects, flowers, textures, water droplets — the tiny details that most people walk past.
• Full-frame upgrade — When the indoor studio is running and my skills have genuinely outgrown APS-C, I’ll move to a full-frame body — likely the Sony A7C II or Sony A7 IV. Full-frame gives me better low-light performance, shallower depth of field, and access to the full Sony GM lens lineup. But the A6400 has a lot of life left in it yet.

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All images on this page are from Unsplash (free to use). My own photos live on @slashaviLens.