Your go-to resource for photography gear, tutorials, and recommendations for photographers of all levels and based on the Coffee and Photography Talk YouTube Channel.
This site is focused on providing real world expertise on the gear you will need to create high quality photography.
These recommendations are based on my personal experience. This is not based on comparison testing - this is not a camera review website. Most of my recommendations will tilt toward Canon cameras simply because thats what I use; it is not a statement of superiority. One thing to notice is that my recommendations are for hight quality equipment. I feel that if you really want to learn, you shouldn't have to fight the equipment and it should be gear that will last a long time so you don't have to keep buying. I don't recommend gear that I don't use myself. All opinions are my own and you can see more complete information about many of these choices by checking out the Coffee and Photography Talk YouTube Channel
Compact, high-performance camera for serious amateurs. Perfect for those stepping up their photography game! This camera is full-frame and has professional level capabilities. In fact, this camera would work perfectly in my professional studio. Check Pricing
Equipped with a 2.7" color touchscreen, this light meter simplifies incident metering for ambient and flash lighting. I feel an incident light/flashmeter like this is essential to be able to learn proper exposure as well as to dial in exposures in difficult lighting situations. Check Pricing
A nice full-frame camera with a smaller price tag than the R6 Mark 2. It still has a very nice feature set for the serious amateur photographer. Check Pricing
The most basic and least expensive lens you can get from Canon. I have tested this lens however and it is a great value for the money - significantly better than the older EF version. Review video is available on the channel Check Pricing
Canon RF 85mm f2 review from the perspective of a portrait photographer who uses it daily. It delivers surprising performance from a lens in this price class and has some features you may not expect. I have a full review on this lens on the YouTube channel. Check Pricing
This adapter allows EF and EF-S lenses to be used with EOS R series cameras, maintaining full lens functionality. EF lenses are still excellent quality and often its not a good financial decision to upgrade to an RF equivalent. Check Pricing
This lens is a considerable step up for an amateur in both cost and quality. Having said that, depending on what you shoot, you may not need to replace it for over a decade. It is the workhorse for my professional photography business handling almost 70% of my sessions! Check Pricing
If you follow my YouTube channel, you'll know that I talk far more about lighting and technique than camera equipment and that I am a strong proponent of being skilled at using flash. The recommendations I present here are based on extensive hands-on usage. Again, this is not a gear review website; what I recommend is what I'm using or have used in the past.
Once again, all opinions expressed here are my own and you can see more complete information about many of these choices by checking out the Coffee and Photography Talk YouTube Channel
This compact flash offers 200Ws of power and features interchangeable flash heads for versatility. Unless you NEED on-camera flash, I have been recommending this flash instead of speedlights for its increased power and versatility. Many videos on the channel about this flash. Check Pricing
If you are serious about doing a LOT of indoor or semi-studio type work, you should look at this flash. It's almost impossible to beat for the amount of light (600ws!) and the price. It is AC only and that may be an issue for some, but there is a battery powered version available. Check Pricing
The Godox/Flashpoint R2 Trigger integrates studio flash triggering, speedlite triggering, and remote shutter release into one unit. There is a newer version of this trigger that I have not used, but have no reason to think would not work as well or better. Check Pricing
Designed to enhance lighting effects, this flash modifier provides photographers with creative lighting options. This simple little modifier has BEAUTIFUL fall-off for such an inexpensive price. Designed to work with the AD200 flash. If you don't want a larger softbox but still need a nice lighting pattern, this is the ticket. Check Pricing
This versatile stand functions as both a light stand and a boom, making it ideal for studio work in confined spaces. This is a heavy duty stand! If you are only working on location there are some lighter options. Check Pricing
This is an extremely heavy duty tripod. I've used it every day for almost 13 years and it still performs flawlessly. In my opinion, it is absolutely imperative to use a rock solid tripod to give you the greatest repeatability in your images. Check Pricing
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