My Gear #14 - Jimmy Bui

I absolutely love your Youtube series. I've been following you since you've started and it's pretty cool to watch you build a wide audience that includes not just Nikon shooters, but Canon, Sony, Pentax, and many others. Here's a description of my gear, and how I use them and why.

I'm a wedding and fashion photographer based out in Southern California, and I've been doing this professionally for only a year. Before I got into photography, I was a shortfilm/commercial filmmaker for a couple years, and before I got into that, I was an elementary school teacher for about 6 years. I absolutely love photography as a profession, and I totally see myself doing this for a long while. During my time as a filmmaker, I've used quite a few different pieces of gear. I've used everything from the RED cinema cameras to HDV pro camcorders, along with a mix of lenses. When I transitioned into photography, a lot of the lenses and equipment that I owned and used on a daily basis didn't quite cut it for my needs as a photographer. So, I sold and traded a lot of my stuff to what I have today to better suit my needs as a wedding and fashion photographer. Here is a list of my gear that I usually have in my bag.

Camera - Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 7D

I'm a Canon shooter, and so I shoot with the 5D Mark II and the 7D. Having both a full frame and a crop sensor camera has enabled me to become much more flexible and adaptable to whatever conditions I'm shooting in. I love the Mark II because of it's low light capability, and, well, it's a full frame. The 7D is great when I need a little bit of an extra reach, and the autofocus system is super fast. The Mark II's autofocus isn't as great but I've learned to deal with it. Both shoot amazing video, and the 7D allows for HD shooting with 60fps, which is great for slow-mo capture. I love using my Mark II for studio work, but when it comes to weddings, it can be a bit temperamental with the weak autofocus system, even when I just use the center point. I will be adding another camera to my bag this coming January, the 5D Mark III. I hear it's autofocus system is amazing.

Lenses - Canon 70-200mm IS f2.8; Canon 24-70mm f2.8; Canon 16-35mm f2.8 II; Sigma 35mm f1.4; Sigma 50mm f1.4: Sigma 85mm f1.4

It took me awhile to finally settle on a group of lenses that I really enjoy using. Not only that, but each lens is used quite often. I've owned a few lenses where they wouldn't even get used for weeks at a time. It feels pretty good to know that the money I invested is actually paying off. My three Canon L zoom lenses are absolutely amazing. Of course they should be since they are branded with the famous red ring. The 70-200mm is my MVP for weddings, the 24-70mm is my workhorse, and the 16-35mm is my lifesaver (meaning it has saved me it tight situations, if you know what I mean). I love prime lenses, especially when I'm doing fashion shoots and studio work. I'm not a Canon fanboy by any means, and although the prime L lenses that Canon produces are simply the 'creme de la creme' of prime lenses which would make anyone drool, I love what Sigma has been producing. My absolute favorite lens is my Sigma 85mm. It is super sharp and the bokeh is so buttery you can taste the deliciousness. The same thing can be said about my Sigma 50mm, however I've heard that it's a hit or miss with different copies of the 50mm in terms of sharpness, but I was fortunate enough to land a sharp copy of the lens. I've been in the market for a fast 35mm lens, and I was about to get the Canon 35mm f1.4 L until I found out that Sigma was coming out with one. I jumped on the first opportunity to get a copy of this new offering from Sigma, and oh boy is it a doozy of a lens. It is probably the sharpest lens I own, and probably the sharpest lens I've ever used. So, to round out my three prime lenses, the 85 is my "go-to" lens for close portraits, my 50 is my "go-to" walkaround prime lens, and my 35 is my "go-to" lens for environmental portraits. I may sell my 50mm and get a specialized lens since my new 35mm is starting to take the place of my 50 in terms of usage.

Other Gear in my Bag

A couple of 580 ex II speedlights - They are very powerfull and suits my needs perfectly (I have not seen a reason to upgrade to the 600's).

A few PocketWizard Plus III's - These triggers are as reliable as they come, and the LCD screens are a nice touch.

Sekonic l-358 Lightmeter - I never leave home without it, unless I'm on vacation.

Battery Grips - I very rarely shoot without a battery grip, unless if I'm doing any video work or if it's for leisure.

Gary Fong Light Diffuser and a stofen diffuser - These are awesome light modifiers for my speedlights.

Video Light - I hardly ever use it for video, but instead I use it to add some creative lighting to my wedding shots.

Black Rapid RS-7 strap - It makes shooting weddings way much easier.

Extra Batteries and memory cards - It goes without saying right.

Blower, lens solutions, and wipes - Again, it goes without saying.

Model kit - lint roller, hairbrush, baby wipes, tape - These are so incredibly handy.

There are a plethora of other things that I may take with me (diffusers, lightstands, umbrellas, studio strobes, etc) but the items I just listed are usually what you will find in my bag. If you would like to check out my work, please visit my website at http://www.jimmybuiphotography.com. Don't forget to check out my facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jimmybuiphotography. I would love to hear from you, and I can talk about gear all day :)

Thanks for sharing with us Jimmy - great write up on your gear.

If you would like to get involved, follow the instructions here.