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EQUIPMENT

I believe, and have always believed, that photography goes far beyond the equipment we use. Having good equipment is not synonymous with good photographs, nor is it necessary to resort to state-of-the-art equipment to create strong and meaningful images. In nature photography, factors such as knowledge of the species, reading the terrain, light, patience, and respect for wildlife carry much more weight than any piece of equipment.

 

Equipment is merely a tool at the service of the photographer's vision. Knowing when and how to use it is what truly makes the difference in the field. Over time, I have chosen the equipment that best suits my type of photography, the real field conditions, and the situations I most frequently encounter.

Below is a list of the equipment I regularly use. In addition to the equipment mentioned, I also use different tripods, filters, and other supporting accessories that are not detailed here, but which are part of my workflow depending on the context and type of outing.

 

 

WHAT'S IN MY BACKPACK?

Bodies

  • ​Sony Alpha 7 IV - this is the camera I use for photographing birds and mammals, as well as for filming; it allows me to quickly take advantage of its photo and video capabilities.

  • Sony Alpha 7R IV - it has over 60MP, making it perfect for macro photography, or for species that allow you to get closer, such as amphibians and reptiles.

  • Sony Alpha 7C - the most compact camera, used as a backup for filming. Especially when I want to film in selfie mode, as it is lighter and easier to handle.

Lens

  • Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS - my favorite lens for wildlife photography. I love its reach; at 600mm I can get really close to smaller animals, and with the zoom I can also photograph larger animals.

  • Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II - perfect for low-light situations, mammals, and landscapes.

  • Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM - the most suitable lens for portrait photography and achieving those beautiful bokeh effects.

  • Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 - the smaller sibling of the previous lens, ideal for smaller spaces and travel.

  • Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS - the ideal lens for macro photography, allowing me to stay relatively far away but still achieve that 1:1 magnification.

  • Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM - the ideal lens for astrophotography, it allows me to capture a lot of light and is wide enough to capture a lot of sky; it will also be used for landscape and architecture photography.

  • Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS - my favorite lens for landscape photography; although it's f/4, it allows you to obtain clear and high-quality photos.

  • Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS - A versatile lens that I use for both photography and videography, usually at events or sports.

  • Sony Teleconverter FE 1.4x - I mainly use it for filming.

  • Laowa 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro 2.5-5x Sony FE - this is my newest lens; I had some hesitations before buying it, but after a few months of using it, I'm super satisfied and have obtained the results I wanted with it.

  • Sigma MC-11 Adapter - I used it when I still had Canon lenses, but I kept it for when someone wants to try out Canon lenses.

Vídeo

Flashes

  • Godox AD200Pro II Flash - I have two of them and they're perfect for any situation; they're not attached to the camera but to the frame, or I carry them handheld.

  • Godox X pro-S Remote Flash Trigger for Sony - allows you to use and control flashes remotely.

  • Sony HVL-F60RM2 Flash - powerful and perfect for any situation; I love that the whole system rotates when I need to use it vertically.

  • MagMod System - perfect to take with me everywhere.

Hides

  • Photo Hide Aquila Mark II - one of the best shelters, ideal for two people, it has several windows and we can use a sleeve to further camouflage the camera.

  • Photo Hide Buteo Mark II - perhaps the shelter I use most often, it only fits one photographer but it's perfect for carrying on hikes, along with the rest of my equipment.

  • Low-level Photo Hide Falco Mark II - a kind of tent shelter, not very useful for carrying, but perfect when we want to photograph animals on the ground.

  • Hidrohide - a shelter I built to photograph aquatic animals.

  • Camouflage Nets - I have several camouflage nets that I use to place over all my shelters.

Action Cams

Drones

  • DJI Mavic Air - it's one of the smallest, which allows me to carry it everywhere.

Tripods

Filters

Backpacks

  • Lowepro Whistler 350 AW II Backpack - This is the backpack I use most often and the only one that fits my Sony 200-600mm lens plus all my filming accessories.

  • Pelican 1510 Hard Case (with dividers) - This is where I keep all my equipment when I'm at home; it's protected from impacts and moisture.

  • Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II Backpack - A backpack full of structures for attaching items, such as filter holders or lens bags.

  • Lowepro Powder BP 500 AW Backpack - This is my expedition backpack, for when I need to do long hikes and carry my equipment and a small tent. It allows me to take everything and more, and even attach my tripod and poles to it.

Accessories

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About Diogo Oliveira

My name is Diogo Oliveira, I am a wildlife photographer, biologist, writer, speaker and environmental educator based in Portugal. Graduated in Biology from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia and Master in Conservation Biology from the University of Évora. I spend a lot of my time photographing the most fantastic animals. I have visited several countries and have collaborated with large companies, brands, NGOs and travel agencies. I like playing tennis, building Lego, watching movies and series, and I'm a big fan of Star Wars.

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