Let’s get this out of the way: yes, my camera bag in 2025 reads like the “Instagram starter pack” for photographers. Nikon Zf? Tick. Fuji X100VI? Tick. Leica M6? Tick. If I had a roll of Portra permanently loaded and a cup of overpriced coffee in hand, I’d be a walking stereotype.

But here’s the thing, clichés get that way because the gear works and over the years I’ve come to realise that photography is as much about the end result as it is about engaging with the moment and that’s why i’ve ended up with “camera’s” rather than “tools” to take photographs.

So, here’s what’s rattling around in my bag this year.

Nikon Zf: The retro workhorse

The Zf is my main camera. If I want the best image quality, quick autofocus, and files I can push around in Lightroom without breaking them, this is what I grab. Sure, AF speed isn’t a dealbreaker when I’m photographing a hill that hasn’t moved in a few thousand years, but for portraits or anything vaguely alive (vaguely alive sums up how i’ve found being 36 in 2025), it’s brilliant.

I mainly pair it with:

Nikkor Z 24–105mm f/4: My “do everything” lens for landscapes, travel, and those moments when I can’t be bothered swapping glass, I honestly think this might be the best camera lens I’ve ever used, the sharpness paired with its versatility is better than anything I have ever owned.
Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S: Sharp enough to cut yourself on, with lovely rendering for portraits, I mostly use this as a walk around lens when I want the Zf to be abit smaller, or to challenge myself to find a photography which primes tend to make you do.

Accessories-wise, I keep a CPL for glare control, plus 8-stop and 64-stop ND filters for when I want silky water or those moody long exposures that make people ask “was it really that dark?”

Riverside on a cold morning, probably my favourite photo I’ve taken on the Zf so far.

Fujifilm X100VI: The everyday sidekick

The X100VI is my general everyday carry. If I’m out for a walk, heading into town, or pretending I’m a street photographer for the afternoon, this is the camera that comes along.

The autofocus isn’t quite in Nikon Zf territory (no surprises there) but it’s fast enough for how I use it, which is a single centre after point, focus and reframe. The real fun is in the film simulations, and right now I’m almost exclusively using a Kodak Gold recipe. It gives that warm, slightly nostalgic look straight out of camera, so I can skip editing entirely and feel smug about it.

I like to shoot Raw + Jpeg, 99% of the time I just keep the Jpegs and bin the Raws but in the odd case its nice to have that extra bit of latitude when editing as down in the photo below.

I also keep a CPL filter on here for when the sun’s being annoying and to keep the camera water resistant when needed.

Driving home from Wales, sky was incredible, pulled over at the side of the road and snapped this with the fuji, I’ve edited the Raw file here rather than sticking with the film recipe.

Leica M6: The perfect pairing

The Leica M6 is never the main course, it’s more like biscuits with tea, or chips with… well, anything. I almost always shoot it alongside one of my digital cameras. The digital side does the heavy lifting, while the Leica is there to slow me down, make me think, and capture the memories.

It’s all mechanical charm: manual focus, satisfying shutter clunks, and the quiet smugness of shooting without relying on a screen or a battery.

I use two lenses and having a 0.85 version of the camera these both work great:

Leica 50mm f/2.8 Elmar-M: Collapsible and compact, ideal for travel.
Leica 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M: For anything that needs a bit of distance.

Favourite films right now:

Kodak Gold 200: warm, nostalgic colours, cheap
Kodak Portra 400: versatile and forgiving, not cheap.
Cinestill 800T: cinematic and moody, with that glowing halation, also not cheap.

Cinestill 800t in Amsterdam, probably my favourite moment i’ve caught on film.

Tripod: The old faithful (for now)

Still rocking a Manfrotto Befree Carbon Fibre tripod. It’s light, travel-friendly, and has survived more than one river dunking. That said, I’ll probably upgrade in the next year to something sturdier and smoother, possibly one that doesn’t threaten to blow away every time I’m on a cliff.

Bags: Because one is never enough

Shimoda Urban 25L: The main bag when I’m carrying the lot and going on holiday
Peak Design Everyday Sling 3L: Perfect for an afternoon with just the Fuji/Leica or Zf + 50mm/Leica, bit of a Tardis this bag.
Billingham Hadley One: Classic style for when I want to carry abit more gear but still have quick access to all my “stuff”.

The reality

So yes, my kit might be straight out of the “2025 photographer starter pack”, but it works for me. The Nikon Zf handles my “serious” landscape work, the Fuji X100VI keeps things light and fun, and the Leica M6 reminds me that not everything needs to be instant or in truth that good.

What’s in my camera bag 2025 Edition