Being a writer/photographer around here means that on any given day I could be attending meetings and writing, heading out to take photos of, or with, the latest gear, or even shoot an editing video for social media or the Web. This means being prepared for anything. Unfortunately, since I live in Connecticut, I do not want to drag along anything that I don’t need or that will weigh me down. I think I’ve gotten things down to a solid list of everyday carry essentials that will make my commute and work experience a lot better.
Apple MacBook Pro 15" with Touch Bar
As much as I would love to go with an iPad Pro, of which I am a huge fan, a true laptop gives me everything I need to do anything I want. The MacBook Pro can load up a full version of Photoshop, quickly switch over to DaVinci Resolve, and run Compressor in the background.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
Unless I know for a fact that I am going to be shooting a video or trying a new lens—where I would opt for my a7R III or a7 III—the RX1R II is my perfect EDC camera. It’s small, fits a full-frame sensor, and comes with a personal favorite 35mm lens. What more could you want?
Sennheiser XSW-D Portable Lavalier Set
Size matters. And so does usability. I’ve been longing for a wireless audio kit for years now, but the size, cost, and overly complicated nature of many systems kept me away from them. When Sennheiser came out with the XSW-D, I immediately fell in love. It was exactly what I wanted and works perfectly. No more syncing in post!
LaCie 4TB Rugged RAID Pro Mobile USB Type-C Drive
This drive quickly became my favorite for everyday carry because it offers an SD card reader. I generally like making copies of my cards and working from the drive while traveling and, if I can pack one less thing, my pack is happier.
ASUS ZenPower Ultra 20100mAh Portable Battery Pack
You gotta stay powered-up nowadays. And with a camera, wireless lavaliers, iPhone, and various other electronics I prefer something with a lot of juice. This pack gives me plenty of power at 20100mAh and has two outputs, meaning I can charge a phone and camera at the same time. A bonus is the flashlight—and it has come in handy multiple times.
Nintendo Switch
I spend a lot of time on trains each day and, while I love my podcasts and browsing the Internet on my iPhone, sometimes I just want to plug in and play some video games. Nintendo has been absolutely killing it with the Switch, and now some of my favorite games of all time can be brought on the road, including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L
Is this my absolute favorite bag in the world? Not quite. It does, however, get the job done. It holds my laptop, segments easily—thanks to the efficient divider system—and can easily change depending on whether it’s an RX1R II day or needs require an a7R III and a couple of lenses. The 20L is also not too big and can expand if I need to squeeze a few more items in at the end of the day. Impressively, the Everyday Backpack does serve as an awesome carry-on and has gotten me through numerous trade shows and airports as my only bag.
This core set of equipment gets me through just about any day though, admittedly, I must pack a full-sized a7R III or a7 III kit on more days than I like. Hopefully, you have found something here that might make your EDC pack a little bit lighter—and be sure to share what’s in your bag in the Comments section, below. To read more articles about everyday carry solutions, click here.
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