My Tech Must Haves
Sharing the Tech I Love to Use
I'm always intrigued by what tech other creatives use, from their DSLRs to their computer recommendations (e.g. MacBook Air VS MacBook Pro), so I thought I'd share some of my own tech must haves. I'll run through my top picks, the pros and cons of each as well as whether I regret purchasing anything. Let me know what your tech must haves are in the comments below!
MacBook Pro 13" & iMac 21.5"
I'm currently looking to upgrade my MacBook Pro as it's 7 years old and is a bit clunky and heavy, crashes a lot and the battery life is quite poor – it lasts less than an hour without being charged. Aside from this, it's my most used item of tech, ever. I chose the MacBook Pro over the MacBook Air purely because of its capabilities. I wanted to use Adobe Photoshop as well as video editing software and the MacBook Pro was the recommended tool (back then anyway).
In the past, I've used this for everyday admin, writing blog posts, scheduling social media posts and editing photos on Adobe Photoshop. This is definitely my #1 tech must-have. In terms of capability, ease of use and mobility – the 13" is super easy to travel with – this is the perfect all-rounder computer. The only major con is the limited storage space, which, if you're a content creator like me, means regularly offloading files onto hard drives.
Since I now do the majority of my work on my iMac, I also really miss the freedom of being able to work from a cafe or a car seat on a long drive. Although, doing the majority of my work on my iMac has meant that I have to be in my office sitting at my desk to do my work, rather than my usual of sitting on the couch and having something on the TV in the background – probably not the most productive!
I bought my iMac a few years ago and upgraded it to have 2TB of storage, which means I pretty much never have to see that 'Your disk is almost full' message pop up in the top right-hand corner ever again. And let me tell you, that is a major pro. Working on a bigger screen has also proven to be really beneficial for editing photos. I feel like I can see a lot more clearly! I opted for the 21.5" instead of the 27" because I used the 27" while at uni and felt like the screen was just too big to take in all at once.
Another pro is my posture. Having my iMac propped up on my Tom Ford book has meant I have to sit up straight to be at the right height for the screen, rather than hunched over my laptop. A definite con would be the wireless mouse needing to be charged from underneath. I'll probably have to get a trackpad so I can work around this!
iPhone 11 Pro
Every time I update my iPhone I can't believe what I was working with before. In January this year I bit the bullet and upgraded from my iPhone 8. This is an investment for sure and I'm hoping I won't feel the need to upgrade again for three years to justify it!
As a social media manager (and running @theeditorsstyle) I use my phone quite a lot to check up on scheduling, posting content, engaging, etc. and so the larger phone screen has been such a blessing! The camera is another huge pro. I still use my other cameras for pretty much all my blogging and client work, but for those friends and family moments, or even at events, it's great to have a high quality, reliable and compact camera to use. It's also great for capturing video content. This is especially useful for keeping active on Instagram Stories – something I did a lot less of on my iPhone 8 due to the quality.
AirPods
These were a gift from my boyfriend for our anniversary a few years back and while they were very much a want-not-need item, I've used them pretty much every single day. Before coronavirus, I would board a busy Melbourne train for my commute to work every weekday and use these to listen to an hour long podcast. Being in such close proximity to others, it's great not to have wires getting tangled or yanked from your ears. I also love that when you remove one of the AirPods from an ear it pauses the music, resuming when you put it back in. This meant no more fumbling around trying to reach for my phone (perfect when ordering my morning coffee). I don't feel the need to upgrade to the AirPods Pro and anyway I much prefer the shape of the AirPods; they stay in my ears much better.
Canon 6D Mark II & Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens
The usual camera debate is Nikon Vs Canon and as a Canon-only girl I can really only tell you what I know from my experience. Way back when, I chose Canon over Nikon because (a) I knew a lot more people that shot with and recommended Canon over Nikon, (b) it seemed easier to use and I liked the way Canon cameras felt and behaved over Nikons and (c) I think I just liked the look of them better! It really comes down to personal preference, but now that I've been shooting with a Canon for over 7 years, I don't think there's any way I would convert to a Nikon.
I started with a Canon EOS 700D and upgraded to the Canon 6D Mark II only a few years ago. It was a huge step up and I definitely noticed the improvement in my pictures – more clarity, less grain, more light. I was finally able to capture what I was envisioning. But this also came with experience and learning how to better control the camera. I use my Canon 6D Mark II for pretty much all my photography – blog posts, social media, client work and even events. I chose the 6D over the 5D due to the price and the fact that the 6D had a flip out screen. The only way I would suggest choosing the 5D over the 6D is if you were shooting a lot of video.
My default lens is the EF 50mm f/1.8 because it's inexpensive, lightweight and compact – great for events – and is a great all-rounder no matter what type of photography I'm doing. But I'm in desperate need of a "proper" lens. Something that will help me achieve high quality, professional photos with minimal artificial lighting – I love to shoot in natural light (read my wish-list below to see what I'm thinking).
Fujifilm x-T100
This is my travel camera and I'll admit, I haven't yet completely worked out how to use it. At a much cheaper price point than the Canon, it doesn't have the same quality (it's not a DSLR so that's to be expected), but what it lacks in quality it definitely makes up for in design. This is a lightweight (or at least much lighter than the Canon), compact camera with a range of much smaller lenses, making it the perfect camera to take travelling.
A major pro of this Fuji is that it has a much more responsive bluetooth ability; connecting to my phone 9 times out of 10 (the Canon connectivity is far more temperamental!) This is super great when you want a group shot or when your boyfriend is tired of taking your photos. You can also import the photos straight to your phone, which I did all the time when we travelled around Vietnam; meaning I could publish high quality content in real-time to social media without having to travel with a computer.
For this camera, I have a 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and a 27mm f/2.8 lens. The 15-45mm came with the camera and I bought the 27mm lens because it was a more compact lens with pretty good reviews for travel photography. However I've never really had much luck with it, instead I usually just go for the 15-45mm. Because of that, I'll probably look to sell this one and get a different lens with a lower f-stop before I go travelling again.
On The Wish-list
1. MacBook Pro 13"
As much as I would like a MacBook Air because of how lightweight it is, I'll probably go for the MacBook Pro again for its capability. I'll also most likely upgrade to a 2.4GHz quad-core processor and 256GB of storage. I always find these sort of upgrades much more beneficial than increasing the screen size, but again it's all down to personal preference.
2. Fujifilm XF 35mm f/1.4 R Lens
This is another great all-rounder lens – something I really need for my travel camera. This one is still compact, so it's good for travelling, but at a lower f-stop of 1.4 it offers much more range. I like to shoot from f/1.4-f/1.8 for a much brighter shot, so this is a better alternative to my other Fujifilm lenses.
3. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 Lens
For what feels like forever this lens has been on my wish-list but with a price tag of $2499 I'm still a few years off yet!
And that's pretty much it in terms of tech. I'll be discussing what kind of software I use – from desktop programs, to phone applications – in a separate blog post. I hope this has been useful. Before purchasing, make sure to research each product in depth; I find reviews and YouTube videos super helpful in gaining a more unbiased review of the item. Let me know if you have any other questions about my tech must-haves.
Esther x
