My 3-Week Travel Gear for Italy 2024. Guess How Many Cameras?

This is my second year teaching for the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Summer Field School program in Italy, and I appreciate the opportunity to be an instructor for the BCIT Faculty of Business + Media. Since I would be gone for 3 weeks, I made sure I had the right amount of gear, as well as the right gear. Thanks to the many brands that partnered with me on this trip, including Leica, Camera West, Wotancraft, COOPH, Squarehood, Hobolight, Sigma Canada, VAER, and Bulova. I appreciate their support. Below are links to the gear mentioned in the video (in the order mentioned in the video):

Leica SL2 from Camera West: https://bit.ly/3T2pwoN

Sigma 24mm f/2 Contemporary: https://bhpho.to/3zP98Ck

Light Lens Lab M to L Mount helicoid adapter: https://lightlenslab.co/products/light-lens-lab-m-l-marco-focus-adapter

COOPH Leica Double Rope Strap: https://bit.ly/3ITpgE6

Wotancraft 7L Pilot: https://bit.ly/3bjfjPh

Leica D-Lux 8: https://bhpho.to/4d6hCDf

Leica M11-P: https://bhpho.to/3y47MDe

Leica 35mm APO Summicron-M: https://bhpho.to/3xYE5Dv

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: https://bhpho.to/4bQBTMe

Ulanzi iPhone Stand: https://bit.ly/3SaHhm8

Hobolite Iris Creator Kit: https://bit.ly/3LtO7Q3 (BHT5 for 5% off)

Wotancraft Canteener 2L and 3.5L: https://bit.ly/3xsjC9Z

Wotancraft 5L + 18L Reusable shopping bag: https://bit.ly/3Y6xcIL

Wotancraft Parashooter strap: https://bit.ly/4b4SfRq

Squarehood Mini Soft Shutter Button: https://bit.ly/4f4mQBf

COOPH Leica Parachord strap: https://bit.ly/3W6K5C9

COOPH duo tone strap: https://shorturl.at/pHZ0f

VAER C3 Dirty Dozen 36mm: https://www.vaerwatches.com/products/c3-dirty-dozen-36mm-ameriquartz

Bulova Oceanographer GMT Diver: https://www.bulova.com/ca/en/product/98B407.html

The Leica SL2 vs SL3. Why I Choose the SL2 in 2024

I had the opportunity to spend some time with the brand-new Leica SL3. It's a great all-in-one solution for Leica-centric professional content creators who need a camera to capture both video and stills. However, there is still a great value proposition in getting the SL2. Check out my latest video as I go over just some of the reasons why you would choose the SL2 over the new SL3. Thanks  @chrismeetschris  for helping me shoot this video, and  @CameraWestTV  for the loan on the SL2. It's a great camera! 

Check out Camera West's weekly pre-owned drop of high-quality used camera gear here (non-affiliate link): https://bit.ly/3T2pwoN

Featured products in the video:

Wotancraft Parashooter strap: https://bit.ly/4b4SfRq

COOPH Double Rope strap: https://bit.ly/3ITpgE6

Wotancraft Lightning Rider sling bag: https://bit.ly/3Qow9RR

My Favourite Camera Straps for The Leica SL2 / SL3

Since I switched to the mighty Leica SL2 as my main mirrorless camera, I had to figure out which camera strap system would work best for me and my workflow. I prefer to have cameras around my neck most of the time, so they have to be comfortable, but also sturdy. I also use my cameras on tripods and transport them back and forth between home and my studio. I don't really like doing camera strap reviews since it is very subject, but here are the two main camera straps that I've been using on the Leica SL2.

COOPH Double Rope Strap: https://bit.ly/3ITpgE6

Wotancraft Full Leather PD Strap: https://bit.ly/3ZmL95C

These are the other straps and bags mentioned in the video:

COOPH Adjustable Rope Strap: https://bit.ly/3PGNyF5

Wotancraft Parashooter Camera Strap: https://bit.ly/4b4SfRq

Pilot Travel Camera Bag 7L: https://bit.ly/3bjfjPh

Pilot Travel Camera Bag 10L: https://bit.ly/3BuwrMB

Thanks to Camera West for the long term loan on the Leica SL2. Please check out their weekly pre-owned camera sales drop: https://bit.ly/3T2pwoN

I also featured the currently sold-out Light Lens Lab 50mm f/1.2 ASPH 1966: https://lightlenslab.co/products/light-lens-lab-50mm-1-2-asph-1966-pre-order

Awesome Retail Store For Camera + Lifestyle Products: Wotancraft in Taiwan

I had the opportunity to visit Taipei, Taiwan to spend a week with the Wotancraft team. I have always loved their bags and straps, but I also wanted to meet the team behind the brand. For my first video, I decided to check out their retail store in the Da'an District in Taipei, Taiwan. Rick let me into the store before opening so I could walk around without having to dodge customers or employees while recording. I purposely kept this video reasonably short, as I could have spent over an hour going through each product and reviewing it. If you ever have the opportunity, please visit their retail store in Taiwan. Below is the link to their address via Google Maps, as well as links to some of the products I  mentioned in the video. Thanks to the entire Wotancraft team for your hospitality. More videos to come soon so don't forget to subscribe, and thanks for watching!

Wotancraft Store Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5s2ZM7ipDF312LNU7

Main Affiliate link to their official online store: https://bit.ly/3Gq63Y2

Wotancraft's New Camera Pouches (for those who don't use camera bags)

Wotancraft has just released two new compact camera pouches in both small and medium sizes. Check out the video to see what cameras can fit inside. In addition, you can use these pouches as mini dopp kits, to hold your daily essentials. Affiliate links down below:

Wotancraft Camera Pouch Small: https://bit.ly/3UrvlOI

Wotancraft Camera Pouch Medium: https://bit.ly/3W6yQLu

Cordura foldable shopping bag: https://bit.ly/3Y6xcIL

Parashooter wrist strap: https://bit.ly/3RfGvVf

Parashooter neck strap: https://bit.ly/4b4SfRq

Wotancraft Mini Rider sling bag: https://bit.ly/3yNnhMR

Wotancraft Internal modules: https://bit.ly/37RkBmX

Wotancraft add-on modules: https://bit.ly/3ELOFP7

Talking Cameras at LEICA HQ in Wetzlar, Germany.

My latest Talking Cameras episode, this time at Leica HQ in Wetzlar, Germany. Enjoy the video!

Talking Cameras: X Summit + Fujikina Stockholm 2023

My Hong Kong Neon Project with CineStill 800T: Film Is Still Alive

Welcome to BHT Hong Kong Neon. If you've been following me for a while, you know of my many travels and film photography projects in Hong Kong. I was recently interviewed by  @TheCooph  talking about my Hong Kong Neon project, and I was featured as the cover article for Silvergrain Classics Magazine from Germany, again featuring my neon project. I shot it entirely on  @CineStillFilm  800T and various film cameras, but mostly with my  @LeicaCameraUSA  M7 and 28mm Summicron.

 Andreas from @RivianOfficial  Spaces Vancouver recently reached out and asked if I would be interested in exhibiting anything at their Brentwood location. I pitched my Hong Kong Neon project, and he was happy to help me showcase this project. Please join me on February 8th, 2024 from 6-9pm for my first solo exhibition featuring my project Hong Kong Neon. Please register here:

https://events.rivian.com/hongkongneon

Thanks to everyone who helped me over the years to make this project possible. Thanks to Camera Film Photo for processing, scanning, and storing all my film; and Cinestillfilm for providing me with the film for this project. Thanks to  @chrismeetschris  and Ryan Savella of Arcade Original for your video footage from Hong Kong. Finally, thank you Rivian Spaces Vancouver for sponsoring this project and exhibition. If this exhibition is successful, we may take it on the road. If you wish to be a sponsor or help in any way, please contact me directly. Thank you and happy shooting!

Check out my Film Is Still Alive documentary: 

https://youtu.be/l9MGpcBgbvI?si=25zk1uSwI3u3tvUT

Check out my interview with COOPH of Austria:

https://youtu.be/WDEovGsmhJI?si=ATonCCBBjWUbxYz1

Check out my first interview with Joseph of Meteor Camera: 

https://youtu.be/oHOGnr-pNtE?si=1R_lxtykDJL0848H

#filmphotography #cinestill800t #believeinfilm 

Bigheadtaco's Best Gear of 2023. What Are My Favourite Things?

This video is long. In the description I've time stamped all the major topics so skip to where you're most interested. I talk about merch at the end of the video. Thanks for watching.

Talking with Swedish Portrait Photographer Knut Koivisto at Fotografiska

My conversation with Swedish portrait photographer Knut Koivisto in Sweden. Last year I had the privilege of attending the Fujifilm X Summit and Fujikina in Stockholm, and I bumped into Knut on my way into the venue. He already knew me from Youtube, so he treated me like an old friend. I guess us photographers are like that sometimes. Thanks for the portrait Knut, and thanks for letting me capture yours. 

BHT