Max Boncina started out shooting with film and that experience, having a limited number of exposures available, shooting at one fixed ISO, using manual camera and lens controls…all of these have helped make Boncina a thoughtful photographer and not one given to firing off multiple frames in a “spray-and-pray” fashion. When he went to Acadia in Maine with the Alpha Imaging Collective, Boncina kept his kit light with an eye to the coastal landscape opportunities and fall colors the region is famous for.
Cameras
Sony α7R II: First and foremost, I have the Sony α7R II, that's my primary body. I have an α7 as well, but I really just love the α7R II. It's an incredible camera that does so much more than my α7. The combination of image quality, the frames per second, all the extra features and capabilities. It's an incredible camera and I'm so happy with it.
RX100 V. The RX100 is small and extremely capable. I always like to have it with me and I usually use it for street photography or any opportunity which demands more discretion. In Maine, I wanted to have it for the unexpected.
Lenses
Sony 55mm f/1.8: I brought my 55 mm f/1.8, which is the first lens I bought when I got a Sony mirrorless camera and I've had it for about four years now. It's incredibly crisp, and just any kind of portrait that I might shoot in Maine, I know that's the one to have.
16-35mm f/2.8 G Master & 12-24mm f/4 G: For the Acadia trip I had the opportunity to borrow these Sony lenses. I had requested the 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master and the 12-24mm f/4 G in particular because I figured the scenery would be perfect for wide angles in Maine. The rocky cliffs, the woods, an old New England bridge. For anything like that, I knew a wide angle would be amazing. Having a pair of lenses that covered the 12-35mm range with the kind of performance these lenses have proved to be a great choice.
Wide-angle Voigtlander. One of the reasons I originally bought into the Sony α7 series was because the cameras make it possible to use all sorts of other lenses. That was very important to me. When I bought this lens (2015) there were no G Master lenses and this was a great option for me. I also like that It’s completely manual, not only the focus but even the aperture. I find shooting with a fully-manual lens can be enjoyable and rewarding. I can never be lazy with the settings, or I’ll miss the shot.
Accessories
MindShift camera backpack: I love my MindShift. The capacity is massive with nice large compartments. Also, when packed, the lenses are facing my back, I feel they’re more protected having them in that orientation. It has a laptop compartment that’s well designed. The whole bag down to the zippers is just awesome. It’s better than anything I've had before.
Leaf Big Stopper 10-stop ND filter: I’ve been getting into long-exposure photography which is why I got the Big Stopper. This extreme neutral density lets me slow my shutter speed dramatically.
Batteries & chargers: I have three batteries and two chargers when I travel to keep me covered with power.
Flashlight: I carry an 800 lumens flashlight in case I can do some nighttime light-painting. It’s also good to have in case I’m shooting as the sun goes down.
Vanguard tripod: I have a Vanguard tripod which is compact, light and sturdy. It’s absolutely essential for the long exposure shooting I’ve been getting into.
Macbook Laptop with Lightroom: My Macbook is nice and light and I like to edit in Lightroom as I go, so I pack it when I can.
Max Boncina is part of the Alpha Imaging Collective. You can follow him on Instagram @max.bon
