Jude Allen (@jude_allen) is a travel and landscape photographer and a member of the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective. Based in California, Jude brings his cameras, lenses and vision to a range of subjects from skateboarding to astro to portraits. “When I’m on the road or out on a local shoot,” he explains, “I want to have a wide variety of focal lengths and fast lenses for any situation that might arise. I tend to bring all my gear with me whenever I'm out shooting to ensure I don’t miss something that could be a once-in-a-lifetime shot.” We caught up with Jude to find out more about his Sony Alpha 1-based go-anywhere kit.

Sony Alpha 1: The Sony Alpha 1 is my go-to camera. It just does everything so well. One of my favorite things about using the Sony Alpha 1 is how fast it is internally. Not only will it shoot a burst up to 30fps, but during preview mode I can zoom in instantly to double check that my focus is sharp. I love that feature. 

Photo by Jude Allen. Sony Alpha 1, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master lens. 1/2000-sec., f/8, ISO 1000 

When I’m shooting in low light or at night, there’s very little noise, even if I push to ISO 10,000. With previous cameras I’ve owned, the images get too noisy around 3200 ISO so the Alpha 1 is a game changer for me in those low light situations. 

Sony 100-4000mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master: The Sony 100-400mm GM has become my go-to lens. I used to shoot primarily with a wide angle lens for landscapes, but now I often reach for the 100-400mm instead. I also chose the 100-400mm focal range over the 70-200mm because of the longer reach at 400mm. It has opened up a world of possibilities for me and I’m even able to do macro-style photography because to its super-close minimum focusing distance, even at 400mm! 

Photo by Jude Allen. Sony Alpha 7R III, Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master lens. 1/50-sec., f/14, ISO 100

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master: If I can bring only one lens for either an event or just as an all-around lens, it’s the the 24-70mm GM. I find that it covers most everything I need with amazingly sharp G master image quality. 

Photo by Jude Allen. Sony Alpha 7R III, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master lens. 20-sec., f/8, ISO 50

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master: My 16-35 2.8 GM has proven to be an extremely useful wide angle in my arsenal due to its speed and versatility. I can go from shooting vast landscapes to astrophotography to portraits all with one lens. 

Photo by Jude Allen. Sony Alpha 1, Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master lens. 1/80-sec., f/5.6, ISO 200

Sony 85mm f/1.8: I use the 85mm f/1.8 primarily for portraits and it definitely delivers. With its buttery bokeh, light weight, fast aperture, and being super sharp, the 85mm is one of my favorites. My shots with this lens turn out magical. 

Photo by Jude Allen. Sony Alpha 7R III, Sony 85mm f/1.8 lens. 1/2000-sec., f/1.8, ISO 200

As for other items I don’t really have anything too out of the ordinary but something I always carry with me is a pack of tissues and a few zip-top plastic bags just in case nature calls when I’m in the middle of nowhere. You just can’t be too prepared.

See more about Jude Allen on his website: www.judeallenphotography.com