Benjamin Wallace (@bennymw) is an adventure photographer based in the Pacific Northwest. Not only does he push himself to the limits when out hiking in the mountains, he also pushes his gear to the limits. That’s why he needs something rugged and reliable that will work in a wide variety of scenarios. We came across the stunning images on his Instagram account and wanted to learn more about the gear he uses to create them. When Wallace got back into photography, he needed something to keep up with his active adventure lifestyle so he went with a full-frame Sony Alpha camera and a unique trio of Sony G Master lenses. We connected with him to get the full story of the gear he relies on.

Product Preview – In This Article You’ll Find:
–Sony Alpha 7R IV
–Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master
–Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master

You know that unique feeling when the air around you is below freezing but you’re dripping sweat and the cold air is almost a respite? It's at that moment when my face has a short-lived grin. It's short-lived because I know I can’t sit still long or I’ll get dangerously chilled down to my bones. On a morning like that I was in a rush to watch the sunrise and while glancing up at the summit I was near, I pulled out my phone to snap a photo, noticing that it was exactly 4:44 in the morning when I clicked off the shot. I was just starting to feel my toes again as I stomped my crampons in the last few steps of the steep slurry made up of icy volcanic ash on a mountain just outside of Bend, Oregon to when I realized I needed to get back into photography.

I started hiking at 10:30 the previous night breaking snow the whole way until I hit ice. Not another soul anywhere on the mountain, just the sound of crushing snow and ice underfoot and the silence of stars overhead. Once the Milky Way started to dim overhead and the sun started to bring a fiery glow to the eastern horizon, my pace quickened. At the true summit and overlook, a volcanic chain of mountains rising for miles, as far as the eye can see. Green fields and frozen lakes several thousand feet below me, and the pink glow upon the white snow - the sudden burst of tears was the most human and involuntary moment I had emotionally experienced in years. The photos my phone took were gorgeous but didn’t even come close to giving justice to the scene. After 41 hours straight, two mountain summits, the most unenthused glissading nobody saw (alone on the mountain, remember), and six hours of driving, I slept. I dreamed of myself on unknown mountains, in beautiful fields of wildflowers, trees golden and aglow, and I saw the camera in my hands. I wanted something with a fantastic dynamic range. Lightweight, rugged, and reliable. Sony was the only thought in my head that made sense.

Cameras

Sony Alpha 7R IV: For me the Alpha 7R IV is the perfect adventure photography camera body. A 61 megapixel, weather sealed, lightweight, low-light-loving beast. This camera has shot in the most torrential pouring rain, blizzard snow-like conditions, negative temperatures and sweltering desert. We’ve gone from the tops of snow-capped mountains to an Ansel Adams special exhibit at the art museum on the same day without skipping a beat and while receiving compliments on the camera in both places. The ability to create custom keys makes switching between subjects a breeze. ASP-C mode allows me to have high reolution while increasing the effective focal length of my lens. Video capabilities including 4K 8 bit S-log, and a long battery life make this camera an absolute dream for me to bring into any environment to capture nearly anything I can think of.

Photo by Benjamin Wallace. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/100-sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

I started with a Sony Alpha 6000 to fall in love with photography again. It's ightweight, powerful, and easy to use. Then, about a year later, I bought my first ever full-frame camera, the Sony Alpha 7R II and that’s when things started to feel different in my approach to photography. Instead of taking pictures and videos of places I was visiting or exploring, I wanted to create the experience I hoped to see rather than capture the observation of the experience I was having.

Lenses

Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master: If there is one lens on my camera 90% of the time, it’s the 24mm f/1.4 G Master. Lightweight, fast, and produces amazing quality photos. Being able to shoot as low as f/1.4 is such a dream when I'm in low light situations. Whether I find myself running and gunning, or planning a photo for months, there’s a good chance I’m planning it with the 24mm f/1.4 GM.

“Taken at McNeil Point during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Very grateful to Sony for recently sharing this across their socials.” Photo by Benjamin Wallace. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 15-sec., f/2, ISO 2000

Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master: I adore this lens. I take it with me nearly everywhere I go. The accuracy and focus speed are incredible. The lens elevates just about anything I put in the composition. Everything becomes epic. I love that it’s not a common landscape or adventure lens, allowing me to provide a unique perspective in environments that almost always want a wide angle. The bokeh is buttery smooth, and photos taken with the Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master are the sharpest I have taken.

"When Conde Nast Traveler Magazine featured this photo of mine they asked how I found the location, my answer was this: I turned my car around because I thought I missed an exit and saw this. Pulled into a ditch on the side of the road, not even taking the time to turn the car off, quickly climbed a fence, and precariously balanced myself on top of it while loving the fast FPS of Sony’s Alpha 7R IV hoping to god one of the shots works out." Photo by Benjamin Wallace. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master. 1/500-sec., f/4.5, ISO 100

Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master: There were enough times that I mistakenly thought I wouldn’t need the reach of this lens and didn’t pack it that I now have a rule where I pack it first. I love this lens. To be capable of reaching 400mm with such a beautiful piece of glass is a dream come true. Whether I'm photographing animals hiding out from a distance or using its seldom discussed but incredible up-close, macro-like capabilities, this lens is always the first thing I pack on every adventure I take. Often, it’s on my camera if I’m walking around the city or the neighborhoods, looking for little pieces of beauty wherever I may find it.

“Juvenile great horned owl living in an abandoned 1800’s farmhouse in the high desert of Oregon seen watching the sunset.” Photo by Benjamin Wallace. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. 1/125-sec., f/5.6, ISO 1000

Accessories

Nisi Filter System, 6-stop ND, 10-stop ND, CPL & Grad Filters: I’m almost always using at least something from Nisi to create adequate lighting in the composition I’m trying to create.

Carbon Fiber Tripod: Saves as much weight as possible while also being able to trust it will hold all your gear in situations that are always changing and nearly never ideal.

Dust blower: To keep the lenses clean!

Photo by Benjamin Wallace. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 3.2-sec., f/1.4, ISO 2500

Drone: Helps get different perspectives. 

Ice Axe: This has saved my life more than once. 

Dry Bag: For river crossings or intense storms. 

Med Kit: It’s always a good idea to have one of these on hand.

See more of Benjamin Wallace’s work on Instagram @bennymw.