Used Photo Pro - September 3, 2025

Staff Feature: Shop Shane’s Top Gear Picks!

Shane got his start in photography with gifted SLRs and has been...

Shop some of Shane's Top Gear Picks!

Shane Hickman

Web Associate

"Hi! I'm Shane from the Roberts web team, and I've been doing photography and videography for about 5 years now. I got my start in film photography with some gifted SLRs from the 60's and have been hooked ever since. During my time in college I got involved with the film school and cinema guild and most recently have begun exploring digital photography."

Westcott FJ80 II M

Touchscreen 80Ws Speedlight

"A recent acquisition for me, but one that has really broadened the breadth of photos I can achieve. Paired with the Westcott FJ-X3 M Universal Wireless Flash Trigger and Westcott Rapid Box Switch Octa-S with Round Head Speedlight Insert you can get some really beautiful off-camera flash virtually anywhere. I recently carried that setup plus a folding stand over a mile for a shoot and it was no issue at all thanks to the light weight and reasonable size."

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Shot by Shane Hickman

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

"My new favorite lens, beating out the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. Very reasonable weight considering the focal length, and not too large either with the lens hood removed or reversed. Beautiful bokeh, and ridiculous overall IQ. Combined with the A7IV I've used this lens for astro, portraiture, concert photography and even a bit of wildlife with really pleasing results. For video work, I love the aperture ring and especially the ability to set it to clicky or smooth, and the internal zoom is a big plus for Steadicam/gimbal work. When I'm doing just stills, I can lock the lens aperture ring in "A" and then control the aperture with a knob on the body which is really great so I don't accidentally switch the aperture while zooming."

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Shot by Shane Hickman

Sony α7 Mark IV

"A really well-rounded camera for photo and light video work. The 33mp sensor is right in that sweet spot of a balance between resolution and noise management. Even at 33mp, there are plenty of pixels even for pretty heavy cropping for action and wildlife shots. Runs for plenty of time on a single battery when shooting stills, good ergonomics, and the menus are really quite good now. The customizable buttons are great for optimizing your workflow for both photo and video. I personally also use it as a B cam for my FX3 and it works great for that. A little tip if you're using the a7 IV for video: If you set the auto power off temperature to "high" in the settings, you can get a lot more run time while recording video."

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Shot by Shane Hickman

SmallRig Vibe P108 Pro mini LED Video Light

"These little lights are fantastic. Super affordable, very bright, and can run indefinitely with adequate USB-C power. Perfect for using as fill lights when streaming or filming talking head style content, or use them on camera as a key light. The color range they can produce is impressive for their size and cost, and the built-in effects can be a lot of fun."

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Shot by Shane Hickman

Kodak Portra 400 Color Film 35mm

"Obviously has many desirable characteristics that make it so popular such as fine grain, wide latitude, and great colors. A bit spendy, but always worth it for special occasions. Personally I love the fact that I can use it both indoors and outdoors and still get great exposures, since I usually don't finish a roll in a single day. With a small flash, you can get usable exposures even in the dark. For more casual snapshots, I shoot Kodak Ultramax which is a fantastic less expensive alternative."

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Unsure which film is right for you? Why not start by browsing our newest Film Look Book to get a feel?

Shot by Shane Hickman

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