Best kit for documentary photography: the cameras and lenses for every assignment

When you're starting your photojournalistic career, choosing the best kit while working within a tight budget can be difficult. It's a situation with which Muhammed is familiar. "When I started out, back in 2001, it was the birth of the digital era and we didn't have many (camera) options like today," he continues. "At that time, I used the Canon EOS 30D (now succeeded by the Canon EOS 90D) and year by year I tried various Canon cameras and now I use the EOS R5 – it's a huge step-up in quality.

"Each period has its own highlight, but back then I would have loved to have been able to use the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM lens that I'm using now. That lens makes it easier for me to be focused on the moment I want to capture – it's incredibly fast and the image quality is indescribable."

Here, Muhammed gives his views on the best kit for photojournalism today, with additional insights from Canon Europe Senior Product Specialist, Mike Burnhill.

Muhammed has been using the 45MP full-frame mirrorless Canon EOS R5 alongside his EOS 5D Mark IV since it was first introduced. Canon's mirrorless cameras offer a number of advantages over DSLRs for photojournalism, including silent shooting, smaller body size and weight, excellent low-light performance, fast frame-rates and autofocusing plus In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS).

He says, "The EOS R5 is one of those cameras that allows you to be invisible. It's light but well-built and it gives me the image quality I want as well as the discretion I need. When I work in hostile environments or on a long-term project, I want to become part of the landscape and the EOS R5 allows me to do that.

"It also gives me the option to shoot 8K video and extract 36MP stills if I want. That's another element the camera has added to my work as a photojournalist that wasn't available before."

Canon Europe's Mike Burnhill says the 20MP, full-frame mirrorless Canon EOS R6 is particularly suitable for shooting in low light: "The physics of the camera's technology means that the sensor delivers a cleaner signal and superior noise performance, which is ideal for low-light conditions. It's also able to focus quickly in low light and the image stabilisation extends its usefulness in dark conditions.

"The electronic viewfinder (EVF) also plays an important role because it means you can see what you're photographing in dark conditions. Also, thanks to a firmware update, the frame rate of the EVF can be set to a minimum of 30 frames per second, so you don't get a jumpy, slow or blurry image in the viewfinder in low light like with some other cameras. That's important for photojournalism when you're likely to need to follow a moving subject in low light."

Canon designed and built the EOS R3 with news photography and videography, wildlife and sport in mind. Its 24.1MP full-frame stacked, back-illuminated CMOS sensor is so quick users are able to freeze fast movement without worrying about 'rolling shutter' distortion. "The engineers drew on feedback from news agencies and newspapers, and basically, it's all about speed for image capture and handling," elaborates Mike.

"There's the speed for capturing decisive news and sports moments, but its wired LAN socket, 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi and Mobile File Transfer app compatibility mean it can also deliver the images quickly to the agencies."

The Canon EOS RP is Canon's smallest-ever full-frame camera and it's very attractively priced for its feature set. Mike explains: "As well as having very good low-light performance, the EOS RP has the same Dual Pixel CMOS AF system that's in the EOS R, plus eye-tracking and silent shooting, which are all perfect for street and documentary photography.

"It's a very advanced little camera and ideal for photographers moving up to full-frame photography or switching over from a DSLR to a mirrorless camera for the first time because, like all EOS R System cameras, it's compatible with all existing EF-mount lenses via an adapter."

The Canon RF 35mm F1.8 MACRO IS STM weighs just 305g and is only 62.8mm in length, and at that size and weight it's both highly portable and discreet in use. "35mm is the classic focal length for reportage photography and photojournalism," Mike says.

"It allows you to capture a subject within its environment and in context, rather than being isolated. The perspective is also quite neutral, which means there's not too much distortion, and it feels very natural to the human eye. You also have the f/1.8 aperture, so you can shoot in low light and blur out a background for better separation."

Muhammed is a keen user of the 35mm focal length. "I use it on a daily basis and in every assignment," he says. "When I leave home my 35mm lens is attached to my camera because it's the perfect lens when you want to be part of the environment."

50mm is another classic focal length for reportage photography. "A 50mm lens gives a very neutral perspective and flattering compression, plus the roll-off at f/1.2 ensures a really nice skin tone," says Mike.

"A lens can be too sharp when you're photographing people, because you see every hair and blemish. However, with the RF 50mm F1.2L USM at f/1.2, you can have the eyes bitingly sharp and it's forgiving on any skin imperfections. It's also a lens you can use anywhere because you can turn any background into something that looks beautiful."

Muhammed often swaps between a 50mm lens and a 35mm. "Whenever I want to get closer to my subject to capture portraits, focusing directly on the eyes, I swap to my EF 50mm f/1.2L USM mounted on my EOS R5 via an adapter, or on my EOS 5D Mark IV," he explains. "It's the best focal length for capturing the soul through the eyes, but I have to get closer with the 50mm and that makes me more visible."

Mike says, "This lens is often described as the 'professional workhorse'. It's used by many photographers because it does everything that they need on so many occasions. The RF 24-70MM F2.8L IS USM can be used for shooting landscapes to portraits and everything in between and the image quality is almost comparable to the best primes."

Mike describes the RF 28-70mm F2L USM that Muhammed uses as "a lens that people fall in love with, because of its superb image quality and the f/2 maximum aperture – it makes a significant difference when you want to isolate your subject".

Muhammed adds, "This lens gives me a 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lens in one – it's like three prime lenses combined – while f/2 is the perfect aperture for me."

Although it spans a wider focal length than the RF 24-70MM F2.8L IS USM, the RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM weighs just 396g and measures 76.6 x 88.8mm, so it's wonderfully portable. "It's an all-rounder lens that gives you such a wide range of options for stills and video," explains Mike.

"It's a one-stop lens that can be used for all types of photography and it delivers great image quality. Its 5-axis, 5-stop image stabilisation system also means you can shoot in low light and the STM focus motor gives smooth focusing which is great for video."