In a recent Canon USA video, titled What’s in Canon Explorer of Light Larry Chen’s Gear Bag, one of the world’s most renowned automotive photographers pulls back the curtain on the equipment that fuels his work.
Larry Chen’s career has taken him trackside at some of the biggest motor races in the world, into workshops and collections, and across the globe documenting car culture. His kit reflects that diversity; ready for anything from blistering speed on the circuit to intimate details in the garage.
At the heart of Chen’s setup are three Canon EOS R1 camera bodies. You heard that right, three! To most photographers that might sound like overkill, but for him it’s essential. Action in motorsport happens in split seconds; there’s no time to swap lenses when a car is flying past in the blink of an eye. By carrying three bodies, Chen keeps a wide-angle, a medium and a telephoto lens mounted at all times.
The R1 itself is a beast. Lightning-fast autofocus, industry-leading dynamic range and a massive electronic viewfinder that enables Chen to compose with precision as quick moments unfold. And while it’s tailor-made for action and sports photography, Chen points out it’s just as effective for static car portraits, offering enough latitude in the files to correct exposure in post.
ABOVE: Watch What’s in Canon Explorer of Light Larry Chen’s Gear Bag
The lenses Chen uses tell their own story. Chen leans heavily on fast primes, each with a specific role to play. The RF 35mm f/1.4 is his storytelling lens, versatile enough to frame an entire car in its environment or to step in close on a driver in the pits.
The RF 50mm f/1.2 is a low-light specialist, gathering available light under floodlit tracks or in dimly lit workshops while delivering creamy bokeh to separate the subject from the scene. The RF 85mm f/1.2 is another favorite, an "absolute monster," as Chen calls it, capable of isolating a vehicle or a person with stunning background separation, even in near-darkness.
Then there’s the RF 135mm f/1.8, a lens Chen prizes so highly he says it would be one of just two he’d carry for life. For years, he relied on the EF 135mm f/2; now, with the wider aperture of the RF version, he can shoot trackside, frame entire vehicles, or pick out the smallest details "from badges to shift knobs" with clinical precision.
On the Zoom side of things, Chen’s bag carries the stalwarts of automotive photography. The RF 15-35mm f/2.8 covers the super-wide end, crucial for cramped garages, crowded collections or dramatic perspective shots on the track.
The RF 24-70mm f/2.8 is his bread-and-butter lens, a versatile tool that works for everything from car-to-car rolling shots to pitlane coverage. Its image stabilization, when paired with the R1’s in-body stabilization, makes handheld motion shots surprisingly smooth.
And, of course, the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 rounds out the range, a staple lens in any car photographer’s arsenal. Chen uses it extensively trackside, where its reach and subject separation are invaluable for both panning action shots and static compositions. Light enough to carry all day yet powerful enough to deliver beautiful compression at 200mm, it’s the telephoto he trusts to do it all.
A curious detail in Chen’s kit is the duct tape wrapped around his lenses. Far from being cosmetic, it’s his way of adding an extra layer of protection. Shooting motorsport means dealing with dirt, dust and debris kicked up by cars at high speed, and the tape helps keep his lenses safe from the elements. It’s a small, practical hack that speaks volumes about the demands of photographing in environments where grit and chaos are part of the job.
Now, most of us can’t dream of carrying three EOS R1 bodies or half the Canon RF lens lineup in a single bag. But that’s not really the point. What Chen’s gear reveals is the level of preparation and adaptability required at the highest level of automotive photography.
Each piece of equipment is chosen for a reason – whether it’s speed, flexibility, or image quality – and together, they enable him to respond to whatever unfolds in front of his lens. For enthusiasts, it’s both aspirational and instructive, a glimpse into how one of the best in the business equips himself to capture the thrill, the detail, and the sheer beauty of car culture.
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If this kind of insight is interesting to you, I recently wrote about the kit renowned wildlife photographer Keith Ladzinski uses on assignment.
You might also like our guides on the best camera for sports photography and our top tips on motorsport photography.
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