Lost Camera Gear — Seeking Help to Replace Essential Lenses + Utilities

Hello friends, supporters, and fellow creatives —

On July 20, 2025, around 1:15 PM, I finished a cosplay photoshoot at Pasadena City Hall and began packing up my gear. I placed my wagon with lighting equipment beside my trunk and set my camera backpack down to start loading everything into my car. After packing the last item (the wagon) into the backseat, I assumed everything was in the car and drove home.

When I arrived at 2:15 PM and began unpacking, I realized my camera backpack was gone.

There was no way I would have missed it — it’s large and black, and I had it on me while walking back to the car. I can only assume that someone swiped it while I was loading gear and distracted. My cosplayer friend was with me the entire time and can confirm the timeline and what happened.

Items Lost:

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Lens (Canon EF)

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 Lens

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

PXWAXPY 36800mAh Portable Charger

2x Selens Universal Lighting Filter Kits (20pcs)

CADeN Camera Backpack (15.6” Laptop Compartment)

Why I’m Asking for Help

The smaller accessories can easily be replaced. But the lenses—which I’ve relied on for years—are far more difficult. As someone who’s been building up gear slowly over time, and someone who never had the budget flexibility to upgrade equipment, I’ve always stuck to what I could afford and maintain. I don’t have the budget flexibility to replace everything, especially at full retail value. The other 3 utilities I had for less than a week before they got stolen too.

That’s why I’m seeking help from the community—not to buy brand new lenses, but to raise enough to buy used, renewed, or refurbished gear in good condition from trusted sources like Amazon and Facebook Marketplace.

All funds raised from donations will strictly go into replacing the lenses and utilities I lost.

Why This Matters

I always considered myself a budget photographer. And these lenses weren’t just tools—they were part of how I’ve been able to give people the best experience and images I can. They’ve been with me through many shoots, many memories, and countless moments of creative growth. The two black lenses have been with me since the beginning of when my photography career turned more professional in 2016. The big white one was a lens I always wanted, and gifted to me from a friend a year ago, so I feel incredibly guilty for losing one of the best gifts of my life. Losing them feels like losing old, reliable friends. These lenses had sentimental value to me. Losing these has made me feel like I lost a part of my photography identity.

Any amount truly helps - even just sharing this link with your friends or on social media, I will be forever grateful for. I deeply appreciate your support in any form.

From the bottom of my heart - thank you for reading, caring, and supporting.

With gratitude, Andy Kim.