What’s Your Gear?
Definitely, this is one of the most-oft asked questions for photographers. What gear do you use and why? Of course, like most fields, it’s not the gear, but it’s the person behind the gear that is important. Having said that there are some nice features that new gear offers. As technology advances, prices rise and drop, and as skills get refined, we have many more options and variables to consider when we are purchasing a piece of equipment. We may have some gear that is beyond our needs and understanding or we may crave more functionality. Anyway, i think it’s nice to see what gear we use and why. It may save each other money, time and energy in constantly looking for what’s out there.
Let’s share the following: body we use, primary lens and why and one tool that revolutionized your picture taking.
john
Body: Nikon D300
* details: (1.5 crop factor, cmos, 12mp, 6fps, w. grip 8fps, 3in lcd, 51pt AF). low-noise level is amazing at high isos. at 1600-3200 indoors is beyond belief.
Lens: 17-35 2.8 Af-s
* this is my primary lens b/c for a non full-frame it gives me a great wide angle and some nice close-ups in a small room setting. for larger venues, like auditoriums or large group gatherings i have to go longer. but for in your living room or home it’s great.
Tool:
* for me it would be my flash – sb600. just changed all my indoor low-light pictures. if i could afford the luxury and price, i’d get the sb900.
End of the Week Post
At the end of the week, right before the long weekend, we all want some entertaining stuff, so here it is. At least what I’ve found. Figured I could share it with you and clue you in on what I’ve found interesting recently.
Ross Ching’s a time lapse, stop motion, and live action camera kind of guy and has some amazing shots he’s put together to a Death Cab for Cutie’s song. Way cool video, and totally trendy.
I like the Black Rapids’ R-Strap because it frees me up from carrying around a big camera bag, while also protecting the body and lens from swinging out and crashing into nearby objects (which often happens if you’re using the standard Canon/Nikon strap that comes with your camera). The R-strap is a camera-fied version of a single point rifle sling that military folks use. I like it because the body and lens are pointed in into the small of your back, out of the way when you’re moving through crowds and tight situations. I’ve seen other folks trying out their own DIY straps to get away from the clunky hanging-around-your-neck situation.
Mike gives some great tips about how to shop for camera gear on his new Petapixel blog. Although the shopping around on Craigslist is really time-consuming, his tips on what to look for and how to be prepared (e.g. looking through the lens, checking the camera sensor, etc.) are very smart. Definitely worth a read if you’re purchasing used gear off Craigslist.
Everyone knows by now the (cool) Official White House Flickr Photostream. But I also really like The Big Picture, “News stories in photographs.”