
So, after giving it a lot of thought I've decided to put together this post to share the gear I use when I go out shooting. Obviously you want to use high-quality & durable stuff.
All photographers have different tastes & requirements while on location or on the road. The following gear list is just what I’ve found works best for my particular style.
MY GEAR CAN BE EXPENSIVE! There are certainly lower-cost alternatives to some of these things. Below you’ll find the gear that I currently use and love.
Photography Gear
Camera Bodies
The Nikon D800 is the main body that I use for nearly 90% of my nature shots. The massive 36 megapixel sensor allows me to have enough data for those cases that a tight crop is needed and for those big prints. |
The Nikon D700 is my back up body. This camera has been discontinued by Nikon but you can still find it in here for a great price. This camera is built like a tank, perfect for nature shooting. |
This little guy here theNikon 1 V1 is my budget friendly birding camera. This tiny camera gives me really close to my subject and is easy to use and most important---is cheap! You can see for yourself the power of this monster here. |
Lenses
Enter the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8. This lens is a perfect “all rounder” lens. I keep the lens on my camera most of the time. It has a really good focal range for everyday photography. It is a good travel lens too. This lens is good for landscape photography as it is really sharp and the colour rendition is good. |
The Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR II is the fastest and most accurate lens that I currently own. It is great for portraits but also for making panos when shooting landscapes. It's bulky and heavy but well worth it. |
The 1 Nikon CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 has an equivalent field of view of 189-810mm. That's the reason I love this lens in combination with my Nikon 1 V1. It makes a decent birding set up. Don't beleive me, see for yourself. |
The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 G lens is a must have. Perfect for low light situations and honestly, I just love this little thing. |
Bags
The Lotus is the smallest of F-Stop’s Mountain series packs. It’s a 32 litre shell with one main compartment, and side, front and top-of-lid compartments. I currently use it with a large Pro ICU and I'm able to fit my D800 with the 24-70 attached, the 70-200 VR II and my Nikon 1 V1 with the 70-300 attached. I also carry various filters, extra batteries, a hydration system, towel, clothes and some other stuff. This is a very versatile bag for the outdoor photographer. |
The Peak Desing Everyday Messenger bag is comfortable to carry. I mostly use this bag when carring a limited set up in urban environments. For and in-depth review click thelink. |
Tripod
TheGlobeTrotter tripod from Me Foto offers the perfect combination of portability and affordability. Lightweight and sturdy enough for long exposure shots. Did I mention affordable? |
Filters and Adapters
Polarizer filters are a must for nature photography. They help reduce reflections in the water and rocks and also increase the contart in the clouds. My choice of polarizer filter is the Hoya HD Cir-PL. |
With a light intensity reduction of ten f-stops, this B+W Neutral Density Filter is my choice for long exposure photography. You can see this filter in action here. |
An economical solution for achieving exciting special motion effects or wider lens apertures. The Singh-Ray ND 3 Stop Filter is my go to filter when I don't need a polarizer but I want to slow the shutter to achieve longer exposure times. Exceptional quality and optics from a reputable brand. |
Electronics
I use the Medium Wacon Intous Pro Pen 5 tablet to streamline my editing process. It has wireless capabilities and gives you the ability to edit your pictures far more precise than using a mouse alone. |
The MacBook Pro (Retina, 15 - inch, Mid 2014) is the computer I currently own and use to edit all my picures. |
The X-Rite i1Display Pro is a calibration and profiling system for a display / projector. It helps to make sure that the colors on your display match those in your original picture or file. |