My Gear
When I first got into photography 4 years ago I believed gear was a big difference maker. There’s an acronym in the hobby, G.A.S., which stands for gear acquisition syndrome. While this is meant as a humorous quip, it does have merit. Gear alone will not substantially improve a photographer’s work. Yes, sharper lenses and higher megapixels are capable of capturing more detail in a crisper way. But, the quality level of an image will still be more predicated on the photographer and experience. There is no substitute for time in the field making mistakes and learning. I have by no means mastered the craft, far from it. I consider myself an advanced amateur who aspires to get better everyday. With all that said, I did want to share the gear I use as a way for people to better understand the tools used to capture my images. For me there are four critical equipment categories…
Camera body - I currently shoot with Nikon equipment. I have a Nikon Z9 as well as a Z8 body. I have been very happy with the capability of these cameras. The biggest reason I shoot Nikon is the color science of the images rendered by the camera. As someone shooting landscapes I really appreciate the way greens are presented. After all, green is easily the most dominant color in nature landscapes.
Lens - to me this is where your money is best spent. Good lenses make a difference. I currently have five of the Nikon Z series S line of lenses. I have found these lenses to be very sharp, relatively lightweight and quite durable. I really believe Nikon is doing a great job with their new line up of Z lenses. I also shoot with an adapted AF-S PF500 lens for some of my wildlife shooting.
Tripod/ball head - I use two different brands of tripod, FLM and Leofoto. I have used the FLM tripods long enough to feel very confident about their durability. So far the Leofoto tripods have been durable and a pleasure to use. Time will tell if that remains true. I really like that Leofoto has tripods with a built in leveling base. My favorite set up is to use this in conjunction with an Acratech Panoramic Head. It takes a couple of seconds to level the base, and then I have very simple up-down and side-to-side adjustment.
Camera bag - a good camera bag makes the experience of hiking to capture images a much better one. I’m not sure there is any such thing as a perfect camera bag for a landscape or wildlife photographer. They all seem to have trade offs. I am still using and evaluating three different brands. For hiking I am using a Nya-Evo Fjord 60L and an Atlas Adventure Pack. I have changed the straps and camera insert on the Nya-Evo to Shimoda. I find the Shimoda straps more comfortable which is likely just personal preference. I really like the Gura Gear bags for times when I won’t be hiking and for larger wildlife lenses. I have both the Kiboko 22L+ and 30L bags. A good bag that will allow you to take the right lenses and personal equipment into the backcountry is really important. If you are just shooting near the car, this obviously isn’t important.
Of course there are numerous accessories that are of varying importance as well. I have more gadgets and gizmos than you truly need. I think this is a common thing among photographers. If you have yourself covered in the four categories I mentioned, you are ready and well equipped to capture some great images!
