This is the equipment I use and the rationale behind it.
Recommended for geeks and nerds only!
EQUIPMENT
Introduction
My first camera, more than half a century ago, was the iconic Kodak Brownie 127: it clicked, and that was that. These days it is being sold as “antique vintage”! I still have terrible photos I proudly took as a seven-year-old of my dog, parrot, house and family members. Fast forward fifteen years and I saved up to buy a Rolleiflex SLR with a kit lens, which I promptly left on a train when I had only had it about a week; but miraculously the camera was found and returend, and I then kept the camera for many years, before replacing it with a quality Nikon SLR, the model number I now forget.
I knew that developing my own film would lead to disaster – precision and painstaking attention to detail and a great deal of patience was required, and I knew from my failed chemistry experiments at school that it would lead to failure, as I vainly struggled with my inherent messiness. I knew that digital photography would soon have its day, and I always felt that this would suit my workflow much better, so I waited until I judged that the print quality of digital equalled that of film, and then saved up to buy a Nikon D300 (after a brief flirtation with an early Fuji Finepix), and I enjoyed this great camera for the next ten years.
On an impulse, in December 2018, I decided to borrow a rather large sum of money and totally re-equip. I spent many happy hours searching the internet, reading reviews and forum posts, watching YouTube, speaking with photographers and then finally made my choices of camera and lenses.
In terms of lenses, I wanted to be able to access every focal length from ultra-wide to telephoto: why not? I see so many articles where photographers restrict themselves to particular focal lengths, as if this is the right kind of discipline to have, as if having a variety of zoom lenses was for people who don’t like moving around. But I just see it has having a full range of choice. I periodically use Lightroom to check how many images I have taken with each lens: although I don’t think about this too much in the field, I am usually pleased to find that I have used all the lenses about the same amount.
My searches happily coincided with the new generation of Tamron G2 zooms, and also with the iconic Nikon D850 beginning to come down in price. So my equipment became:
Camera
Nikon D850 body
When I bought the camera, the benefits it would bring which were foremost in my mind were: full frame sensor with as many pixels as you could wish for; big dynamic range; much better low light photography than with the Nikon D5; great advances in live view photography; brilliant features to facilitate focus-stacking, exposure bracketing and interval timing (for time lapses, etc.), much for scope for remote photography (wifi/bluetooth); a fantastically well-built and solid camera; auto ISO setting; and many more. I do not generally use the camera’s video function (as yet…).
Recently there is not so much talk about this wonderful camera, as more and more mirrorless cameras come out at lightning speed; but I notice that many of the best landscape photographers still have this as their main camera. There is such a pressure to buy new gear, and the D850, having been hailed as one of the best cameras ever made, was, in a very short time, being slated on the internet as out-of-date and ignored, but I could not be more happy with this camera and I am sure I will have it for a long time.
POSTSCRIPT JULY 2022
I AM STILL VERY HAPPY WITH MY D850. I LOVE ITS SUPREME QUALITY, ITS STURDY BUILD AND ABILITY TO DELIVER VERY HIGH QUALITY IMAGES, AND AM STILL NOT TEMPTED TO MOVE TO MIRRORLESS ALTERNATIVES, DESPITE THE CONTINUING RISING TIDE OF OPINION (created by equipment manufacturers to a great extent?) TRYING TO CONVINCE EVERYBODY THAT CAMERAS WITH MIRRORS ARE OBSOLETE AND NO LONGER FOR SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS.
MY ONLY RESERVATION IS THE WEIGHT OF THE CAMERA AND MULTIPLE LENSES WHEN ON AN ALL-DAY TRIP UP IN THE HILLS, AND AT SOME POINT MIGHT CONSIDER A MICRO 4/3rds ALTERNATIVE FOR LONG TREKS, BUT AS A SECOND CAMERA AND NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR FULL FRAME.
Nikon D850 with Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens, cheap Sunwayfoto L-bracket, and Peak Design Slide strap.
I also have the Peak Design Capture Mount V3 for clipping the camera to my belt or backpack strap, and the Hand Clutch. These three methods of holding the camera are actually very useful in different situations, and I am very glad I invested in them.
Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
All these lenses are of professional quality and I could not be more pleased with them. It is fairly universally accepted that this latest generation of Tamron zooms bring their quality into line with Nikon’s own flagship lenses. The Nikon 16-35mm is a classic also, and I am very lucky to have this! There is always the decision to be made as to which lenses to take on a particular trip, and occasionally I end up being frustrated that I left a particular lens at home.
All these lenses are zoom lenses. I have never heard anyone critique a single photo on the basis of having been taken with a zoom lens: "this was taken with the Tamron 24-70mm at 50mm - if only they had used a 50mm prime it would have been so much better”. The only issue is if a very narrow depth of field is needed a prime lens will tend to open up wider.
When going out with my camera, my style is either to make a plan but be absolutely ready to change it, or to make no plan at all: so I might go out with my 150-600mm lens only, to photograph birds, and then spot a great woodland image and regret not having my 24-70mm lens with me.
The weight of a DSLR and its lenses is obviously quite a bit more than a mirrorless camera, but this is not a big issue for me; then again, if I was going for a long multi-day trek and needing to take a second vlogging camera, drone and other non-photographic supplies, I might well change my mind!
Opteka 15mm f/4 LD UNC AL Ultra Wide Angle Macro lens
A few months after feasting on all this wonderful kit, I noticed that there was an extremely cheap ultra-wide angle macro lens on the market made by a company called Opteka; the lens looked exactly like the Laowa one that was much better known, but about half-price. I later learned that the design had been ripped off and Opteka was forced to stop selling the lens; I have had such a lot of fun with this very odd lens. Theoretically it is 1:1 macro, but in order to get this magnification the subject has to be virtually touching the lens, but the pictures that it is possible to get, with a lot of background but a very close subject, you can get amazing perspectives. I can say that it is a really hard lens to use, but a lot of fun too.
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 Macro x2 lens Samyang f/2.8 ultra-wide angle 14mm lens Nikon “nifty fifty” Nikkor 50mm f/1.4
Lenses acquired 2020-22. The wonderful Laowa x2 Macro has opened up a new world in photographing very small creatures. When using its full magnification power focus stacking becomes the norm and the NiSi NM-180 focusing rail has proved sturdy and effective in situations where the subject stays still and the depth of field is less than 1mm! On the other end of the scale, the 14mm Samyang has more restricted applications but useful and fun nonetheless - for a budget lens the quality is impressive and quite good enough for my own limited use at this focal length. My more recently acquired second-hand “nifty fifty”has yet to have significant use, but I am looking forward to situations where I will be glad to have a really large aperture of f/1.4, and also where I will be glad of its tiny weight!
Filters
Hoya filters: polarizer, 3-stop ND, 10-stop ND
Step-up ring: 77mm- 82mm
I do not use graduated filters, and have a number of polarizers and a three-stop and ten-stop NDs With the big telephoto lens I have now purchased a CPL filter also, and the other three being 77mm and 82mm, a step-up ring meant that I only needed one of each ND filter. When I need more dynamic range than the D850 can take, I use exposure bracketing, which I frequently do.
Polarizing Filter 95mm for 150-600mm lens
I bought a NiSi CPL filter for my 150-600mm lens despite the advice being that light is already at a premium for this telephoto lens and therefore the addition of a CPL is virtually never recommended as this will reduce the light by one stop further. But in light conditions, photographs of birds, for example, can be significantly enhanced, and colours made richer: a good buy that has made significant difference in certain conditions.
Charging and Batteries
Five batteries (2 Nikon and 3 Duracell) and a dual USB charger made by Duracell in addition to the one supplied by Nikon
I have replaced my dual battery charger and found a smaller cheaper one with USB connection made by Duracell. I also have some new batteries, also Duracell, which I find far and away better than cheap generic ones from the Far East.
All my chargers are now USB, and very easy to charge in my van which has several USB charging points.
Carrying my gear
Vanguard Alta Sky 53 camera bag.
I love this bag, it is very adaptable, and though the top part is not sealed fully from the rest of the bag, I just put my lunch in a plastic box if needed. There are loads of extra pockets for batteries and other things, a handy place for a water bottle and the tripod can easily be fixed to the back. The rain cover is very effective and easy to get out and put away. The bag is really well designed to go on your back like a proper hiking backpack, with straps at both chest and waist level, so that taking a lot of gear onto the hills isn’t that arduous.
Peak Design Slide Camera Strap, “Clutch” wrist strap, “Capture” clip for attaching camera to belt, strap or bag.
I always used to use the strap that came with the camera – how foolish this is. The Peak Design model is really well thought out for comfort, spreading the weight over an effective width of strap, one side slippery and one side “frictioned”. The way everything is attached to the camera with “anchor links” is brilliant. I have to say that I was cautious about this company to begin with because I had got the impression that their flagship camera bag was not very useful but very over-hyped (I don’t know if I am right about this, by the way!). Now, depending on exactly where I am and what I am doing I can hold the camera (but keep it safe with the wrist clutch), have it round my neck, or clip it to my belt. I am very happy with the whole arrangement – well designed and well made.
Tripod
I love my Benro Travel Angel tripod, which comes with its own ball-head, now replaced with the GD3WH geared head.
Benro Travel Angel Tripod
Very light and well made. I have replaced my tripod head, and now have a Benro GD3WH geared head, which I now would not wish to be without, and there are only very few circumstances where I find myself using my old ball head.
Other extremely useful little bits of kit include
The Vortex XL rain cover gives me peace of mind when the weather is wet. This covers even my 150-600mm Tamron telephoto lens, while both hands have access to the camera from the side and the controls are viewable easily through the transparent front. Whether or not your kit is supposed to be weather-proof, there is always a lingering doubt as to exactly how weather-proof, and this gives peace of mind, and its ergonomic design means that operating the camera is not awkward.
Vortex XL rain cover – definitely much better than a plastic bag and easy to keep everything dry!
Foam foldable kneeler – a total godsend: when my first one blew away in the wind at Llyn y Fan Fach in South Wales I ordered another straight away from somewhere in China for 99 pence. It weighs almost nothing and folds away into a little side pocket of my camera bag: getting right down for that shot is always comfortable and always dry!
Gloves – I invested in a pair of gloves where you can pull back the tip of the thumb and forefinger and therefore use the camera effectively without removing the gloves – to be recommended. I also have both inner gloves and outer mittens - anything to stop the scourge of very cold hands!!
Hand warmer - Celestron 93544 fireCel Plus - This also doubles as a torch and though I haven’t used it a lot there have been one or two occasions where I have been glad of it.
Viltrox L116T 5600K/3300K Bi-color LED Light Panel Dimmable Video Light Kit - Very useful with the Opteca Macro lens when the subject needs to be so close as to almost be touching the lens.
1. Amazon Fashion Skiing and Photography gloves. These have fold back magnet-fastened forefinger and thumb tips, so that you can have that fine control over the camera without removing the gloves. I’m glad to have them, but my hands tend to get cold whatever, despite the thermal lining. There is a little pouch for memory cards, etc. which I have never used. The gloves cost around £20. I now have inner gloves and outer mittens which can be used with these - anything to keep hands warm!
2. EVA FOAM Foldable Folding Seat. I couldn’t do without my little mat - no more wet knees and bum. When my first one floated away in the wind, I ordered another straight away. Cheaper than half a pint of beer.
3. The Viltrox LED light has been of great benefit when using my Opteka lens for macro photography. With this lens you often need to have your subject no more than a centimetre or two from the the front of the lens. This light can be hand-held and provides a suitably diffuse light with a lens which really needs plenty of light.
4. An alternative short central column for the Travel Angel tripod. Could be used to lighten the tripod or in situations where the central column gets in the way (has happened to me a couple of times.
5 & 6. My original Nikon single battery charger, plus a very cheap Chinese double charger. The double charger does the job, but the percentage charged display often gives wildly inaccurate readings. But now I can charge three batteries at once - indispensible if I am having a few days out with my camera. Cheap charger now defunct and replaced by 16 below.
7. Yongnuo YN560TX Wireless Flash Controller. Mounted on my camera this enables me to place the flash unit wherever it needs to be. For me this has really helped with some of my macro photos, especially when I place a cheap diffuser on the flash. Sometimes this works better than the LED light, sometimes the other way round.
8. Yongnuo YN 560IV flash unit. Absolutely fine for my purposes, though it does not have TTL technology. With macro it is very much a case of trial and error anyway, so I don’t miss the automation. My plan is to buy a second one of these, both of which could be controlled by the Wireless Flash Controller.
9. Bestek 150W Power Inverter. Plugged into a car’s cigarette lighter this converts to a 3-pin AC socket (and has two USB sockets besides) and is a complete godsend. I always take a multi-plug and can charge camera batteries, AA and AAA rechargeables and more besides all at the same time whilst driving. This was stolen from my car but I no longer need it now I have a larger inverter built in to the van. However, I strongly recommend this to anyone going out in their car and needing a mains charge for batteries etc.
10. Gelert compact head light - comfortable and powerful enough when I need an early start or return after dusk.
11. Peak Design accessories for the hand clutch, strap and Capture Mount, which I variously use to carry my camera in different situations.
12. NiSi Focus Rail for extreme macro where depth of field can be less than 1mm. I really rate this product for solid and sturdy construction and very reliable and smooth movement of the rail, so no “gaps” in the focus which can happen in cheaper rails where the transport can be a bit loose.
13. K&F-sourced wildlife camera (trail camera). Put out the camera and find what wildlife has been there, day or night. Picture quality not good, but the camera is just for researching what wildlife is, for example, in the garden at night.
14. Generic flash diffuser. My default set-up for macro is to use this diffuser over my flash, and try to get an ideal mix of natural light with light from the diffused flash in order to make the image as natural-looking as possible. It works very well and produces well-lit but naturalistic photos much of the time.
15, Urth CPL Polarizing Filter Plus+. I have splashed out on a second CPL so that I don’t have to keep swapping over between my 28-70mm and 70-200mm. Considering how much I was doing this it is very worthwhile. The filter can be turned off by twisting in 90 degees, so rarely needs to be actually removed. The one here is the more deluxe of their two models, but still both cheap and of high quality.
16. Duracell Dual charger and battery. Duracell are so much cheaper than genuine Nikon batteries, but just as good; so gone are the days when it was either good and expensive or cheap far-east copies which were often unreliable and faulty. The charger is excellent too, and the power comes through USB, which is a much more convenient solution than a mains power lead, and using much less electricity in my van.
17. Cheap K&F tripod to act as a secondary tripod for video (for which I use both my Canon M50 and my Samsung S22 Ultra’s camera) and a number of other purposes. My M50 also often goes onto my van windscreen to record journeys.
