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Many
photographers wax lyrical about the cameras and lenses they own. Pride
of ownership is fine, even fun, but I believe that great photographs come
from the inspiration and skill of the photographer, and the equipment
is but a means to an end.
But, for all my gear-head friends, I have posted a list of my most used cameras and lenses below. I enjoy good equipment, and I have an extensive selection of toys, as you can see below. But, some of my favorite photos were taken with some of my oldest cameras and lenses.
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon 20D | 1.6 crop Digital SLR | Now superceded by the Canon 30D and 40D, this used to be the most recent version of Canon advanced amateur/pro camera - 8 mpixel. Converted to IR by Lifepixel. |
| Canon 40D | 1.6 crop Digital SLR | Canon's latest comsumer release. 10 megapizels, improved AF, Live View capability, mulitple custom settings and many other improvements. Truly an upgrade from the 20D, unlike the minor improvements of the 30D. I'm still testing it. |
| Canon 1D MK II N | 1.3 crop Digital SLR | Weather sealed, wickedly fast, pro body. This camera does everything but make me coffee in the morning - 8 mpixel. |
| Canon 1Ds MKIII | Full Frame Digital SLR | This is Canon's current top-of-the-line studio camera. It's a 21 mp full frame body with all of the updates incorporated in the Mk III upgrades. |
| Canon 5D MKII | Full Frame Digital SLR | Great camera - I love the Auto-ISO feature. Implements micro-adjustments, Live View and an HD Movie Mode. |
| Canon 7D | 1.6 Crop Advanced DSLF | Canon's newest addition to their pro-sumer line. 18 megapixes, 8 FPS, advanced focusing system, and lots of great new features. Just started using it and I'll be taking it on vacation with me this summer. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon Elura MC | Digital Video | Excellent consumer Digital Video Camera. Small, lightweight with an good capture. Utilizes MiniDV tapes. |
| Canon GL2 | Digital Video | 3 CCD Pro Video Camera. Utilizes MiniDV tapes. Great captures. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
Canon |
35mm Film | Great 35mm film body with 45 point AF and Eye Controlled Focus |
| Canon A2E | 35mm Film | Nice amateur 35mm film body. Uses Eye Controlled Focus |
| Canon EOS IX | APS Film | A nice little APS offering - I got it primarily for the 24-85mm lens that came with the kit. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon | 28mm f/2.8 | Very decent lens. Sharp with good resolution. Fairly inexpensive. Technical Details |
| Canon | 50mm f/1.4 | Great prime lens - good for portraiture and low-light photography.Technical Details |
| Canon | 85mm f/1.8 | Great portraiture lens. Sharp, fast with excellent resolution. With its fast AF and low light capability, this is often the lens of choice for indoor sports. One of my favorite lenses.Technical Details |
| Canon | 100mm f/2.8 macro | A great macro lens capable of achieving 1:1 image size. This really should be designated as an L lens. It's that good.Technical Details |
| Canon | 135mm f/2.8 SF | Nice portraiture lens with 3 different settings for soft focus. Some people think the soft-focus feature is gimmicky, but I like it. Click the lens name for a mini review.Technical Details |
| Canon | 17-55 f/2.8 IS | This is my only EF-S lens. I got it to go with the 40D for use for indoor venues and as a lighter walk around lens. It is fast, sharp and the IS works quite well, It's defintiely a keeper. Technical Details |
| Canon | 35mm f/1.4L | Sharp, very fast, very expensive prime - an excellent wide angle on a full frame body, a great normal lens on a 1.3 and 1.6 crop body.Technical Details |
| Canon | 50mm f/1.2L | Sharp, very fast, quite expensive, and a joy to use. I've found I use primes more and more and this lens perfectly fills the gap between my 35L and my 85L. Technical Details |
| Canon | 85mm f/1.2L | Sharp, very fast, very expensive prime - great for portraits on a full frame body. The bokeh is wonderful and te f/1.2 allows for razor thin depth of field. Technical Details |
| Canon | 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS | This is Canon's later offering in a macro lens. It is ligher and sharper than the previous 100mm Macro, has faster IS, boasts L quality features, and the latest generation IS. Great lens for studio and outdoor glamour. Fast focusing, sharp, and the IS is great! |
| Canon | 135mm f/2.0L | Sharp, fast, expensive prime - medium telephoto. This is my glamour lens. I dont't think I've ever shot a bad photo with this lens.Technical details. |
| Canon | 200mm f/2.8L | Sharp, fast, expensive prime - telephoto. Nice for when you want the speed and the reach, but don't want to lug around a bit, white 70-200 f/2.8 L. Technical Details |
| Canon | 16-35 f/2,8L | Great wide angle lens - sharp and fast. Review is pending. Technical Details |
| Canon | 24-105 f/4LIS | A great walk-around lens. Much lighter than the 28-70 f2.8 L, or the newer 24-70 f2.8 L. Not fast, but the IS helps to compensate. It's my primary lens for fair and festival photography. Technical Details |
| Canon | 24-70 f/2.8L | Very sharp, well built, and fun to use. Known as the "brick." Final review is pending. Technical Details |
| Canon | 70-200 f/2.8LIS | The IS version of the 70-200 f2.8L, Purchased to give me better low light handheld capability in overcast and shaded environments. Technical Details |
| Canon | 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS | A long telephoto lens with a relatively slow aperture, but Image Stabilized. Great for birding and wildlife photography. It's also good for some glamour and for isolating individuals from a crowd at fairs and festivals. It is sharp, has great contrast and color saturation. It uses a push-pull zoom vs. a zoom ring. Technical Details |
| Canon | 2X TC II | 2x teleconverter - used to increase focal length, but at the price of a 2 stop loss of light and some image quality degradation. |
| Canon | 1.4 TCII | 1.4 Teleconverter - used to increase focal length, bbut at the price of 1 stop loss of light. Image quality degradation is relatively minor but does exist. |
Model |
Mfr. |
Comments |
| Ee-A | Canon | Standard Canon focusing screen for the 5D |
| Ee-D | Canon | Grid Focusing Screen for Canon 5D - interchangeable viewfinder screen with grid marks etched on screen. Great for landscapes. |
| Ee-S | Canon | Precision Focusing Screen - this screen allows for more distinction between in-focus and out of focus. Great for manual focus. |
| Ec-A | Canon | Same as the Ee-A above, except for the 1D series cameras |
| Ec-D | Canon | Same as the Ee-D above, except for the 1D series cameras |
| Ec-S | Canon | Same as the Ee-S above, except for the 1D series cameras |
| Ec-B | Canon | Precision focusing screen with a split prism center - great for manual focusing, better even than the Ec-S screen. |
| E-1 | Canon | Handstraps - 4 of these on 4 different bodies. Great for the way I hold my cameras. Note: You have to have a grip on your camera to attach the E-1 handstrap |
| TC-80N3 | Canon | Remote Control with Interval Timer |
| RS-80N3 | Canon | Remote Release |
| Off Shoe Camera Cord 2 | Canon | This device allows an Speedlight Flash to be connected to the camera hotshoe via a 3 ft long cord. Great for use with a Stroboframe or othe camera mount. |
Model |
Mfr. |
Comments |
| 3021 BPro | Manfrotto/Bogen | Nice heavy tripod leg set with quick release clamps. Good for studio work. |
| 3444 Carbon | Manfrotto/Bogen | Light, strong carbon fiber tripod leg set. Great for hiking. |
| Able300DX | SLIK | Heavy tripod and head. Ok, but not very versatile. Uses threaded leg clamps. |
| 1013 | WF | Monopod with ball head and quick release clamps. Heavier than the Manfrotto counterpart but very solid and it comes with a case and an extra quick release plate. |
| 3016 | Bogen | Monopod with head. Lightweight, quick release clamps. |
| 3265 | Manfrotto/Bogen | Quick Release Action Grip/Head. Very versatile but can only take up to 5.5 lbs of weight. |
| 3130 | Manfrotto/Bogen | A lightweight fluid head with adjustable pan bar and quick-release camera plate with secondary security. Ideal for cameras up to 8.9lbs in weight. The head has smooth fluid movements, pan and tilt locks. The adjustable pan bar can be positioned either on the left or right side. |
| C1276M | Gitzo | Magnesium ballhead with quick release plates. |
| 488RC2 | Manfrotto | Excellent ballhead for large loads. |
| Slingshot 200AW | Lowepro | Great shoulder bag. Well designed and great for hiking. Holds one camera and several lenses. Has additional small compartments for accessories. |
| Slingshot 300AW | Lowepro | Larger version of the Slingshot 200AW . |
| Commercial AW | Lowepro | A huge bag I bought with my MF system. This bag will hold 2-3 bodies, half a dozen lenses, and just about anything needed for a location shoot. |
| Stealth Reporter 650 AW | Lowepro | A medium large shoulder bag with a top opening flap. Good for location shooting. Holds 1-2 bodies and 3-4 lenses. |
| ProRoller 1 | Lowepro | Looks like and airline roll-on case, but has a foam insert for cameras and lenses. Versatile in that it can double as luggage and a camera case. Great for trips. |
| ?? | Crumpler | This is one of the first Crumplers released. It's a bright red shoulder bag, so you're not going to be missed in the crowd. It works well for a camera with two or three lenses. |
| SB-904 | Kata | Shoulder bag - great medium size bag with a dual opening top for quick access. Two bodies, 2-4 lenses. |
| 407-110 | Haliburton Zero | This is my standard storage case in my office. It's large aluminum case with foam lining. It has a combination lock and provides secure storage for vehicular travel. |
| Backpacks | Canon | I have both the older and new version. Lightweight. comfortable straps, but difficult access. Useful for long hikes. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon 5D | Full Frame Digital SLR | Full frame, 12.8 megapixel digital SLR. Very nicely equiped and perfect for landscape photography. |
| Canon 10D | 1.6 crop Digital SLR | 3rd generaton digital SLR - 6 mpixel, Used to be my "at risk" camera. It used it when shooting in risking situations such as wading in streams or hanging out over cliffs. Now my 40D takes that risk. (sold as of Oct 2009) |
| Canon | 17-40 f/4 L | Great wide angle zoom lens. Sharp with minimal flare. Kind of pricey though.Technical Details. |
| Canon | 28-70 f/2.8L | My workhorse lens for 8 years. Sharp, fast and heavy. The 24-70 above replacde this lens when I sold it (sold as of 7/26/08)Technical Details |
| Canon | 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 | A nice compact zoom. Quite handy when traveling light. (Sold as of 7/18/06) |
| Canon | 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 | Another nice zoom. Good color, contrast and weight. Comparable to the 24-85mm with just a little more reach at the long end. (S(Sold as of 7/20/06)old as of 7/18/06) |
| Canon | 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS | Image stabilized zoom - great for handheld shots. The image stabilizing function works quite well, but the image quality wasn't that great on this lens.(Sold as of 7/20/06) |
| Canon | 70-200 f/2.8 L | A great zoom lens. I use it all the time. My 2nd favorite lens. Sold when I upgraded to the IS version. Technical Details |
| Canon | 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 | An okay lens. It has USM for AF, but the image quality isn't the greatest. Given to my youngest daughter along with a Rebel Xs film camera. |
| Canon | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 EF-S | Until I purchased the 17-55 f/2.8 IS, this is the only EF-S lens I had owned. It came with the 20D as part of the kit. While it's capable of decent shots at f/8, it usefulness is quite limited and it's become just a paperweight on my desk. (Sold as of 7/20/06) |
| Canon | 50mm f/1.8 | Excellent, sharp lens despite it's low cost. Also known as the "nifty 50." (Sold as of 7/18/06) |
| Canon Rebel Xs | 35mm Film | Beginner camera that has a full range of controls and uses EOS AF lenses. I use it to teach photography to youngsters. Given to my youngest daughter. |
| Canon D60 | Digital SLR | 2nd generation digital SLR - 6 mpixel (Sold as of 7/18/06) |
| Canon D30 | Digital SLR | 1st generation digital SLR - 3 mpixel (Sold as of 6/5/05) |
Mamiya 645 Pro |
MF Film |
6 x4.5 Film Medium Format Film Camera - great
for portraits and landscapes. Not so great for action. |
| Mamiya
Medium Format Lenses |
||
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Mamiya | 80mm f/4.0 | Standard Medium Format Lens |
| Mamiya | 120mm f/4.0 Macro | Excellent Macro Lens |
| Mamiya | 105-210mm f/4.5 | Decent medium format zoom lens. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Ultrazap 1600 | Studio Strobe | Made by Paul Buff's White Lightning Company. I have two of these with stands, reflectors, umbrellas, barndoors, snoots, and gels. |
| Ultrazap 800 | Studio Strobe | This is my background strobe. I use it with a background stand and attachment. I also works well with a snoot for a hairlight. |
| AB800 x 2 | Studio Strobe | Lighter studio strobes for field use.(fill and b/g lights) |
| Ab1600 | Studio Strobe | Lighter stutio strobe for field use (key light) |
| Alien Bee ABR800 | Studio Strobe - Ring Flash | Ring studio strobe - Great for glamour photography. Produces very evenly lit, nearly shadowless lighting. Great for minimizing skin imperfections. I also have the Moon Unit diffussion kit which provide a large, diffuse light source. |
| Pocket Wizard | Remote Synch System | Wireless transmitter/receiver which allows the strobes to synch with the camera. Very handy in that it eliminates the synch cords. One transmitter, on receiver and one transceiver along with the Remote Camera Motor Cord. |
| Sekonic L508 | Light/Flash Meter | This meter measure ambiet lighting, reflected or incident, as well as incident flash. It can average several different readings and has an excellent spot metering function. |
| Canon Speedlight 540EZ | Strobe | Powerful, portable strobe for use with Canon EOS film cameras. Does not synch with the digital SLR's. |
| Canon Speedlight 550EX | Strobe | An E-TTL capable strobe. Powerful and versatile. |
| Canon Speedlight 580EX (2) | Strobe | Another E-TTL capable strobe. Also E-TTL II capable which helps with white balance with Canon's latest digital cameras. |
| Canon Speedlight 580EX II | Strobe | Updated version of the Canon Speedlight 580 EX |
| Canon MR14EX | Strobe | A specialized strobe that fits on the end of a macro lens to provide flash illumination for macro photography. |
| Pro-T | Stroboframe | Pro frame for mounting camera and flash separately - using the Off Camera Shoe Cord 2. |
| Metz 45 CL | Strobe | An extremely powerful and versatile flash, but requires adaptors to use with various camera bodies. I use it primarily with the Mamiya 645 film camera. |
Lighter Modifiers |
||
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Paul C. Buff | Giant Folding Softbox | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C. Buff | Large Folding Softbox | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C. Buff | Med Folding Softbox | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C. Buff | Small Folding Softbox | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C. Buff | Folding Strip Box | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C. Buff | Large Folding Octobox | Quickly unfolds and attaches via and integrated speedring to White Lightning or Alien Bee strobe heads. |
| Paul C, Buff | 22" Beauty Disk | Quickly attached to AB or WL strobe heads. Has an optional diffuser sock to furter soften the light. |
| Photofllex | 62" Photoflex Umbrella x2 | Can shoot through these large umbrellas with the black back recmoved, or shoot into them |
| Photoflwx | 5 in 1 refelctor set | Large 60" reflectors have different fabcircs which can be used to modify and relfect light. I also have the grip arms that allow them to be attached to light stands. |
| Lumoquest Full Length Reflector with Stands | Gold/Silver and White/Black Fabrics | A full length reflecter 48" wide by 72" high. The fabric stretches between 4 flexiable carbon poles that extend from a center hub and hold the fabric taut. The hub swivels and rotates to the angle of the reflector can be adjusted as necessary. Can provide fill light for full length shots. |
| Paul C. Buff | 4 Med Shoot Thru Brollies | Small shoot throughs for modifying light in small venues. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon AT-1 | Film | Bought in 1978, this was my first SLR camera. It is fully manual with split prism focus and match needle metering and a cloth, horizontal focal plane shutter. It still works, and I still use it occasionally. |
| Canon A1 | Film | One of the first Canon's to utilize electronic readouts in the viewfinder. An all black body, manual focus and automatic exposure modes. |
| Canon
FD Lenses |
||
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Canon | 28mm f/2.8 | Great little wide-angle lens - manual focus. |
| Canon | 50mm f/1.8 | Excellent standard film lens - manual focus |
| Canon | 70-210mm f/4 | Very nice zoom - manual focus |
| Vivitar Series 1 | 70-210mm f/3.5 | An excellent zoom with decent macro capability - not a true macro, but it works in a pinch. |
Model |
Type |
Comments |
| Pentax Optio W30 | 7.1 MP Digital | Small and handy water proof (down to 10 feet) digtial point and shoot. Takes great photos for a P&S. |
| Canon Elph | APS Film | Uses APS film. Neat looking stainless steel body, but I found the construction to be quite flimsy. |
| Canon Digital Elph | Digital | Small digital camera - 3 mpixel. Nice little stainless steel body. |
| Canon S3 IS | Digital | 6 mpixel point and shoot with an electronic viewfinder and built-in Image Stabilization. Nice compact camera, but I find the electronic viewfinder dim and not very useful for focus control. |
| Canon Sure Shot A1 | 35mm Film | This is a small waterproof camera that's great for snorkeling, rafting or shooting anywhere the camera will get wet! |
| Olympu IS 3 DLX | 35mm Film | An advance point and shoot from Olympus with full manual over-ride, remote capability, and a dedicated hot-shoe. |
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