"What Equipment Do You Use?"

I get asked almost weekly, through email and people I meet, what camera gear I use to take the great photos I take (their words, not my egotistical ones! 🙂 ).  With that much repetition, I decided it was time for a post to help others who may not have asked yet.  Plus I enjoy sharing any bits of information I can to help others take great shots too.  And I have to admit, some of the credit goes to the camera.  So without further ado, let me introduce you to my main camera squeeze:

CAMERA – Canon EOS 5D Mark I .  This has been my main camera body for the last three years.  For me, that’s an amazingly large amount of time to stick with just one camera body.  I’ve been tickled pink with its abilities and simplicity.  And it’s been a workhorse, traveling to Nepal twice, Peru, Costa Rica, backpacking in the Washington Cascades, 4×4 trips in the Western USA, and nearly a dozen weddings in between.  This camera has what it takes for the type of photography I shoot.  Of course, I still lust after the newer EOS 5D Mark II with its sexy 21MP sensor and new DIGIC 4 processor.  Mmmmm….

LENSES, NOW – I now use a Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Lens and a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens.  I know it seems like a mouthful but I wanted to be exact. 🙂  The 28-300 stays on the camera almost all the time now.  It was my lens of choice on recent trips to Peru and Nepal and will be with me a long time.  It’s heavy as sin but stands up well to travel and produces amazing photos.  There is some vignetting on the wider range sometimes, but I’ve learned to adapt.  The 16-35 kicks butt for wide panorama shots.  Hands down, it is the best in its range.

LENSES, HISTORIC – I’ve also used a Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens and a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens as a combination before acquiring the 28-300mm lens. This combo worked well but meant a lot of weight had to be carried and dust was often a problem. I wouldn’t hesitate to use either lens again, I could find no real fault with either of them and greatly enjoyed the 400mm zoom when it got used.

FLASH – I use both a Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash and a Canon Speedlite 430EX II. Both of these lenses come in handy when shooting weddings and portrait work. Soon I’ll get a remote slave to be able to use both off camera, or just purchase another 580EX.

And there you have the basics!  I also use a number of filters, remote cords and tripod mounts, but those will have to wait for another post.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to post a comment and I’ll be glad to respond!