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What gear are you using now, and why?

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Like many here, I have watched Guy buy and sell at a sometimes amazing rate (and we have bought and sold to each other in the process!), so the other evening I was wondering what gear Guy was using these days—it was Canon FF with Leica and Zeiss glass for quite a while (and we met on Fred's "Alternative Gear and Lenses" thread due to this); then the Leica M8 and M9—but I have not heard recently.

So I though I would start this thread to fine out!

I'll start: a brace of Nikon D700s; 14–24/2.8 (this was the lens that took me out of Canon and the Leica/Zeiss path); 28/2.8, 35/2, 35-70/2.8, 60/2.8G, 85/1.8, 105/2.5 micro VR, 180/2.8. The 24 and 85 PC-E lenses.

I shoot large and small products and architecture; hence the particular mix of lenses.

I had one of the first D3 bodies in Australia, but sold that as soon as the D700 came out; the D700 is much closer to the Nikon F2As I had, and I can always add the grip for the longer/heavier lenses if needed.

As most of my work ends up on the net or in brochures, the 12Mp "limitation" of the D700 is not a problem for me. I will get the D3x once the price comes down further, or when that sensor is available in the D700-shape body.

And because this is where most of my work ends up, I have been able to resist MF digital!!!

Regards to all, KL
 

Rick Waldroup

New member
I shot Nikons for 30 years, and other formats as well, but changed directions about 3 years ago. I decided to pare down my gear and go as light as possible.

Several years ago I started selling off almost every bit of my gear- 35mm film cameras, 35mm rangefinders, 35mm DSLR's, medium format gear, large format gear, collectible cameras, lighting equipment, I mean I sold almost everything I owned.

I now shoot an Olympus E1 and a Lumix L1 with three lenses- the Panaleica 14-50 zoom, an Olympus 25mm pancake, and an Olympus 40-150 zoom. I now use just one flash, a Metz 48AF. And I also carry a Ricoh GRDII, which I use a lot.

That is about it.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Although I have half a dozen system cameras in all formats (barring ULF) for film, I left Nikon as the main system for digital shooting (although I still own a huge number of lenses from that era, despite having given away a big bunch for next to nothing).

Currently, it is mirrorless cams, particularly the Panasonic offerings. They complete most of my requirements in all spectral regions starting from UV to IR.

I am hoping that larger sensored systems will emerge in this area. Though I flirted with a Samsung (APS-C) NX10 and currently own a Sony NX5, they are not that useful.

As to why:

Serious issues with Nikon's progress. I think they are better off going completely E instead doing this piecemeal redundancy of their glorious Nikon F era connection. Cameras are also getting to be truck sized. New glass from them shows lack of innovation (case in point, the new AFS 85/1.4, search flickr for examples from a Nikon manager).

A brief indulgence with digital RF (Epson RD1s) ended. Although I dust up some film cams from time to time.

The m4/3rds covers my needs for street shooting perfectly. Numerous high performing lenses that are easily adaptable put all my previous Nikon rarities to shame. The cameras are a joy to use (true liveview) and are also easy to carry anywhere.

If Canon, Nikon, etc progress to useful (mirrorless) live view cams I do not have any problems in buying them to try.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Selling a bunch and going down to a very simple setup for my wedding photography.

Two 5D originals.
20D emergency backup.
16-35L, 50 1.4, 85 1.8
bunch of flashguns, the usual radio slaves, blah, blah.

I'm also keeping my lensbaby for my Jerusalem Project work.

Simple, easy, travelable, cheap(ish). Thankfully I don't need longer focal lengths for my type of work.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I see people buy and sell gear at a phenomenal rate on all the internet forums.

I had essentially the same basic kit for over twenty years ... Nikon SLRs, Leica RFs, 3-5 lenses for both, plus a couple medium format cameras and subminiatures.

The digital paradigm shift has gone through a very rapid evolution of cameras so since 2002 I have owned more different cameras than in the previous twenty-five years. But things have settled nicely: I'm happy with Olympus and Panasonic bodies and lenses. My E-1, L1 and G1 produce satisfying work, I've got about ten lenses total between them. Each of these bodies has its particular strength, which is why I keep them. I'll upgrade the L1 to the E-3 or the next Olympus pro body soon; I'll acquire another lens or two for the G1 mount most likely. I do need some more lighting gear.

While faster, newer, bigger, etc stuff certainly exists and more will come, these are doing the job very well and I'm really not interested in constantly buying and learning new gear. I want to do photography, not be a camera equipment expert. Most of what I see in new gear doesn't change anything for the kind of work I do and the sizes of prints I sell/make/etc anyway.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Well, the question is USING rather than OWNING:ROTFL:


Mostly I use an M9 with leica lenses

Because it's versatile, lightweight, unobtrusive, lovely to use and produces great files


I also use a Sony A900 with various Minolta / Sony / Zeiss lenses

Because it's the best bang for the buck with respect to resolution / size / value, and because the colour of the files is lovely.

My Nex kit already doesn't get used for the reasons the other two do!

all the best
 

Terry

New member
Well last year there was a thread "are you happy with your current gear" and I answered a positive very difinitve YES! and then sold it all for a different kit a week later. Now, seeing as I just did the same about face last week....I think I need to stop typing....:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
Well, I've been a real gear whore over the last 15 years, especially with digital, and have gone through a mostly Nikon streak with occasional flutters to Epson R-D1s, Canon, Leica (M8s). With the advent of the Micro 4/3s gear however, I've slowed right down and recently just sold off my D700 and lenses. At this point I'm using the GH1, GF1 and E-PL1 in m4/3 and a pair of Sony NEX.

I'm still awaiting my M-to-NEX adapters but will use the NEXs for shooting my Voigtlander glass (21mm f4, 28mm f2, 50mm f1.5, 75mm f2.5 and 90mm f3.5) and the m4/3 for video, macro and telephoto work (kit lenses, 20mm, 7-14mm and 45mm Panaleica). I'm finding that for what I do the files are everything I need, and my back is positively singing these days!

I loved my Epsons when I had them, and the NEXs seem like the best replacements yet. Two small bodies (with lenses) around my neck and a small belt pouch with a couple of other CV lenses, tabletop tripod and small beanbag is astonishingly liberating. All I'm looking for at this point is an EVF for the NEX. :)

Cheers,
 

jonoslack

Active member
Anything I don't use, I sell.

I don't collect gear for the fun of locking my money up into dusty junk on a shelf.
Congratulations - I quite agree . . . . I just worked out that the oldest camera I have is the A900 - which is almost two years old now, and still much used.

But the problem is always whether one will use it again or not, sometimes things can be cleared out a little too fast!

Lenses are often a good investment - at least, good lenses are! I've certainly not lost any money on Leica lenses over the last 4 years.

My problem is that I keep wanting something smaller and so I keep buying them . . . and not using them . . . and selling them:

D-lux4
G1
Gf1
Ep1
Ep2
all have been and gone without much use.

I'm afraid the NEX seems very likely to go the same way -I must control myself :deadhorse:
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... My problem is that I keep wanting something smaller and so I keep buying them ...
I only rarely want anything much smaller than a Leica M or the G1.
I'll trade a little more size for better ergonomics any day.
A Micro-FourThirds camera in the design of the old Panasonic LC-1 or L1 would be great.
 
Sony A900 here. It seemed like a reasonable replacement for the DMR and as close to an all around camera system that I have seen. Long term I would like to move to MF digital and maybe Canon DSLR.

As a "system" I find the Sony totally lacking and have to admit I have considered going to Canon, but for now it does what I need at less cost and lower weight than medium format, and generally sufficient quality.

If we are talking about photography gear, I also constantly use an assortment of Dynalite gear, but should probably sell it for a battery system.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Sony A900 here. It seemed like a reasonable replacement for the DMR and as close to an all around camera system that I have seen. Long term I would like to move to MF digital and maybe Canon DSLR.

As a "system" I find the Sony totally lacking and have to admit I have considered going to Canon, but for now it does what I need at less cost and lower weight than medium format, and generally sufficient quality.
Hi Bill . . . I'm with you, but still, every time I look at those A900 files - they might not sing at high ISO, but at 200 they are really splendid . . . or maybe my values are slipping!
 

M5-Guy

New member
After reading the replies above this one, I guess the standard format is to go back in time a bit....

But, Before I got a Panasonic G1 (what I use 90% now), I used my Pentax K20d and Leica M5, although, the M5 is used a bit less now in tighter times.

I am currently shifting towards the G1 as main camera, and will sell my Pentax gear towards m4/3 glass. but I am waiting until Photokina 2010 1st, to see what is introduced.

I have a 17mm f/2.8 Oly for the G1, and use my VC 28mm f/1.9 and Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C-Sonnar as longer MF lenses at the moment. So, I have, a 34/56/100 FOV available for the G1... Not a bad 3 lens kit at all. A native 25mm f2 and a 60mm f/2.8 would be nice to complete my G1 kit in all native AF lenses, for now. (Pany or Oly).

In sum
I use my G1 with the Native 17mm and adapted 28 and 50
and my M5 a few time a month also with the 28 and 50.
The K20d is on vacation for now.
 
Hi Bill . . . I'm with you, but still, every time I look at those A900 files - they might not sing at high ISO, but at 200 they are really splendid . . . or maybe my values are slipping!
Agreed. It took me a really long time to learn how to use this camera, but I am pretty satisfied with it now.
 

thomas

New member
I have to admit that I actually enjoy it to use a "dead" system, namely Contax 645.
This is a fully equipped system with very nice lenses, vertical grip, waist level finder, bellows lens hood etc. etc. but there won't be any upgrades, firmware updates or new items.
Just bought 2 more lenses in mint condition … great value for the price. In fact you can buy two of everthing as a backup without spending too much money.
Why do I use it? I love the simplicity of the camera. Too... no flaws, no breakdowns, no anything… it just works.
Besides… except for AF accuracy in difficult light and AF speed no MF camera beats the Contax… for me. So there is really no reason to switch.

Second system is a tech camera with 2 lenses. Maybe… probably… I'll add a thrid lens some day… but that's it.

Unless nothing breaks I hope I can use both sytems for a long time yet.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
After 30 years of Olympus OM, I changed to F-mount and digital 5 years ago, starting with an S3. Now, I use four different F-mount bodies (S3, S5, D80 and D300) and a selection of lenses. I find Nikon boring but reliable. I would like something smaller with similar ergonomics (Pentax), but a change is expensive, and I know that what I have works. The D300 is a rather impressive machine, but the colours are up and down. It does get the job done though, every time.

Earlier this year, I bought a GH1 for use with legacy lenses and for video. It's a mixed blessing. The EVF, although an advantage for video, isn't my favourite view of the world, the ergonomics are only so-so and the old wide lenses aren't wide. It's not very solidly built. The Canon 60D is under consideration. The size is nice, it can take all my legacy glass, Canon has some lenses on their own that Nikon doesn't offer, and the 18MP sensor has impressed me so far.

Time will show. I will see what the D90 replacement brings to the market first, and if Olympus launches a pro m4/3 camera. I can convert most of the Olympus glass to F-mount, but unfortunately not the super lovely Zeiss CY 85mm f/1.8.

We'll see after Photokina (2010, 2012 or 2014...). I do industrial, portrait, motor sports as well as street/travel photography, so from a usage point of view, I can always say that I need a lot of different stuff. When it comes to profitability, it doesn't look that bright, but it's still great fun :p

Oh, and I never sell gear. After regretting selling my baby Rolleiflex and the Zuiko 11-22 for years, I've found that it isn't good for my health. Better to find a larger apartment to store all the stuff. It's all being used now and then, not always because it's needed, but because it makes the photographic challenges more interesting :)
 

Maggie O

Active member
When I go out the door with a camera, it's with either this rig:


Leica M4-P With 50mm f2 Jupiter-8 Lens, April, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

or this rig:

Leica M8 with 35/1.4 Voigtländer Nokton Classic, September, 2008 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

or this rig:

Leica M2, April, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

Those lenses are pretty much welded to each camera, though the M8 sometimes gets the CV 28/1.9. Sadly, the M8 has to get the Vertical Line problem fixed, so I reckon that for three months or so, it'll just be the film Leicas.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I have to admit that I actually enjoy it to use a "dead" system, namely Contax 645. ...
That was an absolutely lovely system: I almost went for the gusto and bought one of those about a decade ago after selling off my Nikon gear. Very robust build and wonderful lenses, great features.
 

thomas

New member
That was an absolutely lovely system
it still is!
It's really complete, you won't miss anything... though some special accessories are not that easy to find (but you get them sooner or later; sometimes even new). The lenses are still up to the task even with the highest res digital backs.
AF and flash sync speed are a bit outdated but other than that you won't notice that it is discontinued for some years...
 
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