Photography Field Gear



Part of the fun of photography is equipment. Every photographer loves a new camera or lens. We simply can't resist buying a new lens, even though we don't really need it. Buying a new camera or lens however, won't make anybody a better photographer. Many times our new equipment sits in our camera bags looking as new as the day we bought them. My first advice is to buy what you think you really need. Secondly, learn to use your equipment and know their limits. Every time I meet other photographers in the field, the first question they ask me is what type of camera or lenses I own. Recently I was photographing some buildings when I met a large group of photographers in a workshop. Every one of them whom I talked to asked me about my camera model and lenses but nobody even bothered to look at my tripod. There is a great belief that equipment make good photograph. Good equipment make photography easier but not necessary any better. I own several camera bodies and lenses, and use them depending on the situation. I don't carry everything I own with me unless I'm traveling by car. I try to take as much equipment as I can comfortably carry to cover most of my subjects. This depends on the type of subjects I want to photograph. If I'm out to photograph birds for example, I carry two camera bodies with 300mm and 400mm lenses, teleconverters and a tripod. If I'm shooting close-ups, there is no need for long telephoto lenses. A macro lens or a zoom with extension tube is enough. The equipment you need to carry with you depends on your subject, location, and how much weight you can comfortably carry. Nobody can tell you what equipment you need. Only you can decide depending on the type of photography you do. I can give you some suggestions by including a list of equipment I carry for different types of my photography, but you need to make your own decisions and don't try to copy my gear. What works for me, may not necessarily work for you.

Wildlife Two camera bodies, 300mm f-2.8 and 400mm f-5.6 lenses with tripod quick release attached, 1.4X and 2X converters, extension tubes, extra batteries, tripod with ball head or monopod. At least ten rolls of films. I try to carry my 80-200mm f-2.8 if possible. Backpack. I try to squeeze-in my Pentax 67 and 300mm f-4.
Landscape One camera body with tripod quick release, 24mm f-2.8 and 35mm f-2 wide-angle lenses, 100mm f-2.8 macro lens (works just as good as any 100mm lens for normal distances), 200mm f-2.8 lens, 1.4X and 2X converters. If I'm taking my medium format gear, I switch to 24-50mm f-4 lens, 80-200mm f-2.8 lens. Hand meter, extension tubes, extra batteries, tripod with ball head, cable release, polarizing filter, graduated ND filters, 81B filter, and 5-6 rolls of film. My medium format gear for landscape includes one Pentax 67 body with quick release attached, 75mm f-4.5 lens, 200mm f-4 lens, 5 rolls of 120 films. Backpack or hip pack. Occasionally, I carry my Omega 45E large format with 135mm f-5.6 and 210mm f-6.8 lenses, and five film holders (10 sheets total). Backpack or hip pack.
Close-ups One camera body with tripod quick release attached, 100mm f-2.8 macro lens, 200mm f-2.8 or 80-200mm f-2.8 lens, extension tubes, +1 and +3 close-up filters, 81B filters, tripod with pan and tilt head, Bogen clamp attached to one of the tripod legs with quick release for low to the ground close-ups, cable release, extra batteries, flash attached to brackets, 5-6 rolls of film. Hip pack.
Architectural One camera body with tripod quick release attached, 24-50mm f-4 lens, 80-200mm f-2.8 lens, polarizing filter, tripod with ball head, cable release, extra batteries, 4-5 rolls of film. Medium format gear: Pentax 67, 75mm f-4.5 lens, 200mm f-4 lens, 4-5 rolls of 120 film.
General photography close to home One camera body with tripod quick release attached, 24-50mm f-4 lens, 100mm macro lens, 200mm f-2.8 or 80-200mm f-2.8 lens, 1.4X and 2X converters, extension tubes, polarizing filter, tripod with ball head, cable release, extra batteries, 4-5 rolls of film.

Think ahead before purchasing new equipment. Make sure your new camera or lens will give years of service. You must also like your equipment or you won't enjoy using them. Most importantly, get out and take pictures, and if you see me, ask me about my tripod and ball head.