What gear and format do you use to shoot your lights?

I use:
Camera: Nikon D100
Format: Digital
Lenses: Promaster 19-35mm f3.5-4.5, Nikkor 35-80mm f4.5-5.6D, Tamron 75-300mm f4-5.6
Tripod: Bogen Jr. 3045

Welcome to the Forums, Joe.

I decided in 2001 to go digital. Up until then, my equipment was Minolta 35mm.

Now I'm using:

Nikon 995
Wide Angle .65 adaptor lens
3x Telephone adaptor lens
Fisheye adaptor lens

My decision to go all digital was based on the economics of shooting slide and print film and the realization that I was never going to publish a book of my photos so the quality of a 3Megapixel image was enough for any use I'd make of these images. And the ability to easily transfer my images to the web or print format.

[Wondering if there's enough room for Gary to provide his list in this thread! LOL]

Sony Mavica CD/Digital
Sony DRV Digital Video

I currently use a Sony Mavica FD-81 digital, and a Nikon N70 35mm with a Tamron 28-200mm lens and 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. The Sony is less than 1 megapixel, but I love the conveinience of the floppies.

Bob, how do you like the Mavica CD? Have you had any troubles with it saving images? I have enough troubles with a CD burner sitting still on my desk, I just wonder what carrying one around does.

OK, John, I'll accept that challenge...! But first, Joe, welcome to the forums. I haven't gone digital because I shoot a great deal in low light and have never been happy with digital performance yet under those conditions, coupled with the fact that there is no digital equivalent to reciprocity failure.

So, for the film goodies... I shoot with 4 Nikon camera bodies that consist of two F5's, an N90, and an old N6006 that I often use when it's going to get soaked along with me, like when I photograph out on the Lake Michigan piers during gale conditions in the spring and fall.

For lenses, they range from 14 to 500 mm.
I won't bother to list them all, but there are a bunch of 'em. I normally shoot off of Bogen tripods. I use an older Bogen 3221 with either a 3047 pan/tilt head or a 3421 long lens yoke-type mount for my Nikkor 500 mm f4 AFS lens and a newer Bogen 3021 Pro tripod with a 3037 pan/tilt head.

Gary

Film:

Nikon N-90
Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6
2x teleconverter

Digital:

Nikon Coolpix 995
Wide Angle Adapter
3x Teleconverter

2 different Canon AE1 Program body's, one of which I bought brand new in 1984
a Kiron 80-200MM zoom
a 28mm wide angle
a 2x converter
and the Canon 50mm that came with camera number 1

Digital: a Fuji MX 1200 2.1 megapixel

(planning on moving up to some modern Nikon film equiptment in the near future)

I have an older Minolta X-700. My primary lens is Tamron 28-200, Minolta 100-300. Hope to upgrade to Nikon N80 by end of year.

I had a problem once when trying to see how many photos I could get on one disc. It was a major problem at the time but resolved itself, when I got back to my extra formatted discs.
You can get 160 full size photos on each cd. I usually stop at 155.
I've had it more than two years. I've got about 30 x 155 digital photos.
I love it!

PS I just saw a recall on the Nikon Coolpix "900?"
yesterday. Some sort of electrical problem.

Thanks for the welcome. I enjoy photography (just getting back in after a long time away) and love lighthouses. (Climbing them is another issue. Heights...eewwwhhh.)

Gary, That is an impressive collection of Nikon gear. I was also impressed with your website. Excellent body of work and congrats on your show. True, shooting digitally is different from film. Both have there advantages. The D100 does very well in low light, (nice noise reduction feature), but I haven't gone beyond 5-7 second exposures yet. 1-8 minutes is definitely a long time. At 6.1 Mpxls, I can't complain.

rscroope, 4650 photos, WOW! Imagine how much that would cost in film and processing.

Larry, two co-workers of mine have Sony digitals with CD burners built in. They are both quite happy with the ease of use and image quality.

I have a boat trip tomorrow (daylight) to see the lighthouses in the Delaware Bay. Any suggestions on what gear I should bring? I plan on bringing everything. Is it necessary?

One last thing, any Nikon users should go over to Nikonians.org . They have an excellent forum.

I'm currently using a Canon Rebel G 2000, Canon EOS Elan 7 (arrived the day before I left for Michigan on 9/19), 17-35mm lens, 24-85mm (both Canon Ultrasonic lenses) and need to have my Quanteray 70-300mm lens either fixed or replaced, as it wasn't working right while I was in Michigan and I lost a lot of photos because of it. I also have a 2x teleconverter and various filters. I scan my slides on a Minolta Dimage Scanspeed Scanner. I also have a heavy duty Bogen tripod. Most of my purchases in the last couple years have been ones recommended by Gary and I'm not at sorry that I've taken his advance, including when I bought a Loden camera backpack with a waist strap! I gave my initial Canon SLR camera, a Canon Rebel G EOS, to my daughter, Maria and when I buy the Canon Ultrasonic 75-300mm lens, the repaired or replaced Quanteray 70-300mm lens will go to her, so she'll have that in addition to the 35-80mm lens that came with the camera.

I really enjoy using my film camera, but haven't taken very many lighthouse photographs lately. We have been enjoying taking portraits of family and friends. The children in the family are especially fun to shoot - and also our new cat Bailey.

I'm using a Canon EOS 1V, Canon 100MM f-2.8 USM Macro, Canon 20MM f-2.8 USM, Tamron 28-200 and am supporting it all with a Bogen tripod. I have a Gitzo on my Christmas wish list.

Here's my three cents worth on equipment :

Nikon N90 body (mine), Nikon N8008s body (my work camera, but I use it for personal trips sometimes), Nikon 28-80, Nikon 70-300 ED, Tamron 2x teleconvertor, sunpak flash (once in a blue moon), Ambico tripod.
Something else to consider is a small cushion to kneel on or even one of those small folding camp chairs. if the wind is whipping, I set my tripod low and kneel or sit, which keeps it much steadier and I can stay relatively comfortable.



While I dearly love my Nikon gear, for digital work I use a Canon S100 Digital Elph 2.1 megapixel, which is excellent for daytime photography. The flash is a little bigger than a splinter, so nighttime work or dark inside stuff looks rough, but with the right light the photos are awesone indeed. The best part is I can put it in my shirt pocket. I've gotten lots of good photos when I least expected to shoot because of the convenience of carrying it anywhere.

Used to shoot a Nikon N70 w/ a v. nice Nikon 2.8 80-200 ED and a Tokina 20-35. Switched to Canon last year when I went to digital. Got a good deal on a D30 when they were closing out and I've had a lot of fun with it. Have the Canon 28-135 IS, which is an OK starter lens for walking around. And now I'm looking for a nice prime, tack sharp and preferably something that handles low light conditions better.

I've been looking at the Canon 135mm f2, the 50mm 1.4, and the 100mm 2.8 Macro. Can pick only one for now as I build a lens collection. Anybody got opinions here?

Bogen tripod w/ an Arca-Swiss monoball which I really like.

Hey Ned, how do you like the Canon 100mm Macro? How is it for portraits, hows the bokeh?

T

Canon D60
Canon Eos 3
and plenty of Canon L Glass

I am also very found of my Sony CD1000

If your around Myrtle Beach for Golf, don't miss my show at "The Audubon Shop" in Pawleys Island on December 14th!!!

New World Images

Sean

Nice to hear your D60 finally came in. Its really alotta fun, isn't it, just needs a wee bit faster AF. Next reunion be sure to bring all those red ringers so I can borrow 'em! :-) If I had a spare $1,300 laying about I'd be tempted to snap up a new 24-70L.

LHJ,

How do you like the Bogen Junior? Is it sturdy? I want a Bogen, but don't really have big $$$ to spend.