photography gear recommendations
Over the years I have had a number of followers and customers reach out for what type of gear i use and recommend out in the wild. i wanted to put a comprehensive list of the gear i stand behind and as such, I am only including nikon on this list as far as cameras go because that is all that i have used in my career and i can speak to their quality. however, that being said, i would have no problem recommending sony, cannon, or fuji cameras. I have a ton of friends that use these cameras and i have seen their quality firsthand as well. i do believe i have had an enormous amount of success thanks to the quality that nikon puts into its cameras and lenses.
AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL CAMERA BODY GOES, I AM ALSO ONLY RECOMMENDING MIRRORLESS CAMERAS. I STARTED ON A DSLR AND I TOOK SOME AMAZING SHOTS THAT I AM STILL VERY PROUD OF. HOWEVER, THERE IS A HUGE SHIFT HAPPENING IN THE CAMERA SPACE IN THE MOVEMENT FROM DSLR’S OVER TO MIRRORLESS CAMERAS. DSLR’S HAVE SHIFTED TO A PRICE POINT THAT IS GETTING SO CLOSE TO MIRRORLESS PRICES THAT IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO RELEGATE ONESELF TOWARDS DSLR’S ANYMORE. THE NEW NIKON Z SERIES REQUIRES AN ADAPTER IF THE DSLR LENSES ARE USED AND THUS I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS WORTH INVESTING IN THE OLD TECHNOLOGY WHEN A LARGER INVESTMENT WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BE MADE. CAMERA COMPANIES ARE SEEMINGLY ADAPTING THE MIRRORLESS TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE BOARD AND INEVITEBLY EVERYONE WILL BE USING THESE CAMERAS AT SOME POINT. I CAN ATTEST TO THE FOCUS, CLARITY, AND QUALITY OF THE MIRRORLESS CAMERAS AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM.
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cameras
it all starts with the camera. You do not need to buy the most expensive camera in the world to start out. you should buy the best camera you can but definitely stay within your means. my first camera was a $600 starter kit and that camera produced a photo that was published by national geographic. ground yourself with the fundamentals and basics of photography to start and upgrade to a better camera as you progress if photography is still the path you want to follow years into your craft.
nikon
this is the newest (and cheapest) z series mirrorless camera from nikon. the camera has a 20.9mp sensor along with 4k video capabilities and comes with a 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 vr lens which is perfect for landscapes. this is a great entry level option for those looking to get into mirrorless cameras.
THIS IS A GREAT ENTRY LEVEL CROP SENSOR MIRRORLESS CAMERA. THIS HAS A SLIGHTLY SMALLER SENSOR AND MEGAPIXEL SIZE THAN ITS FULL FRAME COUNTERPARTS BUT SHOULD PERFORM WELL AND BE ABLE TO PRINT PHENOMENALLY AS WELL.
THIS IS A GREAT ENTRY LEVEL FULL FRAME MIRRORLESS CAMERA. IT IS SLIGHTLY SLOWER THAN THE Z6 AND Z7 BUT IT COMES AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE POINT AS WELL.
The nikon z6ii is one of my favorite cameras i have ever used. The low light capacity, focus, and clarity are stupendous and i would highly recommend this camera for anyone looking to enter the mirrorless space at a high-end level.
the nikon z7 is a step up from the z6ii. this camera has a sensor that is almost twice the size of the z6 and is great for large format printing.
this is the fastest and most powerful nikon camera ever made. the reviews on this camera have been phenomenal from everything that i have seen. if i had the expendable income to spend on this i would buy it in a heartbeat
lenses
lenses are just as, if not more important than the camera body. different situations call for different lenses and investing in a larger lens portfolio will only expand the complexity and depth of your photography portfolio. spend good money on your lenses and they will carry you further than you ever imagined.
nikkor
this is a fantastic everyday lens. this is a lens that i have on my camera about 90% of the time and if i only have one choice of a lens to take i will typically use this one.
this is a great telephoto lens to capture some of the more intimate moments in nature. this doesn’t have the range to do wildlife photography from a distance but you can get some great close ups in certain situations.
this is my go to lens for astrophotography and wide area landscapes. the low light capacity of this lens is amazing and performs great at night.
teleconverters
teleconverters allow you to add a little extra distance to the long telephoto lens you currently have. the current teleconverters for the z series only work with a few of the z lenses so double check with the specifications before you buy one.
this teleconverter enlarges the reproduction ratio by 1.4x to give you a little extra distance with your current long telephoto lens. this teleconverter only adapts to certain z series long telephoto lenses.
this teleconverter enlarges the reproduction ratio by 2x to give you a little extra distance with your current long telephoto lens. this teleconverter only adapts to certain z series long telephoto lenses.
filters
i cannot recommend filters enough, not just for their specif uses but also to protect your lens from dust and scratches. i had a lens i dropped on the ground the first day out of the box and scratched it beyond use. uv filters help protect against this as well as uv rays that can alter images. neutral density filters help preserve highlights and exposure in bright situations and allow the camera to stretch out the exposure time when needed.
uv filters
i highly recommend using filters on every lens you own to safeguard against dust and scratches. this uv filter also helps ensure color and clarity by reducing blue tones from uv rays. this is for a 72mm lens.
I highly recommend using filters on every lens you own to safeguard against dust and scratches. this uv filter also helps ensure color and clarity by reducing blue tones from uv rays. this is for a 77mm lens.
i highly recommend using filters on every lens you own to safeguard against dust and scratches. this uv filter also helps ensure color and clarity by reducing blue tones from uv rays. this is for a 82mm lens.
neutral density filters
Neutral Density filters are like sunglasses for your lens and allow you to preserve highlights and exposure while shooting into brightly lit areas. this is a 5 stop nd filter which allows you to vary the level of darkness on a 72mm lens.
Neutral Density filters are like sunglasses for your lens and allow you to preserve highlights and exposure while shooting into brightly lit areas. this is a 5 stop nd filter which allows you to vary the level of darkness on a 77mm lens.
Neutral Density filters are like sunglasses for your lens and allow you to preserve highlights and exposure while shooting into brightly lit areas. this is a 5 stop nd filter which allows you to vary the level of darkness on a 82mm lens.
FTZ mount adapter
an ftz adapter is needed if you want to use your old nikon lenses on the new z series cameras. these are inexpensive and can save you a ton of money if you do not want to fully jump into the z series lenses.
FTZ mount adapters allow for the use of old f-mount lenses to be used on the z series cameras.
FTZ mount adapters allow for the use of old f-mount lenses to be used on the z series cameras. the ftz ii mount is used on the new versions of the z series cameras.
tripods
there is a saying that tripods are for closers and i wish i would have learned this much earlier in my photography career. tripods are instrumental if you want to take long exposures such as silky waterfalls, light trails, and astrophotography. some of my best shots have happened on and because of tripods and i cannot express their importance enough. along this same thread, a crappy tripod will make your life miserable so invest in the best you can afford on this end as well.
this is a great adventure tripod. it is small and compact and can go nearly anywhere with you without adding a ton of weight. that being said, it is not perfect in all situations. it tends to be flimsy and with larger lenses it will struggle to hold its weight.
This is a great entry level tripod that is affordable and durable. I am very rough on tripods so i typically go through one or two a year. at the cost of this tripod that does not upset me one bit. this is the tripod i use on a daily basis. i recommend this one if you are trying not to spend an arm and a leg on a tripod.
if you want a high-end carbon fiber tripod that is lightweight, then manfrotto is the way to go. this tripod has a great reputation in the field and a number of outdoor photographers prefer this to any other tripod.
shutter release
shutter releases work great to prevent blur due to touching the screen to release the shutter. it also allows you to release the shutter when your camera is in awkward positions for shooting.
if you want a high-end carbon fiber tripod that is lightweight, then manfrotto is the way to go. this tripod has a great reputation in the field and a number of outdoor photographers prefer this to any other tripod.
a shutter release prevents blur on the final image by not touching the screen to initiate the shutter. this can save the heartache of losing a perfect photo later due to blur.
memory cards and readers
xqd cards are needed in nikon’s z series cameras. the new versions have a dual slot for both the xqd card and a memory card. card size needs will vary on the amount of data you are planning to use via photo and video on the camera.
memory cards
memory cards can be used in the new versions of the z series cameras. this is a 32gb card.
memory cards can be used in the new versions of the z series cameras. this is a 64gb card.
memory cards can be used in the new versions of the z series cameras. this is a 128gb card.
memory cards can be used in the new versions of the z series cameras. this is a 256gb card.
xqd cards
the xqd card is unique in that nikon is using this versus a traditional memory card for the camera. the newest camera versions have both an xqd and memory card slot. this is a 32gb xqd card.
the xqd card is unique in that nikon is using this versus a traditional memory card for the camera. the newest camera versions have both an xqd and memory card slot. this is a 64gb xqd card.
the xqd card is unique in that nikon is using this versus a traditional memory card for the camera. the newest camera versions have both an xqd and memory card slot. this is a 120gb xqd.
xqd and memory card dual reader
this is a dual xqd and memory card reader for the computer. a special reader is needed for the xqd card and a memory card reader is needed if your computer does not have one.
camera trigger (lightning trigger)
a camera trigger can help in a multitude of ways. it has the ability to capture photos based off light, sound, and movement (commonly used for capturing lightning). It can also be used as an intrervalometer for cameras that do not have a time lapse mode.
this is a great camera trigger and i have used this one for years. i took a shot of lightning with this trigger in kansas that was shared on outside magazine’s social media channels.
backpacks
since i consider myself more of an adventurer than a photographer, i lean towards the use of backpacks instead of camera bags. in all honesty i have not used a lot of camera bags that i liked and i do not find their utility as helpful as a good day pack or overnight pack. i have also become partial to osprey as they are based out of colorado as well and i trust their quality and durability more than any other brand i have used.
This Unisex bag is a great everyday hiker pack. You can fit a decent amount of gear but going light with this pack is best.
this men’s bag is perfect for long day or quick overnight hikes. you can fit more gear in this bag but should be weary of overloading. this is great if you are more gear heavy on your hikes.
this women’s bag is perfect for long day hikes or quick overnight hikes. you can fit more gear in this bag but should be weary to overload this. this is great if you are more gear heavy on your hikes.
this men’s bag is great for overnight adventures and carrying more gear. this is a very versatile pack but can weigh you down for normal day hikes.
this women’s bag is great for overnight adventures and carrying more gear. this is a very versatile pack but can weigh you down for normal day hikes.
photo editing software
the photo editing software that i use for all of my photography is adobe lightroom classic. i will also use photoshop for any deep editing such as for astrophotography. when i am making a collage video of photos for youtube or my website i will use adobe premiere rush which is also available through the adobe creative suite. the Creative suite has a ton of different tiers for whatever creative endeavors you are looking for. i have broken out a few of the plans below:
Lightroom (1 tb of cloud storage)
$9.99/ month
lightroom and lightroom mobile are included in this plan
adobe portfolio to create a portfolio webpage is included in this plan
1 terabyte of cloud storage is included in this plan
free 7 day trial period
photography plan (20 gb of cloud storage)
$9.99/ month
lightroom, lightroom classic, and photoshop are all included in this plan
20 gigabytes of cloud storage is included in this plan
free 7 day trial period
photography plan (1 tb of cloud storage)
$19.99 per month
lightroom, lightroom classic, and photoshop are all included in this plan
1 terabye of cloud storage is included in this plan
free 7 day trial period
denoise ai/ sharpen ai/ gigapixel ai software- topaz labs
This is a two shot blend using Topaz Denoise, Sharpen, and gigapixel AI
editing night photography is extremely challenging and maintaining quality and photo integrity is of the utmost importance, especially when it comes to printing. enter topaz labs. i just started using this software and i am already in love with it. it completely cleaned up an image i was working on printing and now i cannot go without it. this is a plugin to adobe lightroom which makes the integration process a breeze and you can edit your photo pre or post editing. topaz has a denoise, a sharpening, and a gigapixel ai (max resolution) software. you can purchase these individually, but i recommend buying the 3 of these in a bundle since they work in concert together.
Computers
Computers are just as important, if not more so, than having a good camera. The editing process can really take its toll on your computer and having something that is fast enough to handle large amounts of data is key. You don’t have to have an enormous hard drive since external memory is so cheap now, but at minimum i would recommend a 512gb hard drive. i would also recommend at least 8gb of ram if you only want to process minimally but if you want to get into heavier editing or video i would not recommend going below 16g of ram.
