Justin’s Official Gear Guide

There are two common questions I get asked about camera gear. 1) What kind of gear should I get? 2) Where should I get it? The second one is much easier to answer than the first. I buy all my gear at B&H Photo Video and have done so for years. The first question, what kind of gear should I get, is much harder to answer.

When it comes to buying gear, unless you have an assistant and an unlimited budget, you are always trying to assemble a camera system that balances budget, longevity, weight, and practicality. Here are a couple of guiding principles that I follow when making gear decisions. I hope they can help you with your decisions.

Guiding Principles:

Get the best glass you can afford. Nice glass (lenses) is always a good investment! Camera bodies change as technology improves, however, the glass you put on those bodies will last quite a bit longer.
Mega Pixel Schmega Pixel! I have great 16″x20″ prints out of my old Nikon D1x, which at the time was a whopping 5 mega pixels. You need to ask yourself, and be honest, are my pictures going to be printed (or just seen in emails, on the net, etc..)? If so, how big a print do I really want to make? Heck, I have printed a 48″x72″ print from a 12 mega pixel camera. If you need to go bigger than that, quit reading and get this.
Lens Swapping? Another question you need to ask yourself is, just because you are carrying a bunch of lenses, are you really going to stop and take time to change them? If the answer is no, look at buying a versatile wide range zoom like the Nikon 18-200 for a DX camera or the Nikon 28-300 for a FX camera.
Be honest…..what are you willing to carry around? You need to decide what you are willing to put on your back, or over your shoulder, and walk around with for extended periods of time. If you are like me, you aren’t in the studio. You are walking around on vacation, or hiking to remote destinations. Unless you are a lama, carrying around a bunch of heavy gear isn’t all that fun.
Get A Tripod (that you will use)! I can hear myself (20 years ago) saying, “Justin, you don’t need a tripod, that is just an unnecessary expense.” Along with age, comes wisdom. The Justin of present day loves and cherishes his tripod. Save yourself the headache and get yourself a nice portable tripod you will use. Here is what I use.

Note: I shoot Nikon cameras. Why? Because my mentor did. I don’t want to enter into the Canon vs. Nikon debate. Both companies make quality gear, and both are going to help you make great images. The gear outlined here is Nikon specific, at the bottom of the page I have a couple Canon suggestions.

Just Getting Started? If you aren’t sure you are ready to jump into the whole ‘DSLR’ thing yet, but you want to explore your photographic side, get compact digital camera. Today’s compact digital cameras kick serious butt! My current favorite (and I have shot a lot of digital compacts) is the Panasonic Lumix LX5. You can read my complete review of this great little camera here.

DX Recommendations: Several years ago, it was digital vs. film (it still is for some folks). Within the last couple of years it has become DX vs FX sensors. You can read more about DX senors here. In layman’s terms DX = light/affordable and FX=heavy/expensive. There is way too much to debate right now, but I will go out on a limb and say that FX sensors are probably here to stay and will be getting lighter and more affordable as time goes on. That time isn’t now, and DX systems are still relevant. Here are some recommendations if you are looking to put together a DX system.

Cameras

Nikon D5000 – This little camera is pretty slick. I have one and it is my backup camera to my FX kit when my wife isn’t using it. She loves it. You can read my full review here.
Nikon D7000 – This is Nikon’s most recent addition to their DX family. Its not weather sealed likes its bigger brother the Nikon D300s, but it does have pro features and HD video. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, shop around for a refurbished Nikon D90.
Nikon D300s – This was my workhorse before my move to the world of FX. If you don’t need video, try to find a used or refurbished Nikon 300. It is basically the same camera as the D300s minus the video.

Single Lens DX Kit: These are lenses that I would suggest if you are only going to get one lens.

Nikon 18-55 – This is the lens that comes with some of the Nikon bodies as a kit. It is actually a pretty good lens and if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you can make some great images with it.
Nikon 16-85 VR – This lens is on my D5000 all the time, it is a great lens if you like wider angle shots. You can read my review here.
Nikon 18-200 VR II – A great choice if you like to make images that require a lens with a longer range.

Two Lens DX Kit: If you are willing to buy two lenses (and swap them) to cover your focal range needs.

Nikon 16-85 VR – This will handle all your wide to mid range compositions. You can read my review here.
Nikon 70-300 VR II – This is an awesome telephoto lens. Not to hard to carry around and the results are stunning.

Speciality DX Lenses: Here are a couple of lenses you might want to consider adding to your kit if you are looking to expand your creative possibilities.

Nikon 50mm AFS 1.4 – This is the perfect portrait lens for a DX body. Because of its 1.4 aperture your can really make your subject stand out by blurring the background.
Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye – If you want to add a unique perspective to your images, this is the ticket.
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro – A very cool wide angle alternative to a Nikon. It will make some great images at a little lower price. You can read my review here.

FX Recommendations: If you are just getting into digital photography, and you can afford it, you might consider starting with an FX system. I believe the world is headed that way, and starting with FX might save you some money in the long run. You can read more about FX sensors here.

Nikon D700 – My current camera. It see’s the lion’s share of the work, and doesn’t miss a beat. This will remain my pride and joy until Nikon offers a full frame camera + HD video in this sized of package. For traveling and street photography, I prefer its size compared to the D3s and D3x. Full frame, incredible noise handling, weather sealed, what else is there?
Nikon D3s – Well, there is video. The D3s is a bit bigger than the D700 but it does offer video. If you need full frame + video, this is the camera to get.
Nikon D3x – Nikon’s Flagship digital camera! No video though, but more mega pixels than you can shake a stick at.

Single Lens FX Kit: These are lenses that I would suggest if you are only going to get one lens.

Nikon 28-300 VR II – If you are looking to keep things simple, and not lug around a bunch of gear, just get this lens and call it good.

Two Lens FX Kit: If you are willing to buy two lenses to cover your focal range needs. You also need to be willing to change lenses.

Nikon 28-300 – If you are looking to keep thing simple, and not lug around a bunch of gear, just get this lens and call it good.
Nikon 16-35 – This lens, coupled with the Nikon 28-300, has all your focal lengths covered with a single lens swap. Well, at least from 16-300.

Holy Trinity FX Kit: If you just want to go out and buy the best that Nikon has to offer, here you go. Warning: It’s going to be expensive and heavy. You buy these lenses by the pound!

Speciality FX Lenses: If you are looking for some unique perspectives, here are a couple lenses you might want to add your kit.

Nikon 45mm PC-E – If I could only have one lens, this is it. No questions asked. You can take away all my lenses, but don’t you dare take my 45mm PC-E.
Nikon 50mm AFS 1.4 – Everyone photographer needs a normal lens, right? This is the one for you! Its small, light weight, and will save you in dimly lit churches.
Sigma 15mm – Save yourself some money and get the Sigma. It is a great Fisheye.

Support Systems:  When it comes to buying tripods, it is tough to straddle the fence and get one that can be both portable AND support big glass (300mm F/2.8 Lenses and up).  For me, the decision was easy.  Since I don’t have big glass, I just got the most portable system I could find.

Gitzo Traveler – For my complete system and review, click here.
Gitzo 3541 – For those with bigger glass, you might consider the Gitzo 3541. Because it has 4 leg sections, it will fold up a bit shorter making it more portable.

Cool Accessories: Here are a few items that will make your digital photography life easier.

My ‘Desert Island Kit’ – Personally, I try not to burden myself with fixed zooms, big bodies, and 10lbs tripods. Sure, if I have a specific image in mind, working out of my car, or hiking to a remote destination to photograph a herd of unicorns I might take some bigger glass and a backup body. However, for most of my work I take this kit with me 90% of the time. It goes everywhere with me (running errands, commuting to work, family functions, etc). It also serves as a well rounded travel companion. The kit is light, modular, and doesn’t get in my way. I fashioned a shoulder strap to my tripod so it can hang from one shoulder, and my Lowepro from the other. It is easy to work out of and because it is light I can comfortably operate with it all day. For a listing of the rest of my gear, as well as its various configurations, click here.