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"Don't Take Pictures, Be Taken By Pictures" - Ernst Haas Our Photo Gear Camera Models and Our Decision to Go Digital When I first started shooting, I started with a Canon Rebel that was 35mm format. This camera had everything that we needed, and allowed us to use manual controls or shoot fully automatic. For years we used this camera and ended up buying another one so we could carry Black & White film in one body, and Color Film in the other. Once Digital came out, it just made sense to spend some money and swap over to the newer digital bodies. I'm amazed at the people who still use film. The only people who should be using film in this day in age are the Professional Photographers who know what they're doing. The typical mother and grand mother should not be wasting their time with 24 exposures per roll when only 2 or 3 turn out. The rest go into a shoe box under the bed with so many chemicals being wasted to develop photos they'll never do anything with. We first bought a Canon Digital Rebel and were able to keep all our same lenses we had for our 35mm bodies. We made the leap and I think when we sold our 35mm bodies a year later, they still had a roll of film in them that we had forgotten about. It was the best decision we made and really made both of us better photographers. With the ease of seeing our images instantly, we now don't waste so much film bracketing our shots, and when we think we have the shot we're looking for, we can move on. We have since gotten rid of that Digital Rebel and have upgraded our Digital Bodies a few different times as the technology improves. One thing that we found out the hard way was as you upgrade your cameras with higher mega pixels, you need to do the same with your computers and hard drives. Between computers, external hard drives, card readers, compact flash cards and editing programs, the switch from digital isn't as easy as we thought it was going to be, and the price isn't for the penny pincher, but we're still not complaining. This camera is old, but it has never let us down!! We bought this camera used, and never have had to upgrade. This monster is a workhorse when it comes to taking pictures. If I could ever recommend a camera to anyone looking to step into the pro field, this would be the one. It will do everything and anything you want, and with the ability of shooting 10 frames a second, it will keep up with any sport you want to try shooting. For the abuse we've given this camera, I'd only buy another one if and when this breaks. We bought this camera as a back up and for the constant arguing over who got to carry the 1D when hiking. This camera is a step up from the base model Canon Rebel. We chose the 30D because of it's larger frame and stronger shutter lifecycle. We haven't had any problems with it and it's a joy to use. This grip makes the smaller framed 30D much more stable when you have the larger "L" lenses attached. The beauty of this grip, is it allows you to hold the camera body vertically like the Pro Bodies and still have the controls at your finger tips. Besides giving you a stronger grip on the camera, the added girth of the grip allows you to add two batteries for double the amount of shooting. No need to worry if you don't have two batteries, you'll still can use the grip with only one battery, but for the inexpensive price of a spare battery, it's worth the cost to have both and never worry about running out of power.
Canon A80 Point & Shoot Digital Camera
This little point and shoot is ideal for carrying around when a big professional camera is too large. It has a great zoom and has settings to go from fully automatic to fully manual. The main reason we keep this camera if for the underwater housing we have for it. This camera has taken many images over the past few years and we only have one problem with it. The case tends to loosen and has to be sent back to Canon to be fixed. They have no problem fixing it, but it gets maddening after multiple times. Waterproof Case WP-DC900 for Powershot A80 If you've ever priced out an underwater case for a full sized digital D-SLR, you could buy multiple point and shoots and multiple underwater housing before you would pay one off. These are fantastic and we've used them for years without ever having a problem with one of the cameras we used them on. Take Nothing But Pictures Leave Nothing But Footprints
Lenses and Other Useful Accessories
Of all the things I learned while working with a professional photographer, the most important one was the difference between consumer lenses and the pro models. If you're shooting with a Canon set up, you've probably seen the big, white "L" Lenses. There is a reason they are so expensive. These lenses are night and day over the standard lenses you see at most photo shops. Good bags and quality straps are also a must if you're doing a lot of traveling. Our cameras take a ton of abuse, and if there is one thing we've learned, it pays to buy things that are comfortable. If you have a bag or strap that makes the camera more comfortable to carry, chances are you're more likely to carry it. This was our first big lens we purchased, and it changed the way we thought about photography. The fast shutter speed and Image Stabilization allowed us to get great shots hand held in very low light. Something that was not accomplishable with our cheaper lenses we had prior to this purchase. We use this lens most when shooting concert footage or anywhere we need low light capabilities. If you're into photography and wanting to up your image quality, this is the lens to buy. It is well worth the cost. Canon 28-300 f/3.5-5.5L IS USM For traveling, this is one of those lenses we seem to use the most. From it's wide angle capabilities on one end, to being able to zoom out with the flick of a wrist, this is a 'Do All" lens. We tend to use this lens the most and argue over who gets to keep it on their camera body. It's not nearly as fast as the 70-200 f/2.8, so it's usually just used for outdoor photography. If Canon made this lens in a f/2.8 model, we would probably own two of them and not need anything else. This lens is quite heavy and can become uncomfortable while carrying on a long hike. If you get this, make sure to have a comfortable foam strap on your camera. This is a great lens when you're hiking or want to travel light. It has plenty of wide angle capabilities and enough zoom to get you onto your subject for anything but those real long range objects. It's not the best for low light, but it does its job when trying to go light weight. We'd love to be able to afford the Canon version of this lens because it includes the Image Stabilization, but the Sigma has performed fantastically for us for years now. This is our Wide to Semi-Telephoto lens we use for all indoor work. It is great in low light and Macro work and has taken a beating over the past few years. It did stop focusing for us for no reason? We sent it back to Sigma and a week later had it back working flawlessly at no cost to us with no questions asked. Thanks Sigma!
This is a picture taken with the
Fisheye lens held out the sunroof of the truck. For a super wide angle with macro capabilities, this is a great lens. With the f/2.8 capabilities it's also good with the low light images. This is a new tripod we just got after our older one, which we had for years, wouldn't hold up our heavier lenses. The problem with the older one was it had an attached head that wasn't made for large cameras. It was fine for the lighter camera bodies and smaller lenses, but with a pro body and large "L" Lens, it just wasn't working. With this new Bogen, we can add any size ball head we want, so if we upgrade to a larger camera or bigger zooms, we don't have to keep upgrading tripods. When I had went in to purchase this tripod, I originally wanted the model with the Carbon Fiber legs thinking it would save so much in weight. That was till I held each tripod side by side and could barely notice the 3lb difference. The Magfiber model was over $100 more and when every penny counts for our tight budget, we chose the heavier model. We love how easy this tripod is to set up and lock into place due to its leg locks and quick release buckles Bogen/Manfrotto 322RC2 Grip Action Ballhead
Bogen/Manfrotto 685B NeoTec Monopod This has to be the easiest monopod to use. Once you get the hang of this one handed operation, you wonder why anyone would use anything else. This monopod is also helpful for many places that don't allow you to use tripods. Many museums, galleries and concert halls don't allow photographers to use tripods, but you can walk right in with a monopod. This monopod is also great for long hike as it can double as a walking stick. We've had this camera bag for about 10 years now and it's seen more abuse then most would think possible. We joke that we should test backpacks and gear bags for a living, but of all the bags we've bought and tried, we seem to keep coming back to this one. It's deep enough to hold our pro body of the 1D and a few extra accessories and still has a few pockets left for granola bars and those side items we bring along. Tamrac 5258 CyberPack Photo Backpack We bought this backpack for it's ability to hold all our gear in one case, and still be comfortable enough to hike with. The one cool thing about this backpack, is it has a slot against the back that holds our lap top. I'll be totally honest, that when it's fully loaded, it aint all that comfortable if you have the Lap Top in that slot against your back, it takes away from the contour of your natural arch. Without the Lap Top, it's very comfortable and can be worn for long periods of time without too much discomfort. But for those times we need to carry everything, it helps to have one bag that will carry it all. When just carrying a few of the lens and both bodies, this is the best and most comfortable way to bring it all. The large capacity has movable slots and can be situated for just about any set-up you want to carry. Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag This is the ideal bag when you're carrying the camera on just need a light bag to keep the accessories in. The bag is large enough to have the camera in, but it would only hold the body with one lens. When we are out, we usually keep the camera in our hands and this bag holds back up batteries and the Fisheye lens.
We love this bag for it's ease of
carrying. It's comfortable while hiking and can be clipped to a normal
backpacks shoulder straps to become a chest pack.
Tamrac N-27 Boomerang Camera Straps I cant imagine carrying the cameras with the stock straps they come with. For the minimal cost of these straps, they make all the difference when carrying the cameras for long periods of time. Tamrac N-11 Backpack to Camera Straps If you do any hiking or biking and try to carry a camera with you, these are the straps to have. They allow you to attach the camera to the much more comfortable shoulder straps of the backpack you're wearing. It keeps the camera right on your chest and within easy reach, and also is great for quick shots while biking. It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save our environment - Ansel Adams Some Books and Useful Resources on Photography If there are any books that I would recommend for anyone who is getting into photography, it would be some of Scott Kelby's books. The Digital Photography Book - By Scott Kelby This is a must have for anyone who is familiar with photography and wants to move up to the next level. Scott has a great way of explaining things in a straight forward matter and making you understand the more technical side of this sometimes confusing field. I think I have bought this book 5 times for friends who are getting into the field and would recommend it to anyone. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers - By Scott Kelby Adobe Lightroom is an amazing program that will improve your photography. It's not that magic button that can turn bad photos into cover shots, but if you can take a decent photo with the correct exposure, Adobe Lightroom will make that shot pop out and be noticed. Scott Kelby's book taught me how to use the program and understand the many different options. The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers - By Scott Kelby In this age of digital photography, Photoshop is a must have program. It is well worth the money and once you learn the basics, this book is the next step to move you up to that next level. I know that CS3 has already come out, but I haven't used Scott's book on that program to comment on it. I still use Photoshop CS2 and this book was a great help with teaching me many new tricks. Many of the photos you see on our site have been adjusted in Photoshop to bring out some shadows or punch up the colors. You'd be amazed at how much you can do with this must have program. It's well worth the high cost if you're really into photography. This site is the one stop shop for photo gear. Plenty of times you might find someone advertising cheaper prices, but 90% of the time, they don't have the item in stock or available. I've never been disappointed with B&H and they always have what I'm looking for. This site is just amazing. From tutorials, to instruction to just damn fine photography. Be warned that once you find and bookmark this site, you'll spend hours on it just reading and learning.....All for free. People who host sites like this need to be recognized. We Thank You for stopping by our site, and feel free to email us with any questions or comments you might have. |
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This
small lens is one of our favorites. It will turn any ordinary picture
into a really different shot. It is the best for wide Panoramas, and
with its low light capabilities, it can be used almost anywhere. One
thing you have to remember is how much it can distort the picture. This
can be a fun lens with the kids or when trying to get a different look
out of a boring picture.
Once
we got the new tripod, we chose this Grip Action Ballhead so we could
use it's fast action ability to follow the scene we're trying to
capture. We like this ballhead as it allows for one handed operation
and allows for the other hand to still be on the camera. 