Carolina Beach 2020 Hey Everyone!  Everybody loves gear talk, and I thought I would do a what's in my bag blog to tell you what I'm toting around this year.  I don't plan on making any changes to my gear this year.  My kit is pretty solid.  I'm trying to tame my gear down so I can concentrate on the photo and not the gear this year, although it might not seem like it in this blog because of all of the gear.  My gear is pretty much the same as last year except for a few items, so let's get started.  The bag that I'm using this year for my backpack camera bag is new.  It's a Shimodo Action X 30 liter.  I am super excited about this bag.  I was using for a backpack a regular backpack with an insert in it, and it worked but wasn't designed for photographers.  This bag is designed for photographers and action photographers, those who are climbing mountains, biking, hiking, and even skiing.  Although I'm just a landscape/travel photographer, this bag fits me like a glove and is just the right size for all of my needs.  I got it through a Kickstarter program, and I could be a spokesman for the company and this bag.  For my just walking around and in town city stuff, I'm still using my  Mountainsmith Daylight Lumbar pack with a Peak Design strap for the shoulder strap.  I have an insert for it, and it's fantastic for carrying around what I need for street photography.

Camera Bodies.  I'm still using the Sony A6500 for my main body and a Sony A6300 for my backup camera.  I still love these cameras.  I know updated versions of these cameras have come out, but for what I shoot I couldn't justify upgrading to a newer camera when mine works great. Maybe in the future they will come out with something that I must have, but right now they haven't.  For my everyday camera that I take with me when I go to work for the OH LOOK AT THAT photo, I carry a Cannon G7xMII point and shoot.  It's a great little camera, and I also use it for video and time lapse.  I have an older Lumix point and shoot that was converted to infra red that I can now carry because of the new bag for those shots that gives a different look.  Something that everyone else isn't doing.  It's not a great camera by today's standards but still gives good photos.  The only other camera bodies that I have are film and a GoPro Session 4 that I use for video when I'm hiking.

Lenses.  The lenses that I carry in my backpack for typical landscape or travel photography are a Sony 10-18 f4 lens for wide angle.  I almost got rid of this lens and then fell in love with it again  It was my favorite for some of the shots of my fall trip this year.  My work horse lens is the Sony/Zeiss 16-70 f4 lens.  It is on my camera 90 percent of the time and covers a full frame range of 24-105.  This is a super sharp lens, and I love the focal range.  The next lens that's in my backpack is the Cannon 70-200 L f4 lens.  This is a great lens, kind of old and slow (like me), but this is my least used focal length and it works great for me.  I use the Metabones adapter for it and any other Canon EF lenses that I may acquire.  Would love to get like a Canon 50L f1.4 but haven't come across one yet, but I'm still on the lookout.  My prime lens is a Rokinon 12mm f2.0 and is what I use for astro photography.  It is a super sharp manual focus lens.  My next lens is a Rokinon 23mm f2.8 which gives me that 35mm full frame range and is good for street.  Not real fast but sharp.  My next one is a Sony 35mm f1.8, and this is my favorite prime lens.  It gives you that classic 50mm full frame range, and it it great.  Fast and sharp!  I also have a Sony 50mm f1.8 and it's okay.  I use it for portraits.  It's not a very fast focus, but it is sharp when in focus.  The prime lenses go in and out of my camera bags when needed and usually only one at a time.

Tripods.  My main tripod is the ProMaster XC-M 525C carbon fiber tripod.  It's a small tripod and can support 17lbs, which with my small camera kit works just great.  I got it last year from my favorite camera shop, ASAP Photography in Greenville, NC.  I did buy a short extension tube for it so it will get lower down to the ground.  I have Peak Design camera buttons on it so I can use a camera strap to haul it if I'm going light with just camera and tripod.  I can throw the strap across my shoulders and go.  I just got a platapod tripod plate mainly to use when I'm in an urban environment.  It's small and sturdy, but I haven't used it much.  I'll let you know if I like it or not.  And then a Jobe tripod for smaller cameras and GoPros.  

Filters. This year will be the first year that I go completely to small screw on filters.  The filters that I'm using are the Breakthrough Photography filters.  I have the circular polarizor and neutral density 3stop, 6stop, and 10stop filters.  They are all at 72mm, and I use step-up rings to fit different lenses.  I have a Lee filter system, but it's just overkill for the small cameras and lenses that I use now and is too bulky to carry.  I do have separate circular polarizers that I use in my "Purse," the Mountainsmith cary bag, that fit different sized lenses that I carry.  I usually don't need neutral density filters when I'm using that bag to shoot in the city.

Accessories.  I carry an assortment of things with me when I go to shoot.  Remote shutter releases - I have two one cabled from Sony and another Radio from SMDV, a Korean company.  I had one on my Nikon when I shot which was fantastic, so I got one for my Sony.  A small hand-held blower to clean lenses and blow out stuff.  Lens clothes - You can't have enough.  I have them in every compartment and pouch.  I stick them everywhere so I always have one handy.  A lens pen with a soft brush to clean lenses.  Desiccant 20171102_untitled shoot_0001 Pouches - Whenever I buy something that has these little pouches inside, I take them and throw them in my bag.  You can get rechargeable ones that I've been thinking about getting, and you can put them in your microwave to dry them out.  I also make little personal packs that have sunscreen, insect repellent, glass cleaner (for my glasses), tooth picks, antacid, hand warmers.  I get all the contents in little one-use pouches and they all fit into a little ziplock that I keep in my bag.  I always carry an emergency poncho that you can get from Walmart for just a few bucks.  I got caught in the rain one time and had a trash bag that I used, but from then on I have that emergency poncho.  I also have a rain cover for my camera that I made, but you can get these cheap also.  I have a little battery and tool pouch that I made from one of my dad's blood testing machines that I use to hold spare batteries, small tools, and small quick-release plates used on the Peak Design quick clip that I have on my camera bag.  A ProMaster SD card case that is hard, water proof, small, and only has place for a couple of cards.  This was a promotional that one of my photo buddies gave me years ago, and it goes with me everywhere.  I have a Think Tank wallet that I always keep in a separate bag when I travel.

Well, that's pretty much what's in my bag or bags.  If I'm traveling overnight, I usually take a 13-inch MacBook Air that I got just for travel.  It's lightweight and lets me back up my cards cull and look at my photos and process a couple.  I have Lightroom CC on it with photos synced from my main Lightroom catalog at home.  I also have Luminar 3 on it if I have to do something a little special.  I usually don't edit on my laptop, only on my iMac at home.  If you have any questions about any of the gear listed, please contact me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  Keep shooting!

Carolina Beach Sunset Hey Everyone!  Last blog we discussed camera bodies and when and if you should upgrade.  This blog we'll be talking lenses and the scoop on them.  Kit lenses, primes, and zooms. So some of the big questions are: What lenses do I need? What is a kit lens?  What is a prime lens?  Zooms? These are all very big and difficult questions and can be overwhelming for a new photographer looking to upgrade lenses.  The answer to these questions are all from me, not necessarily the industry standard but my opinion.  And in my opinion, investing in good-quality lenses is way more important than what camera body you have.  Lenses last a lot longer than camera bodies and can be used for decades.  I still use on occasion vintage lenses from the 60’s and still get good quality results from them.  So buying the best quality lens you can afford to me is more important than buying the latest and greatest gadget body you could buy.

What are kit lenses? Kit lenses are usually cheaper-made lenses that come with your camera, and you usually buy them as a kit, hence the name.  They are usually not as sharp as more expensive lenses, but sharp enough for everyday.  The focal range varies by manufacturer.  The quality control on these lenses is not as precise as a more expensive lens might be, so you could get a copy that may not be too sharp.  But you could also get lucky and get a good copy that is extremely sharp.  I have a kit 55-210 lens that is very sharp and works well.

Primes vs Zooms: What are prime lenses?  Prime lenses have just one focal length.  A 50mm, 35mm, and 85mm.  So if you want the subject to be closer, you walk closer.  And if you want the subject farther away, you back up.  Primes are great for a few reasons.  They are usually cheaper, and you can get a larger aperture like f1.4 that can make great background blur for portraits or for separating the subject.  They used to be considerably sharper than zooms, but zooms have caught up to them as far as I’m concerned. They are smaller and lighter if that is a concern for you. What are zoom lenses?  Zooms have ranged focal distance like 16-35mm, 24-70mm, or 70-200mm.  If you want the subject closer, you just turn a ring on the lens and, zoom, they get closer, hence the name.  Zooms' advantage is that they are easy to compose a subject by zooming.  You can cover a number of focal lengths with one lens.  They are larger and heavier than primes if that is a consideration for you.

What lenses do I need?  First you have to decide what kind of photographer or photography you’ll be doing because the choices a landscape photographer may make compaired to a portrait or a wildlife photographer would be different.  What type of photo you are looking to get will determine what type of lenses you will be wanting to purchase.  Let’s break it down into categories.

Everyday shooter.  If you're just getting into photography and you shoot primarily when you take vacations and events your family and kids have, I would suggest the kit lens that came with your camera kit.  They usually have a large focal range from say 55-200ish.  It varies by brand.  But these lenses are versatile and can do a lot and are not specialized.  A good carry-around lens.

Landscape:  Landscape photographers like to shoot very wide or long.  So a 16-35mm and say a 70-300mm lens would work great, the greater the maximum The MetroCommuters waiting for the Metro in Washington DC. aperture you can afford.  F4 is fine.  2.8 is good also, especially for the 16-35 that would give you the option of shooting astro photography with the 16-35 when you have the 2.8 model.  For landscape photography, weight is also a thing to consider since you usually have to haul your gear maybe miles to the location you're going to shoot.  So the smaller aperture f4, especially in the 70-300, would make that lens considerably lighter and just as sharp because you would rarely need to shoot at F4 or smaller with that lens.

Portraits: Portraits can be shot with a wide range of lenses, but usually 75mm and longer give the best results, especially for head and shoulder shots.  And the bigger the aperture the better, so f2.8, 1.8, or even as low a 1.2 is desired to give that creamy blurred background.  Here is where primes really shine.  Primes seem to be cheaper and tac sharp compared to zooms with large constant aperture. When portrait photographers find a lens that they really love, they will shoot it forever.

Wildlife/Sports:  Wildlife photographers like it long, so 200mm plus up to 600mm.  These are large, expensive lenses to buy, up to $10,000, but there are some cheaper versions that work great for $2,500 or less.  They just have  smaller apertures.  Sports photography also falls in this category, but they use all ranges of lenses from wide to super telephoto.

Street:  Street photographers like 50mm and smaller.  Small concealed lenses on small bodies are great for street.  As s street photographer, you want to blend in with the environment, and a large camera with a big lens is just the opposite.  35mm seems to be the sweet spot for street photographers.

Wine glass Splash So did I answer any questions?  Probably not.  You have heard or seen on YouTube about the holy trinity of lenses that every photographer should have.  They are a wide zoom, medium zoom, and a telephoto zoom and usually cover a distance focal length of say 16-200 and usually at f2.8 aperture.  Don’t get me wrong.  These are great lenses no matter what manufacturer makes them, but they are heavy and expensive.  And depending on what you shoot you may not need them.  My advice is to start with a focal length range that you seem to shoot a lot.  For me, a 24-70 range is where 90 percent of my photos are taken.  Rent that lens and use it awhile to see if it fits you.  If it does, great.  Buy it and shoot it a lot while you're saving for the next one.  By doing this you can invest in a good quality lens and take your time, save up some money, and get another good quality lens.  To me, one good-quality lens is better than three low-quality lenses.

So you're probably wondering, "Well, Max, what do you have?"  Well, I am a gear hound and have had a lot of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) in the past, but I’m trying to make my gear smaller in quantity and larger in quality.  So when I shoot landscape photography, I carry three lenses:  a 10-18mm f4(16-25mm full frame equivalent) for wide angel stuff, a Ziess Sony 16-70mm f4 (24-105mm full frame equivalent), a Canon 70-200 f4L (105-300mm full-frame equivalent), and a Metabones adapter for the Canon lens to my Sony.  For street photography I use primes, mostly a 23mm f2.8 Rokinon (35mm full frame equivalent), a Sony 35mm f1.8 (50mm full frame equivalent), and then a Sony 55-210mm f3.5-56 (70-300mm full-frame equivalent).  I do have a specialty lens, a Rokinon 12mm f2.0, that I use for astro photography and extension tube that I use with my Sony 35mm for macro closeup work.  I also have a cheap 50mm f1.8 lens that I use for portraits.  I have some vintage lenses that I also use, but these are my main lenses that I use.

I hope this has helped you.  Deciding on what to get can be confusing and a big investment.  Take your time and get what’s right for you.  Next time I think I will talk about finding the sweet spot of your lens, what aperture and focal length is the sharpest. Until then, keep shooting!


 

Hey everyone!  The holidays are almost upon us and spending is rampant with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Everything is on sale and you're thinking to yourself, I sure could use that brand new so-and-so gadget. This is a blog that is going to be the beginning of a gear series. This blog will be focused on camera bodies, what you need and what you think you need.  As photographers we are all afflicted with GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), some of us more than others.  I have had severe cases of GAS in the past and have spent more money than I should have because I just needed the newest gadget or lens or camera body.  But did I?  In most cases, I could have saved thousands of dollars and just kept the camera I had.  I should have invested in better lenses and not more lenses.  So this blog is going to be about camera bodies and when to invest in newer equipment.  There are some questions you need to ask yourself and be honest with yourself when doing so.  I will go through my thought process when I was last considering upgrading my camera body.

Question #1.  Will upgrading to a newer body improve my photography?  Although we all think it will, most of the time it won't.  Just because it's newer doesn't mean that it will improve your photography.  A lot of the time the newer camera is so advanced that we have a hard time just figuring out how to use it.  We all have been there.  The learning curve can be so frustrating that when we get the new camera we don't use it to its full ability and it is no better than the one that we upgraded from.  Most of us don't use our current camera to the fullest.  We know just enough to get by.  But if we learned our current camera and all the features, we might find that we don't need a new camera at all.  If you have a camera that was built in the last six or seven years, you have a good enough camera to do most of what you need.  Now, if you're a professional and you earn money from your cameras, an upgrade might come earlier.  But if you are a hobbyist like I am, most of your work is on the web and a few prints, and any camera that was built recently will be fine. 

AMT2016-sony-a6300-review-0423-2Photographer: Anthony Thurston Question #2.  Is the upgrade you're considering worth the money that you're going to fork out for it?  This is a personal question.  Some folks have lots of money at their disposal and can upgrade every year and more power to them.  But if you're like me money matters.  Recently, I had been waiting for the newest Sony upgrade in the Crop Señor line that I shoot with.  The rumors were rampant on what this new camera would have.  When it finally came out over a year later, I was under whelmed.  Don't get me wrong.  It's a great camera.  But for the type of photography I do, I didn't need all of the upgrades that this camera made.  I don't do video, so 4k anything doesn't mean that much to me.  Super fast focusing although is great.  I'm a landscape and travel type of photographer, so the speed really didn't mean much.  It had the same sensor that I have, so I didn't upgrade to the newest model.  Instead, I bought a used camera that was one version better than the one I had, and I saved more than half the price of a new body.

Question 3.  What can you do with the new body that you can't do with your current one?  When I wanted an upgrade, one of the biggest features I was looking for was in-camera stabilization.  The camera I had didn't have it, but the next model did.  With my old body, in lower light I had to put it on a tripod, and I can go lower with my newer camera. My newer camera was released in 2016, but it does stuff that my older camera didn't.  It has in-body camera stabilization.  It has bluetooth.  It has a larger buffer.  But other than that, it's virtually the same as my older camera.  They operate almost the same, so my backup and my main camera are set up the same.  I can go from one to the other seamlessly, which I would not have been able to do with the latest and greatest that came out this year in 2019.

Question 4.  What type of photography do you do and does the newer camera body improve it?  If you are a sports photographer or a wildlife photographer, a fast focusing, fast shutter, high buffering camera is what you need to do the job.  If you are a portrait photographer, those qualities really don't matter.  If you're a stills photographer, all the video features really don't matter.  If you are a portrait photographer, a full frame sensor might make sense to create those shallow depth-of-field portraits.  If you are an astro photographer, a full-frame sensor might make more sense for the low-light capabilities.   Photographers Eye

Question 5.  Do I need a full-frame sensor or will a crop sensor do?  When I switched from a full-frame Nikon D800, one of the concerns I had was would I lose image quality.  I can say that, for the type of photography I do, I didn't.  The Nikon I was using was a 36mp camera, and it was an awesome camera.  I went to a smaller 24mp camera, and I really couldn't see the difference.  It did take a long time for me to make the decision to do it, but I put photos side by side and, other than size, there was no difference in quality for me.  I believe that for most people sensor size doesn't matter, and you can create great photos with smaller sensors.  If you specialize in something that a larger sensor might matter, like astro photography or portrait photography or plan on printing really large, you might need a full-frame sensor.  But if you're a hobbiest like I am, the crop sensor works.  I can still do astro photography and portraits and have no problem doing them with a crop sensor.

If you ask yourself these questions and are honest, you can save yourself some money and you can put that extra money that you saved into lenses!  I believe that lenses are where you should invest your money.  Buy the best lenses that you can afford.  The next blog will be about lenses and how I have mine set up.  Yes, a little GAS is in my lenses also.  Keep shooting!