Field Gear: Nikon. Gitzo. Wimberley. Lowepro. Swarovski. Mountain Hardwear.
I'm constantly being asked what type of gear I use. And why. So here's a ridiculously long accounting of what goes with me into the field. It's important to note that I receive no product sponsorship (which actually can be a good thing), so I'm free to select the equipment that best meets my needs. And, it leaves me in a position to say what I really think, as opposed to what I should say!
For organizational purposes, I've split my field gear into the following categories which cover three web pages.
1. PAGE 1 (This page): Cameras that I use ONLY.
2. PAGE 2: Nikon Lenses and Teleconverters.
3. PAGE 3: Information on Camera Bags, Backpacks, Additional Accessories and Gadgets, and Outdoor Wear.
Cameras I Use
I currently shoot exclusively with SLR cameras. Why? SLR cameras currently best meet my photographics needs. The primary reasons are: overall image quality; array of readily available high quality lenses; and relative portability. Like most old codgers I was formerly a film shooter, but I now shoot digitally almost 100% of the time.
I currently shoot with Nikon cameras only. Why Nikon? Because the majority of their lenses are great (and some are absolutely incomparable) and because their professional cameras have NEVER let me down in the field, despite some pretty good abuse. And I really like their latest flash systems. Like other loyal Nikon shooters, I paid a pretty big price for sticking with them a couple years back when Canon was kicking their butts in the development and production of new digital technologies. But Nikon is back on top and their professional digital camera bodies are nothing less than state-of-the-art.
Current Camera Bodies - dSLR's
Nikon D3 and D700 Combination. (Updated 13 January 2009):
I'm currently shooting with these two full-framed sensor (FX in Nikon-speak) bodies. Given Nikon's current product line-up, and given the type of subject matter I shoot and the field conditions under which I commonly shoot under, this is the best combination of bodies for me. However, it isn't perfect. In an ideal world I would like at least one more pro camera body from Nikon - a fully-professional DX (cropped sensor) camera body. I'd prefer to see this camera offer a little more resolution than their current 12 MP DX offerings - 14 to 16 MP would be great. But, more importantly, it needs to have the build-quality and reliability of the D700. The D300 isn't this camera (see my comments about the D300 in the section below entitled "Cameras - Recently Abandoned Products"). But I don't think Nikon will ever produce this high-res, high-quality DX body. Sigh...
Why, in my ideal world, would I want both a DX and an FX camera? Anyone familiar with Nikon's cameras will understand the complementary nature of the full-framed (FX) D3 and D700 and a quality cropped-sensor (DX) camera: The D3 provides tremendous low-light performance and allows your wide angle lenses to BE wide angle lenses while the DX bodies give wildlife photographers the 50% extra effective magnification they've come to rely on.
Nikon D3. The hype and expectations surrounding the D3's announcement and shipment were unprecedented. The camera delivers exactly as promised. Rather than regurgitating the new specs of the camera which can be found in about a million places on the web, I will refer readers to one intelligent review (as always, Bjorn Rorslett's D3 review is both balanced and well thought out) and point out what, in my opinion, are the camera's three main advances: unprecedented HIGH ISO performance; greatly improved autofocus; and a dramatic improvement in JPEG output (i.e., the image quality gap between JPEGs and RAW images is shrinking!). In terms of high ISO performance, I've found that the D3 offers me a two to three stop advantage over the D2Xs. With the D2X I was always happy with the image quality at ISO 200 but found that I was rarely happy with image quality at ISO 400 or above. With the D3 I'm always pleased with the image quality at ISO 800 and almost always satisfied with my results at ISO 1600. On occasion, and under the right lighting conditions, I will push the ISO up to 3200 or more (and can still get image quality that meets my standards).
Here's a few more of my comments about the D3:
1. High ISO Performance = APERTURE CONTROL. The D3 has been marketed as a "sports and action" camera, largely because of its HIGH ISO performance. I've no doubt that sports photographers love its low-light performance. However, for my uses the high ISO performance translates directly into increased control over my aperture - because I can now regularly shoot at ISO 800 (and even ISO 1600) and get nearly noise-free images, I have dramatically more control over my aperture and the resulting depth of field. This fact is probably the biggest single reason I love my D3.
2. High ISO Performance = INCREASED ABILITY TO HANDHOLD LENSES. That same high ISO performance has made it possible for me to get a much higher proportion of sharp images when hand-holding lenses that I formerly used almost exclusively while on a tripod. A perfect example is my 300 mm f2.8 VR - I occasionally hand-held this lens before (and less occasionally obtained sharp results), but now regularly get tack-sharp images when using this lens sans tripod. Nice freedom!
3. High ISO Performance = TELECONVERTER FRIENDLINESS. YEP, going to a camera with a full-frame sensor has meant a loss of effective magnification and has a consequence for wildlife photographers. But, the good news is that the high ISO performance of the D3 has made it easier to stop-down my aperture when using teleconverters and thus I've able to squeeze more performance out of my teleconverters using my D3. For more on this, see the teleconverter section (below).
4. Improved Autofocus. While I didn't think the autofocus capability of the D2X/D2Xs was too bad (after you finally figured it out), I really like the new autofocus system of the D3. I use the 51-point option (including when using Dynamic AF) almost exclusively and, not surprisingly, find it much easier to find a focus bracket "in the right place" than I did with the 11-point system of the D2X(s). Additionally I have found that the autofocus system has fairly dramatically upped the number of sharp images I've captured of moving subjects (my shooting conditions have NOT been conducive to using the 51-point dynamic AF with 3D [colour] tracking).
5. Wonderful LCD. I love the large, hi-resolution LCD found on the LCD. And I love the fact that the monitor itself is made of tempered glass and is almost scratch-proof. I absolutely hated those rattle-trap plastic LCD covers on earlier models.
6. Excessively LOUD shutter. I suspect that someone in Nikon's marketing department decided that the D3 needed a shutter that sounded aggressive and drew attention to itself. Well, they succeeded! This shutter is way too loud and can be a real detriment to wildlife photographers. This camera could really use the "Continuous-silent" shutter release mode found in the F6 and a few earlier models.
7. Big and Heavy! I'm not in love with lightweight SLR's (largely because of their lack of balance with large lenses), but the D3 is definitely big and heavy! I love the durability associated with the mass, but it is really big and heavy!
Nikon D700. Just go back and re-read what I said about the D3 - about 95% of it applies to the D700. I can honestly say that if the cameras came out simultaneously I could have been completely satisfied with the D700. It's that good. 95% of a D3 at WAY LESS than 95% of the price. A few specific comments about the D700:
1. I LOVE the optional MB-D10 Battery Pack. I want to be clear here - what I actually love is the fact that the MB-D10 battery pack is optional, and you can use the camera with or without it. In practical terms I use it about 90% of the time (both for battery compatibility reasons and for the vertical controls it supplies), but if I'm going hiking I like that I can make the body smaller and lighter by removing it.
2. I HATE the LCD Cover. There's nothing "more-wrong" with this cover than any other LCD cover that Nikon has made, but not only do they scratch way too easily (and become difficult to see through), but it always falls off when least convenient yet seems to be a pain to take off when I want it off (how the heck do they manage to design it to do this??). I'm tempted to just throw the damned thing away and live with the scratches that my LCD screen acquires...
3. I LOVE the automated sensor cleaning mechanism. It's my experience that full-frame sensors seem to attract more dust than cropped sensors - I've had to clean the sensor on my D3 dramatically more than I ever did on my D2X or D2Xs. But with my D700 I only rarely have to clean its sensor (the sensor cleaner is good, but not perfect). This alone makes me grab my D700 BEFORE grabbing my D3, especially if I know I'm going into a situation where I may be switching lenses alot.
4. I HATE menu-item differences between the D3 and D700! This isn't a D700 thing - it's a baffling Nikon thing. There are many functions that are contained within the menus of the two cameras that are identical, yet their use or implementation differs between the D3 and D700. An example to show what I mean: I've found I quite like the Virtual Horizon function that is offered on both cameras - its surprisingly handy. So on my D700 I have assigned my function button (using custom function f5) to turn on the Virtual Horizon. When you assign Virtual Horizon to the function button you lose the ability to program the function button plus dial to do anything - they're mutually exclusive (on both cameras). When I checked the list of options available for function button plus dial on the D700 I saw there was nothing there that I cared about, so losing it was no problem. But on the D3 there's an option for function button plus dial that I absolutely need - the ability to quickly change shooting banks (the option of using the function button plus dial to change shooting banks doesn't exist on the D700). So...I end up having to live with the different consequences for pushing the function button on the two cameras. Small thing? yes. But not the kind of thing I like to have to think about when I'm trying to photograph a charging grizzly. Dumb.
4. I'm LESS-THAN-THRILLED with the card slot cover (on the D700). This isn't a big thing - it's a niggler. The card slot cover is located on the side of the D700 and you just slide it to the back of the camera to open it. What's the problem? Well...it's really easy to accidentally open the slot cover when you've grabbed the camera to remove it from a pack (like the Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW). Which, if you don't notice it, leaves the cover in a position where it could be easily broken off. Not good.
Current Camera Bodies - Point-and-Shoot Style
Olympus E-P1 PEN (Updated 04 November 2009):
Like many photographers I love the image quality and flexibility of a quality dSLR, but I also see the need (and I want) a much smaller "walk-around" camera that I can almost always have with me AND that produces high-quality images. Over the years I have tried using a series of point-and-shoot cameras (the most recent being the Canon G10 - see Recently Abandoned Products below), but have always been very disappointed with the images produced by them (how do you say "noise machines"?).
So...when my camera dealer told me about the Olympus E-P1 PEN I was actually quite excited. What's a PEN? Simply put, it's a point-and-shoot style camera (albeit a largish one) that offers an SLR-sized image sensor (a Four Thirds sensor) AND interchangeable lenses. And here's the marketing "spin" that Olympus is using to describe and sell the cameras (from their website): "The PEN provides superior optics, interchangeable lenses and multimedia capabilities - and combines the creative freedom of a sophisticated digital SLR with the simple controls and small size of a point-and-shoot." Does the camera live up to this lofty claim? No. But's it is a BIG first step in re-thinking and re-designing the point-and-shoot. Read on for more...
Caveats and Qualifiers: This is not intended as a full review of the Olympus E-P1, just a short no-nonsense account of my thoughts after using the E-P1 for two months. There are many reviews of the E-P1 available online, but I found the most thorough and logical to be this one by Thom Hogan. To view the detailed specs about the camera and see another review, go here on dpreview.com. The E-P1 I purchased and am basing my impressions on came equipped with the 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 (28-84mm equivalent) lens, which is the lens most commonly sold with the camera. Note that because this camera has interchangeable lenses, and because this is the only lens I used, it is impossible for me to separate out how much the quality of this lens is impacting on final image quality.
The Executive Two-Sentence Summary: I like this camera - under very limited shooting situations it can produce images on par with introductory level dSLR's and it performs FAR BETTER than any other point-and-shoot I have ever used (and over a far wider range of ISO's). However, the handling, ergonomics, autofocus system, and speed of this camera are much more like those of a point-and-shoot and thus the flexibility of the camera (and what subject matter you can shoot) is dramatically reduced compared to even the most basic dSLR on the market.
The Most Significant Pros:
• Large Image Sensor: MUCH larger image sensor than on standard point-and-shoots - clever engineering (and removing an optical viewfinder from the design) allowed Olympus to place a full-sized Four Thirds image sensor in this camera. This ultimately means that the E-P1 can produce higher quality images, and with MUCH less noise than a standard point-and-shoot. And, with the larger image sensor you DO end up with a much wider range of useable ISO values. How wide? In the right light (and think mid-tone scenes) I have been able to obtain decent quality image up to ISO 800. These images had noise levels approximately equivalent to my Canon G10 at ISO 80.
• Smallish Size: This camera is much smaller than virtually any dSLR but larger than almost all point-and-shoots. Small enough for a pocket? Not quite. But it can be carried very easily on my belt using a LowePro Rezo 60 pouch, so it's with me on almost all walks.
• Interchangeable Quality Lenses: There are already several Micro Four Thirds lenses available for this camera, and with Olympus and third party adaptors lots more can be made to fit (including those great old OM lenses). Adaptors are even available so you can use your Nikon lenses on this camera! Geez, you could actually invest in an E-P1 system over time!
• Great Autofocus Over-ride: The means by which you can over-ride and fine-tune the autofocus system is very well-implemented (simply adjust the focusing ring and the camera automatically zooms in 7x or 10x to aid in focusing). Unfortunately, the autofocus system is so bad you need to do this WAY too often!
The Critical Cons:
• Low Quality Image Sensor: Although the image sensor is large, it simply isn't too good of a sensor. The minute I started shooting with this camera I noticed how easy it was to clip highlights or to lose shadow detail, or both. My suspicions of "thin dynamic range" were confirmed when I checked the test results of the E-P1 on the objective dxomark.com website (go here for camera sensor rankings) - the sensor ranked significantly below virtually all current dSLR's. How far below? In terms of dynamic range alone, the camera had over a full stop less dynamic range than a D40x and 2 stops less than with a D700. Similarly, colour depth and low-light ISO performance don't compare well to many dSLR's (but ARE better than other point-and-shoots).
• AWFUL Autofocus: Simply stated, the autofocus system on this camera is very sub-standard (even that on my Canon G10 was far better). It's too slow, the focus brackets are WAY too big, and so on. Consider it a manual focus camera with a "power-assist" and you MIGHT be happy. Fortunately, the autofocus over-ride works well. There were firmware updates to improve the autofocus (of both the camera and the individual lenses), but even after this update the AF system is substandard.
• Non-ergonomic/Clumsy Controls: Just like all point-and-shoots, the ergonomics on this camera (including the electronic viewfinder) make this a very slow camera to use (compared to a dSLR). And, some of the "multi-function" controls require such a light touch that it's hard to adjust one variable without accidentally "hitting" another function (just try to spin the "Main Dial" without simultaneously pushing it and triggering the arrow pad - now do it fast - pretty much impossible, eh?).
The Final Multi-Sentence Summary: Someone said (I think Thom Hogan) that how you view this camera is largely a function of your perspective: If you're upgrading from a point-and-shoot you'll be VERY impressed with its image quality and handling. If you're an experienced dSLR user and you use this camera you'll likely be reasonably happy with the image quality but feel very limited (and possibly frustrated) by the quality of the image-capture process. The E-P1 IS a quantum leap up from the traditional small-sensor point-and-shoots, but its ergonomics, controls, and speed severely hamper the situations where this camera is truly useful. Action shots? Forget it. Wildlife shooting? Forget it. Images of static subjects where you don't need instant camera response - hey, it can produce pretty good images!
Overall, I'm willing to stick it out with my E-P1 and possibly even invest a little in additional lenses and/or lens adaptors. After all, it is only "version 1.0" and I still think it's a GREAT idea. I suspect that at least some of the usage-limiting (and image-capture limiting) flaws of this version will soon be worked out.
Cameras - Recently Abandoned Products
Nikon D300. I sold my D300 in September of 2008. I did it immediately after its autofocus system completely failed right when I REALLY needed the camera. The comments below about the D300 were written prior to the malfunctioning of the autofocus system.
The D300 was announced at the same time as the D3 (August of 2007) and was almost instantly regarded as a "hit" (even before anyone actually used it). Just after the D300 began shipping Popular Photography declared it the 2007 Camera of the Year (see article here). In March 2008 dpreview.com published their very thorough review (available here) and similarly loved the camera. Perhaps I'm jaded a little because I had been using my D3 for over 3 months before I acquired my D300, but I'm not nearly as positive about the D300. Yes, it has many of the features of the D3. Its ISO performance IS better than the that of the D2Xs and the D200 but, in my opinion, only about one stop better. Regarding the features it shares with the D3 - of course I like the same features I like on the D3. This includes the autofocus system and the LCD (except the lack of tempered glass on the monitor and the accursed LCD cover). It's hard to find anything to dislike on the D3, but a little easier to nitpick the D300 - here's a few of my comments about the camera after using it for about a month:
1. Ergonomics, Responsiveness, and Build Quality. Starting with some positives about the D300...I really like the ergonomics and handling of the D300, especially when the MB-D10 Multi Power Battery Pack (with its vertical shutter release and other vertically-mounted control buttons and dials) is installed. The camera is comfortable and the controls are logically arranged and - at least for my hands - ergonomically correct. The camera is very responsive with nearly instantaneous start-up. Build quality? It's a quantum leap up from any of Nikon's consumer models. But, unlike some others, I won't claim its build quality is comparable to the D3. It isn't. But it's a third the price (so it better not be!).
2. Slow 14-bit RAW files. It's great that the D300 allows you to capture 14-bit NEF (RAW) files (a capability the D2X lacks). But...when capturing 14-bit images the camera's frame-rate slows right down to 2.5 fps, even with the extra battery pack and EN-EL4 batteries. The D3 shoots 14-bit files with no noticeable drop in speed.
3. Different Shutter Release Pressure. The D3 needs only a feather-light touch to trip its shutter. It was a little hard to get used to, but I now really like it. Unfortunately, when I switch over to my D300 and give the camera the same light touch nothing happens. Well, almost nothing - the camera does focus, but the shutter doesn't trip. I suppose this isn't a negative feature of the D300, but the fact that the touch required to trip the shutter differs significantly between the cameras is a problem (for those who use both of these cameras).
4. Slightly Different Switches and Configurables. This is another little thing that isn't really a problem with the D300 (or the D3), but the fact that they differ between the cameras can be irksome to those who use BOTH cameras. Some examples...toggle between focus modes: with the D3 the order of the positions of the switches is this: Continuous = top, Single = middle, Manual = bottom. With the D300? Yep, you guessed it - the exact opposite. A little thing - but a trivial point I have to keep in mind (and one that prevents "instinctive" switching between focus modes). Another example? I like to program the "AF-ON'' button that lies right beside my thumb to function as a "focus-lock" button. No problem with the D3. But try to do this with the D300 (you can program the AF-ON button on the vertical grip to act as "focus-lock" but not the AF-ON button on the main body). Another small thing, but not something I want to be thinking about when photographing a 1,000 lb male grizzly...
5. No Viewfinder Curtain. Another little thing - I like and use my shutter curtain on my D3 quite commonly. With the D300 you get a very loseable plastic slip-on cover.
6. Dimmer Viewfinder. This is another "compared to the D3" complaint. There's nothing wrong with the brightness of the D300 viewfinder, until you compare it to that of the D3.
7. White Balance Issues. Several reviewers have commented on the D300's imperfect auto white balance when shooting under artificial light. I've noticed some "finickiness" even when shooting under natural light - it seems the auto white balance is almost always ever so slightly off (which is most noticeable in shadows and often manifests itself as excessive magenta or green colour tints and noise in those shadow areas). I shoot RAW images almost exclusively, so tweaking the white balance post-exposure is not a big deal (but it is another step that consumes time).
8. Electronic Glitches and Gremlins. This is a much more significant issue. The primary reason I ditched my D200 was because I experienced a number of electronic glitches and gremlins. Things like the autofocus freezing and locking up. Or, squirrelly "dead battery" indicators coming on right after I put a new battery in. And, rapid and spontaneous cycling between metering modes while I sat bewilderedly watching. Et cetera. All my electronic glitches on my D200 occurred when I was using longer lenses - the 300 f2.8 VR and larger. I heard that the problem was related to the lens mounting ring on the camera having only 4 screws (compared to the 5 found on the D2X and D3) and the associated flex of the lens mounting ring - which translated into improper lens-camera electronic contact and the electronic glitches. Okay. My D300 has 5 screws on the lens mounting ring, but I've been experiencing exactly the same types of electronic glitches on my D300. Like with the D200, the problems often go away when I turn the camera off and on again ("rebooting" it), and like with the D200, the problems on my D300 have been showing up with telephoto lenses only (my 70-200 f2.8 VR and larger). The problem seems worst if I'm walking with my camera (with the camera strap around my neck and my left hand cupping and supporting the lens) - in these cases there's about a 50:50 chance my D300 won't work when I lift it to my eye to focus and shoot. A 50:50 chance?!? Am I kidding? I wish. It's a pretty serious issue. As someone who relies on their cameras to make a living, this is more than a little disconcerting. Holding onto my D2Xs is looking like a better move all the time...
9. Autofocus Performance. Most reviews of the D3 and D300 state that the autofocus systems of the two cameras are the same. Nikon actually doesn't make this claim - if you examine their marketing materials and spec sheets, you'll find that they use words such as "similar to" and "like" when comparing the two autofocus systems. And, they ARE named very similarly - the D3 uses the new "Multi-Cam 3500FX Auto Focus Sensor" and the D300 uses the new "Multi-Cam 3500DX Auto Focus Sensor". They have identical feature sets. But, my experience is that they don't have identical PERFORMANCE. In March and April of 2008 I spent a considerable amount of time photographing migrating Bald Eagles (see several of the images in the "Birds in Flight" Gallery). During this time, I experienced two noticeable performance differences between the autofocus systems of the D3 and the D300. First, the D300 was slower at acquiring intial focus (using the same lens). In most shooting situations this difference wouldn't have been significant, but in my case I had eagles "popping up" from beneath me (along a cliff face) and often had only a second or two to get the image. In THIS case, the slower initial focus acquisition resulted in me missing several shots (I quit using the D300 after missing a few too many potentially good shots). Second, even after initial focus was acquired, the D300 wasn't as competent as the D3 at tracking the rapidly moving eagles (especially when the birds were flying directly at me). Interestingly, the autofocus system on my "old" (there actually are NO old digital SLR's, just obsolete ones) D2Xs outperformed that of the D300 IN THIS SHOOTING SITUATION. Please keep these statements in context - the autofocus system of hte D300 is very, very good. And, there are MANY situations where it would out-perform the autofocus of the D2Xs. But the performance of the D300 autofocus system is not identical to that of the D3.
Nikon D300 and the future of the DX Format? When the D300 was first announced Nikon used it as "proof" they were committed to sticking with the DX sensor format they had been promoting since their first digital SLR was introduced. After shooting with the D3 for almost 4 months and the D300 for about a month, I have a distinctly different view. The D3 is a professional camera in every way imaginable. The D300 is a great enthusiast's and/or semi-professional camera, but it is no D3. I certainly don't see the D300 as evidence that Nikon really believes in the DX format. If they did, we'd have a D3-DX right now (and I'd be first in line to buy it).
Canon Powershot G10. I owned a Canon Powershot G10 point-and-shoot for about 8 months in 2009. Reviews abound online for this camera (and it's successor, the G11), so I won't review the specs or the camera here. All I'll say is that Canon packed far too many pixels into much too small of a sensor and the result is noise, noise, noise. Even at ISO 80 the noise was very noticeable and problematic. Apparently the lower resolution successor (the G11) is better, but the Micro Four Thirds cameras (like the Olympus E-P1) are really showing how the "traditional" point-and-shoots simply have too small of a sensor.
Cameras - Coming Purchases?
There's nothing else currently available that's on my "must have NOW" list, but...
Nikon D3X: This camera was announced on December 1st, 2008 and became available to everyone (pros and amateurs alike) on December 19, 2008. As of the time of this writing (Jan 12, 2009) the D3x is priced at $9449 in Canada and is readily available - no lineups, no waiting for it, etc. At $9449 CDN mine will stay on the shelf at the dealer! I want/need a hi-res dSLR solution but I am going to wait until either the D3x drops in price (to around $6999 CDN) or Nikon offers a lower-priced quality second option - kind of a D700 with the hi-res sensor (a D700x?) AND AN AUTOMATED SENSOR CLEANING MECHANISM. Price this camera at $4000 to $5000 CDN and I will stand in line for it.
Nikon D3-DX (or D500?): I would love to see a truly professional DX-format camera. Resolution? 14 to 18 MP would be fine with me. I would expect the build quality and speed of a D3 and would be willing to sacrifice a little of the ISO performance found in the current D3. But, I don't think this camera is coming soon (if ever) - I'm not allocating any room in my budget over the next couple of years for this one...
Medium Format Digital System? Up until quite recently I would have considered investing in the right medium format digital system. But no longer. With the way resolution and image quality is going with the top dSLR's (e.g., the Canon 1Ds Mk III and the D3X), I'm sticking with dSLR's. Sorry Pentax, Mamiya, Hasselblad...you guys have missed the boat and lost me (and, I suspect, thousands of others) as a potential customer. BUT...if Leica decided it was in their best interest to GIVE me a Leica S2, complete with an array of lenses, I wouldn't turn them down!
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PAGE 2: Info on Nikon Lenses and Teleconverters
PAGE 3: Info on everything else I use - support systems, accessories, bags, backpacks, etc.