My Main Camera Gear
The first camera I owned was the brilliant Canon T90. This was an absolute workhorse and the last camera that posessed Canon’s FD lens mounting. To move to the Canon EOS system would have meant a new set of lenses, so I gave the Nikon F65 a go. Although the F65 was not as good as the T90, I stuck with the Nikon range and have never looked back. I have never suggested that any new photographer should select Nikon over Canon, or Pentax, or Olympus or any other brand. What I can say for certain though is that I like Nikon, I am familiar with its functions and settings, and I don’t have to take my eye of my subject when taking a shot. The Nikon gear I have owned has been incredibly reliable, it has worked brilliantly for me so far, and I will be sticking with it.
As the legendary Ansel Adams said “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!”
Nikon D5
This amazing camera is my main body. Although Nikon recently released the D6, I will not be upgrading anytime soon. 12 frames per second and 16.7 seconds of continuous shooting in a single burst is perfect to capture all the action. This body rarely leaves my main (big) lens.
Nikon D750
The D750 is a versatile full frame camera body. I carry two of them with me when I travel. Depending on what type of trip I am on, they are attached to any two of my 70-200mm, my 200mm macro lens or my 17-35mm wide angle. I hate changing lenses in the field unless it is absolutely necessary.
Nikkor 400mm F2.8 ED FL VR
Without a doubt, the finest lens I have ever owned! Surprisingly light (3.8kg), thanks to its two fluorite elements and two extra-low dispersion elements, super sharp and amazingly fast, even in poor light. I can comfortably carry this with me all day. If I want a bit more reach I attach my Nikon Teleconverter TC-14E III
Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8
My backup lens and a very handy zoom. If I am going on location where I will likely be at close quarters to my subject, photographing flocks/herds of animals, or I want to include more of my subjects habitat in the image, then there is no better lens than this.
Nikkor 17-35mm F2.8
This is a spectacular wide angle zoom lens! It outperforms almost all of Nikon’s previous fixed wide angles and is sharp at all apertures. It is built like a tank, made of solid metal, and produces outstanding images. With this lens I can focus on a subject that is just 12cm away.
Nikkor 200mm F4 Macro
This is the sharpest 200mm available on the market! On top of that, it is “also” a macro lens, which makes it the BEST macro lens on the market, and the most versatile lens in my camera lens kit. I love macro photography, so always have this lens in my backpack or on one of my camera bodies.
Nikon’s R1 Twin Speedlight Kit
I have a few macro flash kits, as well as the standard SB-800 speedlight, but this is the best one I have owned. The speedlights can be position anywhere on the adapter ring or unclipped and placed away from the camera body as slave flashes.
Tamrac G32 Backpack
A comfortable, lightweight backpack, with a semi-hard, semi-water repellent outer shell, even without the bag’s rain cover. A huge amount of gear can be put into this bag, making it perfect for extensive photography trips.
Manfrotto 055CX PRO3
Incredibly light, very sturdy and has an 8kg load capacity. The legs and the column are 100% carbon fibre with magnesium die-casting quick action lever-locking collars. I tend to handhold my cameras when taking stills, but 400mm video work is impossible with a professional tripod such as this.
Benro GH1P Gimbal
Not the best gimbal head on the market, but this side-mounted tripod head is exceptionally sturdy and is a third of the price. The main feature missing is the the quick release plate of the standard gimbal heads, but that is the only drawback. I do not need to quickly move from tripod to handheld, so this has all the features I need and the great build quality that Benro is famed for.
Manfrotto 501hdv Fluid Head
This is a beautifully designed fluid video head. It has teflon-coated discs (for improved drag) and a switchable counterbalance. It also has a sliding camera plate, which helps balance the unevenness of the camera and lens combination. Quick to set up and perfect for video work. It has a capacity of 6kg, which is more than enough for my 3,8kg lens atttached to the 1,5kg camera body.
Lowepro Pro Roller 200aw
My first “large” camera bag, and one I still use when travelling on more organised tours or trips. The bag’s outer case is water repellent. The main case has rollers, while the storage compartment lifts out as a backpack. The straps are a a bit thin, however, and my main backpack is more comfortable for longer walks.
In addition to taking video footage on my Nikons, I also use DJI drones (mainly my Phantom Pro 3) and the handheld Osmo Pocket video recorders to capture amazing footage. DJI do an incredible job with their devices. They are robust, versatile and extremely reliable. My Phantom Pro 3 drone may soon be (mostly) replaced by a DJI Mavic Pro or a Mavic Air 2, which are much more compact. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Phantom Pro 3, and will keep it until it no longer functions, but it is hard to take on trips where air travel is involved. The Osmo Pocket is just brilliant. It has subject tracking and a gimbal head, so gives perfectly stable images no matter how rough the terrain.
