A quick list of the equipment I’m currently carrying. Links go to examples from or pictures of equipment I’ve posted to Flickr.
Camera:
Canon Digital Rebel XTi
Lenses:
Canon EF-S 10-22mm Ultra-Wide f/3.5-4.5 Lens – Canon’s ultra-wide lens; My first really nice lens, and my first lens that cost more than my camera. This a great lens on a crop camera, and I use it a LOT. The trick to shooting with this lens is to make sure your toes aren’t in the picture.
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Wide Angle Lens, Rev 1 – This lens was sort of on the lens wishlist, for some time in the future when I upgraded to a full-frame camera. Then a co-worker mentioned that he was selling one, and it was the original revision which uses the same 77mm filters as my other lenses, unlike the current revision which uses 82mm filters. After a weekend testing this lens and comparing it to Canon’s new 100mm L Macro lens, I was completely in love with this lens. While the range is duplicated by my other lenses, the speed is not, and that 2.8 can really make a difference over the f/4 average of my other lenses. Plus the fact that I’m getting closer to the time to upgrade my camera to full frame, at which point I’ll be selling the 10-22mm Ultra-wide, since it doesn’t work with the camera I want. All that, combined with the perfect condition of the lens and the great price, and I couldn’t pass it up. Of course, this lens is the reason I can no longer fit all my camera gear in one bag.
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L zoom lens - Last year’s birthday present to upgrade from the 28-105mm. Currently my favorite lens, and being a borderline photographer
I have found that while I can still take bad pictures, this lens almost never does. This is the lens that lives on my camera, and has allowed me to change my carrying method to just carrying the camera with 24-105 attached in a smallish camera bag, and leave the big bag with the other lenses in the car unless I know I’m going to need them.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6 Telephoto Zoom Lens - The REASON I leave the big bag of other lenses in the car. This was my first L lens, purchased to replace the crappy 75-300mm zoom. It was also my first IS lens, and during the 2 days I was waiting for it to arrive, I kept telling myself “the internet is lying, the lens isn’t really THAT big, it just looks like a gigantic lens, it’s really going to be a reasonable size.” Then it arrived, and I found out the internet was telling the truth for once, this lens is a monster. Give it enough light, though, and it will take fantastic pictures. I have a tendency to mis-use it as a landscape lens, but I really like the results.
Lens Wishlist
Amazingly, this is currently empty. The 24-105 L was my only real wish lens, and now I have it. I occasionally think about picking up a 3rd party walkaround in the 18-250mm range, but for the moment my 24-105 is covering nicely.
I really like the fact that with only 3 lenses, I can cover a range from 10-400mm. This fits my shooting style, allows me to pack relatively light, and the only real limitation I’ve run into is that the 24-105 and especially the 100-400mm lenses really like a lot of light. Bonus: all of my lenses use a 77mm filter, so I can justify spending more on one good filter, instead of less on multiple sizes of filters or dealing with step-up rings.
Current Filters:
B&W 77mm slim multi-coated polarizing filter
B&W 77mm slim UV filter
Tiffen .3, .6. and .9 77mm Neutral Density filters
Accessories:
Canon 430EX flash
Canon 500D 58mm Close-up filter (currently attached to the 18-55mm kit lens)
Lightbox – for taking fancy photos of objects. “Fire Hazard” (2 500W halogen lights) and “Non-Fire Hazard” (2 20w lights) versions have been replaced by two pop-up light tents in 36″ and 18″ sizes, along with 65w folding Compact Flash lights.
Darkbox - for taking “artistic” photos of objects
Camera Cases:
Crumpler 3 Million Dollar Home – for carrying just the camera and 24-105mm lens, with a couple flash cards and a spare battery
Crumpler 4 Million Dollar Home – small enough to be carried as a purse replacement with wallet, cell phone, and camera
Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home – great for light trips, this holds the camera with 24-105mm lens attached, and one other lens or 430EX flash
Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home – my “kitchen sink” bag, this holds the 10-22mm lens, 16-35mm lens, 100-400mm lens, LensBaby Composer, 430EX flash, filters, flash cards, batteries, monopod, and lens cleaners.