My Current Equipment
Update 2, March 1, 2023: Around the end of February, someone very important to me surprised me yet again! This time, he gave two gifts to help me grow as a photographer. First, a Canon EOS Rebel T7:
Much like my Nikon D3100, the red and black objects dangling where the strap would be attached belong to my Peak Design Slide Lite strap.
Second, a backpack from Peak Design (I love there products) that I have had my eyes on for quite a while. Specifically, their 30 liter Everyday Backpack:
Oddly enough, this is the original model of the bag I wanted. I don’t mean this as a bad thing, I am happy to own it. The downside to this particular bag is a missing piece of metal near the clasp of the main compartment and a few missing straps. This bag will serve me well.
Update 1, February 8, 2023: As of Christmas of 2022, I received a lighting kit as a gift. While I didn’t take pictures of the kit and its contents, I found a picture of it off of Amazon:
The contents of my kit.
This kit contains three backdrops, two lights with remote controls for the bulbs, which can change lighting from cool to warm; two lights that are with spiral bulbs with umbrellas (I am still trying to figure out how to best utilize them); stands, clamps, sandbags, and reflectors.
The final piece of new equipment so far is one that took my breath away: a Nikon D3100 DSLR with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Auto Focus-S Zoom Lens!
I bought a third party lens cap and tether for the cap at a nearby camera store. There is a noticeable crack on the LCD screen, but it is not that big of a deal breaker because the screen is not touch sensitive. The red and black objects dangling off the sides where the strap would normally attach are anchors for any strap made by Peak Design, of which I own the Slide Lite strap in black.
Original post:
Now that I have printed business cards for when I am out an about in the world, I should make a post detailing my current equipment that I am using in this adventure in photography. What is important to note is that as I am still aspiring, that means as a newcomer to freelance photography, I don’t have access to the most up-to-date and professional grade equipment. Because of this, I wanted to provide information on the equipment that I have at my disposal.
The first camera I bought after I decided to wet my feet in the world of photography.
The camera you see here is my Nikon Coolpix B500. This camera was recommended to me by my fiancée after he researched the best budget cameras for beginners in 2022. I am thankful to him for not just pushing me towards something that grabs my attention, but finding tools that I can use to start working.
The camera itself does not allow for interchangeable lens, nor does it allow me to manually adjust shutter speed and aperture; it does, however, have multiple different shooting modes that I can select with the dial on top. There is onboard storage, but at 20 MB, it is absolutely pitiful storage. Thankfully, it has an SD card slot, so you use a card for as much (or as little) storage as you need. The camera can be connected to a computer through the use of a micro-USB cable, and can be connected to a monitor through a micro-HDMI cable; however, you cannot use it as a webcam, which begs the question: Why does have a DC power cable input? If you can only transfer images to a computer or display them on a monitor/TV, what is the point of including it? It also has an LCD screen on the back for live viewing what you shoot, and while I don’t mind it not being a touch screen, there is no viewfinder. Instead, the speaker is placed where the viewfinder would be. The screen can also be adjusted to different angles, but it cannot be angled 180 degrees downward if you want to take a selfie. Then again, given the shape of the camera, that is probably for the best. Speaking of the shape, I would have thought that it would accommodate a large rechargeable battery, but instead relies on four AA batteries. I am surprised by this design choice.
That being said, I must say, I do love the feeling of this camera in my hands when I use it. Because of the grip on the side, and because of the large lens for me to grab with my left hand, I am able to keep this camera well balanced as I shoot pictures. Physically holding the camera and being able to access all of the buttons nearby is relatively easy.
The second camera I bought. The picture I used was (and still is) blurry for my liking, so I sharpened as best I could after uploading.
This is my Nikon Coolpix A1000. This is the second camera I bought, and is the camera I use most. I bought it simply because it has a viewfinder. Not to mention, even though the previous camera is considered a compact point-and-shoot camera, I wouldn’t consider it compact; this one is most definitely compact.
This camera does use a rechargeable battery, and the screen can be tilted downward in a 180 degree manner that makes it good for selfies. When looking up various tech specs for this camera, I feel that (overall) it is a better camera than my B500. The shutter speed and min/max aperture are higher, the min ISO is (slightly) lower, and the internal memory is higher (though at approximately 81MB, that is still not ideal). Best of all, in addition to the various shooting modes that my B500 has, this camera has modes that let me manually adjust the shutter speed and aperture, as well as ISO settings for those modes. There is even a button that lets me switch between the LCD touchscreen on the back (also with live view), and the function to switch between them automatically when I place the camera up to my eye (though the sensitivity of the sensor is rather high for my liking, with no way to adjust it). The addition of a programmable function button on the front is a great touch, allowing me to use it for adjusting anything from ISO to white balance.
With all of this being said, there are some drawbacks. Aside from different focal lengths, zoom magnifications, and other bits of jargon that I won’t mention here, actually holding the camera can be a little awkward. When the lens exits the camera body, I hold it by the zoom slider located on the side of the lens itself. Not to mention, because the screen folds downward, using this camera in conjunction with a handheld grip (with the socket for the screw all the way on (when looking at the screen or through the viewfinder) on the left side of the bottom of the body) to takes selfies or vlog using the movie mode button is doable, but (because having on attached prevents the screen from folding all the way down) is not advised.
As for why the photo of the camera is not as sharp or a little blurrier than that of the B500, that is because I still learning to properly use my newest piece of equipment:
The third camera I bought, for a very specific reason.
The camera you see here is an Olympus Tough TG-6. On a technical level, I find this camera to be relatively okay. Its min/max aperture is less than the A1000, it’s ISO seems to be on par with the B500, and the optical zoom is shorter than either of them. But there are features that made me put this on a must have list.
For one thing, I can use this camera in temperatures as low as 14 degrees F. Because I currently live in Southeastern Wisconsin, a camera that I can use in the cold is worth having. Not to mention, it can survive 220 pounds of pressure, it can survive a seven foot drop, and has water/dust proof ratings. I will admit, I am still learning the ins and outs of what this camera can do, so the photographs I have with this camera may not be the best they can be.
The use of cameras themselves can only take a person so far. What good is a camera if it is not kept steady? There is image stabilization and vibration reduction technology, but that can’t cancel physical motion caused by the camera itself being moved. Even with the steadiest of hands, at far enough distances, the slightest motion in the hands of the photographer can cause massive amounts of blurriness. That is why I bought this tripod/monopod hybrid online. I bought this model mostly because I was looking for something affordable, but red happens to be a favorite color of mine. When I saw that it also had a monopod with it, I was intrigued. I am still learning the best ways to use the monopod properly.