Gear Talk

Someone recently asked me if I agreed with all the buzz about the D850 being the best all around camera…i.e. it can do everything great.  For my photography this is an easy answer; yes!  High res portraits…check.  Landscape camera cable of producing huge prints…check.  Sports camera with 9fps using MB-D18 grip…check.  Travel camera that you Read More

What is about photo backpacks?  You can never find the perfect one.  Some are too big, others the compartments aren’t great, zippers blow out or are hard to access.  And my real hang-up…hipbelts that are only a piece of 1 inch webbing!  Having spent many years of my life as a mountaineering guide carrying 80 Read More

I continue to be amazed at the Nikon D850.  There is a reason that this camera is still on backorder a year after it was released.  Since this is my main camera right now, and I shoot a variety of assignments and subjects, I decided to get the MB-D18 grip.  Why get a vertical grip? Read More

Each year I travel to Alaska on assignment and to lead workshops.  Living there 10 years forever changed my concept of wilderness and wildlife photography!  And every year I travel to Alaska, I bring the big glass.  I’ve carried everything from 200-400mm, 500mm F4 and 600mm F4 lenses.  Prime big glass helps capture those incredible Read More

I just returned from two weeks of assignment work in Alaska, and as usual had a ton of gear with me.  Lights for interiors, prime lenses for portraits, travel zooms…and of course the big 600mm F4 for wildlife.  While the other gear fits nicely into rollers and backpacks, the 600mm is a beast.  But one Read More

When it comes to teleconverters, everyone thinks 1.4x and 2x.  I have used the 1.4x on my 300mm F2.8 on many shoots, and honestly I can barely notice any difference in image quality. 1.4x on a 300mm F2.8 gives you 420mm F4 lens.  Autofocus is still plenty fast even with one stop less light. Put Read More

I was recently photographing burrowing owls in eastern Colorado during a rainy few days, so of course I put on my rain cover to protect my gear.  Pro level lenses and bodies are well sealed against the elements, but they are not waterproof.  I really like that Nikon has eliminated the popup flash on the Read More

I’m always on the lookout for new Nikon lenses.  They just keep getting better, sharper and lighter, so updating our lenses happens on a regular basis.  One lens that has been a hit with many Nikon shooters was the 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G, a low cost zoom with excellent performance.  This lens was sharp, and costing around Read More

I just returned from teaching a lighting class in Las Vegas, and I was able to get my hands on the ELB 500 for the class.  I think Elinchrom makes the best strobes in the business; their packs shine in all conditions and withstand years of hard use and abuse.  They stand above in a Read More

Since both my wife and I are photographers, we have a lot of lenses.  We tried the idea of ‘sharing lenses’ until we both saw the same incredible eagle photo and we only had one long telephoto lens.  So we have doubles of a few of our favorite lenses, including the venerable 300mm.  This focal Read More