My Equipment

People love hearing about my equipment! So since you guys and gals love hearing about it so much, I will go ahead and give you the full monty.

Another expectation is that I achieve a special look in my photos because of my equipment. That is true if you count the special software as part of my equipment, which I certainly do. The software, equipment, and process all work together to create the finished product. For more info on the “Process”, please visit my famous tutorial here!

Also please note that I link most everything here to B&H Photo, the greatest camera store in the world so you can buy your own. I’ve been to their Valhalla-like store a few times in New York and I always come away happy. They ARE a sponsor of the site, but I would say the same thing about them even if they were not a sponsor! Regular readers to this blog know I am Honest Abe about this…

My Software:

Required:

Photomatix (use the Photomatix discount code “StuckInCustoms”) - used for the HDR surreal color look

Not Required, but a nice bonus:

Photoshop CS3 - used for very important touchup work - the master’s touch!

Lightroom - used for organizing all my unprocessed and processed photos

My Hardware:

I use a Nikon D2Xs, but I am about to get a Nikon D3, the successor to the D2.

Recommended Entry-Level Camera:
Nikon D40 with 18-55mm Lens
Note: I don’t recommend this entry level camera because it does not do autobracketing. It DOES take shots in RAW format, and you can use that for making HDRs (later in the tutorial), but I believe it is better to have a camera that does have autobracketing built in.

Recommended Mid Range Camera:
D80 with 18-55mm VR Lens
This is a great camera. It will treat you well and it will last you a lifetime of great shots.

Recommended High End Camera:
Nikon D3
This camera is the ultimate. I can say no more.

Tripod Legs - Bogen/Manfrotto

Head for the Tripod (connects the legs to the camera) - Giotto with Quick Release