Any photographer will tell you, one of the most common questions they receive is, “what kind of camera do you have?” People see your work, they see the dynamic range and the vibrant colors of your image, and they assume that this is only possible with top-of-the-line expensive gear. While this base assumption is understandable, especially with high-end camera and equipment companies catering to precisely this notion, the truth is far more simple: The camera and lens do not make the photo - the photographer does.
That being said, having the right equipment for the job can make a photographer’s life exponentially easier, allowing them to be in the right place at the right time, and capture photos in locations and weather that would otherwise prove impossible. So, here is a comprehensive list of all of my favorite photography gear that I use, and resources for where you can get them for yourself at reasonable/affordable cost.
If you want to know what photography equipment gets the job done, this is it. All in one place.
Nikon D810 Full-Frame DSLR
This is an amazing landscape camera, it just simply gets the job done. Because I love to shoot landscape photographs at very wide angles, the best cameras for this type of photography are usually full-frame DSLRs. At one point or another, I have taken pictures with almost every Nikon DSLR that has ever been made, and by far the best camera for taking high quality landscape images, is the Nikon D810. That being said, the Nikon D750 and D810 are ergonomically and qualitatively very similar DSLR's. Significantly awesome, and slightly newer, the Nikon D750 only falls short to the D810 in terms of number of autofocus points, megapixels, and ISO sensitivity. Most people don't necessarily need all of that, making the D750 an excellent option as well. These are the best Nikon cameras for landscape photography out there.
Buy from Amazon | Adorama
Sony a6000 Crop-Sensor Mirrorless
The
Sony a6000 mirrorless
digital camera on the other hand is a great travel camera for when I don't feel like lugging around my large DSLR's and lenses, but still want to be able to capture quality landscape photos. Even though it is a crop sensor, this affordable camera is incredible. I carry this on it's own for light travel, as a second camera to cover the mid-range zoom lens, and for shooting timelapses.
Buy from
Amazon |
Adorama
Sony a7 Full-Frame Mirrorless
I don't own this camera, but I have used it a number of times. It's the only thing that comes close to making me want to trade in my DSLR system. It's capabilities in low-light are so incredible, that it was with these cameras that we were able to capture such incredible footage of the fireball / Chinese rocket streaking across the sky in July, 2016. That is why for low-light and astro photography, this camera might just be the best out there.
Buy from Amazon | Adorama
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
The sharpest ultra-wide angle available. Perfect for night photography.
Nikon 18-35 f/3.5
A great wide angle. Incredibly sharp, and relatively lightweight.
Nikon 18mm f/3.5
Buy from
Amazon |
Adorama
The Best Lightweight Tripod
The ProMaster XC25C carbon fiber tripod is amazing, lightweight, and sturdy. I love it.
Buy from Amazon
Tripod Collar
Although the relative light weight of the 70-200mm lens doesn't require a tripod collar, I think it's super helpful.
Buy from Amazon
Shutter Release Remote / Intervelometer
This is so essential I can't say it enough. Minimize camera shake; maximize sharpness and clarity of your photo.
Buy from Amazon
This Awesome Camera Backpack
This is the best DSLR camera backpack for active outdoor adventure photography.
Buy from Amazon
Extra Memory Cards
I feel so stupid for having gone on fantastic trips in the past where I didn't think it necessary to bring extra memory.
Buy from Amazon
Nikon EN-EL15 Li-Ion Battery
Always, always carry an additional battery in your new camera backpack. You will hate yourself if you don't.
Buy from Amazon
This Camera Clip
This camera clip allows you to effortlessly keep your camera on-hand at all times.
Buy from PeakDesign and get a 10% discount
The Everyday Messenger Bag
This is the best photographer's bag I have ever used. Read the full review.
Buy from PeakDesign and get a 10% discount
Adobe Lightroom 6
This is the best software for post-processing your RAW landscape photos I have ever used. It's powerful and fun.
Download free trial from Adobe
Adobe Photoshop CS6
A super high powered piece of software. Enables you total control over an image.
Download free trial from Adobe
StarStaX Experimental 10.9
This free tool is incredibly cool. It is the best resource for stacking star photos to get star trail photography.
Download for free from StarStaX
Photomatix Pro by HDRsoft
The best professional HDR software I have found. Use it, love it.
Download free trial from HDRsoft
The Photographer's Ephemeris
This app is amazing. It allows you to plan your expedition for lighting and moon conditions based on location.
Pashadelic - An App For Inspiration
I use Pashadelic as a place to discover new places to shoot, as well as to post my shots for other users to view.
Sky Safari 4
This app is critical if you want to plan for advanced night photography, like star trails and The Milky way. The features of this thing are amazing.
Apple 27-inch Thunderbolt Display
This super HD display really allows me to focus in on every detail.
Buy from Amazon
Seagate Backup Slim 1TB Portable External Hard Drive
Having tens of thousands of RAW files takes up a lot of space. This external hard drive is reliable and fast.
Buy from Amazon
