Photographers: let's hear about your set ups!

[hedache]

Primary camera: NikonF90X

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): Fuji Finepix A340 for snapshots, Fuji supermini, 3 types of lomo for pissing about

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: Sigma 18mm, Nikon 28-70, Sigma 70-300, Nikon SB-28, cheap tripod, UV filters, polariser (lost)
fuji film - velvia, superia, provia
ilford - hp5

What you like and don't like about the camera: it's basically the bollocks - faultless metering, does everything for me if needed or fully manual. can be a bit cumbersome at times though and is heavy. motordrive could be faster.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras: they're small and cheap so i can abuse them.

Ideal/dream camera set up: top-of-the-range nikon DSLR with super fast motordrive and a whole host of lenses etc

Previous cameras owned: old pentax slr, cheap canon eos

Photo software used: photoshop CS2, what else?

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): none

Computer gear/scanner: old G3 imac(hardly ever used now), shit laptop, nikon LS50/coolscan V film scanner, old epson scanner.

What kind of photos do you take: anything apart from studio stuff or stuff that's too contrived or camera-club-esque.... experimental, blurred/abstract, architecture, dereliction, street photography, i like interesting angles, lines and shapes within the photograph, photos that make the ordinary look a bit different. most of my photos are meant to be viewed in sequences or groups, rather than stand alone images.
also, festivals/free parties, skateboarding, bmx etc

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): i'm not particularly bothered about famous photographers, although i like the style of jurgen teller (who was mentioned before) and others with spontaneous styles and those who use the camera as an art tool rather than getting overly technical and anal about photography.

websites: whatever i stumble across

favorite images: i can't possibly pick a favorite

 

[mattie]

Updated:

Just got a Pentax 67 with 55 and 105 lenses. Metering head is knackered, but mate has lent me a sekonic light meter.

It was owned by a photographer for western daily press, and it looked like he used it to hammer nails in. Every single surface scratched and brassed, and front element on 55 scored, but it's still going strong.

 

[zenie]

Updated : Now have an Olympus MJU 700 Compact thingummy.

Fits nicely in the handbag

 

[cybertect]

Primary camera:
Canon EOS 5D

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc:
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 MkII
Canon 580EX flash
BG-E4 Battery grip
Velbron Tripod
Selection of filters
Remote release cable
Flash-shoe mount spirit level that saves me time in Photoshop

What you like and don't like about the camera:
Got my hands on it a week and a half ago, so I'm still familiarising myself with it.

Pros:
Full frame - big viewfinder and proper wide angle
Pulls stunning amounts of detail out of my lenses.
Awesomely useable noise and dynamic range at high ISO.
It's fast - I'm not waiting for it to catch up with me.
I'm finding I spend less time tweaking in Photoshop.
It really feels like a proper camera.

Cons:
12.8 MP RAW files are slower to post-process and are probably a bit of overkill for the uses I put the camera to.
Slight vignetting on 17mm shots (easily fixed if it's obtrusive)
Not particularly discreet.
Dust will surely be a pain in the future.
I'm feeling the urge to replace the 75-300 lens -> £££

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for):
Canon 300D + EF-S 18-55 lens - relegated to backup body for now. I'll probably sell it once I've done a friend's wedding at the end of the month.

Canon AV-1: Trusty companion for nearly 20 years. For the occasions when I feel the need to use film.

Sony-Ericsson k750i phone: Always with me for occasional snaps.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras:

300D: plus: A bit smaller and lighter, smaller RAW files, quicker exposure compensation. minus - slower, more noise, poky 1.6 crop viewfinder.

Ideal/dream camera set up:

The 5D body suits me perfectly right now. I'd like to add some good prime lenses.

Previous cameras owned:
Kodak 110 snapper
Praktica Nova 1 35mm film SLR (built like a tank).
Lubitel 166 TLR (I think it cost me £15 new in 1985). Still in the loft somewhere.

Photo software used:
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Canon Digital Photo Professional


Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee):
Mac OS X's Finder

Computer gear/scanner:
PowerMac G5 dual 2.3 MHz
PowerBook G4 1.67 MHz

No (working) scanner at present.

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take:
I'm an amateur.

Cars, mostly Volkswagens, seem to be the majority of my subject matter. I seem to have carved out a bit of a niche in the Dub scene taking a slightly more creative approach to shows and meets than is evident on the Interweb, attempting to capture the people and atmosphere along with the hardware.

Architectural photos also get a good look-in.

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them):
Bert Hardy: seeing his very human documentary photos of Britain when I was about 11 was one of my inspirations to pick up a camera and use it. The simplicity of his images are still my yardstick.

Favourite photo sites:

www.dpreview.com
www.luminous-landscape.com

Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable)
Homepage: http://www.cybertects.co.uk
Fav pics:

 

[paolo]

Primary camera: Canon EOS 350D

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: EF 24-105mm f4/L IS USM, EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5. Velbon Sherpa tripod.

What you like and don't like about the camera: Sensor & DIGIC II processor rocks vs. Nikon. Plastic body doesn't. Eye watering price of "must have" Canon L series glass.

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): Nikon CP8800 (35-350) + iffy 3rd party 2.2x Teleconverter + Battery Grip. Used for Backup / long zoom stuff.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras: Alot of camera in a small-ish package. Good zoom, decent glass, optical image stab, quality Nikon body... fab package all for the price of an entry level DSLR body. Downsides: Terrible low light performance, very slow startup, short battery life (LCD viewfinder), killer price of spare batteries, killer price of battery grip. On camera sharpening iffy if you are a pixel pedant.

Ideal/dream camera set up: 2 x top end Canon DSLR bodies, with lots and lots of L series glass.

Photo software used: Picasa mainly. Photoshop CS2 for certain stuff. Very occasionally Canon RAW Image Task.

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): Flickr for online... nowt for local.

Computer gear/scanner: Random brand 2.8GHz desktop thingy. Assorted dead laptops which might eventually be brough back to life for field work.

What kind of photos do you take: Mainly architecture / interiors.

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Lots, all of them 'unknowns', on Flickr.

Favourite photo sites: Flickr. Pisses all over photobucket and pbase, both in terms of quality of people's work, and functionality of site. And it's cheap as chips. Why pay Ferrari money for a Skoda when you can have the opposite?

Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable): my faves

 

[tomson]

Primary camera:Canon 30D

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: Lenses: Canon 17-35mm, 28-70mm, 80-200mm (all f2.8 L series), 85mm f1.8 prime.
Flash: Canon 580ex and 420ex
Tripod: Manfrotto 055 tripod and manfrotto 141RC head


What you like and don't like about the camera:iso 3200, low noise at high iso, accurate focusing,

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): 2x 350D

Plus and minus points of your other cameras: Small and light, body is easily marked though. Great pictures, but focusing is sometimes a bit hit and miss in low light conditions.

Ideal/dream camera set up: Canon 1 series.

Previous cameras owned:D30, D60 and a bunch of point and shoots. Still have a G3 for gigs/pubs/etc

Photo software used: Photoshop CS2

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): Adobe Bridge

Computer gear/scanner: Mac G4, Powerbook G4, 2x 250gb external back up drives, Canon printer, Epsom cheapy scanner.

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take: Weddings for money and anything that catches my eye for fun.


Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Henri Cartier-Bresson and anyone who enjoys taking pictures..

Favourite photo sites: Magnum Photos

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Not really - but I like this Chicago pic because I took it during one of my best-ever hols there:

I remember that one. Reminds me of an old 1950s style piccy

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera: canon eos 350D + back up eos 350D Eos 1v film

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc:
flash: canon 550 ex
Tripod: some light weight army thing from the 60's which was 20 p in a charity shop stable as hell and i have never found a tripod as light as it ever (no badges or lables to tell me what the hell it is fear one day it'll break and i'll die... )
Glass:
Canon EF 75-300mm f4/5.6 USM MK3
Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5/5.6L USM Image Stabilised
Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Mk2
Canon EFs kit lens 18-55mm1:3.5-5.6 Mk2 USM
Fisheye 58mm extension. (Jessops)
UV filters
IR filters
Blue filters
Yellow filters



What you like and don't like about the camera:
light for a dslr quick response time nice range of lenses, easy to pick up for amature with 7 hooting modes, also has full range of professional controls and manual. Has depth of field preview button (worth it's weight in gold) controls are easy access with iso spot metering focus point selection (7 availble) white balance and autofocase mode controls one button access (one handed operation) both stopping down and most functions can be sorted with out ever taking your eye from the eye piece.

Print qualitly even from automatic shots is exceptional and certainly magazine and newsprint quailty for web work it's unsurpassed in my view.

Don't like
eye cup perishes quickly (after around 10,000 shots) and becomes loose (could just be mine) the battery grip on one of my bodies has fused to the body (not much of a problem as i never take it off just annoying) for the first month and half you end up grazing your finger nails on the emery like finish leaving white dust patches all over the camera!! the sodding self timer/burst/oneshot button is the same one and where my thumb naturally sits meanig that ever so occasionally but often enough for me to be annoyed by it you switch mode with out noticeing and thing you have jammed the camera. screen a bit small, and crap in bright sunlight...

battery grip costs £130 for essentially a lump of black plastic, extra canon batterys are around £80.

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for):spare 350D loaned from friend point and shoot hp950 (excellent for quick shot composure if you need to check light levels and colours) kodak point and shoot early 3.5 mega pixel thing that cost a bomb when it came out still out performs a lot newer higher mega pixel cameras in terms of colour processing due to it's big ccd (can't use it at night for shit and the screen is appaling)

Plus and minus points of your other cameras:

See above, though it's a though bugger has been battered by soliders, flown accross deserts at temps in excess of 100 degrees and as low as minus 10 and been fine (photograhper was worse for wear than the camera!!) seems to slow down when running low on battery (ie less than the little triangle left in the bottom of a near empty battery indicator) will go on and on and on and on with almost no battery useage (much past 4 gig's worth of cards if i need to take more shots than this then really i need to go and download some images or do some on the fly editing...) have never run out of battery even with heave on board flash use.

Ideal/dream camera set up:
hasselblad 39 mega pixel camera own loft studio, daily jobbing 2 x Canon 1d mark 2ds full eos lens range full hasselblad lens range and 2 x canon 5d... 4 external hotsynched flashes light defelctors

Previous cameras owned:
first camera: supersnaps 110 film camera maximum of 24 shots...
Next camera Chinon g i think it was lovley camera took some great shots
next minolata forget model had a suscession of minoltas eah getting better and better had nothing for a while bought a canon 1v then the kodak then the hp then a canon 300d which broke then the 350's...

Photo software used:photoshop, picasa, irfanview

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee):
picsa or full filing system with cd/dvd removeable drive back ups monthly cataloguing...

Computer gear/scanner:

Canon pixima mp110 scanner printer copier thingy full colour

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take:
Motorsport
War
NightClub promotionals
Street photography
Portfolios
Products
Adult

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): cartier bresson - the original snapper and street photograhper who cares if they are posed they are still classic shots, Craig Stecyk - dogtown fame 'invented' the whole extreme sports photography look by only having a single fish eye lens and therefore having to take all the photographs using it... (such as http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/shogokubo/images/shogoair.jpg)

Favourite photo sites:

http://www.z-boys.com/
terriable site great images
http://www.deviantart.com/
Deviant


Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable)
www.lucidlondon.co.uk

 

[DarthSydodyas]

Primary camera
Nikon D70

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun
18-70/Manfrotto of sorts/SB800

What you like and don't like about the camera
Love its speed and output quality.
Dislike the associated Nikon software and do not quite trust PS/CS to handle to RAW (personal thing more than a technical struggle).

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for)
Sigma SD9, and its uses is limited. More a back-up camera incase the D70 spontaniously combusts.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras
Requires more experience to get good results on this beast, and it is heavy. Otherwise, a very capable unit.

Ideal/dream camera set up
Top-end Canon or Digital with the best wide-angled zoom and prime (50mm, 7-something).

Previous cameras owned
n/a. Was never really into photography and only picked it up because of the digital malarky.

Photo software used
Nikons Capture Editor primarily for the RAW conversions, and PSCS for additional touchups.

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee)
n/a - yet to investigate this.

Computer gear/scanner
Computer
AMD 3200XP (64 smit)
512MB RAM (had 1gb, but 1 chip died!)
ATI X800 AGP
Dual Samsung Synchmaster 181T
Eye-one Calibration Tool.
No scanner.

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take
Mainly wedding stuff. This is where my interest branched from, assisting with the photography. At the moment, I prefer the post-production side of it, and am trying to worm my way in with the folk I work with to handle more of that.

 

[Cid]

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera: Nikon D70

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: kit lens, 105mm Sigma macro, various tripods - had a really nice Velbon but it was my aunt's and she's nicked it back, stuck with a cheap Velbon now. I'm 'between' flashes.

What you like and don't like about the camera: Very quick once you're used to it, intuitive controls, good quaality images. On the downside it's bulkier than my film SLR, gets occasional dust specs and i always feel paranoid using it in London.

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): Nikon FM2(n) - B&W 'arty' shots for uni, work where I want my camera to be fairly inconspicuous. Cannon powershot A70 - old faithful, don't use it much now but useful for snapshots.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras: FM2 - gorgeous, excellent, intuitive focussing in the viewfinder, nice simple lightmeter. Cons? On an FM2? Ya gotta be joking.

Ideal/dream camera set up: Hasselblad H2D with a good mafrotto tripod and metz flash system (if you can get them for Hasselblads that is) plus a Leica for quick shots. Or something equally unobtainable.

Previous cameras owned: Nikon EM and various point and shoot compacts I can't remember any more.

Photo software used: CS, Rawshooter Basic (highly reccomended raw conversion aand editing programme, also has the advantage of being free).

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): I use the programme that came with my Canon powershot still... It does it's jobb, albeit without much grace (and it doesn't handle RAW which is annoying).

Computer gear/scanner: no scanners at the moment because i spent all my money on my Epson 2400 (which was worth every penny).

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take: At the moment I'm getting into seascapes and boats (because I'm near the sea). Used to do a lot of model photography (the architectural kind) for uni and will be doing more of that next year.

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Er, I'll get back to you on that one but at the moment I'm into that guy who makes real cities look like models... Not so much a hero as an interest.

Favourite photo sites: Aldeburgh, Brick lane (and the area round it), Hampstead Heath.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Vintage Paw]

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera: I'm not sure I have a 'primary' camera since I use them all pretty often. I would say when in doubt I reach for my Nikon D50 (named Boris).

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: I don't have a tripod or add-on flash yet. My lenses for the D50 are the kit lens (18mm-55mm) and the lovely 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor.

What you like and don't like about the camera: I like the immediacy that a digital slr gives. I like being able to go home and load the photos right onto the computer. I like that I can whack it on aperture priority and not think too much, I also like that I can go fully manual when I'm feeling like it too. I don't like that it is so big and heavy. I don't like that it (for me, at least) seems to lose the silly romantic ideal I have about film. I don't like that it was so expensive (only to be expected though).

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): I don't really class these as 'secondary' cameras since I tend to use them often or for different reasons.
* Lomo LC-A
*Holga (with Polaroid back)
*Polaroid Impulse/Polaroid OneStep/Polaroid SX-70 (original)
*Pentax K1000 slr
*Nikon FM2 slr
*Kodak EasyShare DX6430/6340 (I forget which)

Plus and minus points of your other cameras:
* Lomo LC-A: This is the one I carry around with me the most (every day). It is tiny compared to a d/slr, so I can chuck it in my normal bag and then forget about it if I want.
*Holga (with Polaroid back sometimes): I haven't used this one much yet - in fact only as a holgaroid so far. It is big and cumbersome, although very light, so not ideal for every situation.
*Polaroid Impulse/Polaroid OneStep/Polaroid SX-70 (original): I feel quite conspicuous with all my polaroid cameras because of the god-awful whirring when it churns out the photo, so I must say I don't use them as often as I could. I haven't had them for long either. I adore SX-70 film (now sadly discontinued) and think it is best suited to rather 'arty' shots instead of snapshots. Out of all these cameras the SX-70 is by far my fave, although really heavy and possibly a little tempramental.
*Pentax K1000 slr: I just got this in the post today (from ebay) so I can't tell you much about it yet.
*Nikon FM2 slr: ditto.
*Kodak EasyShare DX6430/6340 (I forget which): This was the camera I had when I started getting serious about photography. I outgrew it very quickly, but plan on re-charging the batteries soon to see if my new 'skills' can get anything decent from it.

Ideal/dream camera set up: I would like a Polaroid Spectra 1200si. I would also love a Nikon F2 (who wouldn't!!). And of course, a Hasselblad

Previous cameras owned: Some old dodgy Olympus point-and-shoot 35mm from the 80s. No idea if I even have it anymore.

Photo software used: Photoshop CS2 with Camera Raw, and Adobe Bridge.

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): Adobe Bridge.

Computer gear/scanner: I have an Apple iMac (Intel core-duo) with 1GB RAM, unfortunately PS CS2 can be painfully slow at times. I have a PSC by HP. I want to get an Epson 4490 scanner so I can just get my film processed with no prints and scan the negs right into the computer.

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take: All sorts. I'm only just starting out in photography, so I haven't fallen into a niche yet (I'm not sure I ever really want to either). I know I rely too much on photoshop for my dslr shots at the moment. I want to get away from that. I think it is because 1- I'm not confident enough about my photos, and 2- I'm just not that good at getting something that can stand up on its own merits at the moment. I like still-life/skies/clouds/trees/buildings/shapes/abstracts/concepts etc ...

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): I don't know enough about 'the greats' to be able to answer this at the moment. I see certain things and like them, that's about it. I work with a guy who used to lecture in photography at the local uni. He is a bit of a 'hero' I suppose (even though I've never seen any of his work) because he inspires me. I spend a lot of time going through photoblogs too, and many of them inspire me because they are showing what normal unknown people are doing every single day - and much of it is amazing. One guy who never ceases to amaze me is a guy called Brian. He uses a Canon EOS 350D and I don't think he post-processes apart from raw conversion, and they are beautiful simplicity. I also love the quirky simple polaroids of supercapacity (on Flickr).

Favourite photo sites: I love browsing through http://photoblogs.org for cool stuff and Flickr rocks my socks. As for individual people's photos, I love HELLO, Shadow of a Doubt, and loads of others I have bookmarked feeds for - but those two are the ones who inspire me quite a bit.

Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable): http://snaps.catbc.com - my photoblog. Bearing in mind I'm still very new to all of this I don't think I have a favourite pic, mainly because I have a fair few different styles on there. I also have a place at flickr - http://flickr.com/photos/snaps_cat/ - there's tons of stuff on there, loads of different styles again.

 

[tupster]

Tupsters gear

Primary camera: Ricoh GRd

Secondary camera: Olympus E20 Digital SLR

Other Cameras:Canon A1 bodiesx2, Canon AE1 body X1, Canon FD Lenses 28mm, 35mm., 50mm, 85mm.. 70-210 zoom. Ricoh GR1, Yashica Mat TLR. Polaroid SX70.

What I like about them: The Ricoh GRd and GR1 are so small and welll made, great lens quality and a nice wide angle prime focus lens.

Olympus E20: Superb optic, fast f2 zoom, slow to fire up and only 5mp. so a bit long in the tooth now. Still takes great pictures.


Canon's A1 was a groundbreaking camera in it's day. Shutter speed and app. priority auto plus Programme modes and full manual control. A hefty well built camera, easy to use with the superb FD lenses which are a superb optic.

Yahica Mat: was my Dad's, he seldom worked in anything smaller than 6x6, don't know what he would have made of this digital nonsense!!!

Other gear: Knackered old velbon tripod, canon speedlite flash.

Computer: Homebuilt jobby with 1gb. ram and photoshop7
Epson 1290 A3 photo printer.

What kind of photos I take: Architecture, urban landscape, Music photography (Album cover and band promo material, some live ), portraiture.

My Photographic heroes: Andreas Gursky, Fay Godwin, Martin Parr. My Dad.

Dream Buy: The new Mamiya digital slr and 5 lenses please! Nice portable outdoor flash head and softbox.

 

[zenie]

*Bump*

Can this be made a sticky and I've just noticed you cant edit your set-ups now because of the edit time thingummy

 

[cybertect]

Update: Urges mentioned earlier got the better of me and the 75-300 lens has been replaced with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS.

Jessops polariser replaced with a Hoya Pro 1 slim filter as the other one was causing my 17-40L to vignette severely.

 

[Cid]

Now have Manfrotto 055 prob tripod with 141-RC head.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera: canon eos 400D + x2 back up eos 350Ds Eos 1v film

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc:
Flash: canon 580 ex
flash-slave: canon 550 ex
Tripod: some light weight army thing from the 60's which was 20 p in a charity shop stable as hell and i have never found a tripod as light as it ever (no badges or lables to tell me what the hell it is fear one day it'll break and i'll die... )
Glass:
Canon EF 75-300mm f4/5.6 USM MK3
Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5/5.6L USM Image Stabilised
Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Mk2
Canon EFs kit lens 18-55mm1:3.5-5.6 Mk2 USM
Fisheye 58mm extension. (Jessops)
UV filters
IR filters
Blue filters
Yellow filters
Polarised Filter



What you like and don't like about the camera:
Still waiting for a ful shake down of the 400D will review shortly

light for a dslr quick response time nice range of lenses, easy to pick up for amature with 7 shooting modes, also has full range of professional controls and manual. Has depth of field preview button (worth it's weight in gold) controls are easy access with iso spot metering focus point selection (7 availble) white balance and autofocase mode controls one button access (one handed operation) both stopping down and most functions can be sorted with out ever taking your eye from the eye piece.

Print qualitly even from automatic shots is exceptional and certainly magazine and newsprint quailty for web work it's unsurpassed in my view.

Don't like
eye cup perishes quickly (after around 10,000 shots) and becomes loose (could just be mine) the battery grip on one of my bodies has fused to the body (not much of a problem as i never take it off just annoying) for the first month and half you end up grazing your finger nails on the emery like finish leaving white dust patches all over the camera!! the sodding self timer/burst/oneshot button is the same one and where my thumb naturally sits meanig that ever so occasionally but often enough for me to be annoyed by it you switch mode with out noticeing and thing you have jammed the camera. screen a bit small, and crap in bright sunlight...

battery grip costs £130 for essentially a lump of black plastic, extra canon batterys are around £80.

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for):spare 350D loaned from friend point and shoot hp950 (excellent for quick shot composure if you need to check light levels and colours) kodak point and shoot early 3.5 mega pixel thing that cost a bomb when it came out still out performs a lot newer higher mega pixel cameras in terms of colour processing due to it's big ccd (can't use it at night for shit and the screen is appaling)

Plus and minus points of your other cameras:

See above, though it's a though bugger has been battered by soliders, flown accross deserts at temps in excess of 100 degrees and as low as minus 10 and been fine (photograhper was worse for wear than the camera!!) seems to slow down when running low on battery (ie less than the little triangle left in the bottom of a near empty battery indicator) will go on and on and on and on with almost no battery useage (much past 4 gig's worth of cards if i need to take more shots than this then really i need to go and download some images or do some on the fly editing...) have never run out of battery even with heave on board flash use.

Ideal/dream camera set up:
hasselblad 39 mega pixel camera own loft studio, daily jobbing 2 x Canon 1d mark 2ds full eos lens range full hasselblad lens range and 2 x canon 5d... 4 external hotsynched flashes light defelctors

Previous cameras owned:
first camera: supersnaps 110 film camera maximum of 24 shots...
Next camera Chinon g i think it was lovley camera took some great shots
next minolata forget model had a suscession of minoltas eah getting better and better had nothing for a while bought a canon 1v then the kodak then the hp then a canon 300d which broke then the 350's...

Photo software used:photoshop, picasa, irfanview

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee):
picsa or full filing system with cd/dvd removeable drive back ups monthly cataloguing...

Computer gear/scanner:

Canon pixima mp110 scanner printer copier thingy full colour

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take:
Motorsport
War
NightClub promotionals
Street photography
Portfolios
Products
Adult

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): cartier bresson - the original snapper and street photograhper who cares if they are posed they are still classic shots, Craig Stecyk - dogtown fame 'invented' the whole extreme sports photography look by only having a single fish eye lens and therefore having to take all the photographs using it... (such as http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/shogokubo/images/shogoair.jpg)

Favourite photo sites:

http://www.z-boys.com/
terriable site great images
http://www.deviantart.com/
Deviant


Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable)
www.lucidlondon.co.uk

updated

 

[rascal007]

This is always fun...


Primary cameras: Canon EOS 1N, Canon EOS 10D, Hasselblad 500 C/M, ToyoView 45C

Lens: Canon 50mm f/1.8 and 28mm f/2.8, Carl Ziess 80mm f/2.8 150mm f/4, Rodenstock 210mm f/6.8

Tripod: Manfrotto something, large enough for the 4x5

Flashgun: Canon Speedlite 550EX and 420EZ

What you like and don't like about the camera: Lenses are never fast enough, are they?

Secondary cameras: Holga, Lomo LC-A, Yashica A, a few 35mm bodies.

Plus and minus points of your other cameras: half of them are toys, who doesn't like toy cameras?

Ideal/dream camera set up: Hasselblad H3D would probably set me pretty well right now.

Previous cameras owned: Nikon N65 I think...

Photo software used: Apple Aperture 1.5 for RAW workflow and Photoshop CS

Computer gear/scanner: Apple iMac 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB RAM and a Canon 9950 flatbed scanner

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take: I'm in school for photography, so basically anything we're assigned, but I enjoy doing band photography (good band photography, not shitty stuff) and architectural type photos.

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Annie Leibovitz hands down. There are some obscure guys out there too who have some great work, too many names to list here.

Favourite photo sites: Flickr

Homepage/example of your fave pic (if applicable): http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmizell "knock yourself out"

 

[Hagal]

Primary camera: Praktica BX20 £18 from a pawn shop 10 years ago

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: 24mm, 70-210mm, 50mm, M42 adaptor, 50mm Russian M42 lens, M42 extension tubes, cheap tripod, Paterson dev tank.

What you like and don't like about the camera: It's a camera, I have to push a scrunched up rizla under the lens release button to stop the lens falling off ;-)

Ideal/dream camera set up: F4 and a digital SLR, D80

Previous cameras owned: Zenith E, Nikon F90.

Photo software used: Photoshop.

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): Windows explorer.

Computer gear/scanner: Canon Canoscan 3200F with film/tranny adaptor

What kind of photos do you take: I develop my own BW film and scan the negs.

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Ernst Haas

 

[Firky]

How you getting on with the D80?

 

[Hagal]

I can get an F3 for a £100, so the D80 can wait. I like mechanical cameras.

 

[mattie]

Update:

Just got a Samsung NV10, interface is pretty unique. Not sure of image quality, and there's no viewfinder, just rear screen.

Can finally take colour shots, as darkroom monochrome only. For some reason images from Samsung look a bit more garish than I'd like.

 

[Kanda]

Pretty new hobby for me, Nikon D80/18-135 Kit & Ricoh GRD

 

[paolo]

Just upgraded.

EOS 5D
EF 24-105 F4L
EF 17-40 F4L
EF 50 F1.4
plus yer usual tripoddy, flashy and filtery things.

 

[Pie 1]

I pick up my Leaf MFDB on Wednesday, so my list is now as follows:

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera:
2 Mamiya RZ67 Pro II's (one's a back up body) with 50,90,110 &150mm lenses, prism finder, winder, extention tubes and all the other assorted gubbings - now with a Leaf Aptus 65 digital back.

What you like and don't like about the camera:

Not much I don't like - it pretty much the most versitile MF system there is.
The winder's a bit pony - slow, noisy and annoyingly greedy on batteries - I don't use it that much as a result.
It's also fucking heavy, but I rarely do hand held with it.

The shutter speeds and the rotating back is what really swings this system for me. You can set inbetween shutter speeds which is essential for me as I bracket on speed as I can't change the apature once I've creatively set the D of F. It also has speeds up to 8 seconds before you have to go to 'T'

The build quality is incredible - it's a heavy duty workhorse that's been built to be seriously used without compromise. It's never broken down in the 5 years I've had it. The lenses are also superb.
Overall I love it, and it ticks the 'job done' box every time

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for):

Fuji GW670 III MF rangefinder with fixed 90mm (for landscape work)
A real class A, lovely camera. 100% manual - photography at it's purest - with one of the finest lenses around on it. It takes genuinely beautiful pictures.
I've had it for 14 years & I love it dearly - sadly, Fuji have stopped making them.
I've also used the 6x17 version quite a bit which is, as you can imagine, fucking awesome!

Nikon FM2, F90X & F4 with usual set of primes - rarely use them anymore.

Tripods/Lights etc
Huge Manfrotto beast for studio, smaller Manfrotto for out & about.
2 x Arri 575w HMI lights

Box loads of grip & bit and pieces.

Ideal/dream camera set up:

I've got it

Photo software used:
CS2, Leaf capture & Lightroom

Computer gear:
17" Macbook Pro 2.33ghz Intel core 2 duo/2GB RAM.
MacPro 2 x 2.66 Intel duel core/ 3GB RAM
23" Apple cinema display
Lacie 2 big 500GB raid ext. HD
Lacie 60GB 'travel' ext. HD
2 x 8 GB Sandisk CF cards for the Aptus when not teathered.
Epson 1290 printer.

ABOUT YOU

What kind of photos do you take:
Commercial food & drink.
Landscape & travel

 

[baffled]

Just starting out so at the moment I have the following

Canon 400d + Kit Lens
EF 85mm f/1.8
EF 50mm f/1.8

And a couple of Lowepro bags, Slingshot and a Rezo, which are fantastic things.

I have always looked at photographs and thought I'd love to be able to do that so this year I took the plunge, at the moment I prefer working close up as I don't seem to have an eye for landscape and wide photography yet.

One thing this hobby has done is get me out of the house and visiting places I maybe wouldn't normally visit.

Some of my favourites from the short time I have been taking photos

I have been putting most of my shots on Flickr and I can see a definate improvement from when I started.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

I pick up my Leaf MFDB on Wednesday, so my list is now as follows:

ABOUT YOUR GEAR

Primary camera:
2 Mamiya RZ67 Pro II's (one's a back up body) with 50,90,110 &150mm lenses, prism finder, winder, extention tubes and all the other assorted gubbings - now with a Leaf Aptus 65 digital back.<snip>

I now understand why you thought my suggestion that it's possibly worth paying as much for your tripod as it is for your camera was, if I may paraphrase the gist of what you said: 'the right sentiment, but not to be taken literally'

 

[Pie 1]

:d

 

[Chorlton]

Primary camera: Nikon D70

Secondary cameras (and what you use them for): none, but toying with the idea of a compact

Lens/Tripod/Flashgun etc: the standard 18-700mm AF kit lens that comes with it. just got a Nikkor 50mm 'manual' and just started playing with that. SB-24, SB-600. Tripod is a Jessops own brand £25 one

What you like and don't like about the camera: D70 is generally fantastic but couple of things wind me up - no off camera flash connector point (not incl hotshoe). Won't stay in 'timer mode' for continuous shots


Ideal/dream camera set up: all i ever want is a 400mm f/2.8

Previous cameras owned: some kind of fujitsu, slr-ish shape

Photo software used: potatoshop, Picasa

Photo organisation/management software used (e.g Portfolio/ ACDSee): Picasa

Computer gear/scanner: Hp somethingorother scanner

What kind of photos do you take: landscape, sport

Who are your photographic heroes (and what you like about them): Ansel Adams. Any war journalist who got 'close enough'

 

[Chorlton]

UPDATE:: f2.8 120-300mm Sigma with x2 converter (offering a supposed 600mm at f5.6) a lowpro slingshot aw 300 and a pretty basic manfrotto monopod to hold the beast of a lens that is the aforementioned

 

[Vintage Paw]

Since I last posted I have aquired a rather fabulous Rolleicord V. I've only shot expired film with it so far so that has tainted the results to date, but it has still given good results. Just ordered a load of Acros and Neopan so we'll see how I get on with that.

I'm using film more and more than before. I love my Holgaroid, and my polaroids (SX-70 and Spectra). I also carry around my Olympus XA and XA2 everywhere with me, at the moment one with b&w (XP2 iirc) and one with Agfa Precisa. My only problem with that set up is I'm crap at deciding what I want in either style, so I end up shooting a scene with both

Still no tripod or flash. I'd like a tripod, don't really want a flash though. I like working with available light.

I got my scanner - an Epson 4990. It's great. I use the Epsonscan software - it does all I need it to. I just got an extra gig of ram today too, and photoshop is a darn sight quicker with it, although I'm sure it will lag again in time.

My homepage has changed: http://www.catherinebuca.com, as has my style a little bit. I don't think I have one cohesive style yet, I probably never will, but I am developing a few interesting ones I think.

That 'hero' I talked about - the guy I worked with who was a photographer - well he died suddenly in January from an abnominal aneurism. Gutted doesn't come close to how I feel. I never told him how much I admired him, and he never saw any of my work. I think that will go on to be one of my biggest regrets in life.