While I do have a great collection, it’s important to know that I have accumulated these babies over the last decade. I use each and everyone of these regularly.
(learn more about common lens purchase mistakes here)
{I also have 10 SD cards, 3 batteries, a wireless shutter release and tripod- not shown}
Let me introduce you to the crew…
Lenses
1.”the beast” Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8.
95mm 1/200 f/3.2 ISO 200
170mm 1/400 f/2.8 ISO 250
95mm 1/200 f/3.2 ISO 200
200mm 1/1000 f/2.8 ISO 320
Upside- Gorgeous bokeh, nice and creamy. Ah-Mazing zoom! Tack sharp beauty. 2.8 all the way through.
Downfall- Price tag. Also, it’s mega heavy. Not really practical to take everywhere. Only comes out during a shoot. You need distance between you and your subject, not ideal in small rooms or tight spaces. Great one arm workout, if you’re into working out only one arm that is!
2. “the mighty mouse” Nikkor 35mm 1.8.
35mm 1/500 f/2.8 ISO 320
Upside- This little gem has been with me a long time. It’s great in tight spaces when you need to get more details into the frame and offers a pretty good wide angle. Very lightweight and easy to tuck into almost any bag or purse. Reasonably priced.
Downfall- Not super sharp. I don’t love this one for portraits. It really causes distortion of the face. Probably not super flattering if you plan on doing portraits. Check our Number 4.!
3. “the drama queen” Nikkor 10-24mm {wide angle} 3.5-4.5
10mm 1/125 f/10 ISO 200
Upside- Starting out as a landscape/cityscape photographer, this lens took it ALL IN! I remember the first time I brought it on a trip to Mexico… whoa! To see the cinematic range that I was able to capture, it really was dramatic! I was instantly in love. No more stitching multiple photos in post. I could grab a whole scene in one click!
Downfall- Not overly versatile. Because we do a lot of travel, it always comes along for the ride, but if I didn’t do landscapes/cityscapes, I could live without it. Minimal distortion at edges. NOT idea for portraits (close-ups specifically).
4. “McDreamy” Nikkor 85mm 1.8
85mm 1/500 f/3.5 ISO 640
85mm 1/250 f/5 ISO 640
85mm 1/125 f/9 ISO 2000
Upside- Probably my favourite lens ever. Practical. Easy to tote around. I use this for most of my ‘still life’ images. It is also GORGEOUS for portraits, super flattering lens. At 1.8 the bokeh is dreamy {hence the nickname}. I’ve shot many products/still life with this as the Depth of Field is stunning. Better price than the 85mm 1.4. For the sake of the extra stop in aperture, 1.8 is just as stunning in my opinion.
Downfall- The 85mm means you need room between you and your subject. Not ideal in tight spaces if you wish to have more than just a head and shoulders in the frame.
5. “the close-up” Nikkor Micro 60mm 2.8-4.8
Upside- Macro is purely fun. Making the ordinary details extraordinary. Bonus feature- for me, it doubles as an alternative to a portrait lens. I love this one because it is great for detail shots. I’ve taken some beautiful close-ups where the details in the eyes are mind-blowing. Facial distortion at 60mm minimal.
60mm 1/400 f/4 ISO 640
60mm 1/400 f/4 ISO 640
60mm 1/3200 f/4 ISO 250
60mm 1/200 f/10 ISO 800
Downfall- Probably a lens if you’re more interested in Macro photography, or if you want to have some fun creatively. Not a must-have. Though I admit, I’ve used it a lot over the years. I’m sure if you’re looking into Macro, there might be other lenses on the market today that might be better. If you’ve never shot macro before, there is a science to it, and being patient is a huge part of the equation. If you have, you know exactly what I mean!
6. “the veteran”- Nikkor 18-200mm 3.5-5.6 RETIRED (not shown)
95mm 1/1000 f/7.1 ISO 640
Upside- Very versatile! This was my first lens. Now retired after 10+ years of hard work. Great for everyday use. I traveled with it everywhere!! I miss that guy…
Downfall- Not overly sharp. With such a huge range, I’ve noticed that these mega zoom lenses just don’t always deliver the sharpness department. But hey, it’s been a decade, maybe a new one might offer what was lacking all those years ago!
Camera bodies
NIKON D750- “the leading lady”
60mm 1/100 f/5.6 ISO 400
Nikon D750 1/125 f/1.8 ISO 12,800
The d75o is my primary camera for shooting my everyday. A feature I fell in love with is the tilting LCD display, which makes my favourite shooting-from-above perspective ultra simple. The dual SD card slot is a must when shooting professionally, or as a hobbyist. Having that back-up, when a card failed on me, had me breathing a huge sigh of relief, knowing the disappointment if all had been lost. The low light performance was the ultimate selling feature for me. Having the flexibility to shoot indoors, or in low light situations has made bumping that ISO less daunting. Added bonus- I love the full HD 1080p cinematic video capabilities.
Upside- This full frame is a creation of beauty. The low light ability is amazingly incredible with it’s ISO capability reaching new heights. Love making videos and time-lapses on this baby too! This is my everyday body.
Downside- It’s got a heavy price tag.
NIKON D7100- The Understudy
Upside- This has a crop sensor, which works great with some of my lenses. (my first Nikon D300 was a crop, so I still have lenses that are compatible with the DX). It’s been just a amazing as the D750 with the exception of the crop. Worth every penny so far.
I have it as a ‘back-up’ during portrait sessions, or while filming behind-the-scenes of our session. I’ve had camera failure in the past, thankfully it was not during a paid shoot!
Downside- while there is an interval timer, there is no time-lapse feature. No biggie.
Accessories
1. Wacom Intuos Tablet
2. iPhone
3. Macbook Pro 15″
4. Expodisc
Wacom Intuos Tablet.
This was a purchase decision I was on the fence about for a long time. The biggest regret I have, I wish that I would have bought it sooner. I love the control of using this little pen to really execute those fine details while editing my images. It feels so much more refined than using my mouse, or more often, my trackpad. Downfall, don’t lose your pen. Although it’s replaceable, it won’t be inexpensive, so make sure you always slide that pen back into the Wacom holder when finished.
iPhone.
I cannot believe how much I actually enjoy this camera-with-a-phone-built-in. They have come so far with quality, and I use it a ton when shooting vids of my family while skiing (I just can’t bring the DSLR, too bulky, and too risky for me.) I love the convenience. While it won’t come close to my D750, I do believe that the best camera is the one in your hands. I also use several apps, such as Enlight, for editing, and Dropbox to transfer my files from my Mac to my phone (which is the easier way I have found to bring those DSLR images into my Instagram.)
MacBook Pro 15″.
I am a person that is always on the go. Whether I’m at home, or at our winter ski chalet, I do love the flexibility of being mobile with my editing. I enjoy Mac since it is what I’ve used for at least 10 years, and I kinda just love it.
Expodisc.
It is foolproof. It takes the proper WB measurement, with such minimal effort. I found that this has significantly reduced my time in post-processing.
So, there’s a little glimpse of what’s inside my bag… now, I just need to find the perfect tote and I’ll be all set!
D xo
dana walton photography 