Our Gear
Kerry
I get asked quite a bit about what gear I shoot with so I will attempt to make as complete of a list as possible. There are always little gadgets and gizmos floating around but the primary equipment remains pretty static.
Camera Gear:
My primary camera is a Canon EOS 30D, this is a serious workhorse of a camera. I carry a short, and a medium, and long range lens with it. My backup is an Canon EOS 20D. The two primary lenses are the 17-85 and 70-300. The lenses are typically equipped with Hoya UV filters just to provide protection for the lens. For a flash, the Canon 580 EX II is used with some Quantum QB-1 external battery packs.
Light Modifiers:
There is an countless number of light modifiers around here depending on what needs to get done. In the day pack I carry a Gary Fong LightSphere and a 42″ 5-in-1 reflector disc. Back in the studio there are white and silver umbrellas, reflector holders, black and white foam core boards, aluminum foil, white and black muslin, and boxes of misc. stuff that can block, bounce, or reflect light.
Studio Lights:
In the studio, we are currently using mostly constant lights with the primary lights being Westcott TD5 Spiderlites..
Camera Bag
In the camera bag I stock lots of spare batteries, a remote shutter release, UV, CP, and ND filters, an ExpoCap white balance filter, Wolverine external hard drive, model releases and pens, Nikon Lens Pen and other cleaning supplies.
Support
I use a Bogen monopod and and a Calumet tripod with a Manfrotto ballhead.
Maurice
We all have our personal preferences in photo equipment. Thats half the fun of photography… picking your gear. I have been through many brands over the years.
Camera:
I shoot with a Canon EOS 40D and an EOS 30D with my 3 favorite lenses. More to come here shortly.
David
Being a professional wedding, portrait & sports photographer, I have a diverse arsenal of equipment to use in the field and on set. I want to have as much at my fingertips as possible & ready for any situation that is thrown my way.
I used to be sponsored by Minolta & then Minolta bailed & abandoned everyone & pulled out of the photography arena. They invented the auto focus system & then couldn’t keep up with the changes in the digital revolution. So… Now I’m strictly a Canon shooter & LOVING IT! I think I should have a sticker on the back of my Ducati that says; “You Can Have My Canon Gear When You Pry It From My Cold Dead Hands” - Haha!
So here is what I love to photograph with:
Camera Gear:
Two Canon 40Ds with a battery grips, an EF 70-200mm IS 2.8 L Lens (AMAZING!) with a Hoya Black Label UV Filter, the new EF 16-35mm 2.8 L II Lens (ROCKS!) With a German Heliopan UV Filter, 14mm 2.8 Fisheye Lens, 100mm 2.8 Macro Lens with a Hoya Black Label UV Filter, a 50mm 1.4 Lens with a Hoya Black Label UV Filter, an EFS 17-55mm 2.8 Lens with a Hoya Black Label UV Filter (Backup lens - can’t be too safe!).
Lighting:
580 EX II Flash and a 580 EX Flash - each powered by Quantum Turbo Battery Packs, and a Lowel ID Light with a Cool-Lux Smart Power L7 Power Pack.
Memory:
Sandisk is the card of choice for me. I LOVE their Extreme IV 2 GB cards! They have the speed & dependability that I demand for my client’s work. They just released their Extreme Ducati Edition which is even faster! I can’t wait to get my hands on those!
Light Modifiers:
Gary Fong’s Cloud LightSphere with the inverted dome, the clear Lightsphere with the inverted dome, and the chrome inverted dome to add more punch and brightness in dark situation or when you want more snap.
Wireless Triggers:
2 Pocket Wizard Plus IIs - for when you need off camera flash at a distance or want to trigger another camera.
Tripods/Monopods/Grips:
Manfrotto 3021BN tripod in black (no reflections) with the Manfrotto 322RC2 Horizontal Grip, the Manfrotto 680B monopod in black with the Manfrotto 3265 vertical grip. And the super-sized telephoto Gorilla pod for those unusual spots you may want to grab a shot from.
Luggage:
Only 1 way or the broke down way & that’s why I use Think Tank Photo. I currently truck around my gear in their amazing Airport Security case. This ultimate rolling case holds all my gear with room to spare. And to have on my person, I love their Pro Modulus Speed Set. Basically this is the Uber Bat-belt for any photographer. Think Tank Photo is a business of professional photographers creating products for demanding professional photographers. Deanne Fitzmaurice is one of the creators of the company & she recently received the Pulitzer Prize in 2005.
Computers:
Everyone asks what you work on & I am on both platforms; Windows & Mac. I’m keeping Windows around for a few programs that aren’t native on Mac yet, but when they are… For my hard core work, I use my Mac Pro currently stuffed with 6 GBs of RAM in it. And in the field, I have my 15″ MacBook Pro with 2GBs RAM LED backlighting and a 200GB hard drive. I also use my Pantone Huey Pros to calibrate my ThinkVision Monitors. What I see on my monitors is 99% accurate of what I get on paper or in my albums. It just really doesn’t get much better than that!
Remote Storage:
I use my Wolverine ESP. It is a 6-in-1 memory card ready with a 100GB hard drive in it. I can immediately store my work on it when I’m in the field, play videos, record and play back audio. It’s 100% used on every shoot & it’s a great way to know you have an immediate backup of your work when you’re finished with your event.
