Darren Bradley
Well-Known Member
Like most people here, my kit is largely dictated by the kind of photography I shoot - architecture, in my case.
I'm currently using a 5DMkII. I used to shoot a Nikon D90 and thought it was an absolutely brilliant camera. But I switched to Canon from Nikon because it's better suited for shooting architecture. Full frame is really the only way to go there (well, large format view cameras are REALLY the way to go there, if you have the bank account, patience, and cargo capacity, etc...). And the 5DMkII is much better suited for architecture than the D700 because of the higher resolution (yes, pixels DO matter when you want to crop) and the panoply of tilt-shift lenses available. I know that the D700 is supposed to have the advantage for autofocus capabilities and high ISO performance. I won't argue with that, but I don't care because neither of those matter when you're shooting at 50 ISO on a tripod, using a manual focus lens.
The lens I use most of the time is a Canon TS-E 17mm lens. That's a tilt-shift lens with a big glass dome on the front. Most people assume it's a fisheye, but it actually has almost no distortion at all. I can shoot a brick wall or a fence head on with this lens and get straight lines with little or no barrel or pin-cushion distortion to speak of, straight out of the camera. Most people (including most photographers) wouldn't care about a little distortion here and there, I know. But in architectural photography, perspective distortion of any kind is a huge no-no, except in rare cases where you are intentionally trying to exaggerate something. Nikon's PC lenses (their version of tilt-shift) do the job, too. But they aren't as sharp, as versatile, or as numerous. You can't rotate the axis on PC lenses without sending them away to Nikon to get it done for you - each time you want to have it changed. That's not very practical. And if you plan to shoot landscapes with it, Nikon lenses are delivered in the wrong axis so need to be sent back and switched before use. With my Canon tilt-shift lens, I just press a tab and it rotates instantly into any configuration I desire, on both axis. The Canon TS-E lens has no hood, and is therefore prone to glare (despite the special coatings to prevent this). Ideally, it's best suited for interior photography. I also rent the 24mm TS-E lens, which has a hood and can also accept filters (the 17mm can't), so prefer it for outdoor / exterior work.
I also own a 24-70mm f2.8, like probably half of the people in this forum. I love this lens for shooting events like parties and such. It's a very versatile lens and is sometimes the only lens I bring with me on trips.
I have the 85mm f1.8 and a 50mm f1.4 primes, too, both of which I use primarily for walking around and/or portraits. The 50 is also good for shooting parties indoors, when I don't feeling like using the heavier 24-70 kit. It's fast enough to avoid bringing a flash, too.
Finally, the 70-200mm f2.8 IS II is the longest lens I own. I don't shoot much telephoto stuff, so that's enough reach for me, in general. I don't use it as much as the others but I'm always in awe by it's quality when I do. It's the perfect lens for shooting kids, because I can be far enough away from them to not get noticed. If I'm taking my daughter to the zoo or going to a birthday party at the park, that's usually the lens that's on my camera.
Otherwise, I have a light, compact Induro tripod and a Manfrotto ball head. Ideally, I'd prefer something a bit more robust, but my biggest priority was that it be light and compact and able to fit into my carry-on bag easily. It's sturdy enough for my camera and lenses, in any case.
Finally, one of the most important pieces of kit I own is a $3 dollar bubble level that I keep on the hot shoe of my camera. Maintaining the camera level is of critical importance for architecture shots, and that's really the only way to do that effectively.
I'm currently using a 5DMkII. I used to shoot a Nikon D90 and thought it was an absolutely brilliant camera. But I switched to Canon from Nikon because it's better suited for shooting architecture. Full frame is really the only way to go there (well, large format view cameras are REALLY the way to go there, if you have the bank account, patience, and cargo capacity, etc...). And the 5DMkII is much better suited for architecture than the D700 because of the higher resolution (yes, pixels DO matter when you want to crop) and the panoply of tilt-shift lenses available. I know that the D700 is supposed to have the advantage for autofocus capabilities and high ISO performance. I won't argue with that, but I don't care because neither of those matter when you're shooting at 50 ISO on a tripod, using a manual focus lens.
The lens I use most of the time is a Canon TS-E 17mm lens. That's a tilt-shift lens with a big glass dome on the front. Most people assume it's a fisheye, but it actually has almost no distortion at all. I can shoot a brick wall or a fence head on with this lens and get straight lines with little or no barrel or pin-cushion distortion to speak of, straight out of the camera. Most people (including most photographers) wouldn't care about a little distortion here and there, I know. But in architectural photography, perspective distortion of any kind is a huge no-no, except in rare cases where you are intentionally trying to exaggerate something. Nikon's PC lenses (their version of tilt-shift) do the job, too. But they aren't as sharp, as versatile, or as numerous. You can't rotate the axis on PC lenses without sending them away to Nikon to get it done for you - each time you want to have it changed. That's not very practical. And if you plan to shoot landscapes with it, Nikon lenses are delivered in the wrong axis so need to be sent back and switched before use. With my Canon tilt-shift lens, I just press a tab and it rotates instantly into any configuration I desire, on both axis. The Canon TS-E lens has no hood, and is therefore prone to glare (despite the special coatings to prevent this). Ideally, it's best suited for interior photography. I also rent the 24mm TS-E lens, which has a hood and can also accept filters (the 17mm can't), so prefer it for outdoor / exterior work.
I also own a 24-70mm f2.8, like probably half of the people in this forum. I love this lens for shooting events like parties and such. It's a very versatile lens and is sometimes the only lens I bring with me on trips.
I have the 85mm f1.8 and a 50mm f1.4 primes, too, both of which I use primarily for walking around and/or portraits. The 50 is also good for shooting parties indoors, when I don't feeling like using the heavier 24-70 kit. It's fast enough to avoid bringing a flash, too.
Finally, the 70-200mm f2.8 IS II is the longest lens I own. I don't shoot much telephoto stuff, so that's enough reach for me, in general. I don't use it as much as the others but I'm always in awe by it's quality when I do. It's the perfect lens for shooting kids, because I can be far enough away from them to not get noticed. If I'm taking my daughter to the zoo or going to a birthday party at the park, that's usually the lens that's on my camera.
Otherwise, I have a light, compact Induro tripod and a Manfrotto ball head. Ideally, I'd prefer something a bit more robust, but my biggest priority was that it be light and compact and able to fit into my carry-on bag easily. It's sturdy enough for my camera and lenses, in any case.
Finally, one of the most important pieces of kit I own is a $3 dollar bubble level that I keep on the hot shoe of my camera. Maintaining the camera level is of critical importance for architecture shots, and that's really the only way to do that effectively.
