What follows in the other gear menus is a list of cameras and gear that I’ve worked the most with. Gear is awesome! However, and don’t get me wrong as I’m a self admitted gear junky! It’s not all about gear and as the common phrase goes: Less is More!
Now more than ever I try and limit my gear when I’m out shooting as bringing too much overwhelms you into always wanting to switch lenses or cameras. On a usual one or two day photo trip I’ll only bring one or two lenses and camera bodies some filters and extra batteries and memory cards. That being said I’ll make sure I know my subject and I’ll be able to pack accordingly.
I’ve been asked on several occasions why I use the Canon and Mamiya/Phase One brands most often
It’s all about personal preference.
I grew up using Canon and have never found an issue with the brand, when I moved up to a digital camera I did try out a few other brands like Nikon, Pentax, and Sony but none felt right to me. Currently I’ve tried my hand at the new Fuji mirror less X-T series cameras and I absolutely love its colour rendition and its lens selection. However, I can’t stand its ergonomics and just dislike holding it.
When I wanted to move up to medium format just a few short years ago and i picked up an old Kowa Six, it’s a great camera (named our dog after it) but it doesn’t have much of the flexibility I wanted and needed. It was then just shortly after working with the Kowa that I was introduced to the Mamiya/Phase One brand. That brand solved quite a few issues that I had with the new to me medium format. I could change the film backs at anytime, and with the 645 format I could use auto focusing lenses. Also, the 645 felt great in my hands as it’s just a bigger SLR camera.
What it all boils down to is that you can have the greatest camera but if it doesn’t feel right to you, you won’t be wanting to go out and take images.
Gear is great but it’s the six inches behind the viewfinder that does all the best work, having the best camera does not make better pictures, you the photographer does! So take your Nikon’s, Canon’s, Sigma’s, Hasselblad’s, SLR’s, Point and Shoots, Digital or Film and get out shooting!