What gear should you use ?

21/02/2017

The lens / camera

I won't tell which brand or model is the best because it is not going to be helping much. Instead you should see in which category of photographer you are.

Total beginner

Check in your family/friends if anyone has a camera. What about learning some basics with your phone ? If it doesn't fit you, go check any first entry/second hand Dslr with a kit lens. No need to spent much, you don't know yet if photography is something you are going to be in.

Casual shooter (shoot your friend, your holidays)

Any entry Dslr with a kit lens will do (especially if you have an Aps-C format, will explain in another post why). Most of the time it will be a 18-55mm 3.5-5.6. Nothing extraordinary but for day time, during your holidays, it will work perfect. The 18 mm will be your friend to take the sea or the mountain and the 55 mm will be great to shoot a portrait of your friend.

Portrait is your thing.

Any Dslr will still do, a 50mm 1.8 will be your best friend to start with. It's cheap, reliable, sharp. For close up try a 85 2.8 (a bit more pricey). Check anywhere on internet, everyone loves the 50mm.

Macro photographer

Any Dslr will (again ? ) a macro lens will be your friend here. The lens will have the 'macro' word on it. Often 100mm macro or 70-300 macro from Sigma for example.

Sport photographer

Middle to high end camera will be needed. High Fps (frame per scond), high Iso, telephoto lens, we are on the pricey side of the force.

The flash

It exists dozen of different flash but if you really want to start and know how to use it, get a simple manual flash. The Chinese one (YongNuo) is quite good for the price. You will need to pay attention of the sync speed. (It is the speed at which you will be able to use your flash) (1/180, 1/250, and even 1/8000 lately). The fact that it is manual will teach you how the light works out of a flash.

The reflector.

Most of the time they come in 5 in one. Black, white, translucid, golden, silver. Actually only 3 are really useful. The black side can "cut" some unwanted reflection (from the grass for example), the translucid will diffuse the harsh sun, so you will be able to shoot in full sun and the white to recover details in the shadows. Pretty inexpensive, it is a must have for portrait photographer.

The bag.

A lot of designed bag are out nowadays, find a cheap one but useful. Mine can only be opened from its back, so thieves can't have a look in :)

A tripod

Go with your budget. As you will get better, you will end up with some high end one. Could cost until 300$.

This was only a little head-on, it depends a lot of your type of photography. Don't go and buy the best gear thinking that it will help you to take better pictures. Cause it won't.

Go out and shoot !

Jeremy

List of entries :

What is the aperture

What gear do I use