Gear Update

Last March I wrote a post outlining the gear I use in the field, and the software I use to process photos.  The gear remains the same, but which lens I use frequently and how I process photos has evolved a bit, enough so that I thought it was time to revise and update that previous post...

Hardware:

My camera body is a Nikon D7000.  This replaces the Nikon D40 that I used for over four years.  After taking 13,347 shots with the D40 I decided it was time to upgrade to something that packed more punch.  After much deliberation I decided to stick with Nikon’s DX format (you can read more about that here), and the D7000 was the best DX format camera available.  At this point in time I’ve taken about 7,200 shots with the D7000, and have been consistently impressed by the camera’s performance and the resulting image quality.

I have four lenses in my bag right now, all Nikon Nikkor glass: the Nikkor 10-24 DX, Nikkor 18-55 DX, Nikkor 55-300 DX VR, and the Nikkor 85 DX VR Micro.  The 55-300 VR used to be on the camera when I went out hiking, or when driving so I can grab a shot of whatever I came across, near or far.  In the last couple of months this has changed, and the 18-55, the “kit” lens that came with the D40, a lens that I rarely used in the past, is usually on the camera.  It’s small, light, and sharp, and the wider angle of view more closely fits what I've been photographing since I moved to New Mexico, landscapes and environmental shots (doors, windows, buildings).  Occasionally I opt for the 10-24 when I head out.  This lens allows me to go even wider, or to push in real close to a subject and immerse myself in the image.  I love this lens and it’s really changed the way I approach some subjects.  I also have the 85 VR Micro which I use occasionally for macro shots of flowers.

Another major shift in approach is that I started using the RAW file format when shooting.  At first I used the RAW+JPEG crutch, but quickly abandoned that to shoot exclusively in RAW.  I file this gives me full control over the final image, allowing me to adjust exposure, color temp, etc. as needed.  Using this file format in conjunction with Adobe Lightroom (see comments below) has been the greatest step forward in my work over the past year.

All images are processed and stored on a MacBook Pro 15" with Retina Display, and backed-up on two Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1.5 TB Portable Hard Drives.  I also have an older Seagate 160 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive that I’ve had for years, which I've recently "semi-retired" as I've filled it to capacity. 

Software:

I started Adobe Lightroom 4.3.2 in March.  Before making the jump to Lightroom I was using Apple Aperture 3.0 to process my photos, and I occasionally dabbled with using the Topaz Adjust 5 plug-in within Aperture.  I used both for a little while but now use Lightroom almost exclusively.  I feel that Lightroom gives me the right tools to organize and process my photos.  The other reason that I gravitated to Lightroom is that the amount of product documentation vastly outweighed that available for Aperture.

I also have Photomatix Pro 4.2.4 installed for producing HDR images.  I started producing HDR images using bracketed shots this past June.  For certain subjects - like landscapes, buildings, and old automobiles - I love the end result of using the method of processing photos.  Using this process has been both exciting and frustrating, and on occasion I've leaned towards "over processing" photos so they look hyper-realistic... The latest shift I've made is that now, about 50% of the time, I use Photomatix Pro to merge several bracketed photos, then I finish processing that image in Lightroom, giving me the blended exposure look, with a greater dynamic range of light, of HDR, while keeping the finishing touches more realistic...

Support:

I have a Manfrotto 190XPROB Pro tripod with a Manfrotto 496RC2 Compact Ball Head, a 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate attached to my camera, and a Vello Two-Axis Hot Shoe Bubble Level that fits in the top of the camera.  

With the exception of the tripod, all of this gear - including the MacBook and two portable hard drives -fits into a Lowepro Pro Roller Lite 250 AW roller bag that will fit in the overhead bin of most aircraft.