Okay, admit it. If you’re a photographer, you came to this page first didn’t you? Thought so.
Many years ago, for my day job as an automobile accident reconstruction engineer, I bought my first film SLR kit: a Minolta X700 with a couple off-brand lenses. After a couple 
years, I graduated to a Nikon F4 with a couple better quality third party lenses, and a passable tripod. When the Nikon F5 came out, I traded in my trusty F4, and upgraded not just my camera, but my lenses as well. I also bought my first Gitzo tripod. That’s when I started taking photography more seriously.
Initially, I resisted the digital revolution, consoling myself that I was learning “real” photography instead. Even though I bought (and secretly loved) a 3.2mp Nikon Coolpix 990 in late 2000, I steadfastly held out from buying a DSLR until acquiring a Nikon D1x in late Summer 2001. I promptly sold all vestiges of my film equipment, including my film point-and-shoot cameras. I’ve never looked back.
I’ve progressed through the Nikon pro-level DSLR cameras, and now use a D800E (for landscape, travel, and other personal work) and a D3s (for low light, for events and some personal work, and for my engineering work).
My Nikon lenses include: 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII (my favorite); 24-70mm f/2.8; 14-24mm f/2.8; 300mm f/2.8 VRII; 60mm, 105mm, and 70-180mm Micro (macro); 70-300mm f4.5-5.6; 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.8; 85mm f/1.4 and f/1.8; 85mm tilt-shift; 16mm fisheye; the old 28mm and 35mm PC (shift) lenses; and the 1.4x, 1.7x, and new 2.0x teleconverters. I also have a Sigma 8mm circular fisheye.
My essential field gear includes: Really Right Stuff TVC-34L Versa tripod with LensCoat LegCoat covers; Arca-Swiss C1 Cube geared head (a treasure); Nikon MC-20 cable release; Dawn Technology di-GPS Pro; Tom Vadnais Photography weather-proof focusing cloth (now available from me—just e-mail); Lee filter holder with wide angle hood; B+W circular polarizer; several Singh-Ray graduated ND filters; and a Lee Big Stopper plus several other Lee neutral density filters. My ever-present crushable black felt hat is not only incredibly fashionable, but serves double-duty as a lens shade.
While traveling, all photo gear (except the tripod) is carried in a Think Tank Airport Security v2.0 rolling bag. When I get to my shooting location, I transfer what I am going to use in the field into a Think Tank belt system comprising a Steroid Speed Belt with a Pixel Racing Harness and a variable collection of Skin and Modular pouches, depending on the lenses and equipment I think I’ll need. Once you get used to carrying and working out of a belt system, you can’t go back to a backpack. It is fast, comfortable, carries easily, and never has to be set down. You’ll likely never win a fashion award while wearing a belt system, but since you’re on the other side of the lens, who cares? Besides, you can always hide under your focusing cloth, if it really bothers you!
Thanks for the hat info.
Do you mentor photographers or provide one on one instruction? If so please provide some information on how you work and your pricing.
Thanks
Rick
Tom
Good talk last night at the RPS meeting. Where do you get the cards you showed for determining if it’s worth setting up your tripod. I can not find one and what is the correct name for it if card is not?
Thank you
Tom Hughes,
I had a very hard time finding anything on the Internet about these cards. The search term that worked best for me was “viewfinder card”. The only readymade card I found was on this site
http://dvattika.com/category/store/products/ This one is a bit expensive since it ships from Scotland.
I handmade one to about the same dimensions as the one above with the goal that it would fit into my shirt pocket. I will give it a try and see if it helps.
My wife is an oil and watercolor painter. She tells me that viewfinder cards are also used by painters to search for outdoor compositions before the before setting up to paint. Her viewfinder card is larger than my pocket-sized card.