Everyone’s favorite subject, camera gear. What is the best is an age-old question which I can best answer by talking about what I use and why. But it’s not just gear, it’s the settings and how you use it.
First and foremost, no I don’t get free gear! I have been fortunate in the past to get hand me downs from my Dad once he has upgraded his footlocker but that doesn’t mean I always get gear. There is a big misconception that even though Dad and myself both shoot a lot with Nikon that we get free stuff. Yea, no, but that would be nice. Everything has a price and everything gets paid off eventually.
Let’s talk a little about gear. When it comes to gear I tend to shoot with Nikon because that is the brand I use and trust. I have for many years now and it has served me well. As far as brands go you will have to decide what you need based on what you shoot and how you shoot. Don’t go off of someone’s recommendation because everyone will have a different opinion and when it comes to photography there are a million opinions out there. I know that might seem counterintuitive since I will be writing about gear from time to time but if what I say doesn’t work for you, then don’t follow it. Each photographer can only describe what works for themselves and how it works for others.
Now when it comes to buying new gear I am a huge fan of renting before buying. Gear is expensive and there is nothing worse than buying something only to find out that it doesn’t fit your needs. Along those same lines if you do upgrade, then you might want to consider selling off old gear. Gear closets are fun to look at but they take up space, collect dust, and in the end doesn’t do a whole lot of goof if the gear is just sitting there. Sell it off and put the money towards the next trip because images are worth more than a closet full of gear.
Think of camera gear like iPhone apps, there are more coming out every day, they are fun for a while but then something new comes along, and you can’t stop buying them. Really do some homework before buying and then stick with your purchases.