--my gears
Equipment
The first camera I ever used for photography was a Sony RX100 III in 2017. Though hard for using, it was my first photography teacher. What follows is a overlook of my gears used in recent years. The setup may not catch up with the most updated techs, but stress portability--"willing to take it on then go" comes first to me.
There are many equipment listed below, but every time I go out, I usually take no more than two fixed-focus lenses. I want to reduce unnecessary loads, and focus on specific perspectives.
Current Camera｜Fujifilm X-T3
Lenses｜Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro & 35mm f/2
I bought this brand new XT-3 2021 at RMB6,000, vary cheap comared with the price RMB12,000 when it was released. compared to XT20, it has better controls, a larger viewfinder, and more reliable autofocus ability.
Fuji has some unique advantages, such as mechanical operation to adjust all the main parameters, very suitable for street photography ; body plus lens is small, will not disturb the subject; The bulid-in color style is nice, sometimes can save time from post-processing (still necessary for serious photography ). It's normal to bring back hundreds of raw photos after traveling one day, eliminating the complex post can reduce the fatigue of the journey, but also let us be more focused on composition.
I prefer Fujinon f/2 series lenses, whose optical quality can well meet the needs with fair prices. The compact shooting system makes it possible to travel without burden and provides covertness, reducing the stress of the target people. I don't really need an aperture below 2.0, as excessive bokeh can lead to a loss of information.
The XF 35mm f/2 R WR, full-frame 52mm equivalent, is a classic Fujinon lens, suitable for a wide range of scenarios and capable of being used for street photography. It can also be used for portraits.
I later added the newly released 30mm f/2.8 macro lens for daily life documentation. It has an view of full-frame-equivalent 44mm, slightly wider than 50mm and more focused than 35mm, and the macro plays out unexpectedly in certain outdoor scenarios.
Previous｜Fujifilm X-T20
Purchased in 2019 and it was a great bargain. While it was a second-hand model, it was in pretty good condition and fit me well then. In late 2021, I switched to the xt3 because I really needed a more powerful and stable machine.
Film | Olympus 35RC
Made in the 1970's and in very good condition. I bought it mainly because I like the 42mm lens and the side viewfinder. Very compact and can be easily taken out together with other cams.
It is better to choose a film camera with a simple structure as it is less prone to damage and easier to repair. Price is also an important consideration. Usually film cams are not expensive, but films, as a consumable materials, may cost more than imagine. By the way, mono films can be developed at home withought difficulty.
Film | Yashica Mat-124G
A double-lens reflex film camera from the 1980s while the optical quality is still not bad today, since the medium format film has an inherent imaging advantage, coupled with the waist-level viewfinder gives a unique perspective.Unfortunately, the camera malfunctioned months after I bought it. The experience reminds me that when buying a mechanical film camera, it is important to prioritize stability, otherwise maintenance and repair will be a hassle.
Leses Previously Used
｜Fujinon 27mm f/2.8
｜Fujinon 50mm f/2
｜Fujinon 56mm f/1.2
｜Viltrox 56mm f/1.4
Listed here are lenses that I once used but eventually abandoned and sold out, even though they have their own characteristics. Some of the photos on this site were also created with them.
I tried the XF27mm lens for persuit of compacting, only giving up dut to the terrible focusing performance.
For a while I tried street photography with a 75mm equivalent XF50 lens, but soon realized that shooting too far away from people was a little offensive and started walking closer. This lens then became less important.
The Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 is a cost-effective third-party lens that is compact and fast focusing, with poor optical quality though. Comparatively, the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R has great optical quality, but is slightly bulkier, slower to focus, and more than three times the price of the Viltrox. I used them for portraits, founding that I actually didn't like the excessive bokeh leading to the lack of storytelling. In the end I opted for my favorite 35mm f/2 lens for portraits.
Astrophotography | Special System
Astrophotography uses completely different equipment than daily photography, but the basic components are similar.
The tripod for astrophotography is an equatorial mount which counteracts the Earth's rotation by actively rotating, allowing for longer tracking. Additional star-guiding system and polar axis calibration equipment are also needed to improve the accuracy of the tracking.
An astronomical telescope can be seen as a special lens for astrophotography. Compared to telephoto lenses for digital cameras, astronomical telescopes have better image quality at infinity with a simple and solid structure.
Astronomical photography usually requires a special camera with active cooling. Since astrophotography requires extremely loooong exposures, the CMOS heats up easily and generates a lot of thermal noise, which needs to be suppressed by cooling.
Also, post-processing of astronomical photos requires special software. Serious astrophotographers use Pixinsight for post-processing, while Photoshop contains only a small part of the whole process.
Summary
I think the most important questions about photography should be: what kind of works do I want most, and then, what kind of equipment do I need meet just what I need without going broke with expensive gears.
Professional photography equipment may not be as expensive as you think, but only if you know what you need and be decisive in giving up expensive features that you don't actually need. The best camera is always the one you would like to take out with you most.
-- Updated in Aug, 2023