One of the most interesting aspects of photography, in my opinion, is the breadth of unique perspectives, styles, and methods used by photographers. Equally interesting is the wide range of cameras, lenses, and other equipment used to make those fantastic shots.
So what does an amateur photographer’s camera bag include? Take a look…
First, the disclaimer: in a world where everyone is being bought by companies, this post isn’t sponsored or subsidized in any way – it’s the real equipment I’ve bought and use. Second, I started out shooting Nikon products, so what you’ll find below is Nikon-specific gear (nothing against the other brands). Also keep in mind that camera equipment is as personal as a piece of jewelry or a pair of shoes, so what you end up buying should fit your environment and needs as well as personal preference.
If you want to skip to the punchline, check out all of my equipment on Kit.com.
Camera: Nikon D5600
The Nikon D5600 is a solid entry into becoming an avid photographer. It won’t break the bank significantly, but it also doesn’t scrimp on features or quality. The camera takes great photos, has good battery life, and is quite durable. What I like the most is that it tethers to my iPhone (via Nikon’s Snapbridge app) which allows it to record GPS coordinates on all of my photos (something that for me personally is a requirement). My previous Nikon D5300 contained an internal GPS receiver that offered horrible reliability so this is a significant improvement. View more about the camera here.
Lenses
While light conditions may make or break a photo, the quality and specs of a lens are a close second place. I find these to be good entry-level lenses and serve my needs quite well. There are other, possible more preferred options, so be sure to research thoroughly. View the entire kit here.
- Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED
This is my go-to lens for traveling because it gives me the widest zoom range that works well in most all scenarios (landscapes, portraits, telephoto, action). It’s a bit heavy, but having an “all-in-one” lens is worth it. - Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
This is a fairly fast lens (meaning low aperture, wider opening, more light in) that won’t break the bank but gives you additional ways in which to practice shallow depth-of-field photography (at f/2.8). It’s also fairly small and lightweight . - Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G (“nifty 50”)
A fast, small, and pretty great fixed focal length (prime) lens. This lens is fun to use because it’s fixed length requires you to move closer or farther away from the subject versus simply zooming (e.g. old school photo shoot). It’s also a great for street photography and allows you to simply snap photos walking down the street. - Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G
A great entry-level lens for macro photography (extremely close-up shots). I haven’t used this lens as much as the others – I typically use first lens above, at 300mm, to get super close to the subject (plus using such a long focal length provides a great bokeh background effect).
Filters
Putting a filter on your camera lens not only allows you to capture more “in-camera” shots, but it also lets you experiment more in a wider variety of situations. View more about the filters here.
- B+W XS-Pro Clear UV Haze
A standard UV filter, used primarily to protect the glass of the lens. This one maximizes the amount of light that passes through. - B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann Circular Polarizer
Very useful in outdoor situations, this filter minimizes reflects off of surfaces such as water, cars, or glass. This one also maximizes the light passing through. - Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter
A great lens to have if shooting longer exposures in bright sun or if you simply want to reduce the exposure without the need to camera settings or post production. - Tiffen Black Pro-Mist 1/4
My newest filter – this one smooths the image (but just slightly) in order to give it more of a movie look. Very useful in shooting portraits, head shots, etc.
And that’s it! Well, not entirely… If you’re curious about some of the other toys I’m experimenting with, check out my lighting kit, video kit, and computer hardware & software kit.