About MY Gear
Cameras
I became interested in photography during my teens, and recall enjoying taking pretty bad photos with a rather basic 110 film format pocket camera. My first 'proper' camera was a 21st birthday present from my amazing parents. It was a Minolta X-300 manual focus film SLR camera and I still, and always will, have it (evidence here).
So from this point I kept snapping away taking thousands of photos, upgrading my Minolta gear from time to time, with boxes of slides (and memories) stored in my loft as a result. I was also learning about what areas of photography I enjoyed. Time moved on and so did technology, through autofocus and on to digital, to the point where I purchased my first digital SLR, a Konica Minolta Dynax 7D with a whopping 6 megapixels (more evidence here). This is the starting point for these website photos, and the quality was good for the time.
Shortly afterwards Konica Minolta, a well respected company but gradually falling behind Canon and Nikon in the new digital era, was taken over by Sony.
My first Sony camera was a Sony alpha a700 SLR (12megapixel, APS-C sensor, A mount). Sony were determined to make a major impact in the digital camera market. After a stuttering start they have managed it, and are now leading the technology in areas such as sensors and mirrorless camera bodies, although it took a few years to get there. I stuck with Sony and am very glad that I did.
Other digital cameras I have used for these website images, but no longer own, are
the Sony alpha a850 SLR (24 megapixel, full frame sensor, A mount), the Sony alpha a77 SLT (24 megapixel, APS-C sensor, A mount), and the Sony alpha a7R mirrorless camera (36 megapixel, full frame, E mount).
The digital cameras I currently use (shown above) are as follows:
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Sony alpha a600 mirrorless (24 megapixel, APS-C, E mount) - travel and sport;
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Sony alpha a99 II SLT (42 megapixel, full frame, A mount) - landscapes, wildlife and macro;
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Sony alpha a7R III mirrorless (42 megapixel, full frame, E mount) - landscapes and travel.
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Sony alpha a7R V mirrorless (60 megapixel, full frame, E mount) - landscapes and travel.
Through this 15 years or so the technology has improved at an incredible pace. The cameras I now use are pretty amazing.
Lenses
The main lenses I use for my photography are as follows:
A Mount
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Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T*
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Sony 70-400mm f4-5.6 G SSM
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Sony 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G SSM
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Konica Minolta AF 17-35mm F/2.8-4 (D)
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Sigma Macro 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
E Mount
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Sony FE 16-35mm f4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar T*
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Sony FE 35mm f2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T*
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Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T*
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Sony FE 24-105mm f4 G OSS
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Sony FE 70-200mm f4 G OSS
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Sony FE 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 G OSS
Tripods
My main tripod is a Manfrotto 055MF4 magfiber, with a Manfrotto 322RC2 heavy duty grip ball head. For trekking up fells and travel I use a Manfrotto BeFree with ball head.
Camera Bags
Probably like most photographers I seem to collect all shapes and sizes of camera bags. The two main backpacks I use for serious photo trips are a Lowepro Pro 450 AW (for lots of gear), and more usually a Manfrotto Pro Light RedBee-310 which is perfect for a day out in the Lake District.
Filters
I us a NiSi V6 100mm filter holder system with NiSi circular polariser. This is a fantastic system which allows up to three filters to be attached in addition to the polariser.
Neutral density filters: Lee Little and Big Stoppers.
Neutral density graduated filters: Cokin Z-Pro 2 stop and Lee 3 stop.
