As you know, I really enjoy photography. Gabbie was asking me when I started taking pictures, and I can remember having cameras from back when I was her age. I would take photos of my friends at camp and bring my cameras along on vacation, etc. It’s been a few years since I went from a point and shoot to a DSLR camera, and today I thought I’d share the equipment I own and use regularly in my photography. These links may be affiliate links which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small incentive.
1. Before I fully switched to a DSLR, I had a Nikon Coolpix camera, which is a point and shoot, but with more adjustability in the shooting modes. I liked it, but when it wasn’t working properly after a drop on a tile floor (oops) I decided to upgrade to an actual DSLR and I decided to stick with Nikon. I chose the D3300 because it is known as a good entry level DSLR. It comes with an 18-55 mm lens, known as the kit lens.
2. Soon after I got my DSLR, I wanted to experiment with different types of lenses. The first one I chose was the 35 mm f/1.8 G lens, which is a fixed lens – it doesn’t zoom – and has a fast maximum aperture. It works well in low light and creates that blurred background we all love. On the D3300, 35 mm is similar to what our eyes see, but I find that I have to back off a lot when I try to get my subject in the frame. It does take some getting used to! It’s a really great lens for the price! This is the lens I keep on my camera most of the time.
3. The next lens I bought was the 55-200 mm f/4-5.6 G lens. I use this one for distance shooting, especially at events like school performances and Gabbie’s dance recitals. It usually works well for that type of photos!
4. My 3rd lens is the most recent I’ve purchased and I use it the least because I’m still not positive what situations to use it in! The 10-20 mm f/4.5-5.6 G lens is a wide-angle lens, which should make it easier to include more in a photo, but I find that it makes things look smaller than they actually are, which I’m not used to yet.
5. As far as additional accessories, I have a few! One of my lenses came with a ProOptic 52mm Digital Essentials Filter Kit which I have used occasionally. I have a UV filter on my kit lens and it seems to be stuck there…I had this happen to another lens filter and I went to a local camera store and got a filter wrench, but I still can’t get the UV lens off the kit lens! I had another filter on my 55-200 lens and I dropped the lens. The filter shattered but the lens was fine! So I do need to replace that one!
6. I also have a set of macro lens filters which I use to take close up pictures. I am still learning how to focus when I’m using them!
7. This year I got myself a tripod, which I have used occasionally. It is great for when you want to slow down your shutter and hand holding the camera will cause motion in your image.
8. I don’t have an official camera bag, but I used to have one that had velcro padding inside and I use that padding inside my regular handbag to protect my lenses when I carry them around. I recently replaced my camera strap with a pretty one from BrowardPatch on Etsy.
9. When I went to L.A. this year, I realized I’d left my battery at home. I had to hit up BestBuy for a replacement, so now I have two batteries! You also need an SD card (if it’s micro, make sure you have an adapter), and I could probably use a larger one!
10. Finally, I recently purchased the Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop package to help me with my editing and post-processing skills. As with most things, it’s a learning process!
I have a lot of camera items on my wishlist, including farther zoom lenses and even more advanced cameras. Do you have any recommendations as to what I should save for next?
