My Camera Gear--What I Shoot With + Why

I often get asked what type of camera gear I use so I figured it was time to put together a post with all the information.  It is a pretty long list but will hopefully be helpful for those looking to buy a DSLR.

Before going into detail, as a blogger, no matter what type of camera you have, I recommend shooting with a 50mm lens as this will provide great crisp images with a high aperture (bokeh or blurry background) that we love to see of home details and projects.  Almost all photos on the blog (within probably the last two years) were shot with a 50mm lens except for the occasional wide shot of an entire room (which is shot with 24-70mm).

If you are looking into professional photography, I also recommend a 50mm lens for portrait style photos.  For weddings you will want a little more range so a 24-70mm lens is a great go to camera that gives you a little bit of a zoom but still a high aperture.  We began our business shooting with a crop body camera but if you end up making your photography a business, you will want to eventually invest in a full body camera (more details on this below).

Our gear:

My very first DSLR was the Nikon D90 and it served me well as an everyday camera.  Compact enough to not completely weigh me down but fantastic enough to take incredible pictures.  I even shot a few of our first wedding gigs with it.

I used a Nikon 35mm lens on the D90 most of the time (a 50mm is a good option as well).  I loved it because it is a fixed lens (no zooming capability) and a low aperture of 1.8.  This provides beautiful crisp photos with a blurred background.

When we started our photography and my husband needed his own camera, we got a Nikon D80 which is lower end than the D90 but still did a great job as an extra camera for us (shooting features on D80 have to be found on the menu screen instead of on the camera body making it harder to change settings quickly).

We also used the following lens and were very happy with them: Sigma 85mm, Sigma 24-70mm.

We personally have loved our Sigma lenses {as compared to our Nikon ones}.  They are not as fancy schmancy as Nikon but they do the job well.  When it comes down to saving a couple hundred bucks, we have been very happy with all our Sigma gear.  As our photography business and camera knowledge has grown, we have upgraded to Nikon lenses as they are made with higher quality glass.  But for someone just starting out or is using it for everyday, we highly recommend shooting with Sigma and prefer it over Tamron.

Since then I have upgraded to the Nikon D600.  It is a full body camera (whereas the D90 is a crop body) and I usually shoot with a Nikon 50mm lens.  I also shoot with a Nikon 24-70mm lens when I need a wider angle and more range as this is a zoom lens (but still has a low aperture).  But shooting with a prime lens like the 50mm makes for a noticeably crisper image.

My husband shoots with a Nikon D800 for our photography business.  We also have a  Nikon 70-300mm which is a very large zoom lens that we use at weddings and things like football games.

I used to use a grip for the D90 which allows you to take a portrait style picture without turning your wrist, but I found that it was too heavy for me.  It also includes a space for an extra battery which is nice.  My husband uses one for the D800.

Nikon or Canon?  That is the question!  My husband researched both when we looked into buying our first SLR and a few of our photographer friends at the time were shooting with Nikon.  I trust my husband's opinion for going with Nikon.  Do I personally know a difference?  No.  Many could argue for hours on which is better but at the end of the day, they mostly do the same thing.  Go with what you know or is recommended by trustworthy photography friends.  It is easier to talk camera stuff with your friends when you know the same gear.

And because accessories are as important to me as the gear, I have a camera strap cover from Polka Dot Bungalow, and hand straps from Photojojo and SFK for Of a Kind.

I carry my gear in Kelly Moore camera bags.  I have the Two Sues which is perfect for everyday use and the Juju for holding all my gear at weddings or for carrying my gear as a carry on when traveling.  I also have The Brooklyn ONA bag for when I am dressing a little fancy.

Because we love to take our cameras everywhere, my husband and I love taking photos of the both of us when we are out and about.  We have created a system for success using our tripod and you can read about it in my post--How to Take Amazing Photos of Yourself.

You can also find all of my posts on photography tips and tricks here.  And if you want to stay in the know about our photography business, check out our blog Urke Photography.