Although I did photography as a kid using mostly point-and-shoot film cameras, it's only been since 2004 that I've really gotten into it, with digital SLRs. As a sufficiently gadget-geek sort of pursuit, it deserves a page on my site with lists of things. I actually have a few different cameras, but mostly they are just for show. I take pictures with my Nikon D300. I started with digital SLRs in late 2004 with a D70 kit that was a bit of a holiday present for myself, and it has turned out to be quite an expensive hobby. My typical subjects include landscapes, bugs, flowers, wildlife, and almost anything else that catches my eye. I appreciate the smooth union of technology and art inherent and possibly unique within photography.

Cameras

I currently use a Nikon D300, which replaced my D200 in early 2008, which in turn replaced my D70 in the spring of 2006; in fact I used the D70 exactly once after I got my D200, on a trip to Chicago, and my D200 only the night I brought home my D300. Some of the pro features like mirror lockup and remote cord release on the D200 and D300 have proven to be extremely useful for the type of nature and macro work I prefer. The D300's live LCD is very nice for macros and landscapes, and the improvement in high ISO is great for indoor shots and wildlife. I also picked up a Really Right Stuff L-bracket for it.

Lenses

Of course I've gotten a pile of lenses since I innocently got into this digital photography thing with the D70 kit, all Nikkors:

• 10.5 f/2.8 DX fisheye - a very sharp lens, but certainly a specialty item. Not sure I will keep it, but great for interiors.
• 16-85 VR DX - the top "kit lens" for DX cameras. Has also pretty much replaced my 12-24. Expensive but worth it!
• 17-55 f/2.8 DX - the premier digital normal zoom, great at wider apertures and close up, quirky otherwise. Always debating whether to sell it.
• 70-200 f/2.8 VR - the premier telephoto zoom, big and heavy!
• 70-300 VR - the latest and best version of a lightweight telephoto zoom. Not that bad.
• 35 f/1.8 DX - finally, a "normal" prime for DX. Amazingly sharp, just fix those CAs in post.
• 35 f/2 D - the older indoor and lowlight "normal" standard for DX sensor cameras.
• 50 f/1.8 D - the cheap quality standard, normal for FX sensor cameras but awkward on DX.
• 60 f/2.8 G - a new macro legend, I got it mostly for travel but it's a heck of a lens.
• 105 f/2.8 VR - a new macro legend, but bulky.
• 200 f/4 AI - a very small and lightweight manual-focus telephoto, still undergoing evaluation.
• 300 f/4 AF-S w/Kirk replacement collar - long and sharp, and not a bad macro lens.
• TC-14E II teleconverter - longer and almost as sharp, as necessary, with the 70-200, 300, and 105.

I've also sold off a number of lenses and other stuff in the continuing evolution of my personal kit (see below). What I've found is that I really don't want to do ordinary photography, so my ordinary lenses tend towards the eBay scrapheap. I have a love/hate relationship with the gear - I love the results of the big pro lenses, but hate the weight, cost, and being conspicuous as a photographer. Recently I've begun to consider replacing my various "lightweight" kit options with a high-quality compact camera, like a Canon G10, and then slowly evolving my lens collection to a small set of extremely good lenses for Nikon's future high-resolution FX camera. I got into photography basically so I could capture Zen-like moments and landscapes, and after trying out all sorts of stuff, I'm going back to it. At least as of this writing!

Other SLR Stuff

• Nikon SB-800 flash.
• Nikon R1 macro flash, rarely used.
• Gitzo GT2540 4-section carbon fiber tripod with Markins M10 ballhead.
• Gitzo GT1550T 5-section carbin fiber tripod with Markins Q3T ballhead.
• Manfrotto 3001N custom tripod, with 486 ballhead and short center column, for in the car for emergencies. When I say custom, I mean I took it apart, hacksawed the legs to half-height, and put it back together again.
• Manfrotto 3021BPRO tripod (relegated to the closet).
• Nikon DR-6 right-angle viewfinder, not really used now that I have the D300.
• Manfrotto 676B monopod (little used now, good for killing spiders on the ceiling).
• Nikon 5T and 6T closeup adapters, which have become collector's items!
• Nikon CP 52mm, 67mm, and 77mm circular polarizers.
• B+W 77mm 8x ND filter.
• Kenko Uniplus 25mm AF extension tube.
• Really Right Stuff MPR-CL Arca-Swiss rail, good for panoramas and macros.

Other Cameras

I have a Sony Mavica, one of the old sub-megapixel digital cameras with a built-in floppy disk drive. It was my Dad's first digital camera and has since been passed down to me (this was before the D70, of course).

My Dad's last film camera was a Nikon FM2, before he made the jump to digital with the Mavica and then (for good) with a Canon PowerShot G3. I still marvel at how well it's built and how precise the mechanisms are. It's got a few lenses and accessories as well:

• Nikkor 50 f/1.8 series E lens.
• Nikkor 28 f/2.8 lens.
• Vivitar 70-150 zoom lens (probably a series E knockoff).
• Some brand X ancient flash unit.

I even have an "ancient" (mid 80's) Polaroid Sun 600 instant camera, the kind that takes 10-shot cartridges and spits out a developed print immediately. Fixed focal length and fixed focus, with a pop-up flash.

Sold Equipment

I've gotten rid of a fair amount of equipment as I've understood my needs better or upgraded various items:

• Nikon D200 - The D200 was my upgrade from the D70, and a very nice camera -- but it doesn't have the high ISO quality or live, big LCD of the D300. I sold it in spring 2008.
• Nikon D70 - The D70 was a very solid 6-megapixel DSLR from Nikon, positioned nicely between their entry-level and pro models. I sold it in November 2006.
• Nikkor 12-24 f/4 DX lens - wide and sharp. A good lens. I found myself just not using much since the range is covered by the 10.5 DX and the 17-55 DX and 16-85 VR zooms, and sold it in September 2009.
• Nikkor 18-70 DX lens - This is the kit lens that came with the D70, since replaced by the 18-200 VR.
• 18-200 VR lens - The controversial do-it-all lens, with which I had an "always about to sell it" relationship, until I finally did in late 2008. I replaced it with the 16-85 VR.
• Sigma EM-140 DG macro flash - For a time this was the only iTTL macro flash compatible with Nikon cameras; then it was incompatible with the D200, and I replaced it with a Nikon R1 flash kit in August 2006.
• Nikkor 70-300 f/4-5.6 ED lens - The standard consumer 300mm telephoto zoom at the time I got it, I sold it in November 2006, replaced by the 300/4.
• Nikkor 28 f/2.8 D lens - At one point I couldn't decide between the 28/2.8 and 35/2 for low-light and indoor photography; the 35/2 won, and I sold the 28/2.8 in November 2006.
• Nikon SC-29 remote flash cable - Which I really didn't need anymore with the R1 flash kit or the D200.
• Tamron 90 f/2.8 Di - A really good macro lens, which I sold in spring 2008. I thought for a long time before getting rid of this one, but for bugs I use my 105 VR, and for travel I thought I would use the AF-S 60 f/2.8. This is the only lens I regret selling, and I might get another one.
• Manfrotto 3149 micrometric focusing rail with Arca-Swiss plate adapters, which I mostly used for panoramas.