*********There is no reason for this thread ***********

Just love to know what kinda cameras everyone uses -

First : what is your weapon of choice as a photographer - and why did you choose your camera over other brands ????

Second : What is your favorite lens for " your " style of work ????

From March '04 when I began until July 1st of this year it was an film Eos Rebel.  28-200 lens.  Used it because my older brother bought it for me and I picked Canon because that's what my father had always used.

Since July 1st, I've been slowly stepping away from the Rebel and working more with my Mamiya 645.  I've got 80 and 150 lenses and will add a 110 soon.  Haven't had it long enough to have a lens preference, but I've always leaned towards the perspective longer lenses give.  Picked mamiya because it felt good in hand and it provided quality for the cost.  It had also been said to be a good intro camera to medium format.




On trips I use a 6x9 Agfa Clack.  Just because...

Nikon around 1991 as the line continued to produce fully manual as well as AF cameras, the latest thing way back then, and as an avid winter backpacker, I appreciated the reduced weight, toughness, and relative independence from batteries in the manual units.

Got a bunch, but am only using an '80s vintage Pentax 6x7 right now, with normal and wide lenses.

-Don

Oh why it's Hasselblad with digital back...

Just kidding. 

For film I use Zenit E-11 (basically one of the best Soviet made 35mm film bodies, very compact yet indestructible and T-72 tank (or AK-47 machine gun) reliable) with Gelios 50mm/f2 prime glass.

Digital it's 30D as main and D350 as backup, 2 main lenses are 50/1.8 and cheapo 28-135 with IS...

I've gone through a fleet of cameras since I started shooting 15 years ago. For a time, I was buying and selling them (used thrift store stuff). Some standouts for me - c1950 Contax IIa color dial with 50mm 1.5 Zeiss Sonnar. You could see a difference in sharpness and contrast in the slides I took with this camera, it was the best 35mm I have ever shot. 1972 Nikon F photomic head. A solid versatile brick of a camera. Used a Vivitar 70-210 3.5 constant on there and took a many fine photos. Mamiya RB67 with 180 4.5 uncoated lens. A huge beast, I used to say it didn't need a tripod mount, it needed a trailer hitch! Took awesome photos, the tranparencies were like little jewels. There were a bunch of others, I pretty much like any thing that works!! I have sold all my film equipment. Currently I use a Sony 828, sort of a super point and shoot. It is 8mp and has a great Zeiss zoom that is very fast. The 8x10s I shot in the studio looked better than anything I'd shot on the Nikon F (go ahead, blame the Vivitar!). I am getting by with it and waiting for digital to reach a more practical price point. It is just a matter of time before I get a DSLR, and maybe I will get a 4X5 view camera for film again.

Weapons?  Anything bayonet mount...

i probably have more than i need, but each has it's own unique personality that makes it the proper choice in the right situation.  i've been favoring my leica minilux p&s lately, as it really disarms the models (they can't believe i'm taking "real" pics with that thing).  my polaroid 680 serves the same purpose.  the "real" cameras are medium format rangefinders - mamiya 6 and fuji gw670ii - as well as a hasselblad v-system and rolleiflex tlr that are both collecting dust at the moment due to my infatuation with the rangefinders.  i use a polaroid 180 to preview what i'm taking with the rangefinders.

i like to use cameras that do not demand attention, distracting me from interacting with the model.  this is why manual rangefinders work so well for me - simple and fast.  i can't stand buttons and menus!

A graduation present of a Nikkormat FTn in 67 with a 55mm 1.2 lens, and a Nikon fan ever since. Once you have the lenses, no need to change brands.

LOL - I am so jealous of everyone and all there old school toys that shoot bad ass slides and such . I am actually in the market for an original working "WET PLATE" style camera -  to replicate some photos in the late 1800's , a man can wish right !!!!!!

Currently I am using a Canon "1d Mark II" , and a "20Da" as my back up - the only 1 lens I own is a Canon 24-70 2.8L , which all the work on my page was shot with - Novaflex has realeased a mount to put Leica lenses on Canon EOS DSLR's now , thinking about giving that a try !!!!

nikon n8008 with a tokina 24-200 and an sb-24

or  minolta x-700 with a 13-135

My weapon of choice is my Canon 30D right now, but I also have way to many cameras to list LOL

My favorite lens is my Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I like it better than "L" glass

Started out with the Phase One H-101 on a Hasselblad H1 Body
We then picked up the Phase One P-45 on a Hasselblad H2 Body

Favorites Lens is the 80mm/2.8 and the 150mm/3.2

Hard to beat my Hasselblad 500CM for that square look.  I have a RZ 67 and rarely use it, looking to sell it actually.  I do miss my Pentax 67 at times, but do not miss the weight and shutter vibration.

For my digital I use a 20D.  I have a Canon 1v but never use it.  If I were told to keep 1 camera and 1 camera only I would choose my Contax 645. 

Why, well in short is it med format, light, fantastic fast glass, well built, accepts digi backs (God forbid) and most of all it is something you can hand hold and is instictive like a 35mm SLR.

When I have time I llike my 4x5 format

Digital. 

I use the Nikon D2h for digital, the F100 for film and rangefinders for fun.  D2h is a joy to use & I have used the D1, D1x, D100, D70, and canon D30 and the D2h is my main battle tank.  Nikon has the best handling I have ever used; Pentax’s are nice as well.  My favorite lens’s are Soligar 135mm f/2.8 for Pentax; 50mm 1.4 Nikon.

Canon 20D with a Canon Elan 7 film body for a backup.
Favorite lens would have to be my 75-300 for now, I finally got to put the 70 - 200mm L glass through its paces this weekend though so I'm going to be adding that one soon!  Always shot with Canon from the beginning, never really looked too hard at anything else, it's what I was raised on.

I'm still waiting for the right shoot to whip out my Nishika N8000. 3D baby! $25 camera.

Sigh........ ok, what the hell.

I primarily shoot editorial-style fashion and lifestyle imagery. And I have a few different camera systems of various characteristics in different formats for different approaches. Like a painter who uses a whole set of different brushes for different purposes and effects.

That said, my primary working tool is a Contax 645 kit with 55mm f3.5, 80mm f2.0, 140mm f2.8 lenses, a 1.4 teleconverter, and occasionally a 120mm f4 macro that I steal from my Hasselblad kit and mount with an adapter. Plus all the widgets that go with it (back-up body, backs, polaroid, grip, etc...) (Translated into 35mm format terms, those lenses would be about 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, a 1.4 teleconverter that would turn the 85 roughly into a 120mm f4, and about a 65mm macro.) I use all three lenses regularly in my work, though only rarely do I use the teleconverter or borrow the macro from Hasselblad. They're all relatively moderate lenses, you'll notice. I don't particularly like perspectives that are too extreme, and I think most people just getting into model photography think you need much longer lenses to shoot fashion than I feel is necessary. 35-50-85... works like a charm for me.

Why? (The short version):

First, why a 645 format SLR. Because it's med format and editors like looking at med format chromes, and I'm not usually asked to specifically shoot a bigger format like 6x7. That keeps the camera smaller and lighter and easier to handle, and I'm mostly a hand-holding type shooter. And while not QUITE as light and quick as a rangefinder, an SLR is a versatile tool, and since it's my primary system I appreciate its versatility.

Second, why the Contax instead of competing 645's?

The lenses were faster than the competition, and I like fast lenses for better viewfinder brightness. It's a fully modular system, and some competitors were not. An old-school dials/knobs interface that's simple and straightforward, and a feel that I liked, and was cheaper than a Hasselblad H system, which I liked almost as much. It has drawbacks too, as does all gear (no leaf shutter option chief among them). Overall it's a good tool for me.

Olympus e-300 (yeah, I know, 2x multiplier, expensive lenses, yadda yadda, it was cheap, sue me)
Zenit E 35mm SLR w/Helios 44-2 (A Jupiter 9 is in the near future which goes soft just enough for good portrait work, slightly more reliable than your average brick)
Yashica Mat TLR (I love this camera, very sharp glass)

I dig old, weird, and old and weird stuff to shoot with.

My latest weapon of choice.
Alexwh

Is that a scan of a picture , what was that shot taken with ???? lol  !

Minolta 7 digital, Minolta 7 film and a old Burke n James 4x5 large format field camera.

I have and love the 3 Canon T-90's that I have aquired over the years. Looking at getting into digital  at some point soon. The T-90's are getting old and a little touchy.

Canon 5d at present, for film work I used Mamiya RB6x7 for studio and location work except for wedding where I used Pentax 645. I now have not shot any film for about 4 years.

My digital progression has been Canon D60, 20d and now 5d and I am hoping when the replacement for the 1Ds mk11 comes out that that will be the end for quite sometime.
People say digital is less expensive but the RB6x7 I used I used for at least 15 years, but with digital each improvement is quite significant and seams to require upgrading.

I'm currently using my Nikon D50. I have 2 Nikkor AF lenses - one a 28 to 80 mm lens and the other a 70 to 300 mm lens.  I use the latter primarily as it gives me great depth of field.
Caroline
-225 lbs @ goal

Minolta has been my brand since my first camera the SRT 101.  I've still got numerous old Minoltas that I collect from other people.  Unfortunately they are out of the camera game so I'm not sure where I'm going next.  But right now, I shoot with the Minolta Maxxum 7D for digital and the Minolta Maxxum 7xi for film.  I also have a 5xi for backup.  Might move over to the Sony for digital if they improve on the current Alpha model.

My camera's favorite weapon is pistols at dawn.

What Dawn has to say about it is as of yet unknown.

Camera: Canon 5D, Lens 80-200 f2.8

Weapon of choice: Hi Standard Sharpshooter 22 semiauto heavy barrel, with a springfield arsenal silencer.

pentax 4mpx digital camera , older model camera that a rich customer i used to work for threw in the garbage because they dropped the camera and the automatic zoom got stuck til my brother pushed it in with his palm and camera works great now .  would like to upgrade soon but til im financially able to invest.

i converted from using my 4x5 cambo system to digital a few years ago and although i still sometimes mount my digital back on the 4x5 cambo i normally use my imacon digital back on my old mamiya rb67 body. i have a lot of lenses i use but my fav is the 140 macro.

Nikon. D2xs primary, D70s backup, F5 film. And I still love the F5. Much.

minolta 7d,5d,600si,7,7000i,8000i,favorite lense 170-500mm, fits them all.

The Olympus OM system got me started, the OM1 is just wonderful, wish I still had it!.
Now shoot canon 30d with just 3 lenses, 50f1.8, 24-105L & 70-200L

Was a die hard Nikon fan for a long time. My FE-2, 75-150/3.5E lens is in the back of the safe sleeping soundly.

During the first Gulf War, my local camera shops were telling me that local pros were coming home and trading in their modular Nikons for better sealed Canons.

Went the Rebel, 20D and now the 5D route. Love the "C" setting on the dial that keeps all of my prefered settings in memory.

24-70/2.8L for photos here.

85/1.8 for indoor basketball photos without flash.

Looking at the new 70-200/4 IS L to round out things.

(2) 580EX flashes with IR controller works well for a truly portable set.

Here are my cameras (hooray for business loans) I'VE NEVER OWNED/SHOT A 35mm FILM CAMERA....I learned on digital and worked with medium format film, then back to digital mainly....

THE FILM - Mamiya 645 AFD - not used much right at the moment as I don't have a darkroom in my current and prefer not to have labs handle my film......

LENSES - 80mm F2.8, 150mm F3.5

THE DSLR - Canon 1DsMII - the "weapon of choice" for most work right now

LENSES - 15mm F2.8 fisheye, 16-35mm F2.8, 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8 IS, 2x Extension Tube, 100mm F2.8 MACRO (I often use all or nearly all of them on all creative shoots, even weddings)

THE DSLR BACKUP - Canon 20D

LENSES - 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 which came with it and acts mainly like an expensive camera body cap.....

THE DIGITAL FIXED LENS - Sony F828 - The "Casual Use" and dayhike or around town camera; don't nock it, convenient and beats low-end DSLR's hands down except for high iso usage, where else can you find a 8 megapixel unit with a Zeis F2.0-2.8 28-200mm lens (with good macro) for the price (bought at $800, much cheaper now), and also takes great "printable" positives from medium format negatives on a light-box


I really want a 4x5 or 8x10 viewcamera & A DARKROOM AGAIN, but for now.....