CAMERA EQUIPMENT:

People often ask me what camera gear I use, so I thought it would be fun to do a little write-up.

As a hiking and backpacking photographer, I have found myself constantly battling the pursuit of better image quality (higher resolution and better dynamic range) with the desire to carry smaller and lighter gear on my adventures. Every piece of camera equipment is some sort of compromise between the two and everybody has different goals and shoots with gear ranging from cell phones and point-and-shoot cameras to high-end dSLRs and expensive medium and large-format rigs. As a Nikon SLR shooter myself, I typically try to carry a standard zoom lens, an ultra-wide angle lens, a macro lens, and if weight permits, a telephoto zoom lens. (While I am Nikon-centric, Canon makes excellent gear as well.) I am also a big fan of Micro Four Thirds: a smaller mirrorless interchangeable lens system jointly supported by Panasonic and Olympus. Micro Four Thirds has an amazing selection of zooms and primes, all which are virtually weightless when compared to their SLR counterparts.

Whatever camera system you carry, if you're looking to do some long hikes, the weight of your camera gear is a major factor, so I recommend going as light as possible. Over the years, I have encountered many miserable photographers on the trail who have lugged their entire lens collection around on some of long routes. 20 pounds of f/2.8 zooms and f/1.4 primes can really weigh you down when you're trying to ascend 3000 feet up a mountain in 100-degree temperatures. (Many photographers have also confessed to me that they didn't use the majority of the lenses they lugged around.)

Imlay Boulder in the Zion Narrows.
Nikon D2X with Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 at 17mm.

Some of my favorite cameras and lenses are listed below. For landscape and hiking/backpacking photography, I tend to favor light variable aperture zooms and f/4 zooms over expensive f/1.4 primes and f/2.8 zooms, especially since I usually shoot at f/5.6-f/8. Note that there are so many other great pieces of camera equipment out there; I'm just listing my personal favorites here.

• Nikon FX Format:
  The Nikon D800 FX camera is now the king of 35mm "full-frame" cameras with a whopping 36mp sensor and is a landscape photographer's dream come true, while the even newer Nikon D600 is the more affordable and lighter option with a still impressive 24mp sensor. The 24-120mm f/4G makes for a great walk-around lens and the new 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G is amazingly sharp and wonderful for such a light and affordable wide-angle zoom. (The 16-35mm f/4G and the acclaimed 14-24mm f/2.8G are arguably better, but they are both bulky and heavy for hiking and the 14-24mm doesn't take filters.)
   
  Other lenses I enjoy: The older 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G is amazingly sharp on the D800 and makes for a convenient and affordable telephoto zoom. And Nikon's pair of macro lenses, the small and lightweight 60mm f/2.8G Micro and the larger 105mm f/2.8G, both deliver sharp and wonderful results.
• Nikon DX Format:
  Now that FX has gone mainstream, I'm less enthralled by DX (1.5 crop) cameras these days, but Nikon's current lineup is still pretty impressive with the D3200, the D5100, and the D7100. The D7100 is the flagship camera, but all three are sporting 24mp sensors. I would consider the entry-level D3200 for cost, but the D5100 is also compelling because of its tilt screen. (While some would consider that to be cheesy, it allows you to get shots at creative angles if you use Live View.) A good all-around lens is the DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6: affordable, great range, and good image quality. Alternatively, the more expensive DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 goes a bit wider for landscapes and is slightly sharper. And the DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 is a great wide-angle lens for landscapers.
• Micro Four Thirds:
  For the times when carrying around big and heavy SLR gear isn't practical or possible, Micro Four Thirds is a wonderful alternative. (Micro Four Thirds is a mirrorless interchangable lens camera system spearheaded by Olympus and Panasonic and has a much more mature collection of lenses available than the competing mirrorless systems.) The Panasonic GH3 and the Olympus E-M5 are the current flagship cameras, but I also enjoy the small and pocketable Panasonic GX1. Several good hiking lenses include the expensive but sharp and bright Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 X lens, the Olympus 9-18mm f/4-5.6 wide-angle zoom that takes filters, and the Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6 for an amazingly sharp and tiny telephoto zoom. And last but not least, the Panasonic/Leica 45mm f/2.8 is a razor-sharp macro lens.

Michigan Central Station during a beautiful sunrise.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0 at 12mm.

For tripods, I typically bring two types on hiking trips: a big sturdy one for more "serious" work (like sunrise/sunset shots, time exposures, etc.) and a smaller, lighter one for use on strenuous hikes when keeping weight down is important. A big sturdy tripod can also make for a useful walking stick on stream hikes. In my quest to find the ultimate hiking tripod, I stumbled upon the SIRUI N-1004, an amazingly high-quality tripod from a relatively unknown company. This tripod is very lightweight, yet also quite sturdy, with several unexpected features like a removable monopod leg and interchangable center columns. As for filters, I sometimes use ND (neutral density) filters and polarizers. Polarizers can often make the sky more dramatic, bring out details in clouds, and remove unwanted reflections in water, but when overused, they can also make water look lifeless and turn the sky to an ugly dull shade of blue.

Classic Lower Subway view.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Olympus 9-18mm at 9mm.

"Put a Needle on the Record!"
Nikon D600 with Nikkor 16-35mm f/4.0 at 18mm.

Joe Braun Photography

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