My gear

On this page, I discuss the gear I use in taking, and post-processing, photos. As some people are also curious about why I took on photography as a hobby, I have also created a separate page on how I ended up taking photography as my primary hobby and passion. There is also a separate page where I discuss my "trek" across different camera (and video) systems to arrive at my current setup.

Cameras & lenses

In line with "The Best Camera Is The One That's With You" statement by Chase Jarvis, there are currently five camera set-ups that I might bring along on a trip:

1. No-weight, i.e. my eyes. The most important camera are my own eyes. Even when not carrying a real camera, it is still fun to try and spot nice things to take photos off. Besides being a good exercise to train one's "photographic eyes", it is also a good way to relax a bit. A good way to slow down.
2. Ultra-light weight, which involves my mobile phone. My mobile phone (an iPhone 15 Pro) has a decent built-in camera. Nevertheless, when taking a serious photo, I still prefer using a camera with a more serious lens. I also use my mobile phone to "scout" for scenes, or to obtain a "GPS-fix" for a location at which I was taking photos with one of my "real" cameras.
3. Light-weight, involving one of my FujiFilm X-T5's, and the FujiFilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR lens, which fits nicely into my regular backpack.
4. Mid-weight, involving two FujiFilm X-T5's, together with (some of) the following FujiFilm lenses:
   • XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR
   • XF 16-50mm F/2.8-4.8 R LM WR
   • XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR
   • XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
   • XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
   as well as a Viltrox DG-FU Automatic Extension Tube Set to allow me to do macro photography. This is the combination I use for e.g. city trips, and short holidays.
5. Mid-weight, involving two FujiFilm X-T5's, together with (some of) the following FujiFilm lenses:
   • XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR
   • XF 16-55m f/2.8 II WR (on order ...)
   • XF 60mm F/2.4 R macro
   • XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR
   • XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
   • XF 1.4x TC WR Teleconverter
   • XF 2x TC WR Teleconverter
   This is the combination I use for serious landscape photography.

Tripods & ballheads

I currently mainly (depending on the situation) use three tripods:

1. A Benro C1692T tripod with a Novoflex Magicball Mini ballhead, which is a light and compact tripod I use when I want to travel light and still want to have a tripod with me.
2. A Feisol CT3471 tripod with a Novoflex Magicball 50 ballhead, which is my preferred tripod when combined with the FujiFilm cameras.
A Benro C4770TN tripod which I used mainly when I was still using the heavier Sony system. I still keep it in my car as a spare tripod, especially when using the bigger FujiFilm zoom lensens.
3. A Really Right Stuff TFA01 mini (table) tripod with a BPC-16 panning micro ball. This tripod allows me to take steady shots from the oddest of places. The nice thing about this tripod is that, while it is actually a tripod, it does not look like one to the eye of security personnel at e.g. well known tourist locations such as the Taj Mahal. The panning micro ball even allows me to take stable panorama photos.

To be able to quickly swap the two Magicball ballheads, and my panorama head (see below), between the tripods, I use Arca Swiss QuickLinks. This is essentially a quick release system for the connection between the tripod and the ballhead / panorama-head.

Next to that, I also have a Novoflex Photo-Survival-Kit with an assortment of clamps to create different camera mounting points in challenging environments. When I'm on a "photo expedition", I will typically throw that one into my check-in luggage.

Quick release system

1. I use the Arca Swiss system between my cameras / lenses and the ballhead / panorama-head.
2. The FujiFilm X-T5's have L-plates by Nitze.
3. The Fuji XF 50-140 mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR has an iShoot Lense Colar with Arca-Swiss Quick Release Plate.
4. I use Really Right Stuff clamps (the one with the quick release lever) on the two Magicballs on the tripods, as well as Really Right Stuff mini clamps on the mini tripod and the Novoflex survival kit.

Slider for macro photography

When doing macro photography, in particular when there is a need for focus stacking, I will use a Really Right Stuff B150-B Macro Focusing slide.

Gear for panorama photography

1. For making casual panorama photos I use my tripod.
2. When it becomes slightly more serious, I will use a Mengs PAN-02 panoramic head with a Fotga NNR-200 nodel slide, which I keep in my regular landscape photography backpack.
3. When it becomes even more critical, I will use a Really Right Stuff PG-01 LR compact pano-gimbal head, with a B2-40-LR levelling base, and a MPR-CL compact lever release clamp, which I carry in a separate bag.

Filters

1. For serious landscape photography, I use a 100mm Nisi holder system (with adaptors for all my lenses), with different ND filters and gradient filters.
2. However, for situations where I need to travel light, or more compact, I also have a set of K&F Concept magnetic filters.

Other stuff

Some other stuff I have in my camera bag:

• Several spare batteries, and chargers, for the cameras.
• Fujifulm EF-X8 flash.
• Godox Speedlite V350F flash.
• A Neewer filter wrench set ... great for stuck filters on lenses./li>
• A small torch, with a traditional lightbulb, to light up details when doing long-exposure macro work./li>
• Several cleaning cloths, brushes and blowers to remove dust.
• Screw drivers, allen keys, etc.

When not using a tripod and walking around with one of my camera's, I use a Peak Design Slide Lite camera strap. When walking around with a camera and one of the larger lenses (with lense color), I use a Black Rapid strap that is attached to a small Arca Swiss Mengs clamp.

For situations where I can't really bring a tripod, I also have a SteadePod, which is essentially a "wire", where one end (with a quick release) connects to your camera, while you stand on the other hand. This provides you with a few stops more stability, in a very small package. Great for hiking and/or walking in cities, when you don't want to carry too much around. Admittedly, I don't use it much. But, each time I used it, I was happy to have it with me.

Hardware & software for post-processing

I guess I can be really short about this. I use Lightroom and Photoshop on Mac hardware. I have always believed in the stability of Unix. The only Unix on which Lightroom and Photoshop runs is of course OSX, so this leads to an obvious choice for an Apple based system.

In terms of hardware, I use a MacStudio with two Apple Displays for editing at home with, an external RAID system. Next to that, I also keep an extra copy of my photos on two external SSDs, which I rotate with an "off site" location. In addition I use Backblaze, which is an on-line backup service.

When on the road, I use a Macbook for basic editing, while using an external SSD drive to store the photos, and typically bring two SSDs. One will hold the originals, while the other one will hold a backup. During flights, and travel in general, one SSD drive will remain in my carry-on luggage, while the other one preferably goes into carry-on luggage of a travel companion, or goes into my checked luggage. Yes. Putting an SSD in checked luggage is a risk. However, I prefer putting that one (with the backup) in the checked luggage than having both in my own carry on luggage.

Am I an Apple fan? Well, I'm primarily a Unix fan, and I like good design. It just happens to be that Apple combines these elements fairly well. I would have loved to use Linux with hardware that looks as good as Apple hardware and OSX, while still being able to use Lightroom and Photoshop (natively).