Picture It

Gear

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When it comes to photography gear, I believe that the best camera to have is the one you have with you. Just having the latest gear doesn’t improve your photography.

Taking pictures is an art form that expresses who you are and how you see the world. Learn the art and techniques before you spend lots of money on the latest gear. Understand light and colour and the rules of photography, and develop your style, passion, and creative expression.

Know what story you want to tell and allow what you learn about yourself and the art of photography to inform your investment into camera gear.

I am a Nikon shooter, not because they are superior or overtly better than other brands like Canon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, etc. All modern cameras will take excellent pictures, and many of the top-rated or winning images we see today are taken on cameras that are five years old or more. One of the highest-rated photos of 2023 from Amateur Photographer was taken on a Fujifilm X-Pro1, first released in 2012.

I used a Pentax film camera for a long time simply because it was the one I used at school. I then moved to my first digital DSLR, a Nikon D80, which was just what I could afford and was available at the time. I shared the D80 with my daughter, who used it for her school years, and we have remained a Nikon family ever since.

Over the years, I have had a Nikon D5100, D610, D500, D750, and Nikon 1 J5, and most recently, I have moved into the world of Mirrorless with a Nikon Z5 and Z50ii. I now focus on lens quality and generally buy second-hand pro-level lenses. Currently, I use the Z50ii and D850 for most of my images with Nikon Pro level lenses like the NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR on the D850 or NIKKOR Z 24-70MM F/4 S.

In addition to Nikon cameras, I often shoot with my iPhone 16 Pro, which has a 48-megapixel sensor and ProRaw format. I got excellent results from all the cameras I used.

The following images have been taken on a Nikon 1 J5, iPhone 7, XS, 12 and 14, D5100, D750 and Z5. Can you tell the difference?

Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with an iPhone, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample photo taken with a Nikon camera, demonstrating the gear used across the years.
Sample wave photo demonstrating gear used by Ian Altman.
Coastal wave photo from the Kiama collection, taken on a Nikon Z50ii.

Shop the gear I use: Nikon Z50ii. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.