What's your latest equipment purchase?

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Well apparently I'm going backwards in my recent purchasing pursuits. Earlier this spring I purchased a Voigtlander 58mm Nokton. A manual focus vintage style lens whose image rendering is incredible. I'm so enjoying using this lens and the requisite slowing down of the photographic process it requires that I purchased a used Nikkor 135mm Ai lens this week. An old school five element lens that I found for a song online. Most modern lenses are loaded with a dozen or more elements that do a fantastic job in correcting many imperfections (chromatic aberrations, vignetting, color fringing, etc.), but these older low element count lens designs seem to render with more character, better color saturation, and contrast. It must be something to do with there being fewer air/glass interfaces the light has to pass through. Fortunately, I'm primarily a landscape shooter so using these older lenses is not a problem for me. It does give me much more respect for the old time wildlife photogs who did there stuff with manual focus lenses back in the day.
 
Today I will receive via UPS an Olympus 150-400mm f4.5 zoom, for which I have waited a while. I recently sold some older gear to take some of the sting out of the great big price tag, but it still is a big investment. It should be well worth it in enhancing the M43 side of my two-sided camera bag (the other side is Nikon).
Wow!!! I would love to shoot that lens! Please post your thoughts and some images. I think it’s likely it may be the best wildlife lens ever built.
 
Just curious, what's been your latest camera equipment purchase, and why did you buy it? How do you plan to use it, and how do you think it will improve your work?

I'll go first: just bought a Nikkor 16-35 f4, which I plan to use for landscapes. To date, I've been using the Nikkor 24-70 for landscape work, which has worked beautifully, but I'd like to try something wider, to get those dramatic fore, mid, and backgrounds that draw the eye into the image. Hoping my new lens does the trick!
Nikon 105mm f2.8 S lens for my Z6 II and Z7 II for mainly macro with some portrait.
 
I went a little insane and after buying a used Sony AR7IV with a used Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon lens (ostensibly to have a smaller camera compared to my D850's to carry around all the time) I decided to try it for wildlife and grabbed a used Sony 100-400 GM lens. Even though the A7RIV isn't their best camera for wildlife in regards to the AF system and ISO noise it was an absolute revelation in regards to how much the camera did for me, allowing me to focus so much more on my reflexes and composition than anything technical (note this is after some set up of the camera, of course). I'm talking about things like focusing on an egret wading in the water and out of the corner of my eye see another flying in and within a second am snapping away in a burst and get beautiful sharp images of it landing without even thinking about focus. I'm aware that any current advanced mirrorless system may have come with the same revelation(s) but I also love the way the Sony images look and after 20+ years of only Nikon I did something I've never even considered before and invested in the best new gear available (have always bought used or refurbished and always a notch down from the current best) by purchasing an AI and their 600mm f/4 lens (the lens arrived Thursday afternoon and the A1 arrives today) and am in the process of selling all of my Nikon gear.
 
I went a little insane and after buying a used Sony AR7IV with a used Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon lens (ostensibly to have a smaller camera compared to my D850's to carry around all the time) I decided to try it for wildlife and grabbed a used Sony 100-400 GM lens. Even though the A7RIV isn't their best camera for wildlife in regards to the AF system and ISO noise it was an absolute revelation in regards to how much the camera did for me, allowing me to focus so much more on my reflexes and composition than anything technical (note this is after some set up of the camera, of course). I'm talking about things like focusing on an egret wading in the water and out of the corner of my eye see another flying in and within a second am snapping away in a burst and get beautiful sharp images of it landing without even thinking about focus. I'm aware that any current advanced mirrorless system may have come with the same revelation(s) but I also love the way the Sony images look and after 20+ years of only Nikon I did something I've never even considered before and invested in the best new gear available (have always bought used or refurbished and always a notch down from the current best) by purchasing an AI and their 600mm f/4 lens (the lens arrived Thursday afternoon and the A1 arrives today) and am in the process of selling all of my Nikon gear.
If you liked the a7r4 the a1 is going to blow you away!
 
I went a little insane and after buying a used Sony AR7IV with a used Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon lens (ostensibly to have a smaller camera compared to my D850's to carry around all the time) I decided to try it for wildlife and grabbed a used Sony 100-400 GM lens. Even though the A7RIV isn't their best camera for wildlife in regards to the AF system and ISO noise it was an absolute revelation in regards to how much the camera did for me, allowing me to focus so much more on my reflexes and composition than anything technical (note this is after some set up of the camera, of course). I'm talking about things like focusing on an egret wading in the water and out of the corner of my eye see another flying in and within a second am snapping away in a burst and get beautiful sharp images of it landing without even thinking about focus. I'm aware that any current advanced mirrorless system may have come with the same revelation(s) but I also love the way the Sony images look and after 20+ years of only Nikon I did something I've never even considered before and invested in the best new gear available (have always bought used or refurbished and always a notch down from the current best) by purchasing an AI and their 600mm f/4 lens (the lens arrived Thursday afternoon and the A1 arrives today) and am in the process of selling all of my Nikon gear.
Hi Stephen - if you have a Nikkor 600mm, please let me know!
 
As I posted recently in another thread, within the last 12 days, I purchased a new Nikkor 500mm PF lens and a 95mm B+W clear filter to keep dust and spray off the lens' primary element. (The weight and cumbersomeness of my 200-500mm lens was getting to me.)

The PF's 3 pounds vs. the 200-500's 5 pounds is a relief. It's faster AF and sharper images are a joy. In this short time, I have missed the ability to zoom a few times, but so far, I'm glad that I bought it.
 
I just picked up the Z 105mm macro lens along with the 500mm PF lens. I recently traded in my 200-500 as it was just getting too heavy for me to carry around on my hikes. Of course right after I got my lens the hot weather hit Spokane (30 degrees over normal) and so I have not been able to use them as I had planned. As soon as the weather gets a little nicer I will get back out there.
 
As I posted recently in another thread, within the last 12 days, I purchased a new Nikkor 500mm PF lens and a 95mm B+W clear filter to keep dust and spray off the lens' primary element. (The weight and cumbersomeness of my 200-500mm lens was getting to me.)

The PF's 3 pounds vs. the 200-500's 5 pounds is a relief. It's faster AF and sharper images are a joy. In this short time, I have missed the ability to zoom a few times, but so far, I'm glad that I bought it.
Congrats on your new lens! Something I should probably do too - still shooting with the 200-500.
 
Congrats on your new lens! Something I should probably do too - still shooting with the 200-500.
My honest comments on the 200-500 switch to the 500 phase fresnel fwiw- I was happy to ditch my 200-500mm for the 500 PF. It was quite sharp on static subjects for the price. But, I hated the extremely slow autofocus. My wife will enjoy it for her needs but I pretty much never enjoyed that thing.
The 500 PF is extremely quick to lock on focus especially on the D500 but I prefer my D850 to be honest.
I am not a real photographer, mainly "walking around" shots of wildlife and nature so the telescopic aspect is missed. I can't lie about that. It's a worthwhile trade off but sometimes too close...
 
My honest comments on the 200-500 switch to the 500 phase fresnel fwiw- I was happy to ditch my 200-500mm for the 500 PF. It was quite sharp on static subjects for the price. But, I hated the extremely slow autofocus. My wife will enjoy it for her needs but I pretty much never enjoyed that thing.
The 500 PF is extremely quick to lock on focus especially on the D500 but I prefer my D850 to be honest.
I am not a real photographer, mainly "walking around" shots of wildlife and nature so the telescopic aspect is missed. I can't lie about that. It's a worthwhile trade off but sometimes too close...
Yeah, I agree about the 200-500 AF - slow, and even slower with a TC! The weight doesn't bother me so much, but the AF does, and trying to use the TC in it for BIF is murder. I've been considering the 500PF, but think I may hold out for the 600E instead, if I can find a good used one. Enjoy your new lens!
 
Yeah, I agree about the 200-500 AF - slow, and even slower with a TC! The weight doesn't bother me so much, but the AF does, and trying to use the TC in it for BIF is murder. I've been considering the 500PF, but think I may hold out for the 600E instead, if I can find a good used one. Enjoy your new lens!
I will level with you here. I never considered weight either I am totally comfortable handling a 200-500 without tripod, with or without a sling. That said, when I received my 500 pf (even knowing the specs) I was amazed at how handy it is. Very compact and lightweight feeling. It really is a huge plus for hikers imho
 
30 litre Overboard Backpack to keep my gear dry. For now happy with backpack.
Eye cup for new camera. Bought one years ago for d750 & really don't like shooting without one now.
Just purchased my last DSLR D850 this is my 2nd & last nikon camera.
 
Mine was the recent purchase of a MIOPS Smart+ Trigger for use in conjunction with my D850.
I have already used it to aid my long exposure shooting, astro photography and where conditions permit in the future, capturing lightning in various locations. So far it has been easy to use and operates seamlessly with my phone as the controller.
 
Ruggard EDC-80L to fit my D6 with 600 f/4E mounted. All the rest of my gear fits in my other Ruggard but the 600 was to big with or without the D6 attached. Also a second Think Tank Retro Duffel again for the D6 and 600 f/4E combo I bought a foam pad and cut it up ... one piece for the bottome and the sides, one for each end and one for the top if If I would want protection from something being sat on top. The first one I bought I put in Think Tank Stash master in one end to put my gripped D850 with 500 pf or 100-400 atached or my grab and go gripped D500 w tamron 18-400 and spare batteries and a speed light. The other end holds misc. clothing etc. including the fleece I use for support in the center console cupholders when carrying my D6 600 f/4E combo when using my vehicle as a rolling blind. With the 2 retro duffel set up I can head out the door with one over each shoulder toss them in the back seat and away I go and they do not look like camera bags to someone just peaking in the vehicle with nefarious intent. Last lens Tamron 100-400 to replace the one my wife appropriated :)
 
Ruggard EDC-80L to fit my D6 with 600 f/4E mounted. All the rest of my gear fits in my other Ruggard but the 600 was to big with or without the D6 attached. Also a second Think Tank Retro Duffel again for the D6 and 600 f/4E combo I bought a foam pad and cut it up ... one piece for the bottome and the sides, one for each end and one for the top if If I would want protection from something being sat on top. The first one I bought I put in Think Tank Stash master in one end to put my gripped D850 with 500 pf or 100-400 atached or my grab and go gripped D500 w tamron 18-400 and spare batteries and a speed light. The other end holds misc. clothing etc. including the fleece I use for support in the center console cupholders when carrying my D6 600 f/4E combo when using my vehicle as a rolling blind. With the 2 retro duffel set up I can head out the door with one over each shoulder toss them in the back seat and away I go and they do not look like camera bags to someone just peaking in the vehicle with nefarious intent. Last lens Tamron 100-400 to replace the one my wife appropriated :)
Nice set up!
 
I love shooting portraits, and this year I bought a Nikon Z6ii. Before that I bought the Z 70-200 f2.8 S lens and a month ago I bought a Z 20mm f1.8 for landscape and astrophotography. I don't think I'll be buying any gear for the next 3 years to come, but never say never of course.
 
Back
Top