The camera you use...?

[Aaron Quinn]

Hi all,

I have noticed there is a lot of good pix floating around and wondered what everyone uses to take these pictures. Big Blues driver has some great pix with really shallow depth of field and also some playing around with a Holga.

I myself have a Nikon D300 with a small selection of lens'. My favorite by far is the 50mm f1.8 but I also have a trusty 18 to 135 that came with the D300, a 105mm for macro stuff and a 28mm f2.8 that comes in handy for indoor shots.

I carry a Panasonic TS1 I bought for my honey moon trip to Maui so I could use it underwater as well as small enough to daily carry and get good pix from it.

So what do you use?

[Big Blue's Driver]

I am a little overkill on my cameras. I like playing with them.

1. We use a Sony A300 DSLR. The lens with the tight depth of field you mention is the macro lens (30mm f2.8) we have. It's good for really close shots and you can leave the same lens on for long shots as well. We have a few other lenses, one for for medium range and a zoom lens.

2. I also carry a Casio Exilim. I use this to shoot digital video and take shots when I don't mind getting the camera dirty (i.e dirty work on the vws). It's a standard point/click digital but has been taped and glued back together so many times I don't mind doing things with it that may bring its demise. It shoots awesome digital video for such a small camera.

3. I shoot with the holga often - but not always bus pictures. I carry it in my bug and shoot things I see along the road. I'll pull over if I see something worth shooting. The holga takes 120 film so it is expensive - about $1 per image, and it's a crappy-built camera. But, it is good for messing with development (I cross process sometimes depending on the film), and you never know what you will get - and it is a cheap camera so I can leave it in my car and if it gets taken, I'm not out that much $.

4. I also keep a disposable camera in the glovebox of Big Blue and Little Blue at all times. When I develop them after 6 months of use, it's cool to see the old photos through the months.

5. I also have a high 8 sony video camera - from about 2002 - that I take on the longer trips. It's not too big, but too big to carry every day. It is great because it is the one video camera I have had that allows you to zoom in and have that zoom come out clear when transfered to DV. So if you see a video of mine that is blurred intentionally or one that zooms, then it was done on the high8. I also use this for anything I do at home regarding the bus or bus work.

[Joe]

My dad brought along his 8 X 10 for family holidays, and I always felt like an unpaid assistant to Matthew Brady. No more oak tripods for me. An old Canon ELPH SD600 meets my needs for now. I like a camera that fits in my pocket and is always ready for shots like this: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/92523077_5723518831.jpg

[Larry Rust]

Canon power shot A640 10.0 mega pixels. Super simple camera with great video and it is all I use. In combination with Mac book pro it is a great combination..

[Big Blue's Driver]

Great shot, Static!

[Aaron Quinn]

Nice set up there BBD... I also have a hulga I got off ebay but have yet to use it.

That's a great shot Joe, nice work!

Larry, it's hard to beat those canon powershots. I've bought 2 for my mom over the last 8 years or so and really the only reason they need replaced is because she is so hard on them it's not even funny...but they still last 3+ years...

[Larry Rust]

That Canon power shot was well used before I got it. I had a transient come to the church and I got him a room and a meal and he had not use for this camera so he gave it to me. (how about that...we do entertain angels unaware) Anyway, it was well used and now it's my turn,

[Shari G-E]

I had the old cumbersome 35mm SLRs, and got to the point of never using them. One was stolen with accessories, and the last one the film winder stripped. I went without for about six years. For nearly two years now, I have used an 8.0 megapixel Cannon Powershot SD870 IS digital ELPH, and I love it. Battery charge lasts a long time, it fits in my pocket, and I've been bouncing it around every day in the bottom of my purse. All the photos in my album here are with this camera.

[Romy]

Jenn and I have a Canon Rebel xti and we just use the lenses that came with it (18-55 and 75-300). We want to get nicer lenses, but money for that usually gets diverted to trips or car stuff. The camera works great, but I'd really like to get a nice wide angle lens for it.

We also have (or had as it seems to be broken now) a cheapo Panasonic or something that fit in a pocket for quick shots.

[Gary Marrs]

I use the Nikon D-90 with a 18-200mm lens.

[Aaron Quinn]

Well, sad news (for me anyway). In a bind and had to sell off my D300 and a couple of the lens', 18 to 135 that came with the D300, the Sigma 105mm for macro stuff, the 28mm f2.8 and Sigma 170 to 500...oh well!!!

[cwnation]

I have a waterproof/shockproof Pentax optio w80...this camera can take abuse.

[Ned Zoller]

I have a few, but the one I use all the time is a Canon Mark II N. I also have alot of different lenses including a 70 200 2.8 with 1.4 extender. down to 50 mm and also wide angles. Plus other gear.