My photography equipment
| Olympus OM-1
Cameras (and lenses) have a habit of filling your rucksack and not leaving much room for sandwiches. The Olympus OM-1 is (relatively) small and lightweight, yet still packs a powerful punch. The AF system is sophisticated, though as a landscape photographer I don’t use it to its full extent. What I do make use of are the camera’s sophisticated computational modes, such as the high-res option and the built-in ND filter. And the OM-1 is very comfortable to hold too, which is a very underrated (but important) aspect of using a camera.
| M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
This is my workhorse lens and the one that’s fitted to the OM-1 most often. It has a useful focal range – from wide-angle to short telephoto – and the image quality is excellent (not something you could guarantee with kit lenses of yesteryear). It’s also weather-sealed – which is a good thing for a lens that I largely use outside. And it’s compact and lightweight which makes it the perfect companion to the OM-1.
| M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150 F4.0 PRO
The answer to the question ‘does a landscape photographer need a telephoto lens?’ is ‘yes, a landscape photographer needs a telephoto lens’. I use my 40-150mm f/4 lens to shoot details within the landscape, particularly those that are physically out of reach. The f/4 version of this lens is smaller and lighter than the f/2.8 model that OM-System also produce. (See the note about sandwiches above…)
| OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3
Another question is ‘does a landscape photographer need a really long telephoto lens?’. Probably not. But they do have their uses. I’ve started taking photographs of wildlife and the reach of OM System’s 100-400mm is incredible (it’s equivalent to a 200-800mm full-frame lens). It’s heavy but not unmanageable, and it pairs well with the OM-1.
| Kase K9 100mm filter holder
I still use filters even though it would be possible to shoot without them (particularly ND filters). Well almost. I prefer to use slot-in filters rather than screw filters directly onto a lens. This requires the use of a filter holder (and a lens adapter ring or two). The Kase K9 is my filter holder of choice thanks to its slimline design and easy-to-use drop-in polariser, which is rotated with a chunky dial on the side of the holder.
| ARTCISE AF80C Tripod
Tripods don’t last forever – regular dunking into saltwater does them no good at all. After year of use (and abuse) my Artcise tripod is still in excellent condition. It’s reasonably heavy so therefore nice and stable, and is tall enough so that my camera can be raised to eye level. The levelling base is potentially useful for panoramic stitching, though I find it a bit fiddly to use. Another minor grip is that I occasionally catch my fingers in the leg clips when I’m undoing them. However, that’s happened with other manufacturers’ tripods so perhaps that’s just me. Otherwise it’s a great tripod for the price.
| Neewer Carbon Fibre Tripod
Lightweight tripods aren’t ideal when used with a heavy camera or when it’s windy. My Neewer tripod isn’t one I use every day but it’s great when I need to do a significant hike to a location. It then gets strapped to my camera bag, barely adding to the weight – and of course leaving my hands free, which is useful if any scrambling up and down rocks is required.
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