The blog & portfolio of Matthew J. Rogers

Gear

Below I run through all my major gear and explain why I have it and maybe what I hope to replace it with one day. If you’ve got any questions feel free to leave a comment.

Camera body

Nikon D90

After spending a year with the Nikon D40, I upgraded to the D90. There are a number of differences between the two bodies, but the most important one (for me) was that the D40 — being the smallest, lightest, and cheapest DSLR Nikon makes — does not have an in-body focus motor, meaning it relies on lenses with motors in them to drive focusing. This is fine if you’re only wanting to use those types of lenses (designated as AF-S by Nikon, HSM by Sigma), but many of Nikon’s best lenses that have been around for many years were designed before AF-S was around. Or, there are AF-S versions available, but they’re much more expensive.

So the focus motor was the biggest issue, but the other benefits are very important to me as well: double the megapixels for when I need to really crop down; a bigger, better LCD screen that really helps me check the sharpness of images right on the camera; 11 autofocus points compared to the D40’s three; a top-mounted LCD for quick glances at settings; additional on-body controls and dials so I don’t have to dive into the menus all the time to change settings. Oh, and it records 720p HD video but I really don’t care about that.

Lenses

Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF

This is a wonderful, wonderful lens, only costs a little over $100, and wouldn’t have autofocused on the D40. It almost never comes off my D90. It’s fast, really sharp, lightweight, and durable. It’s a prime lens, so it doesn’t zoom (which really confuses the crap out of non-photographers on the rare occasion I hand them my camera).

Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX

This is a cheap lens that came with my D40. I kept it when I got the D90 because I like having the wide angle available to me for stuff like landscape and architecture shots, and I wasn’t ready to spend a lot of money on a faster lens in this range yet. While slow, it is very sharp as long as there’s enough light or you’ve got a tripod. At some point, I’ll probably upgrade to the well-regarded Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, or something similar.

Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR

This smorgasbord of letters and abbreviations is an inexpensive zoom that works on the D40. It’s on the slow side, but it’s lightweight and has VR (optical vibration reduction, which combats camera shake). I got it for less than $200. I don’t use this a whole lot, but when I do I often find myself wishing it was faster. I’ve used it for candids at a friend’s wedding and for outdoor animal photography, neither of which are great on a slow lens. If you’ve got lots of light, though, it performs admirably. I’m looking to upgrade this lens next, probably with something like the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D AF-D, a wonderfully sharp and fast lens.

Flash

Nikon SB-600

The SB-600 is a great affordable flash that works wirelessly off-camera using Nikon’s built-in Creative Lighting System. It also swivels and pivots in every which way, and has a built-in diffuser. I just got it recently and am still learning how to use it.

Tripod

Cheap Sunpack 620-092

Cheap, cheap tripod that is difficult to make level. Will be getting a better one, probably a Manfrotto, as soon as possible.

Transport

Tamrac Velocity 7x Photo Sling Pack

This has been a fantastic bag but with the D90 and 50mm added to my two zooms and SB-400 flash, it’s about at its limit. The D90 is a fair bit larger than the D40, so if I get the SB-600 flash or upgrade any of my lenses my stuff is no longer going to all fit in here. I’ll get a bigger bag at some point, probably a laptop+camera combo that can hold everything and can be traveled with, but I’ll hold onto this Tamrac for casual outings when I just need to carry one or two lenses.

Updated on March 3, 2009

6 comments

  • Tracy March 29th, 2009 at 1:53 am

    Mr. Rogers,
    I have had a Nikon D70 for approximately 3 years now and I really love. I was wondering if it is time for me to update. I have been looking at the D60. I would love to have a D90 but I’m a teacher’s aide and can’t afford it. I love to take outdoor pictures more than anything else. I did a wedding about 2 weeks ago and everything went good except for the inside lighting. What do you think I ought to do? Thank you for your time and help.
    Tracy

  • Matthew March 29th, 2009 at 8:46 am

    Tracey,

    The question is, what are you unhappy about with your D70? Let me tell you what I think.

    Just like the D40, the D60 does not have an in-body focus motor. This limits it to having autofocus only with newer, more expensive AF-S lenses. For example, that awesome f/1.8 50mm prime lens I have up there only costs about $100, but will not autofocus on the D40 or D60. To get one that will, you need to buy either the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S for $200, or one of several variations of a 50mm f/1.4 AF-S for $450. Since the D70 *does* have an in-body focus motor, you might already have lenses that aren’t compatible with the D60.

    In that price range, the only thing I could recommend is a used or refurbished D80, which can be found for around $500 I believe. However, I’m not sure that’s the huge low-light upgrade you’re looking for. Faster glass will help the most, but the next best thing is the ISO sensitivity of the camera’s sensor. The D80 is a nice camera, but not a vast improvement over the D70 in that area.

    What lens did you shoot that wedding with? If you’re having light problems, it’s always better to spend money on glass. You should get something in the appropriate range that has f/2.8 or wider aperture. The Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 zooms are popular for weddings; there’s like 5 different versions though so do your research. They range in price on the used market from $400-$1200. The 80-200mm f/2.8 D “push-pull” style is fantastic optically and can be found for $500 if you look.

    I wouldn’t upgrade your camera body until you can at least afford a D90; going to the D60 or D80 wouldn’t be much of an upgrade (and in the case of the D60, in some ways would be a downgrade). I’d spend the money on a faster lens, that will make the most difference in your images. If you really feel you *must* upgrade your body right now, the D80 would be the best choice for that budget.

  • Nic April 15th, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    You say, you are an amateur photographer but yet your pictures are unbelievable. I own a Canon XSi with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, I got it last October (my first ever DSLR). My question to you is what would you recommend as far as training classes, books, DVD’s for me to learn to take good pictures?

  • Matthew April 15th, 2009 at 8:47 pm

    Nic,

    That’s very kind of you, but I most certainly am a rank amateur. I know next to nothing compared to professionals…but I have learned a lot.

    I personally have not gotten around to reading any books or taking any classes, so I am not qualified to recommend any. What I can say, though, is look at pictures. Look at pictures and ask yourself, “Why do I like that? What is it about this photo that captures my attention?” Analyze them. Observe how they are composed. Note how light is used. And then practice, practice, practice. Try to apply what you observed about the photos you liked to your own photography.

  • Enrique April 15th, 2009 at 10:52 pm

    I 100% agree with you that the only way for taking better pictures is practicing. Keep that good work!!

    Enrique Garcia
    Monterrey, Mexico

  • ismail December 4th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    Mr.Roger
    Join http://www.fotokritik.com and share us your photos.Best Regards.ismail zeren istanbul TR

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