Canon Digital Single Lens Reflexes

I started off many a year ago with a Canon EOS400D but I currently use a Canon EOS7D as my main Camera and a Canon EOS40D with the attached official BG-E2N Battery Grip.

The reason why I chose to go 'Canon' was simply down to research into technology blogs that I picked up from my time in computing, they make everything they produce, they design everything with a purpose and, touch wood, currently I have not had any real problems besides physical damage thanks to over ambitious trial and error on my behalf.

Why did I choose a EOS7D rather than a EOS5DMKII? Simply I have lenses that won't fit a full frame that I didn't want to have to replace, EOS7D has a wireless transmitter inbuilt which I use alot, better sensor (for the size) and I didn't want to have such a gap between the quality of a full frame and the EOS40D, it was a good camera but everything moves on.

As for my audio equipment I currently use a Zoom H4n 4 Channel XLR Audio recorder with a Redhead windscreen, it is an amazingly clear audio recorder capable of recording 24bit / 96kHz audio files in either WAV or MP3, a great step beyond the on board microphones currently found on any digital camera.

Canon Series & Sigma's

To match up with my EOS series camera's I have built up a nice little collection of lense's which are more than capable of most of the requirements I need currently, I am always looking at expanding my collection if I find a need for it. I know they are not all 'L' series but I feel that my photography show's that you don't always need it, albeit that it would be a nice luxury to have.

I have noted that the lens hoods in fact do make an incredible difference to the reduction of light aberation and flaring, especially during low light so I have purchased all of the official Canon hoods for my lenses.

• Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 EF L IS USM & EW-83H Lens Hood
  A very good all around lens and the standard work horse for a lot of professionals boasting a very fast silent auto focus and anti-shake.
• Canon 70-200mm f/4.0 EF L USM MKIII & EW-74 Lens Hood
  Love love this lens, its perfect for mid-telephoto portraits, amazing colour rendition and sharpness.
• Canon 50mm f/1.4 EF USM & ET-71 II Lens Hood
  A brilliant portrait lens, amazingly milky blurred out backgrounds really makes the subject stand out from the back drop, perhaps a little soft at f/1.4 but £1k cheaper than the L version so acceptable, I also use this lens for video projects.
• Canon 100mm f/2.8 EF L Macro USM IS & ET-73 Lens Hood
  My latest purchase, perfect for any needed close up, a little much in length for most situations but I will see how it performs with some nice headshots of people that I will try and do over the following months.
• Canon 60mm f/2.8 EF-S Macro USM & ET-67B Lens Hood
  My little but awesome Macro lens for all things great and small, I've taken some really amazing close up work with this but I have used it for more portraits until I got my 50mm.
• Canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 EF-S IS USM & EW-73B Lens Hood
  Now on my second one but this is my main lens of choice, a perfect all round lens for all situations except telephoto, a lower aperture would be nice, but again for the money very acceptable.
• Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 RF DG OS (Selling this off ='( )
  My beasty super-zoom telephoto, for the price, amazing, I have got some really good photo's of Airsoft and of the tigers etc with this.

Being that 'light' is the most important part of photography, just like my camera bodies, I have gone up through purchasing starter kit flashes etc and now I own a Canon 580EXMKII Speedlite & two Canon 430EXMKII Speedlite's, to use them all wireless with my EOS7D for a Tripple lighting setup. I currently use an Off Camera ETTL Cord and shoot through either a '5 in 1' reflector disk or white umbrella's to soften the light vastly until I get a lightbox set up for them.

I also additionally have a Interfit 'Stellar 300' 2 Head Kit with all the stands and backdrop etc, this is used very little currently as I am doing more stuff outside or on location but I hope to use it more soon.

For all of my lenses I use a UV filter to protect the front element, on the Canon Lenses I use Hoya HMC UV filters but on the other lense's I use cheaper filters.

As for special effect and creative filters I use Cokin P Series Graduated and Solids, these allow me to darken the image in sections to balance out a sky's exposure Vs. the ground, solids are used mainly for any video work, that I or someone I am working with use's, to again cut down the light exposure across the whole image.

I do have a full range of polarizing filters for my lense's also but I don't tend to use them that often as I would now correct / change any effect's they produce via Photoshop or Lightroom, the only advantage they will have though over any other filter is the ability to shoot through glass easier but it makes my lense's two f/ stops darker.

Other little bits that I have aquired over the years are things like the official remote switches and cleaning equipment such as the Lens Pro Cleaning Kits, Rocket Blower being some of the most helpful parts.

I have been through alot of bags and cases but I now use a Lowepro Stealth Reporter D100AW with attached Lens Tube Cases.

The Reason why I chose Lowepro is because of the quality of the materials they are generally made from, purchasing the slightly higher series / range of their products will get you ripstop cordua and an all weather cover that has saved me a few times when out and about.

I did have a back pack lowepro bag for a while but I didn't really feel that it was for me now, it was nice, but I much prefer being able to use my current bag over one shoulder.

There are alot of different types of stabilizing equipment available out there, I use a Manfrotto 190xb Tripod with a 390CR2 Head, a Manfrotto 679 Monopod and for video work I also use a Flycam Nano.

The Manfrotto gear is very nice, gucci gear, I have thought about getting some Giottos equipment also.

Whether your spending a little or even thousands on camera's and lenses, it would all be pointless without proper storage media, I currently purchase only Sandisk high speed memory cards because of the travel safe construction and 99.9% guarentee of usage.