Safariwise Australia

Choice of equipment is the second largest amount of enquiries I receive after the number one - event information. A lens, flash or an entire outfit is being considered by someone every minute - but is it the right equipment for your needs?

The first few questions you need to ask yourself before buying equipment are:

What are my real interests in photography?

Could this change in the forseeable future? That is, make sure you have set yourself goals to help direct your photography.

Will this new equipment make a difference to your work?

How much can you buy it for?

Will it fit in with the rest of your kit? For example, can it fit in your camera bag?

Finally, are you buying it because you think you need it, or it will fill an important role.

I suggest that you do not rush. Ask experts and then make the final purchase. WARNING - general chat on the internet is dangerous! Often negatives are bias and from people offering a lack of experience and the right technical skills to give such information.

Nothing is worse than spending several hundred, or thousand, dollars only to find that you use the piece of 'must have' equipment once a year.

Personally, I like to keep my kit light in weight and hence mobile. Generally, all my gear fits in a backpack (Tamrac Expedition 7) with power cords etc in a smaller bag in the main travel bag. Yes, two bags only! If it does not fit or is too heavy - it does not go!

You get what you pay for ...
I rarely buy 'the best', as deemed by its expense. Yes a 500mm f4 lens is a great working tool! As a good friend says - "its a great chick magnet" - but does it do the job I require? I have owned Canon 600mm f4.5, 400mm f4 and similar such lenses - but all are sold in time because they are inflexible for my shoot needs, weigh too much and are too large for travel. So I stick to a 100-400mm lens or similar. However, if a specific shoot requires a special lens, I will consider it. What I am saying is that you need to balance out your needs and sometimes compromise.

So what is my current kit? (As of Xmas 2008)

Sony a900 body.

20mm f2.8 lens - Super wide angle is fantastic!

100mm macro lens - My key creative lens!

70-400mm L lens - Great from people to wildlife and landscape.

GN 58 flash - Key to good light in tough lighting conditions.

Off camera TTL cord - Important creative tool with flash.

Laptop computer - With Adobe LightRoom & Photoshop, another work tool.

2 X 160GB mini drives.

Gitzo 6X carbon tripod with Manfrotto 322 head - A must.

Hoya Polarising & 400 ND.

Tamrac Expedition 7 backpack fits all this except the tripod - A must.

Cheap poncho raincover - in case of tropical downpour.

Shower cap - great for rainforest and wet days over camera.

Extra batteries, flash cards and lens tissue.

My favorite bit of equipment is the 100mm macro lens. It seems to shoot a lot of my most creative results.

Want to see Darran's work?
Visit WildVisions for fine art photography by Darran Leal.

Equipment