Equipment

I have used Nikon cameras for many years and in 2006 took the decision to adopt digital imaging. I bought a Nikon D200, supplemented at the beginning of 2009 by a D300, my "excuse" being that on my planned trip to Antarctica I felt the need to have a back-up camera and it seemed sensible to trade up to the D300!

I use a Canon G10 as my "little" camera, the one I take with me most places.

I have just - literally - taken delivery of a D3X which I am looking forward to learning how to use; I am at the bottom of the learning curve with this wonderful piece of equipment! However I am already very impressed with the amount of detail available in the images taken using the full frame sensor.

The D200 has gone to a good home with my son-in-law but I retain the D300 which I will continue to use and enjoy, especially as it is a lot lighter than the D3X and I have a good range of lenses to use with it.

Lenses: My mainstay with the cropped sensor has been the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens along with the Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle zoom. I also have the Nikon 105mm VR F2.8 Micro and earlier in 2009 purchased the Sigma 150-500mm OS tele-zoom - again for the trip to the Antarctic.

More recently I bought the Nikon 50mm F1.4G AF-S which I am slowly learning to use and I also have the 20mm Nikkor f2.8, bought when I was using film cameras.

The lens I will use as standard with the D3X is the 24- 70mm f2.8 Nikkor.

I continue to use my dependable and sturdy Manfrotto Carbon One 443 tripod and a Manfrotto monopod.

I use a combination of Lee and Cokin ND grads and ND filters.