I love photography! I truly believe it’s as much an art as it is about equipment, and I firmly believe that you don’t need the latest and most expensive gear to take beautiful pictures. Your artistic vision is the most important tool in your kit! But since many of you have asked, I’m happy to share my photography equipment, including my camera(s) and favorite lenses. I’ll also discuss the software, editing and photo presets that I use.
* This blog post may include affiliate links for which I may receive a small compensation. Learn more about my affiliate & cookies policy here. Thank you for supporting this flowery blog! 💛🌸🌿
Camera and Lenses
Primary cameras – Most of the pictures on this website through 2023 were taken with a Nikon D750 DSLR camera. It delivers fantastic image quality and I love it so much. The D750 has been discontinued but Nikon still sells two similar DSLR cameras – the Nikon D780 and Nikon D850. As you may know, Nikon is no longer designing new DSLR cameras and is now focusing on mirrorless cameras. Recently, I started using a Sony a6700, a mirrorless APS-C camera which I love for both photos and videos. I also love that it’s lighter and smaller than typical full-frame cameras! We also have a Sony A7 IV, a full-frame mirrorless camera that is better than the D6700 in low light and has higher resolution.
My favorite Sony lenses – So far, the lenses that I use the most with the Sony a6700 are the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM lens and the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II. Yes, I do use these full-frame lenses with my APS-C camera! I love that the Sony APS-C and full-frame cameras have the same camera mounts. I typically prefer a prime lens, but the Sony 70-200mm lens is so amazing that it’s just as good as a prime lens! It’s sharp at all focal lengths and has great bokeh which I love in my photos. It’s great for both flowers and birds/wildlife! I also use the Sony APS-C lens 18-135mm lens on a regular basis – it’s a great versatile and lightweight lens!
My favorite Nikon lenses – My go-to lens for my Nikon DSLR is the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G lens. I love this prime lens (non-zoom) for the sharpness, lack of distortion, and excellent reliable performance. I also love that it’s so small and lightweight. The majority of the photos on this website through 2022/2023 were taken with this lens. My favorite and most beloved lens is my Nikon 105mm Macro Lens. It’s so incredibly sharp with the most beautiful bokeh – every shot is perfection! It’s excellent for close-ups of flowers AND for portraits. If it weren’t so heavy, I’d use this lens all the time. This camera has been discontinued as of 2024 and can only be purchased used. However, there is an equivalent lens for their line of mirrorless cameras – the Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S, which has great reviews.
Compact travel camera – My favorite compact travel camera is the Fuji X100V (I actually have an older version) which can easily fit in any tote bag. It has amazing image quality with a 23mm prime (fixed) lens. It has an APS-C sensor, which is larger than most other compact cameras, so it’s able to capture more details. I also love the classic camera look and the classic knob-style controls. You can see some of the pictures I took with this camera on my Purple Ice Plants of Monterey Peninsula blog post.
Tripods
My main tripod is a lightweight carbon fiber tripod from SmallRig that is small and lightweight but also stable enough to balance my Sony a6700 with the 8-inch Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II lens attached. I usually only use a tripod when I want to take videos of cute birds and ducks.
If I have a bigger and heavier lens attached, I use a heavier and sturdier Manfrotto Aluminum Tripod with Horizontal Column and ballhead. I also love the horizontal arm for flat lays.
If you enjoy taking pictures of flowers as much as I do, you may be interested in my post on the Best Lenses for Flower Photography.
Photo & Video Accessories
Camera Hand Strap – I prefer a hand strap over a neck strap when using small to medium sized lenses. I have one from Peak Design and this one look similar.
Smartphone Gimbal for Video – I’ve been taking more videos lately and this small and lightweight gimbal from DJI is great for taking stable videos!
Crucial Portable SSD – I attach this to my iPhone to record and transfer 4K videos to free up space on my phone.
Camera Bag/Case
I love my new Urth camera bag – it’s so well made, looks great and protects my camera and lens well. It even fits my Sony a6700 with the larger 75-200mm lens attached!
Software & Presets
Photo editing – I think that a combination of a full-frame or APS-C camera and Adobe Lightroom are essential for photography, especially if you take RAW pictures to capture the maximum amount of image data. Adobe Lightroom lets you bring out and edit those details to become the works of art that you envisioned. Lightroom is available with Photoshop as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan.
Lightroom Presets – For photo editing in Lightroom (both desktop and mobile), I’ve used Refined Presets for several years and love them! I do make modifications for each set of photos to achieve the look I want, but they’re a great base!
My YouTube Channel!
I’ve started a YouTube channel! If you love nature, flowers and gardens as much as I do, make sure to give me a follow there! 😊🌸🌿
Step Inside a Fairytale Rose Garden!
This secret rose garden is full of blooming roses, rose terraces, rose walls, rose pillars, and even a rose-covered gazebo straight out of a fairytale! 🌸
Thank You!
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I hope you found this post useful, and I hope you have a wonderful day!
Pansy ❤️
Hi, I’m Pansy!
Hello, thanks for stopping by! I’m Pansy, a California-based photographer, flower & nature lover, and travel blogger. 🌸🌼🌿
I also have a YouTube channel where I feature beautiful gardens, parks & flower fields. Make sure to follow me there if you love flowers & gardens! 😊
If you’d like to contact me, please send me an email or DM me on Instagram!
Pansy ❤️
