EQUIPMENT LIST
I've recently converted from a combined Nikon/Canon setup, to a completely Canon setup. When digital SLR's first hit the market, their sensors were smaller than a 35mm negative (known as crop sensor bodies). Because I already owned Nikon lenses from the film days, it made sense to stick with Nikon when originally converting to digital.
Eventually, Canon introduced the first full frame DSLR, with a sensor size equal to a 35mm negative. Larger sensors have certain benefits. For me, as primarily a portrait photographer, they offered shallower depth of field, meaning I could isolate my subjects easier from the backgrounds. They're also generally sharper, with less noise. So, I acquired one, and began building a new lens lineup.
But crop sensor cameras have certain advantages as well, particularly with respect to speed. Additionally, they tend to 'magnify' the effects of some lenses, which is an advantage for sports photography, and other forms of photography that utilize telephoto lenses. So, I kept my Nikon crop sensor body as well. At the same time, Nikon insisted they would never produce a full frame DSLR (so as not to discourage purchases of their dx lenses).
By the time Nikon introduced their full frame dSLR, I was already pretty heavily invested in Canon. Finally, however, as Canon offered a capable crop sensor body (the 7D), I decided that having two systems was redundant, and I made the switch.
People ask me all the time which camera brand is better. The answer is that neither is necessarily better than the other, as both are perfectly adequate tools. What's perhaps more important is your choice of lenses. Camera bodies come and go with the ever evolving upgrades in technology. But lenses tend to change much more slowly. So, I typically invest in the highest quality glass from the beginning.
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Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21 MP Canon EOS 7D 18 MP Lens Selection:
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Of course, camera equipment is only a small piece of the pie. For studio work, I use a wide array of strobes and light modifiers, the latter of which include a host of soft boxes, umbrellas, brolly boxes, reflectors, and colored gels. Stands are equally important, as they allow you to position your lights specific to the situation, in any configuration. Finally, background selection is a vital component to setting the mood to any photograph. My galleries illustrate most of the studio backgrounds clients can choose from.
For location or outdoor work, I often use a special mobile battery pack capable of powering one, two, or more strobes for 100's of shots. Of course, several studio items are used, including the above-mentioned strobes, stands, and modifiers.
Computer equipment is the final ingredient, and represents the digital darkroom. A desktop with a powerful Intel Core i7 CPU, 12 gigs of memory, and 28" ultra-wide LCD monitor are used for processing of images. Software includes Adobe Photoshop CS5, which is the industry standard for professionals, as well as a varied assortment of digital image processing plugins.
As is typically the case with electronics of any form, the latest trends change constantly. I frequently upgrade my tools to meet the demands of an evolving market. Therefore, the above items will likely be replaced with time. Regardless of the current fad, I will always provide my clients with the utmost of quality.
8-30-08: I’d like to announce the addition of an Intuos3 widescreen graphics tablet to my arsenal of post-processing tools. Graphics tablets allow for certain editing and graphics design features not otherwise achievable with a mouse. If interested, e-mail me regarding my opinion of the Intuos3 versus the Cintiq line of tablets, and why I chose the former over the latter.
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Adam Attoun Photography -- Professional photography, serving Redding, California