My photography equipment in 2024
I sometimes get asked about what gear I use. This is a list of my kit as it stands in 2024, and it is the equipment I am using for my current project, “In Praise of Stillness.”
Cameras:
My two cameras of choice are the Leica SL2 and SL2S. I’ll use the SL2 when shooting a scene that might require cropping, and the SL2-S when shooting in low-light conditions. Otherwise, I use these cameras interchangeably. I absolutely love the Leica user interface —it is so elegantly simple and intuitive. These cameras pair well with vintage lenses, are built like tanks, and are weather-sealed.
These prime SL lenses are marvels of modern design - they are incredibly sharp and produce beautiful images. Out of these three, the 50mm is my favorite; its rendering wide-open is gorgeous. These SL lenses are weather-sealed, so if I work in challenging weather conditions, they’ll get used instead of my vintage glass.
Vintage Lenses:
Leica 50mm f/1 Noctilux M-Mount
Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux M-Mount
Leica 75mm f/1.4 Summilux M-Mount
Leica 80mm f/1.4 Summilux R-Mount
Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO Macro Elmarit R-Mount
As good as the new SL lenses are, I still prefer the look of vintage glass over modern options. Using fast vintage glass on modern cameras with image stabilization, high-resolution EVF, and focus peaking is wonderful.
The first four lenses are Walter Mandler designs from the 1960s and 1970s. They might not be the sharpest lenses available today, but their beautiful wide-open rendering gives photographs a unique warmth and character. The 100mm was designed in the 1980s and excels at portraits and macro work.