Happy National Camera Day!

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

Let's do a little gear flex today!
Share a photo of the camera that helps you create your art and tell us why this camera or piece of gear means so much to you.
Maybe it's the camera that got you into photography, the lens that's been with you on every adventure, or the setup that helped you capture some of your favorite memories.

Mine is the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II.
This camera means a lot to me. I first dreamed of owning an Olympus E-M5 when I was in college back in 2013. At that time, only the first-generation E-M5 was available.
I bought the E-M5 Mark II in 2018, even though it was released in 2015. By then, newer camera models were already available, but that didn't really matter to me. I never cared whether it was still the newest model or not. The only thing that mattered was finally owning the camera I had dreamed about for so many years.
This was the camera that started my journey into architecture photography, and it remains my main camera to this day. I have a few point-and-shoot cameras, but the E-M5 Mark II is still the one I trust the most.
Honestly, I don't plan on replacing it anytime soon. I'll keep using it until it can no longer do its job. It has been a part of so many memories and creative experiences, and that's what makes it truly special to me.

 

[DanOstergren32 1]

Mine is the Canon 5D MKIII, and my 85mm f/1.2 lens. I haven't "upgraded" to mirrorless yet, but that's because I am still perfectly happy with this camera. I love the feel of the mechanical shutter, and the way this camera can render a portrait, especially with my 85mm lens attached. I also love a good bargain especially when it's on tools that still produce excellent results, and both of these fit that description quite well.

 

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

Mine is the Canon 5D MKIII, and my 85mm f/1.2 lens. I haven't "upgraded" to mirrorless yet, but that's because I am still perfectly happy with this camera. I love the feel of the mechanical shutter, and the way this camera can render a portrait, especially with my 85mm lens attached. I also love a good bargain especially when it's on tools that still produce excellent results, and both of these fit that description quite well.

Nice! The 5D Mark III is still a great camera, and that 85mm f/1.2 is such a classic. If you're happy with the results, there's really no need to upgrade.

 

[zombiesniper120 19]

Mine would be my Canon 7dmkII paired with my Canon 500mm F4 L.

This would be my first and still truly great wildlife setup.

My camera by Trevor Baldwin, on Flickr

It allowed me to get wildlife images that I just could get before. The speed and accuracy of the autofocus paired withe the wide open clarity and sharpness of the lens made it easier to nail focus and make backgrounds buttery smooth.

It also allowed me to explore Astro photography without spending more getting a telescope. All I had to do was aim at the sky and get shooting.

397695331_10161453340161944_93525879491755185_n by Trevor Baldwin, on Flickr

Because of it's performance I still haven't felt the need to upgrade and probably won't for some time to come.

 

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

Mine would be my Canon 7dmkII paired with my Canon 500mm F4 L.

This would be my first and still truly great wildlife setup.

My camera by Trevor Baldwin, on Flickr

It allowed me to get wildlife images that I just could get before. The speed and accuracy of the autofocus paired withe the wide open clarity and sharpness of the lens made it easier to nail focus and make backgrounds buttery smooth.

It also allowed me to explore Astro photography without spending more getting a telescope. All I had to do was aim at the sky and get shooting.

397695331_10161453340161944_93525879491755185_n by Trevor Baldwin, on Flickr

Because of it's performance I still haven't felt the need to upgrade and probably won't for some time to come.

Wow! Cool setup!

 

[greybeard40 13]

 

[webestang6417 1]

I have many things to create my photo art (all film).......
Favorite is without a doubt my Pentax K1000 (top left). First 35mm I owned, got her X-Mas of 1980.
Next is the Pentax MX (bottom left). LOVE this camera!
And next is my Canon A2E (top right).

Then there is my Voigtlander 120 6x6 and my Foldex 620 6x9. And.....Argus-75 620 6x6..

My color film is scanned using a Noritsu 1800 series and very little post process. One trick I like is shooting E-100 and cross in C-41.

But for BW I make and manipulate prints using an Ilford 500 cold light variable grade head on a Besler chassie.

I also use a variety of lens filters as well.

 

[petrochemist123 148]

This was my first full spectrum IR converted camera, with a home adapted 50/1.2 projector lens mounted
Mounted 50mm/1.2 projector lens by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Not so frequently used but another interesting camera is this Toyo monorail (one of three I own) showing an image on the ground glass from another projector lens. The Delta 77 was made for projection TVs and has remarkable good coverage for such a wide angle though it does have to be mounted inside the bellows to focus to infinity.
delta 77 - deluxe & GG by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

These images might suggest that all my photos are taken through weird adapted lenses, but that's not the case. It's just that I only find the weird lenses interesting enough to photograph the hardware myself.

 

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

I have many things to create my photo art (all film).......
Favorite is without a doubt my Pentax K1000 (top left). First 35mm I owned, got her X-Mas of 1980.
Next is the Pentax MX (bottom left). LOVE this camera!
And next is my Canon A2E (top right).

Then there is my Voigtlander 120 6x6 and my Foldex 620 6x9. And.....Argus-75 620 6x6..

My color film is scanned using a Noritsu 1800 series and very little post process. One trick I like is shooting E-100 and cross in C-41.

But for BW I make and manipulate prints using an Ilford 500 cold light variable grade head on a Besler chassie.

I also use a variety of lens filters as well.

Nostalgic feeling! Nice collections of film cameras!

 

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

Solid setup!

 

[kayumanggisnapshot16]

This was my first full spectrum IR converted camera, with a home adapted 50/1.2 projector lens mounted
Mounted 50mm/1.2 projector lens by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Not so frequently used but another interesting camera is this Toyo monorail (one of three I own) showing an image on the ground glass from another projector lens. The Delta 77 was made for projection TVs and has remarkable good coverage for such a wide angle though it does have to be mounted inside the bellows to focus to infinity.
delta 77 - deluxe & GG by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

These images might suggest that all my photos are taken through weird adapted lenses, but that's not the case. It's just that I only find the weird lenses interesting enough to photograph the hardware myself.

Thanks for sharing! Those setups look really interesting, and it’s cool seeing the unique lenses you work with.

 

[F.O.V.85 85]

Leica CL Urth adaptor and 1950 Leitz 3.5 Summaron..

 

[KJ_North]

For me, photography has always been about the journey.

My first camera was a Canon 60D. It was the camera that taught me the fundamentals of photography. I made the decision early on to turn off the "Auto" mode and learn to shoot in manual. Looking back, there was plenty of trial and error—more missed shots than great ones—but every mistake taught me something. My biggest challenge in those early days was learning how to shoot in low-light conditions.

After a few years, I made the jump to full-frame with the Canon 6D Mark II. It was a huge step forward, especially in low light, and it opened up opportunities that simply weren't possible with my previous camera. I was still shooting in manual and still learning every time I picked up the camera. The learning curve never really ends.

Then life happened.

I took a break from photography and eventually sold all of my gear. For a while, the hobby that I loved was put on hold.

A few years later, it was time to rediscover that passion. I purchased a Canon EOS R—my first mirrorless camera. It was an excellent camera and produced beautiful images, but around that time my interests shifted. I found myself becoming fascinated with wildlife photography, particularly birds, and eventually narrowed that focus even further to birds in flight.

Anyone who has photographed birds in flight knows how demanding it can be. While the EOS R was capable of producing incredible images, its 5 frames-per-second shooting speed and autofocus system made tracking fast-moving birds a real challenge. I certainly captured some photographs that I'm proud of, but there were also countless moments where I came away thinking, "That could have been an amazing shot." It wasn't impossible—it just required patience, persistence, and accepting that there would be far more misses than hits.

Today, my camera of choice is the Canon R5 Mark II, and it has transformed what's possible. It's an incredible piece of equipment that gives me the tools to consistently capture those elusive birds in flight. Paired with my Canon RF 200-800mm lens, it's a combination that allows me to photograph wildlife in ways I could only dream about years ago.

Do I still miss shots? Absolutely.

Do I still get the exposure wrong sometimes or lose focus on a bird? Of course. I'm an amateur photographer and a hobbyist who's constantly learning, and I suspect that part will never change.

But that's exactly what makes photography so rewarding.

It's not about owning the newest camera or capturing the perfect image every time. It's about the challenge, the learning, the early mornings, the patience, and those unforgettable moments when everything comes together for a split second.

For me, that's what makes the journey so much fun.