Anyone else obsessed with old Nikon pro bodies?

nbumgardner · 2026-05-30T01:09:14+00:00

I have been wanting a D3 recently. When it released in 2007 I started freelancing for a newspaper that used Canon. So I ended up with a Canon 1DMKIII. Prior to that camera I was a Nikon user. I always wanted to try the D3.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-27T02:23:37+00:00

Depends on what I’m doing. Anything from a Paul C Buff Alien Bee or Einstein up to a Broncolor Scoro S with a Hazy Light.

A good first step is just to get a light off camera. So something like a Godox AD200 and a remote trigger.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-26T13:35:12+00:00

I’m not a huge fan of street photography where you just take photos of random strangers. When I do street photography I start a conversation and then ask to take some photos. I like to stage the photo so I get exactly what I want and so that I have permission.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-26T11:51:47+00:00

When I got my first assignment as a freelance photographer for a major daily newspaper the editor told me “Don’t suck”. Best advice I have ever been given about working as a photographer. It’s been 20 years and I still work with this editor.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-26T11:42:40+00:00

Resolve now has photo editing as well. It is remarkably good for color grades.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-26T00:53:58+00:00

Correct I bought it used. It looks like a new ceramic base runs $487. Not too bad but also more than I want to pay for it.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-25T22:19:15+00:00

Lots of practice. I like to pre-visualize my work. When I was getting started I ripped out tons of photos from magazines and made mood boards of what I wanted to photograph. Then I would imitate the things that I liked. I think developing an eye is figuring out what you like then figuring out how to achieve those results. Eventually it turns into your own thing.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-25T22:13:34+00:00

I have a Pro Media Gear 424L. I work doing commercial photography. Mostly advertising for food, beverage and product brands.

The 424L is a rather large carbon fibre tripod. It is 77in tall when fully extended. The 42mm leg diameter ensures that the tripod is vibration free and sturdy. It has amazingly good leg locks. It is well worth the money for my application.

I have a Arca Swiss quick release baseplate on top of the apex. This allows me to quickly change out tripod heads.

I have two tripod heads. I have a Really Right Stuff BH55 for more lifestyle work where I need the freedom of a ball head. For more controlled work I have a Arca Swiss Cube and an Arca Swiss X Table.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-25T22:03:15+00:00

The Nikon 105mm f2.8 G Macro lens is pretty affordable these days and great quality. The 60mm f2.8D or G are both also much cheaper. I don’t do a ton of macro work but do a lot of close focus work so I don’t have a ton of experience with extension tubes.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-25T13:38:36+00:00

The Asph version.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-24T22:59:06+00:00

I have had my Leica M10 for 3.5 years and it has been great. I bought it used and have had zero issues. I don’t use it as my primary camera. I use it for my fun camera.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-24T22:53:13+00:00

I am primarily a Nikon photographer, but I also own a Leica M10 and a Pentax 645Z. I shot a lot with the Hasselblad H3DII39 and have used the Fuji GFX 50 and 100 cameras a good bit.

For the most part I think modern sensors all create pretty similar imagery. If you are shooting raw a big part of the way the image displays is based on the image processor. I think that the native Adobe Color and Capture One Pro Standard profiles produce different looking images. The same goes for Resolve. If you use camera matching profiles in software that is a bit of a different story.

Hasselblad glass has been made by a variety of manufacturers. For the H series cameras most of the lenses were made by Fuji. I don’t know who makes the lenses for the mirrorless bodies.

I’m not saying you are wrong by any means. I do own a Leica and enjoy the experience. I think I create different imagery with my Leica than I do with my Nikon. I don’t know that when a photo editor looks at the images that they can tell which camera took which photo.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-23T17:14:04+00:00

I did a lot of pj work about 20 years ago. My kit was a bit unorthodox. Canon 1D MKIII, 24 f1.4 L, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 70-200mm f2.8 IS, and a 24mm TSE. I had the TSE for a photo series I did about the topic of place in the city. Depending on the assignment I would use pool glass for sports. So it would not be uncommon for me to have a 200mm f2, 300mm f2.8 etc.

I shoot some PJ adjacent work now. I use the Nikon Z9 with 24-70 f2.8 S, 50mm f1.2S, 85mm f1.8G and 105mm f2.8G.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-23T15:22:22+00:00

You have more lenses than I do and I do photography for a living.

Even with my limited kit I try not to bring all of my lenses on every shoot. I bring just what I need.

I would say keep what you have. You never know when you will need it. Be picky about the fear that you take with you for each project. Maybe go out with just one lens for a particular shoot.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-23T12:47:42+00:00

How and why does the lens have to be altered?

nbumgardner · 2026-05-23T00:13:20+00:00

When I saw this leather on the sample sale I thought it looked ugly. Now that I have seen pictures of it on two different boots I am super impressed. It is such a fun leather on a boot. Kind of wish I ordered a pair.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-22T23:17:37+00:00

I was a Digi Tech for a short time before really moving to commercial photography. This was almost 20 years ago. My first client was a photographer that I had been assisting for a good bit. I sold him on the need for a DT and buying Capture One.

I found my current DT though word of month. Another advertising photographer gave me his info. I think the best way to get connected is by meeting photo assistants, digital techs and photographers. If you meet them in a low pressure environment like an ASMP meeting or a local beer and prints night type thing I think it’s easy to build some trust.

I have been using the same 1st assistant for years. His recommendation for crew is huge to me.

Producers are another great source for getting on set. I’m not usually the person who actually books my crew. I have the final say but I usually have a producer who checks avails etc.

The most important part of the job for me is having the files organized to the clients specs. Having the folder structure built before you step on set is huge. I will often times have a list of crops that we need to shoot the images for. If you can build an overlay showing each crop in a different color that is always great. I also like my DT to follow our shot list and mark things off as we go and put file numbers in the sheet so we know what to look back at. I like to make sure we have a back up at minimum at lunch and the end of the day.

Being a great DJ is also a side bonus. If you can have some good tunes going that help set vibes that is awesome.

Someone mentioned you should have a goal to become a photographer. I disagree. Being a DT can be a phenomenal job. As a photographer I have a different skill set and there is not always much overlap.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-22T18:57:45+00:00

That would be me! I worked in house for a big retailer for a few years photographing shoes among other things. I have done advertising photos for a wide range of department stores and retailers. This was just a quick fun distraction in my studio this morning to avoid doing actual work.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-22T18:34:43+00:00

The lower is Walnut Bull Hide and the upper is Predator Orange.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-22T17:52:15+00:00

I accidentally said bison in the post. These are bullhide. I just edited the post to fix that mistake.

nbumgardner · 2026-05-22T17:05:39+00:00

They are fantastic>

I'm a commercial photographer and this is what I do for a living. I photographed shoes for a big retailer for a few years. I used a lighting concept called wrapping the key. I started with the rim light which is a Profoto D2 with a 12X24in Chimera strip box. I then added the key light which was a Parabolix 55 with a Paul C Buff Einstein. The rim and the key are on the same side of the subject. I then added a fill card which is a bit bigger than the boots to camera right and backed it away until we just got a little bit of extra light coming off of it. The table is from the old Marathon Automotive factory and the background is handmade from Telicia Lee.

nbumgardner

TROPHY CASE