What’s in the Bag?

What’s in the bag is a question I’m often getting asked, or what gear do you shoot with?

Hasselblad h4d50 Hasselblad H4D 50  // $8,999 //

  • 50 Megapixel Resolution
  • 36.7 x 49.1mm CCD Sensor
  • 3.0″ 24-Bit Color LCD
  • True Focus and Absolute Position Lock
  • 16-Bit Color Definition
  • Hasselblad RAW 3FR File Format

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My Thoughts This 50 megapixel, medium format camera is nothing like your everyday 35mm camera.

80mm f/2.8 HC Auto Focus Lens for H Cameras // $2524 //  is the standard lens for the HC system. The high-performance design ensures great color correction, a flat image plane, and low distortion. The wide aperture facilitates photography in poor light and provides a bright viewfinder image. This lens is suited for almost any task in general photography. Learn more

My Thoughts best kit lens. The 80mm is about the size equivalent to a 50mm for 35mm full framed camera systems

 

HC 100mm f/2.2 Lens

// $4470 //  is a fast lens particularly suited to low-light situations or for action shots where higher shutter speeds are required. The slightly longer than standard length coupled with its shorter depth-of-field makes it a perfect choice for striking portraits too. At ?/2.2, it’s the fastest lens – aperture-wise – in our lineup. Moreover, it’s the fastest-focusing lens we produce and when you’re moving around a subject, firing shot after shot, that extra speed is worth it. The H system lens features an improved shutter speeds up to 1/2000 sec. The lens fast f/2.2 maximum aperture allows producing selective focus imagery and working in low-light conditions. A full focusing AF system offers quick performance, which can also be manually overridden for fine-tuned focusing control as closely as 3 feet away.

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My Thoughts the 100mm is the same as an 80mm for full framed cameras. I’ve always shot with the Canon 80mm so this is lens gets used often.

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Profoto 901053 D1 500/500 Air Studio Kit w. Air Remote

// $2399 //

Profoto D1 Air

The D1 Studio Kit is the perfect solution for photographers who refuse to choose between a great location and great light. In other words, it is a versatile kit that can be used for many different kinds of photography in many different kinds of environments.


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My Thoughts LOVE IT:

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo  

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens // $1619 // is a peerless super fast standard lens featuring an ultra-large aperture for a narrow depth of field and soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The lens is suitable for any shooting situation; its lens coating and construction are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. Learn more

My Thoughts this is my go-to lens, and my most used lens its light, its fast at f/1.2 its small, lightweight, and extremely sharp.

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM Autofocus Lens //$2199. // is a fast lens that delivers superb optical performance. A maximum aperture of f/1.2 makes it the professional’s choice for shooting without flash in low light conditions. The large aperture also provides fine control over depth of field for compelling portrait photography. Learn More

My Thoughts This is a beautiful piece of Canon glass. It’s extremely sharp just as you’d expect from an L series glass. However it is autofocus is slow, it’s heavy, and it’s very expensive.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM Lens // $1699. // is especially well suited for use with EOS digital SLR cameras, which usually have an imaging sensor size smaller than the 35mm format. When used with such digital SLR cameras, the 16-35mm focal length range gives an angle of view approximately equivalent to that of a 27-64mm lens upon 35mm cameras, making it an ideal medium-aperture standard zoom lens.
Learn more My ThoughtsGood lens for getting wide-angle shots. I often use this during wedding receptions and the occasional landscapes.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens // $1049. // is a notably updated version of Canon’s popular 100mm Macro lens. In its latest incarnation, the 100mm f/2.8L Macro joins Canon’s esteemed L-series, and as such is held to a higher level of resolving power and overall construction. Other improvements found on the EF 100mm f/2.8L include Optical Image Stabilization with up to 4-stops of shake control and a refined Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for quicker and quieter auto-focusing with full-time manual override. Learn more

My Thoughts this lens works great for up-close things like bugs, wedding rings, and beauty shots when you need to get lips and eyes.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens //$2129. // improves upon its predecessor, one of the most acclaimed lenses in the Canon EF line, with superior performance, increased speed and optical quality. This lens is constructed of 23 elements in 19 groups (including 1 Fluorite and 5 UD elements) which help deliver the sharpness and reduced aberration which professional photographers rely upon from Canon. The IS II Optical Image Stabilizer provides up to 4 stops of correction at all focal lengths. Learn more

My Thoughts This is a must-have lens. stop reading this and go get it.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon Speedlite 580EX II //$489. // As the top-of-the-line flash for the EOS-system, takes the best features from existing models and adds functionality that enhances digital photography. A more powerful flash with a maximum guide number of 190′ (58 m) at ISO 100 (at 105mm focal length), faster recycling, more consistent color, and enhanced controls are among the improvements that all photographers, especially those who shoot digital, will find useful. Learn more

My Thoughts if you can’t afford the new 600ex I recommend this flash over any of the others I use this w Energizer Lithium batteries and never had a problem.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Canon Speedlite 430EX II //$299. // is Canon’s mid-range shoe mount flash, yet it offers many of the same advanced features as its bigger brother, the 580EX II. It is designed to fully support the entire range of Canon digital SLR and G-series cameras. Learn More

My Thoughts My first flash I’ve ever bought I now use it as a backup OR I put it on a stand with a Pocket Wizard and trigger it when I need it during the reception.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo SOLD IT!

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra with S head  // $2090. //

My Thoughts I love these little lights they are so lightweight and they fit perfectly in my ThinkTank Airport Security back. It’s 400ws and the battery weighs just under 7lbs you have to see Scott Kelby’s review on these.

However, It was only 400ws and for me, it was underpowered, the led battery didn’t last long and using it with a Pocketwizard, the flash didn’t fire most of the time sadly I sold this after only a year.

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo Elinchrom Rotalux Deep OctaBox 39″ //$299. //diameter softbox emits a more focused soft light than most OctaBoxes when used with its included inner and outer diffuser. With either, or both of the diffusers removed, this box acts like a super-large reflector for your Elinchrom flash head Learn More

My Thoughts The 39 inch is pretty big but it provides beautiful window light when you need it. It also opens very quickly and easily.

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography alienbee b1600 photo The AlienBees™ B1600 // 359. // is a powerful, self-contained studio flash unit with adjustable output from full power (640 Ws) down to 1/32nd of the total power (20 Ws). This flash power is adjusted on the back control panel with a slide fader, capable of adjusting in whole f-stop increments and everywhere in between. When adjusted from a higher to a lower setting, the unit will automatically dump the excess power for accurate output. Learn More

My Thoughts great, affordable, and durable lights with 640ws you’ll have no problem overpowering the sun with these.

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography alienbee beauty dish photo 22-inch High Output White Beauty Dish // $79 // creates a bright, highly-efficient light source, similar to that of the silver dish, but with a softer finish. The white dish produces smooth skin tones and even coverage that could normally only be achieved on the silver dish by adding the diffusion sock. With a beam spread of 130° without the use of the included diffusion sock, the white beauty dish is great for indoor portraits to create warmer skin tones, or for diffusing hot spots that might occur on shimmery fabrics or reflective surfaces. Learn More

My Thoughts It’s good!

donte tidwell los angeles wedding vagabond mini photo The Vagabond Mini Lithium // $239 // is a third-generation controlled-current pure sine wave power source for operating AC powered studio flash units in the field from its built-in battery. Both small and lightweight (weighing just 3.5 pounds, including quick-change high capacity lithium battery), the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium is designed to operate from one to four Paul C. Buff™ self-contained flash units. Learn more

My Thoughts: This is the most useful tool I use when I’m out shooting on location. If I’m not using it to power my AlienBee strobe It’s being used to power a laptop, or cell phone or anything else I need it for. It powers the 1600b at full power for around 200 shots.

donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo ExpoDisc Neutral White Balance Filter // $99. // allows digital photographers to quickly and easily set an accurate custom white balance.  Each ExpoDisc is individually assembled, calibrated, and certified for neutrality in the visible spectrum, and for 18% light transmission. Learn More

My Thoughts: Setting your white balance in camera will save you so much time later when you get to the computer and you’re trying to guess what the right color is. so this is a highly recommended extra.

 donte-tidwell-los-angeles-photography photo  Lexar 16GB CompactFlash Memory Card Professional 1000x UDMA //$79. // is a high-performance CompactFlash (CF) memory card. It harnesses UDMA 7 technology to deliver a superb 1000x speed rating, enabling maximum sustained read speeds of 150MB/s, with write speeds of up to 95MB/s. Learn More

My Thoughts: I use these cards because they read and write very fast they work best with the Lexar USB 3.0 card reader

Donte Tidwell Photography is a Los Angeles Photographer.

Donte Tidwell Photography specializes in boudoir, portrait, fashion and fine art pictures.  To see more work from Photographer Donte Tidwell, check out his website at  http://www.dontetidwell.com or visit the facebook http://www.facebook.com/dontetidwellphoto or instagram http://www.instagram.com/dontetidwell. Contact Photographer Donte Tidwell

Los Angeles Boudoir Photography | Los Angeles Portrait Photography | Los Angeles Fashion Photographer

California | Los Angeles | Hollywood | Valencia | Burbank | Pasadena | Santa Barbra | Palmdale