Cameras: My 35mm film camera is a Minolta Maxxum 7 which I purchased in late Spring 2005.  My DSLR cameras are Sony's Al00 and A700 models as that firm acquired the rights to Konica-Minolta's technolody including image stabilization in the bodies - a plus for me as no matter what lenses I attach I have the benefit of the stabilization when doing my digital shooting! 

Lenses, Flashes, etc:  Allthough my lenses include two Minolta lenses (50mm F1.7 prime and 70-210mm F4.5-5.6 Zoom), the majority of my photography is done with one of my three Tamron premium lenses or one of my two Sigma premium lenses attached to my cameras.  The Tamrons include a SP AF20-40mm Aspherical IF F2.7-3.5 Zoom, a SP AF90mm 2.8 Macro 1:1 and a LD 200-400mm IF Zoom.  The Sigma gear consists of an ultra-wide 10-20mm F4-5.6 SLD DC Zoom, and their newest 70-200mm F2.8 II APO EX DG Macro Zoom.  I also have a Tamron-F 2X AF 7MC matched-teleconverter and will be acquiring a premium Sigma teleconverter soon.  My flash equipment includes a Minolta Program 5400HS.  

Tripods:  Manfrotto #055PRO tripod with Manfrotto 490RC4 ball-head.  

Filters: As I like my photographs to look natural and unexaggerated, I normally use filters only (1) when there is too much variation in brightness between parts of the scene (i.e. background/foreground) when I will use one of my graduated neutral density (ND) filters, or (2) to remove glare from water, foliage and rocks, also to deepen the blue in skies. This is accomplished by the use of polarizing filters. As of late I have been utilizing world-class Singh-Ray filters, including the Galen Rowell ND-Grad, the Darryl Benson ND-Reverse-Grad, the LB Warming Polarizer, and the 8-stop Vari-ND filter.  All filters are used with both my digital and film cameras when required.

Film: For many years I used slide films exclusively, except for when I shot weddings or portraits and opted for particular professional colour negative films that produced very natural skin tones and the natural whites required for the wedding gowns.  As with many other photographers, my main slide film for many years was Kodachrome 25, the industry standard for decades.  That all changed with the arrival of Fuji Velvia 50 ISO Professional several years ago as it soon became my film of choice and remained so until the arrival of Velvia 100. Besides the 50 and 100 I have used other Fuji professional slide films Velvia 100F, Provia 100F and Astia 100F on occasion, usually for specific purposes, and Provia 400 for wildlife.

Scanner:  My Nikon Coolscan, a dedicated film scanner, allows me to scan my slides into my computer where I do minor editing and prepare them for printing.

Printer: The Epson R2400 UltraChrome K3 printer produces pigment-based prints up to 13 x 19 inches (A3+) in either colour or black and white that are truly stunning and have very long archival quality when printed on Epson photographic papers. (Details on print permanence may be found at http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/R2400.html.)  To ensure prints that meet my exacting standards, larger prints are outsourced to a first class commercial lab that utilizes state-of-the-art higher-end Epson (Series 7800-9800) printers.  You may rest assured that whether the prints are produced in-house or by the commercial lab, they will be of the highest quality and will come with a full guarantee*.

* See "Guarantee" category.