Matte Hanna

Hello again! My name is Matte Hanna and I am a landscape photographer living on the Oregon coast. I’m happy to be back at Shotkit, talking about my gear, this is an update from my last post. A lot can happen over the course of a year, especially in terms of camera technology.

Readers may have found different gear to update their kits or might have jumped ship to a different brand of camera entirely. I am here to share with you what I have changed (or not) over the course of that time and what works for me and why.

Once again in my kit, you are going to find a lot of Nikon gear. I use Nikon mainly because I love the control I have while using them. I let my hands do a lot of muscle memory work while shooting. This works mainly due to Nikon keeping a unified or very similar menu and manual control system across their model line.

Even the Nikon Z series keeps a similar path on their two new mirrorless models. It makes a difference in knowing your camera well and how to change things without too much thought. Often times lighting might be challenging, or if you are trying to quickly capture a moment, you might miss something important.

Having said this, I love all cameras and have shot with a majority of the brands… The best camera is the one you have on you, always!

On to the kit… This is my Landscape kit and what I bring on the majority of my shoots depending on how far I am walking or what subject I am looking to capture.

I juggle a lot of different jobs in photography to give me the ability to travel and shoot all year-round. This is my Landscape quiver.

From bottom left.

Nikon D850
This is one of my new additions to the kit. My main camera for shooting most landscapes. The 45mp image quality is amazing. It’s easy to get beautiful shots with this camera and it feels great in the hands with comfortable ergonomics. The battery life is long even when composing shots in Live view.

I love the new additions of Focus stacking, focus peaking and the pull out 3.2″ touch LCD. If you haven’t tried the D850, you should. I prefer it over the Z series for my own reasons – at this point.

The D850 is built extremely well, like most Nikon cameras. It’s rugged and weather sealed to keep out the elements.

Nikon D810
This camera is my backup to the D850. I specifically shoot with the D810 when I know I am going to be shooting in a situation where I might drop or submerge the D850 (I’m knocking on wood).

I still love this camera and shoot with it weekly. It’s easy to use and reliable, it’s an old welcome friend in my gear bag and has captured many memories and stories.

Nikon D750
This is my backup for the D850 and the D810. Lightweight, sturdy and it takes tack sharp images paired with the right glass. Excellent at higher ISO’s with superb dynamic range.

The tilting display with Live view is great for composing your shots and the recent drop on the D750 price tag won’t break the bank.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens
It’s versatile in low light and the image quality is amazing. This is my go-to landscape zoom. Fast focusing, with the ability to create both beautiful bokeh and sharp images.

Paired with solid construction, shooting with it is a pleasure. Great for shooting wildlife or landscapes, it’s a beautiful well-constructed lens.

AF-S NIKKOR 24–70mm f/2.8G ED
A great standard zoom lens, often referred to as the workhorse of the pros. The lens offers consistent performance with fast precise autofocus performance. It’s dependable and shoots like a charm.

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM
A versatile wide-angle lens, it’s tack sharp when used correctly and also shoots amazing shallow depth of field situations. When I want to travel light for astrophotography, I use this lens paired with the D850.

Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM
An ultra-wide zoom lens with a constant f/2.8. This is the lens I use the most in my kit. It offers me the most versatility for my style of landscape photography.

Whether shooting night skies or early morning fog banks, the image quality is superb. It’s a new addition and has quickly become a favourite in my kit.

DJI Mavic Pro Drone
This is also a new addition. I love the ease of use and the compact design that allows me to take it anywhere without taking up precious space when out shooting.

Allowing for a brand new perspective on shooting locations. The DJI is also just fun to fly and goof around. Part toy part tool, always fun.

Third Eye Headlamps
I bring headlamps wherever I go for safety and function. A new favourite addition to my kit is from Third Eye Headlamps. The designs are super stylish with an intuitive button structure that offers immediate access to red lighting, preserving my night vision. Also, waterproof and made from recyclable non-toxic plastic.

You will find this headlamp on my head or in my bag at all times. Perfect for shooting at night or hanging around the camp.

Breakthrough Photography – X4 Neutral Density 6 and 3 stop filters
What can I say, these are amazing filters and I bring them everywhere I shoot. I like to do as much in- camera work as possible. It offers me greater control over my photography, instead of relying on post production. Filters are part of my style for keeping it pure.

Charpoles – Ascent Hiking Pole
A new addition to the kit. Durable and lightweight, I absolutely love these poles. Offering instant balance hiking on the trails and support for the muscles carrying the gear. A brilliant monopod feature on the handle lets you mount anything from a GoPro to a DSLR.

Gitzo GT1555T Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head
I’m still enjoying this Gitzo. Made for hiking and travel, the carbon construction is light and sturdy, giving this tripod very little shake or movement whatever surface you are shooting on. Packs down to almost nothing and comes with me on every hike.

Field Notebook
I highly recommend taking a memo book for jotting down notes wherever you go. I use mine to write down my thoughts and different settings for the places and gear that I am using.

They are great for keeping your life’s bucket list handy, you never know when you might be crossing something off or adding to that list.

www.mstarfilms.com | @matte_hanna

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