The Kit

Two Systems, One Obsession

Every camera here earns its place by being used. This isn't a shrine to gear acquisition; it's a working kit built across three generations of Nikon glass (manual, autofocus and mirrorless) and one uncompromising Leica rangefinder. Each piece is here for what it helps me see, not what it helps me show off.

Cloud-streaked evening sky above a grassy hill and trees, photographed with the Leica M11-P and Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.
Leica M11-PLeica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.35mm · f/3.4 · ISO 64
Melbourne bridge lit by green laser beams at night, photographed with the Nikon Z9 and NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
Nikon Z9NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena135mm · f/8 · ISO 80
Nikon Z

The Modern Arsenal

The Z9 is the workhorse I reach for first: silent, unflinching, built for moments that don't wait for a mirror to flip. Its lighter sibling, the Z7, shares the mount and the 45-megapixel sensor class, and it's the one that goes on long walks and travel days. Both bottom out at ISO 64, which is exactly what the long-exposure nightscapes I love ask for. On the front, four lenses cover the epic and the intimate.

In the bag

  • Nikon Z9 Workhorse
  • Nikon Z7 Light and discreet
  • NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S Wide and immersive
  • NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S The everyday zoom
  • NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Pulls a subject cleanly from its background
  • NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S Distance, without apology
Nikon F-mount, autofocus

The Bridge Generation

The D850 is where the mirror still earns its keep: an optical viewfinder, a deep well of detail and a lens collection that spans decades. The 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.8 form a fast, dependable core, while the old 80-200mm f/2.8D keeps refusing to retire. On days when versatility matters more than a fixed aperture, the 24-120mm f/4 and the DX-era 18-70mm come along for the ride.

In the bag

  • Nikon D850 The bridge
  • AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Fast all-rounder
  • AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II The long fast zoom
  • AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Simple and sharp
  • AF NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED The veteran
  • AF NIKKOR 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D Economical multipurpose lens
  • AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Versatility
  • AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX-era companion
Film and AI-S

The Manual Discipline

The FM2N asks for nothing but attention: a mechanical shutter, no autofocus, no auto-exposure to lean on. Just light, glass and judgment. Paired with AI-S primes, a 50mm f/1.2 for wide-open drama and a 24mm f/2.8 for environmental context, it's where technique gets rebuilt from the ground up. The F80D, a film body that allows a little more help, keeps the analogue habit going when the pace calls for it.

In the bag

  • Nikon FM2N Fully manual
  • Nikon F80D Easygoing film
  • Nikon NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 AI-S Wide-open drama
  • Nikon NIKKOR 24mm f/2.8 AI-S Environmental context
Rippled lake under a layered blue and white sky, photographed with the Leica M11-P and Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.
Leica M11-PLeica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.35mm · f/4 · ISO 64

The Rangefinder

The Leica M11-P with the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. is the quiet counterpoint to everything else. No viewfinder blackout, no autofocus hunting; just a bright frame line, a focus patch and one of the most admired 35mm lenses ever made. It's my camera for slow, street and creative work, where the pace is set by walking rather than by frame rate.

In the bag

  • Leica M11-P Slow photography
  • Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. The one lens

At a glance

Nikon Z mount
  • Nikon Z9
  • Nikon Z7
  • NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S
  • NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S
  • NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
  • NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S
Nikon F mount, digital
  • Nikon D850
  • AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
  • AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G
  • AF NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED
  • AF NIKKOR 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D
  • AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
  • AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
Nikon F mount, film
  • Nikon FM2N
  • Nikon F80D
  • Nikon NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
  • Nikon NIKKOR 24mm f/2.8 AI-S
Leica M mount
  • Leica M11-P
  • Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.

Retired, not forgotten

The Nikon D70s, D7000 and D810 each earned their keep before moving on to their next owners. They mark the earlier chapters of this kit, and the years of learning that led here.

Curious about a frame, or how it was made? Say hello