ANTHONYRUGGERI.COM

Although I did photography as a kid using mostly point-and-shoot film cameras, it's only been within the past few years that I've really gotten into it. As a sufficiently gadget-geek sort of pursuit, it deserves a page on my site with lists of things. I actually have a few different cameras, but mostly they are just for show. I take pictures with my Nikon D200. I started with digital SLRs in late 2004 with a D70 kit that was a bit of a holiday present for myself, and it has turned out to be quite an expensive hobby. My typical subjects include bugs, flowers, wildlife, landscapes, and almost anything else that catches my eye. I appreciate the smooth union of technology and art inherent and possibly unique within photography.

Nikon D200

The D200 replaced my D70 in the spring of 2006; in fact I used the D70 exactly once after that, on a trip to Chicago. The higher 10-megapixel resolution and some of the pro features like mirror lockup and remote cord release have proven to be extremely useful for the type of nature and macro work I prefer. I also picked up a Really Right Stuff L-bracket for it.

SLR Lenses

Of course I've gotten a pile of lenses since I innocently got into this digital photography thing with the D70 kit:

Nikkor AF-S 12-24mm f/4 G ED DX - wide and sharp. A really good lens.
Nikkor AF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 G ED DX - the premier digital normal zoom
Nikkor AF-S VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED DX - the controversial do-it-all lens, with which I have an "always about to sell it" relationship
Nikkor AF 35mm f/2 D - the indoor and lowlight "normal" standard for crop sensor cameras
Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8 D - the cheap quality standard
Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 SP Di - a macro legend
Nikkor AF-S VR 105mm G ED - a new macro legend
Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4 IF-ED w/Kirk replacement collar - long and sharp
Nikkor AF-S teleconverter TC-14E II - longer and almost as sharp, as necessary

I've also sold off a number of lenses and other stuff in the continuing evolution of my personal kit (see below). What I've found is that I really don't want to do ordinary photography, so my ordinary lenses tend towards the eBay scrapheap. Next up on the chopping block are probably the Tamron 90 (replaced by the 105 VR), and one or both of the 12-24 and 18-200, replaced by the 17-55. My "real" kit is the 12-24, 17-55, and 105, sometimes the 300 and TC, with the 35 when I want a casual prime.

Other SLR Stuff

Nikon speedlight SB-800
Nikon macro speedlight kit R1
Gitzo GT2540 4-section carbon fiber tripod with Markins M10 ballhead
Manfrotto 3001N tripod, with ballhead 486 and short center column, in the car for emergencies
Manfrotto 3021BPRO tripod (relegated to the closet)
Nikon right-angle viewfinder DR-6
Manfrotto 676B monopod (kind of useless now)
Nikon closeup adapters 5T and 6T
Nikon circular polarizer 52mm and 77mm
B+W 8x ND filter 77mm
Kenko Uniplus 25mm AF extension tube
Manfrotto 3149 micrometric focusing rail with Arca-Swiss plate adapters

Sony Mavica

This is one of the old sub-megapixel digital cameras with a built-in floppy disk drive. It was my Dad's first digital camera and has since been passed down to me (this was before the D70, of course).

Nikon FM2

This was my Dad's last film camera before he made the jump to digital with the Mavica and then (for good) with a Canon PowerShot A3. I still marvel at how well it's built and how precise the mechanisms are. It's got a few lenses and accessories as well:

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 series E lens
Nikkor 28 f/2.8 lens
Vivitar 70-150 zoom lens (probably a series E knockoff)
some ancient flash unit

Polaroid Sun 600

I have an "ancient" (mid 80's) Polaroid instant camera, the kind that takes 10-shot cartridges and spits out a developed print immediately. Fixed focal length and fixed focus, with a pop-up flash.

Sold Equipment

I've gotten rid of a fair amount of equipment as I've understood my needs better or upgraded various items:

Nikon D70 - The D70 was a very solid 6-megapixel DSLR from Nikon, positioned nicely between their entry-level and pro models. I sold it in November 2006.
Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED DX lens - This is the kit lens that came with the D70, since replaced by the 18-200 VR.
Sigma macro flash EM-140 DG - For a time this was the only iTTL macro flash compatible with Nikon cameras; then it was incompatible with the D200, and I replaced it with a Nikon R1 flash kit in August 2006.
Nikkor AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED lens - The standard consumer 300mm telephoto zoom, I sold it in November 2006, replaced by the 300/4.
Nikkor AF 28mm f/2.8 D lens - At one point I couldn't decide between the 28/2.8 and 35/2 for low-light and indoor photography; the 35/2 won, and I sold the 28/2.8 in November 2006.
Nikon remote flash cable SC-29 - Which I really didn't need anymore with the R1 flash kit.