Wasted Thousands on Camera Gear? Here’s what I kept.
I have way too much gear across Sony, Nikon, Fuji…
Going from 3 systems to 1 isn’t easy.
How did I decide what to keep?
Lenses outlive cameras, to me they best define a brand’s identity.
Even after this purge I still have too much?
8 lenses, 4 for work, 4 for fun.
Earlier today I sold my favorite Sony lens - the last one.
My Fujifilm kit’s gone too, and out of my 8 Nikkor lenses I need to sell one more.
I’ve narrowed it down to either lens 7 or 8, I only need one of them for my next project.
Though there is one Nikkor lens I regret selling.
The Plena.
I love the build, controls, it's super sharp, has so much contrast, but the bokeh’s beautifully smooth all the way to the edges. It's such a distinctive look.
But when my studio flooded last year, it was the first lens I sold to fund my repairs. Because I didn't need it for work, it was just for fun. Plus, its size was hard to justify.
Too big for a 2 camera setup:
Zf + ZR
I've tried a lot of different camera combinations, because I do need 2. 1 for photo, 1 for video at least. In the Nikon Z lineup I've also tried the Z8 and Z6III, but these two smaller camera bodies are the best size to performance combo I’ve found personally.
I use my Zf for photo, it can do a bit of video. I use my ZR for video, it can do a lot of photo. (It’s perfect for travel photography, actually).
Both cameras can fit inside 1 camera big (sling or backpack), but it depends on the lenses attached.
Here’s what I kept, starting with:
Lens 1: Nikkor 105mm f2.8 S Z Macro
I bought this strictly for work. In my day job, I make science videos for college classes, which need a lot of close ups for test tubes and chemical reactions.
That built in Vibration Reduction makes it super steady for close up macro video, coupled with the camera’s IBIS, it’ll be my go-to B-roll lens moving forward at work.
For fun, though, it's not the most useful lens for street photography. It's not in my fun camera bag, it’s in my work camera bag.
It's firmly a work lens for me.
My Work Camera Bag for 2026:
I've been using the Compagnon Heritage Messenger Gen 3 since the start of this year, and it’s great for work.
This bag's top flap isn't too thick, and the shoulder strap has a nylon backing. That’s how they made the weight manageable despite using full-grain leather. It fits everything I need for work in a very structured way including:
14 inch MacBook Pro
2 camera bodies with lenses attached,
2 smaller lenses as well, down the sides.
This is my work camera bag and just work bag in general moving forward in 2026. I’m looking to switch up what camera bag I use on the weekends and/or for travel this year? I’m testing a few different bags right now to figure that out but it’s a hard call.
A much easier decision? Keeping the next lens in my kit:
Lens 2: Nikkor 85mm f1.8 S Z
It gathers more light than the 105mm macro, has beautiful separation, perfect for travel and street photography.
I don't need f1.4 when the 1.8 looks this clean. The lens barrel is a little longer than I’d like, but still very compact.
I used it recently to get these shots of the blood moon late at night after work.
To me, this lens is just for fun.
Why not Sony?
The fun factor or lack thereof is why I moved away from Sony.
Even when I was shooting for fun, it felt like work. I do appreciate Sony’s utilitarian menus, the dated but predictable camera body design. The consistency is very handy for work. If you've used one Sony camera, it's quick to pick up another and just start shooting.
The EVFs and screens though are not that amazing, neither is their shutter sound. The digital hot shoe, battery doors aren't very well sealed against the elements. The user experience for photography, on Sony, doesn't feel like their number one priority.
If that doesn't matter to you, a used A74, A7C, they’re fantastic cameras I’ve used and got great results from.
I know it's just a tool, but Sony's a little bland to me.
Some have accused the next Nikon lens of being bland as well:
Lens 3: Nikkor 50mm f1.8 S Z
It's actually the first Z lens I bought when I moved to Nikon. The best 50 mm lens I've used in terms of modern image quality relative to its size.
So good, in fact, it's become my reference standard for lens reviews. Any lens our test gets compared to this 50, in terms of sharpness, aberration control, corner performance, especially when the manufacturers claim they’re apochromatic.
I've taken a lot of my favorite street and travel shots on this lens, but in the past couple of years I've dived headfirst into vintage lenses. When it comes to vintage lenses, there are so many 50s to choose from.
So much, so, this 50mm 1.8 S has taken a back seat.
I still like it a lot, I really need to use it more, just like:
Lens 4: Nikkor 35mm f1.8 S Z
The first Z lens ever released for Nikon is my favorite 35 mm. I like it even better than Sony’s 35mm f1.4 G Master. It was my favourite Sony lens, but I sold that last month.
How good this Nikon 35mm was gave me the confidence to move my primary system to Nikon. I have taken so many travel photos, so many family photos.
The size and weight is just right, even though the 35mm f1.4 Z is much better value?
I know many photographers who prefer the 35mm f1.4 Z. They complain about the 1.8's autofocus, though my copy's been fine.
I use it for fun, but it could easily pull full-time duty as a work lens.
The next lens that I decided to keep is just for fun.
Lens 5: Nikkor 40mm f2 Z
It's practically glued to my ZF currently.
I've come to terms with this plastic build quality, lack of close up sharpness, some aberrations in high contrast settings, because I just want something small and fun that fits into the bag alongside another camera.
More and more I like using 2 camera, 2 prime setups. Something wide, paired with something tight.
With how compact this 40mm is, it pairs beautifully with:
Lens 6: Nikkor 28mm f2.8 Z
It’s also just for fun. Its form factor fits the ZR down to a T. I use it as my way bigger, way boxier, full frame GR.
This is a great 2 lens pair, and maybe all you need on your ZF, or ZR, for casual photography, casual family videos.
These are the lenses that made me move away from:
Why not Fujifilm?
Nikon’s 40mm and 28mm lenses remind me a lot of those first gen Fuji Primes, not just in the character or vintage rendering, but in their size. Full frame lenses made in a crop sense of form factor. If Nikon expanded this lineup with a 35mm F2, a 50mm F2 (metal mount please) they would dominate this segment.
The 28mm and 40mm stay closer to my body on a neck strap, and they're more balanced in hand on a wrist strap than any of Fuji's newer, linear motor f1.4 primes.
I did a prime by prime showdown between Nikon and Fuji for my street work, the differences in image quality ended up being very minor.
But it's not my problem anymore. I’ve sold my whole Fujifilm kit to streamline everything.
The next 2 lenses (7 and 8) are both exclusively for work. But I can only keep 1?
I thought it would be a no brainer:
Lens 7: Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 Z
This Tamron lens is a full-frame zoom, bright f2.8 aperture, a new design with great autofocus motors and internal zoom. 16mm on the wide end for hand-held video, 30mm for tighter shots.
But I’ve noticed it doesn’t play too well with IBIS on the Zf or ZR for video. There's a bit too much wobble around the corners and a lot of my footage has been hard to use with this lens.
For photo? It’s fine, maybe great. Sharper at 16mm, a little softer at 30mm. Very versatile.
Lens 8 is a curveball:
Lens 8: Nikkor 12-28mm f3.5-5.6 DX Z
It's a crop sensor DX lens and 18 to 42 mm full frame field of view. Even though it's not too bright, and its crop sensor only has a variable aperture, I think its footage looks better?
This won’t be a photography lens given the DX crop on my Zf and ZR loses too many megapixels, though it’s usable in a pinch for travel:
I am also planning to test out Nikon’s 17-28mm f2.8 as a video-centric lens, first party lenses seem to do better with video IBIS.
So what now?
So that’s my 2026 kit, all Nikon Z. 8 lenses, 4 for work, 4 for fun.
Even after selling all my Sony and Fujifilm gear however, I still have too much gear:
My micro-four thirds setup for family,
My Leica M11 Monochrome for dedicated black and white street work
Too many vintage lenses (F mount and M-mount), including lens 9 above (Nikkor 5cm f2 LTM)
I'm not at risk of being called a minimalist any time soon.
But selling all this gear has allowed me to focus on the next big project:
Lens Lab.
How to get more travel photos you’re happy with.
1 focal length at a time.
To keep this hobby fun.
The first 2 episodes are live, both on 28mm. Thank you to everyone who submitted their 28mm photos for the last episode.
The next Lens Lab episode will focus on my favorite 35mm composition techniques and lenses.
If you'd like to share your 35mm photos with me and this community (>20K YouTube, 1K newsletter)?
Fill in the form below for the 35mm episode:
Let me know if you like this new Lens Lab series?
Jack.
All my sample images in this blog post were edited from RAW files using my free Chrome emulation preset. They work with most RAW files from different cameras as long as you use “Adobe Color” as the starting base. Download it for free here.
If you’d like to support my work please consider purchasing gear through my affiliate links:
Wotancraft 10L Messenger bag: https://geni.us/wotancraft-salt-pepper
Compagnon Medium Messenger: https://geni.us/Compagnon-medium
Wotancraft leather strap: https://geni.us/wotancraft-leather-st
Nikon Zf: https://geni.us/YOH8bh7
Nikon ZR: https://geni.us/KH4uMvX
ZR wooden grip: https://geni.us/ZR-wood-grip
Nikon 105mm f2.8 S macro: https://geni.us/nikon-105mm-macro
Nikon 85mm f1.8 S: https://geni.us/ItonAtp
Nikon 50mm f1.8S: https://geni.us/sQ55h
Nikon 35mm f1.8 S: https://geni.us/HYuWa
Nikon 40mm f2 Z: https://geni.us/0AAhXJ
Nikon 28mm f2.8 Z: https://geni.us/tyZX2A
Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 Z: https://geni.us/tamron16-30
Nikon 12-28mm f3.5-5.6 DX: https://geni.us/nikkor-12-28
