What Camera Gear do they use?

  Helmut Newton (1920–2004) was a German-Australian photographer whose provocative, cinematic imagery—often erotic, stylized, and framed in urban or hotel settings—became iconic in fashion and portrait photography. His work appeared extensively in Vogue and Elle , and he was celebrated for images that blended scripted glamour with moments of candid surprise. Camera Gear & Toolkit An Equipped Minimalist Newton famously kept his kit small yet versatile: Four camera bodies , five lenses , a strobe, and a Polaroid camera—all fitting in one bag under 40 lbs . This minimalist setup enabled him to work anywhere with ease . Over his career, he experimented with a variety of systems including a 4×5 Graflex Super D , Rolleiflex TLR , Nikon , Canon , Pentax , Olympus , Instamatic , and even point‑and‑shoot compacts like the Stylus Epic —often choosing whichever tools suited the situation best . Graflex Super D Helmut Newton and camera He is seen on a number of pictures using a ...

  Franco Fontana (b. 1933, Modena) is celebrated as one of Italy’s most influential photographers, renowned for transforming ordinary landscapes into vibrant abstract compositions through bold color and minimal form. Vision & Visual Philosophy Fontana emerged during a time when fine art photography was still dominated by black and white. He embraced color early—once saying: Photography should not reproduce the visible; it should make the invisible visible. He often works from telephoto viewpoints , compressing terrain and flattening form to create chromatic bands of fields, sky, and architecture—shaping large-scale landscapes into abstract imagery. Camera Gear: Proven Choices for Saturated Colour Fontana’s equipment was practical yet powerful, enabling his signature visual style: 35 mm Canon film camera (Canon Eos 1) , paired with just three focal lengths: 17–35 mm zoom 35–300 mm zoom 14 mm prime for wide, abstract geometry These lenses helped him control p...

  Here’s a structured profile of Elliott Erwitt —focusing on his photographic vision, iconic work, and the cameras that helped him document life with wit and humanity: Elliott Erwitt: Master of Life’s Subtle Ironies — and the Cameras He Trusted Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023) was a legendary Magnum photographer celebrated for capturing candid moments full of humor, compassion, and uncanny visual wit. His images—whether of dogs, famous personalities, or everyday urban vignettes—convey candid truth through simplicity and timing. Visual Style & Biography Born in Paris to Russian émigrés and raised in Italy and the U.S., Erwitt developed an early sensitivity to cultural nuance and irony. After studying photography and filmmaking, he joined Magnum Photos in 1953 and went on to produce iconic images of children, dogs, world leaders, celebrities, and intrusions of absurdity into daily life . His signature lies in the surprising conjunction: a pair of boots beside a tiny dog, a couple ki...

  Here’s what’s well-documented about Paolo Pellegrin’s camera gear —the celebrated Magnum photojournalist and Canon Ambassador: Camera Bodies & Lenses Canon EOS 5D Mark IV — Pellegrin relied on this full-frame DSLR for major conflicts and documentary assignments, often pairing it with the Canon EF 24–70mm f/2.8L USM lens at 35 mm or 70 mm depending on the story at hand . Canon Eos 5D Mark IV see it on Amazon Canon EOS R5 — In recent years (e.g. in Ukraine, volcanic expeditions, climate change projects), he transitioned to this mirrorless body for its silent shooting mode and reliability, especially under demanding field conditions. Particularly used with the RF 28–70mm f/2L USM lens—a fast zoom offering sharpness and flexibility where he shot at focal lengths like 40 mm, f/14 at 1/1000 sec, ISO 640. Canon Eos R5 see it on Amazon Shooting Style & Kit Overview Pellegrin often travels with a larger base kit (multiple cameras and lenses) plus a lighter day ba...

  Edward Weston , one of the most influential American photographers of the 20th century, is best known for his large-format black-and-white work. Here’s a breakdown of the camera gear he used throughout his career: Primary Camera Gear 8×10 View Camera (Large Format) Camera Type : 8×10 inch view camera Brands : Several over time, including Century Universal and Eastman View Camera No. 2-D Purpose : Used for the vast majority of his most iconic images— nudes , still lifes , landscapes , and vegetables (e.g., his famous pepper series). Eastman View No. 2 Lenses Weston used large-format lenses compatible with his 8×10 camera: Cooke Convertible Lens (12", 13.5", and 21") Goerz Dagor lens (widely respected at the time for sharpness and contrast) Rapid Rectilinear lenses earlier in his career He focused heavily on lens quality and sharpness , choosing lenses that would give him the greatest tonal control and detail in contact prints. Film and ...

  Fred Herzog, a pioneer of color street photography in mid-20th‑century Vancouver, worked with a surprisingly modest yet powerful analog camera setup rooted in portability, intuition, and technical precision. Cameras he used Kodak Retina I His very first camera , inherited from his uncle—a folding plate format he later traded for a more manageable model . Leica Rangefinders (M3, later M2/M4) In 1957 he bought a Leica M3 , and later used the M2 and M4 models for street photography . Valued for discreteness, sharp lenses, and quick focusing—ideal for street scenes. Leica M4 Nikon F SLR Added a Nikon F to his kit later, used for flexibility and different lens choices . Nikon F Yashica 635 TLR Photographed using a Yashica 635 twin-lens reflex later in life—an example captured by a fan at CBC Vancouver . Yashica 635 Canon WP-1 Also experimented with the rugged Canon WP‑1 waterproof 35 mm camera. Canon WP-1 Film & Lenses Kodachrome color slide ...

  Raghubir Singh’s signature photographic style was rooted in analog 35 mm gear , chosen for its reliability and mobility—perfect for his vibrant street and documentary work: Core Camera & Lens Setup Hand‑held 35 mm Leica (later Nikon SLR FA) Early in his career, Singh used Leica rangefinders while learning from Henri Cartier‑Bresson. Later, he simplified to a single Nikon FA body paired with a fixed 35 mm lens , which he described as:  I have simplified my work into one body and one lens… If that lens can’t take the photograph then I don’t take it. Raghubir Singh and his Nikon FA Nikon FA Film & Flash Kodachrome slide film Preferred for its rich colors and fine grain—rare in India until the late 1980s due to trade restrictions. Allowed him to use small apertures and slower shutter speeds to capture deep depth of field and clarity . On‑camera flash Experimented with flash at dusk or in crowded scenes—though unconventional for documentary photograp...

  Bruce Gilden is famous for his confrontational street photography style—bringing a flash right into people’s faces with close-range, candid shots. Here's what he uses: Primary Camera: Leica M6 (classic rangefinder) For decades, Gilden has relied on the Leica M6 , sometimes a black-painted Leica MP for discretion . Leica M6 He shoots with a wide-angle lens —commonly a 28 mm or a 21 mm lens—so he can get extremely close to his subjects. Flash Setup: Handheld, cable or off-camera flash He carries a powerful Vivitar 285 (or 283) bare-bulb flash attached via a PC-sync cable —often raised above his camera to light faces from a high angle . Some have spotted him using modern equivalents like Speedlights (e.g., Nikon SB‑900), but the Vivitar remains iconic. Technique: crouches, bursts a flash at f/8–f/16 , around ¹⁄₁₈₀ s , ensuring sharp, high‑contrast portraits in daylight. Alternative Kits & Evolution More recently, Gilden embraced the Leica S (medium-format...

  Duane Michals is known more for his inventive approach to storytelling than for a distinctive camera brand—but here’s what reliable sources confirm about his actual gear: Camera Format & Bodies Michals is self‑taught and a staunch film loyalist—he still shoots 35 mm film , never switched to digital . He primarily works with two 35 mm Canon SLRs . Early on, on his 1958 USSR trip, he borrowed a basic Argus C3, which accidentally introduced him to creative double exposures —a serendipitous effect that profoundly shaped his work. Argus C3 Film & Lighting For black-and-white, he shoots almost exclusively on Kodak Tri‑X ; he sometimes uses color film for his Japan series . He relies on natural light for ~90–99 % of his work, rarely using flash or artificial setups.  Techniques & Style Michals creatively exploits the native capabilities of analog , such as long exposures , multiple exposures , blurring , sandwiching negatives , and hand-painting text...