Image courtesy: Greg Watermann
Zeiss asked Greg Watermann to grant a peek into his camera bag. And goddamn it does he carry some glorious stuff! Please Zeiss include me in your Ambassdor program too 🙂
This is what’s on the picture:
Cameras
Sony a7Sm2 ([shopcountry 42367])
Sony a7Rm2 ([shopcountry 42368])
Lenses
Zeiss Otus 1.4/55mm ([shopcountry 42369])
Zeiss Otus 1.4/85mm ([shopcountry 42370])
Zeiss Batis 2/25mm ([shopcountry 42371])
Zeiss Batis 1.8/85mm ([shopcountry 42372])
Zeiss Loxia 2/35mm ([shopcountry 42373])
Zeiss Loxia 2/50mm ([shopcountry 42374])
Zeiss ZE 2/135mm ([shopcountry 42375])
Sony/Zeiss FE 1.4/35mm ([shopcountry 42376])
Additional
Sony RX100m4 ([shopcountry 42377])
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-II cards ([shopcountry 42378])
FotodioX EF to NEX lens adapters ([shopcountry 42379])
B+W MRC Pro +6 and +10 stop ND filters for all lenses ([shopcountry 42380])
LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt 2TB drives ([shopcountry 42381])
2 Passports – easier to travel in one country while getting a visa for another (you cannot buy those LOL)
All-Access credentials
Sennheiser MKE-400 microphone ([shopcountry 42382])
Gepe card safe ([shopcountry 42383])
Apple 15″ MacBook Pro Retina ([shopcountry 42384])
Tenba Shootout backpack ([shopcountry 42385])
–
What is on your bag guys? Can you come even close to Greg’s weaponery?
125 Responses
Wow! I would love to have all of this. About how much do you think this is all worth?
$25,851.24 on B&H, without the Lacie HDDs and filters.
Couple bucks.
He’s a Zeiss ambassador, so they pay him. The lenses are free.
It’s just gear, it won’t inspire you and in the end it just get’s old and becomes the next expensive paperweight. It is nice to have good stuff, but it only helps executing the good ideas you have, not create them.
Yes I agree %100. I would never expend this much on gear unluess I was making serious money with photography.
Exactly, I always had a rule: only buy a camera that pays for itself in a week. Still ended up with a truckload of stuff. Some of it ended up in a dump somewhere, nobody wants old video editing recorders 🙂
GAS is the power! 🙂
Concise. Plus one.
After I saw this picture, I had a mini stroke and was rushed to the hospital.
My doctor recommends I stay away from camera bag disclosures now.
Two passports? Is he a secret agent? 😉
I did not know you can have 2 passports at the same time. I thought they cancel one after issuing the other.
Just in case he has to run to Mexico.
It is not uncommon for Americans that have to travel to Muslim countries and also to Israel to have two passports, which our laws allow.
The passports are both American. I don’t think its the same thing as being a dual national. I am unaware of any American who uses two passports at the same, time unless they are dip core, or TSA. Of course, he could be using the visa from the old passport and travels so much he used up the rest of the book and got a new one.
Peiker is right. Some countries do not allow you in if one of your passports has a seal from a country they don’t like and vice versa. One would be the “dirty” passport and the other one is the “clean” passport. Journalists often have two passports to increase their chances at being admitted by immigration in these countries. UK law also allows for two passports.
E.J.’s right. My wife studied and work in the Middle East for a while. She ran into this same issue.
Yes I understand that. Americans that have to travel to both Muslim countries and Israel often have two USA passports. It vastly simplifies their life in both!
it’s allowed by most countries (if not all) in Europe as well, though it takes quite a long time to get the second passport, and it’s usually for security/political reasons (especially if you work in the Middle East).
Is that right? Well, I learned something new today – thanks.
Why carry both the Batis 85mm and the Otus 85mm?
Was wondering that myself…
Zeiss told him to.
Comparison sake?
I carry a gun in my camera bag.
In Soviet Russia it’s a must have.
In Soviet Russia, lens carry you.
It’s the ultimate Full Frame marketing dream: a photographer carrying 50 pounds of lenses.
Those mirrorless bodies are so light though, oh wait.
And why do you think you want APS-C lenses for your a6000? Just buy FF’s they work fine… if you can find your camera in the bag under all those lenses…
He must work out a lot to not care about carrying so many redundant focal lengths.
He probably cheated and haven’t shown all the batteries he carry.
You can always count on troll TeddyBear to find negativity (however stupid and petty) in every topic.
You can always count on definitely-not-a-troll Emph to find every real troll in the topic and overreact to someone’s jokes with a stupid and agressive comment.
Two batteries in grip can last you a day easy, unless you are shooting non-stop or shot a lot of 4K.
is no good to say something about others when you are not sure …. ‘he probably’…
Shame about the crappy audio with that mic…
Wow, a Zeiss spokesperson carries Ziess lenses. Thanks for the update.
In all honesty- I would never use an FE body to shoot those large lenses. I just read a review on the 55mm Otus that said it was STILL front heavy on a D810 which was one of the only complaints…so imagine that thin adapter mounted to an even smaller camera. It just doesn’t make any real sense to me why anyone would want to do that- let alone use an ADAPTER with a 4k lens ….which does in fact introduce variations in performance. I really hope the whole adapter craze ends soon.
4K lens?
No such thing.
http://www.redsharknews.com/technology/item/288-4k-lenses-what-does-that-even-mean
4k as in four thousand dollars plus. That’s the price of those otus lenses each
Not to mention the heavy expensive lens on an adapter, on a 12mp camera.
It just changes how you handle the camera is all. I just got an A7s, and yes, it’s definitely front-heavy with larger lenses attached (even with the battery grip mounted), but as long as you balance appropriately by bracing the lens (like you do when using a large telephoto zoom on a DSLR), it’s not really a problem.
How is that working out for weddings? Besides noise performance, I was wondering if the files are fairly malleable PP at higher ISO’s.
I haven’t had a chance to use it at a wedding yet, but that is the reason I bought it over the R – to use in low-light event situations like receptions, conventions, etc. I’ve only had it less than a week, so just done some testing around home and such so far, but I have to say, the ISO performance is no joke. 12,800 on this is like 2500-3200 on the A99, and 25,600 is still even perfectly usable (even printable, I’d say). Above that and I think you’re getting back to web-use-only territory (or maybe B&W prints), but still holds its own at 51,200 for that purpose.
And how is this lighter than a A99 setup?
I’m not concerned with size primarily.
I know just trying to point out this looks heavier than the average A99 kit!
to be fair, this is heavier than *any* “average” kit!
It looks heavier than any other setup. LOL
However, keep in mind, there is no such thing as a A99S. If you want that sensitivity, you have no choice.
Seriously how hard would it be for Sony to put the sensor from the A7s into the A99 body?
Zeiss says he shoots concerts. With two Otus lenses. Yeah.
I met Greg at Photo Plus – we spoke together on a panel and both shoot music. Yes, he does photograph concerts with an Otus or two. He is also a delightful human being.
Hope he has a strong Sherpa.
He is so happy with Zeiss glass that he has to carry FotodioX EF to NEX lens adapters around. Not the glass, just adapters. Adapters are fun.
There’s always the case when an old blurry lens gives that special artistic rendering.
I’ve got a Tair-11A and a Meyer Optik Gorlitz 135/2.8. They’re superb even on digital. Gave my CZJ DDR’s away (50/1.8 Electric and 135/3.5 red ring type) to a mate who was skint. Those were bizarrely sharp with nice enough rendering.
As there is no old blurry lens in his bag, he’s probably begging other photographers in the street to give him one to take a blurry shot.
I think It’s for the otuses.
And probably for 135/2, but don’t tell anyone.
No ZA 135/1.8? 🙁
Too cheap?
No, you need LA-EA4 to use it with AF. 85mm is close by.
Otus on A7? I don’t get it.
Isn’t the whole idea behind Mirrorless compactness and Lightweight?
Additionaly what about the different optical stack on the sensor from Canikon to Sony. Shouldn’t this affect IQ? The cover-glass including IR/UV cut filters (+ optional low-pass filter) all refract ligh too. That’s calculated in the optical design of such a caliber lens. It’s essentially the last element of the optical system.
IQ is the last thing an Otus owner wants to compromise, right?
It’s so nasty from Zeiss to recommend them for E-Mount…
As an Otus owner (brought it over from my Canon days), IQ isn’t effected at al, in anyway. In fact, on my a7rii, the IQ is better than my 5Dmarkiii because of the sheer amount of information it provides
Ok. Thanks for the information. I was just speculating…
Tough the resolution difference between those cameras is too big to make a final conclusion.
In theory the problem should show especially on wide-angle lenses so you might want to test this again if you want to pick up the 28 😉
Yes please. I wonder what retail is on all that gear.
Guestimate around £16,000 to £17,000, maybe a tad more.
Yes, his bag, now let’s show the three bags the assistant carries?!
This must weigh like 30 LBS…..I would not want to walk around with that for any length of time. Just give me the 55 1.8 and I’m good to stroll around.
He’s got a ridiculous amount of redundancy here – 2 35’s, 2 85’s, a 50 and 55… He could save himself a lot of weight by just carrying one of each focal length.
It’s obviously staged 😉 I’m sure he owns some Sony or Zony lenses too given those two bodies but those aren’t in the picture… Just because he owns them (or was given them) doesn’t mean he travels with all of that all the time.
Must say, I’d love that Zeiss 135/2 APO (can be had for £999 now, which although a fortune in groceries isn’t bad for such an apochromatic lens). Got the 35/1.4 ZA but the lower right corner is very soft, even stopped well down.
I’ll pass on the Otuses’. There’s simply not enough money.
SEL35F14Z? Why not return it and get another one.
Yeah that’s the one. Can’t. Got delivered and I immediately flew out for six months. Too late. All a rush.
Did some digging around on this and it seems to be common. Lensrentals think exchanging them won’t make a lot of difference. I can live with it, centre sharpness is good and bokeh is tremendous, but not overwhelmed with joy about this issue with a lens that’s both expensive and large.
Join Sony Pro and send her in for adjustment, they’re very accommodating, you’ll even get a loaner if you ask.
You should still send it back for adjustment before your warranty expires.
So are you going to buy the 135/2 APO?
Dem´ loxias…hmmmm
$20k of joy.
This folks…this is resolution lest we forget.
No, and we did not forget 8×10. 8×10 is The King and it will be hard to beat.
I would love to see a comparison of 20×24 and an A7RII.
… you don’t since there will be nothing to see. 8×10 beats a7rII hands down.
I was shooting 8×10 in the studio for 15 years and when I got my a7rII the first thing I did I was comparing 8×10 which was scan on Scitex. 8×10 is much better. It is even better then image from Hassy H4D 50.
Depends on the subject. Up close portraits would be quite worthless IMO. Landscapes- different story. 8×10 is the biggest I’d ever go.
I have now a7r and a7rII. I do the stitching out four or six images for some still lifes which go on bus shelter or billboard. I have to admit, that quality is superb and convenience is there.
4×5 / 8×10 Sinar was on 150kg Cambo studio stand and Hassy is crazy heavy brick.
Sony a7r line cams are great.
Just to add one more thing- now I’ve never shot 8×10 but I do 120 with a Rolleiflex and I’m impressed enough. I have three cameras with some provia slide film (two 35 and the 120) on hand currently.
I’m not one to praise film for it’s look but what can I say. I like it a lot. Much of what I like about it is the process of-course. The other is color and the overall impression you get when you peer through a piece of film with some soft natural light dancing off the back of the slide. 10x loop or projector doesn’t matter but if you ask me- there still is no better way to experience your captured images.
It’s not the resolution, its “the look” that matters. Sensor sizes must go up, not in pixel count, but in area!
“Can you come even close to Greg’s weaponery?”
Now we saw his weaponery, someone will maybe try to “steal” it during one of his next trip since we know it has so much in his bag..
Lol….
Interesting enough, such a fabulous equipment but according to his www the quality of photographs is not reflecting his super camera and lens system. … From the technical point of view I am talking about …
Ambassadors: The appeal is in how well they relate to Sony’s consumers. Do they embody an image Sony wants to promote. That- that’s more important than their actual images.
+1
What is the estimated budget for the bag?
I’m sorry but what’s the use of all that equipment if his photographs are appalling? Sure, he has photographed celebrities but this is a perfectly good example of “it’s not what you know but who you know”. Everyone is a ‘photographer’ nowadays. Photos will be only as good as the person taking the photos. Clearly there is some redundancy with these lenses too and what a horrible website http://www.gregwatermann.com/. Again I’m sorry.
Never heard of him. Should we care what this Zeiss Ambassador carries in his bag? I’d sooner see the images he takes, rather than this gear porn.
All of that arsenal but not a single tiny “flash” for fill-in light? Not so glorious to me.
With a A7s II you don’t need a flash. Believe me!
You have no idea what is fill flash most likely? 😉
Possibly. But, believe it or not, there are quite a few people out there who intentionally avoid any kind of flash, even if they know what a fill flash is.
Yep it’s harsh light, but no camera in the world would remove shadows either. High DR is more helpful here IMHO (and many hours spent in PP 🙂
If you shoot portrait or people out in the sun/brightly lit with scenic then you’ll know what I’m talking about.
It’s not about ability to shoot low light. There are times flash is needed to make the look pops. Use it properly, you can hardly notice if flash light was used.
What you don’t see is what is off to the left of the picture. Next to the loxia is an Iphone- got cropped out. That’s what he uses for 99 percent of his shots.
Never heard of him.
One 25mm, two 35mm, two 50mm, two 85mm, one 135mm.
I kind of understand the diference the 35s, 50s and 85s, but dificult to justify carring that much of equipment.
I think it’s quite clear he has a lightweight set:
– Batis 25/2 – 335g
– Loxia 35/2 – 340g
– Loxia 50/2 – 320g
– Batis 85/1.8 – 475g
And then a heavy weight set that he probably doesn’t carry everywhere:
– Sony Zeiss 35/1.4 – 630g
– Otus 55/1.4 – 1030g
– Otus 85/1.4 – 1200g
– Zeiss 135/2 – 920g
This is not that dumb.
Personally I’m not sure about the need for 2 85s, but it does look like a studio kit and a walkabout kit…
You missunderstood me.
First when people say what do you carry in your bag generaly speaking is the things you always have in your bag.
The diference in size and weight is there, but i would not travel with that much weight around, just can’t justify the gains one over the other on the image quality department. This looks more like a marketing campaing than the real life.
Im pretty sure those lenses aren’t all lenses he has. “What lenses do you carry in your bag?”
Isn’t the whole idea behind Mirrorless compactness and Lightweight?
No, most of time, they’re small, because they can.
Say… where is the charger for those batteries?? How many charger is he carrying??
OK, you have an apartment and you’re mostly watching TV in it. Then one day you buy an exercise bike and put it in your apartment. It works, but hey, it’s stupid to put exercise bike in the apartment. So you go out and buy 300m2 empty gym in order to put your exercise bike in it, because exercise bikes are made for gyms, not apartments…….
You have an apartment to live there. A gym wouldn’t be an alternative for this…
One can’t take this camera bag seriously anyway. He’s a Zeiss ambassador and simply has all the latest glass even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Well if he gets his gear stolen, he will cry one year…
He probably has insurance.
You can bet your *ss that his gear is insured.
Even mine is…
Thanks. How do I join and how much is it?
Same here. But now we have.
my a-mount dinosaur answer to that
Now that is nice. What’s that one all the way to the left? Don’t know that one.
This is camera muzzle, to silence shutter noise during concert shoots. I photograph ballet in theatres.
Gotcha. I was actually referring to the lens up top..hehe. Nice to know that though. I thought that thing was a vest or something.
Ah, OK. This is my fav lens, Sigma 50 mm F1.4 Art.Super sharp full open from edge to edge, not breaking your bank.
Every heard of a guy named Pitbull? Watermann is his photographer as well as several other well know musicians and bands. And that’s just one aspect of his career.
Never heard of him.