(My) 2022 Cameras of the Year
2022 was an eventful year for me in the realm of photography. After what was a pretty abbreviated end to my previous photographic year due to my career change, I certainly enjoyed this year and my subsequent revival of this website. Though I took less pictures than I might have liked to, some of my photographic opportunities and results have been exceptional and unique. With the Marine Corps I was privileged to take my cameras out “into the field” and take pictures that are not normally afforded to the average photo hobbyist. Additionally, I have had good opportunities for portraiture, city photography, and nautical photography. Through all of this I feel compelled to recognize some of my favorite photographic equipment.
Nikon N80 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D - This is a combination I call my plastic fantastic. An unassuming camera body and lens combination from the twilight of mainstream film photography (the early 2000’s), this setup affords the shooter a reliable and dependable camera setup that can produce great images despite terrible conditions. This is the camera I used for both MOUT and War FEX as well as our live fire ranges. I took it to museums, I took it out on sailboats, I took it out for mess night. Everywhere I took it, it performed admirably and never let me down. Though changing film in less than sanitary conditions is never fun, not having to rely on temperamental batteries for days at a time is a true asset and something that one should keep in mind if they are planning to take a trip where they might find themselves away from reliable electricity for an extended period of time.
Olympus OM-D EM5 Mk II with Lumix 14mm f/2.5 - If you are interested in a compact digital camera setup which features interchangeable lenses, this is an excellent pick. I took this setup into the field three times: PEX, O-FEX, and D-FEX. Each time I took it out it worked tremendously, thanks to the articulating screen I was repeatedly able to get angles and shots that otherwise might have proved difficult or impossible to capture. Furthermore, it is an extremely compact camera and lens setup that can easily fit into just about any bag. It is also robust and able to withstand a tremendous amount of abuse, although I am not one to test these limits. About its only flaws are its batteries which tend to not carry much charge and can go from full to dead in very short order, and its lack of an integrated flash which is a feature I greatly value. Regardless, it is a wonderful camera and lens setup and served me extremely well this year.
