As a travel and landscape photographer, Colby Brown is constantly looking for gear that can help him create new images from his adventures to parts unknown. Like a lot of pros, Colby owns a dizzying array of gear some of which gets heavy use and some seldom makes it off the shelf. We asked him to sort through his lens collection and pull out the top three. These are the lenses he relies on day in and day out to get the shots and make his living.
“I am going to go with my tried and true holy trinity: Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS, Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS.” (Editor's note: The Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS is available at special pricing through Oct 1st, 2016 as part of the Semi Annual Lens & Accessory Promotion)
Sony α7R, Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS lens at 16mm. 1/25-sec., f/16, ISO 100
“The Sony 16-35 f/4 is probably my most used lens, especially for landscape work. It’s sharp in all the right place, it’s pretty portable and it has a nice wide angle of view. It’s everything I could want in a lens that I bring to locations with big grand landscapes such as Iceland, the Himalayas or Patagonia.”
Sony α7R II, Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens at 28mm. 1/13-sec., f/11, ISO 100
“The new Sony 24-70 f/2.8 GM has quickly become one of my favorite lenses. Not only is it one of the sharpest zoom lenses I’ve ever used, it’s also one of the sharpest lenses made, including primes! When I match the 24-70 f/2.8 GM with the incredible resolution of my α7R II, I find a match made in heaven. Talk about resolving power!”
Sony α6300, Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS lens at 78mm (equivalent to approximately 117mm on full frame). 1/400-sec., f/7.1, ISO 100
“Ever since the Sony 70-200 f/4 FE telephoto lens hit the scene, it’s been a staple in my gear bag. At f/4 it’s very lightweight and portable, offering incredible image quality with a nice focal range. It’s especially useful when I pair it with my Sony α6300 with its 24mp APS-C crop sensor. That combination with its 1.5x multiplier, turns the lens’ maximum reach to 350mm. Until I get a chance to put the new 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master to a test, the 70-200mm f/4 is staying with me.”
Follow Colby Brown on Instagram @colbybrownphotography
