Food Photography Equipment is always a personal choice, so I encourage you to rent or borrow and take it for a spin before purchasing. I chose my camera body brand based on how comfortable it was to hold and manipulate. I've shot with both Canon and Nikon, finding them to be great DSLR cameras. But, Nikon just feels like home to me. All of the Nikon gear that I use has compatible Canon and Sony choices as well.
Here is my current camera gear, plus details, and options for different levels of photographers.
Disclaimer: Please note that the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I use all of the products listed below and recommend them because I believe in them. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything listed below!
My Camera Gear
- Nikon d850
- Mirrorless Nikon Z6
- Mirrorless Nikon Z 85 mm f/1.8 s Lens
- AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G Lens
- AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm f/2.8G Lens
- Sigma Art 35 mm f/1.4 DG Lens
- Manfrotto 055 Tripod
- Manfrotto MHXPRO-3W Tripod Head
- C-Stand
- Profoto B-1X Strobe Single
- Profoto B-1X Strobe Two Light Kit
- Profoto Soft Box 3x4
Food Photography Equipment I Recommend
The Beginner:
- Nikon d3500 Two Lens Kit
- Nikon d700
- Nikon d750
- AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G Lens
- AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8G Lens
The Professional:
- Nikon d850
- Nikon d810
- Nikon d750
- AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G Lens
- AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm f/2.8G Lens
- AF-S Micro Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8G ED Lens
- AF-S Micro Nikkor 85 mm f/1.4G Lens
Now let's get to the details!! I love everything in my camera bag and use each piece daily. When I first started, I took pictures of animals, babies, headshots, sports, portraits, and weddings. Whew that's a ton! Once I decided to concentrate solely on food, I needed to adjust my gear accordingly.
Nikon d850
I purchased the Nikon d850 as an upgrade to my Nikon d810. With 45.7MP, my images are sharper and more detailed. The flip out tilting LCD with touch screen has been a life changer. It offers 4K video, wifi capabilities, and I can shoot at crazy high ISO with hardly any noise!
Nikon d700 and d810
My first full frame DSLR was a Nikon d700 that I bought refurbished. This camera is a Beast and never lets me down. In fact, I still keep one as a backup for all of my shoots. Nikon no longer makes the d700, but you can find them used. If you're looking for a step up, I recommend the d810. With HD video capabilities and extremely detailed images, its worth the extra money. The d700 was my main camera until I upgraded to the d850.
Nikon d750 is also a great option with a cheaper price tag than the d810. Differences being in megapixels, button and display layouts.
AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm f/2.8G Lens
A Nikon Micro 105mm f/2.8 G is my favorite lens for shooting ¾ and straight on angles (Actually I use it for flat lays too!). Camera bodies are great, but the glass is where you really need to invest your money. I'm talking holy moly the bokeh and detail are insane! Do you want powerful images where people are licking the screen? (Can we say 'hero shot'?) Then you need to invest in a 105mm. If I had to pick only one lens forever, this would be it.
AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G Lens
The good old 'nifty fifty' you here everyone talking about it is the perfect all around lens. It is technically a wide angle that captures a larger area of focus than the micro. I tend to use the Nikon 50 mm f/1.4 G for chef portraits, top down table views, pour shots, and just about everything else.
Sigma Art 35 mm f/1.4 DG Lens
Sure you're thinking, now Jenn this is not a Nikon lens. In fact I've never used a Nikkor 35mm. A friend mentioned how much she loved the Sigma Art 35 mm and after listening to her rave for months I borrowed it for a day. Well...now I have one. I'm gonna just say, this lens is magic! It seems to brighten my images naturally with amazing sharpness. Anytime I shoot table top scenes, overhead hands with food, or interiors this is what I grab.
Nikon 24-70 mm f/2.8G ED Lens
The 24-70mm is such a versatile lens. I find it best to use for large table scenes, full room scenes, or food events. I've even used it for commercial food photography dishes. This is a great lens for capturing food stories for editorial work, when your traveling, or different views of a recipe. It's crisp and has the option for switching from autofocus to manual.
Profoto Strobe
Natural light is so beautiful and wraps around food, enhancing every detail. The problem is that I can't always use it. Sometimes recipes take longer than expected, forcing me to shoot later in the day. Or I'm photographing in a dark restaurant without any large windows. What if I have a dish with several scenes and the light keeps changing? All of these reasons are why I invested in artificial food photography lighting.
The Profoto strobe is a battery operated monolight that I use to replace natural light in most of my photography. Fitted with a softbox, I can increase or decrease the power and direction of the light. By using only one strobe I can mimic the look of a window.
I will update this post as my gear changes!
Remember, investing in quality food photography gear will make all the difference in your work. Play around with different camera bodies and lens types to see what you like best!
If you have any specific questions please let me know below. I plan to do a post on accessories in the future!
