This is a list of my currently and recently used photographic gear with a few comments on each. I'll be expanding the list with new equipment and links to articles covering the particular camera, lens or accessory.

Sony NEX-7
Primary camera. The NEX-7 is the camera I take the vast majority of my photos with. I've chosen it because it offers excellent image quality in a compact, magnesium alloy body featuring a sophisticated user interface with 3 control wheels, a tilting screen and an integrated high resolution viewfinder. The user interface could still be tweaked a little and autofocus performance lags behind what I'm used to from my Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras. Sony's lens selection also needs to be expanded further. Specifically, I'd like to see an ultra wide angle lens of around 10 to 12mm and a stabilized F2 medium telephoto of around 90mm. Still, overall the NEX-7 is a better answer to my specific needs than my previous camera, a Panasonic GH2 was. The NEX-7 is a significant step forward in terms of image quality and the advanced viewfinder it offers.

Sony NEX-5N
Backup camera. Should the NEX-7 fail unexpectedly and it's impractical or impossible to return home to get another camera, I need a backup camera. My backup camera has to be able to use the same lenses in the event of a problem with my main camera. I'm not going to be traveling with two sets of lenses. The NEX-5N also lets me put together an even more compact kit should that be necessary and its 16 megapixel sensor is a better match for the Zeiss Biogon 35mm F2.0 ZM. The NEX-5N also replaces the GF2 as a camera that my partner will use, for the rare occasions that she needs one.


Sony E 16mm F2.8
Interim wide angle lens. The images produced by this lens are nothing really special. It'll be part of my kit only until a a better and wider lens is available. I'll take a critical look at Sony's upcoming wide angle zoom and if that doesn't impress me I'll get the Voigtlander Ultra-Wide Heliar 12mm f/5.6 and just deal with the magenta color cast it produces on the NEX-7 sensor.

Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA
Wide normal prime. If I could only have one lens for the NEX-7, this would be it. It's 36mm FF equivalent focal length and bright aperture make it a good general purpose lens. With a minimum focusing distance of only 16cm, it can also capture detailed close-ups. The Zeiss Sonnar delivers good sharpness and contrast from wide open and from edge to edge. Like the Zeiss Biogon, photos taken with this lens “sparkle” in a way that's quite different from the dullness I associate with Sony's kit lenses.

Carl Zeiss Biogon T* 35mm F2.0 ZM
Normal prime. I'd say that this is probably the sharpest lens I've ever owned and easily able to take advantage of the NEX-7's high resolution sensor. The Biogon's high level of detail and excellent contrast make it easier to see when your subject is in focus: areas that are in focus pop out more and the focus peaking function has enough contrast to latch onto. This lens also renders images beautifully with a warm glow and saturated colors. It's only minus point is the magenta color cast and slight softness the lens produces in the corners of the images taken with NEX-7 (the issue is much less pronounced on the NEX-5N). The magenta cast is easy enough to remove using the free program CornerFix, but it is an additional step in your work flow.

Sony E 50mm F1.8 OSS

Short telephoto and portrait prime. I have this lens on order. This Sony lens is one of the very few bright primes that features image stabilization. Integrated into slow zooms, optical image stabilization isn't of much use to me since it's only function is to compensate for the lens' limited ability to gather light. I can achieve better results by using a fast prime. But this Sony E 50mm is both fast and stabilized. As such it will extend the options I have shooting hand held in low light.

Panasonic Lumix GF2
Interim camera body. The GF2 serves an inexpensive camera body to use my Lumix 7-14 ultra wide angle lens with until an acceptable alternative is available for the NEX system.

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm F4 ASPH
Ultra wide angle lens. I'll keep this excellent Micro Four Thirds lens until an equally good ultra wide is available for the NEX system, if that ever happens. A lens of this caliber is important for my architectural photography and I will keep one Micro Four Thirds camera to shoot it with for as long as necessary.  Photos in Lightroom catalog since July 2009: 7733

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH
Kit lens. I haven't teken many photos with this pancake lens, preferring to use the Lumix 7-14mm wide angle zoom instead. I'll sell it with the GF2 when that day comes.

Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH
Most used lens to to date. I'll probably keep it for a while longer as a companion lens on days when I'm shooting with the Lumix 7-14mm. Photos in Lightroom catalog since October 2009: 8288

 

Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2.8 ASPH OIS
Macro, short telephoto and portrait prime . I used this lens almost exclusively as a short telephoto and only rarely as a macro lens. I'm tempted to keep it, mainly because of of the way the lens renders. I've taken proportionally more of my favorite photos with this lens than any other. Photos in Lightroom catalog since January 2010: 5074

 

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm 1:1.8
Short telephoto and portrait prime. I bought this lens to enable me to shoot indoors with faster shutter speeds. It's very compact and the image quality is good although not up to the exceptional standard set by the Leica branded 45mm F2.8 macro lens. I plan on selling this lens. Photos in Lightroom catalog since October 2011: 333

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 OIS
SOLD, telephoto zoom. Although optically quite respectable, I didn't like this lens. I found it too big and heavy (520g) for what it offered. From now on, my telephoto lenses - zooms or primes - have to either be lighter and/or feature brighter apertures. For that I'm willing to compromise on the lens' reach.

Panasonic Lumix GH2
SOLD, previous primary camera. Although I prefer the form factor, electronic viewfinder and image quality of the NEX-7, the GH2 remains a very desirable camera. The GH2's autofocus is more capable despite the NEX-7 being the more recent camera. Total number of photos taken between December 2010 and January 2012: 12,300.