The Desert Island albums question is a favorite for many podcasts, with the premise altered slightly for the industry in question. So let's see what the answer is for our readers.
Desert Island Discs was a radio show, now podcast, by BBC Radio 4 and has been running since the 1940s. The original question pitched to the interviewee was if you were stuck on a desert island, what eight recordings (usually music), book, and luxury item would you take with you? The premise isn't designed to make you think logistically or to try to outsmart the question, rather distill your music, books, and luxury items down to the bare minimum.
This format has then been slightly re-imagined by all sorts of disciplines and industries in which the question becomes relevant to particular fields. For example: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only have three instruments, which would you pick? Well, for us photographers and videographers, I think it'll be interesting to see which camera body and lens you would go for. Remember, do not bog yourself down in logistics or overthinking. Imagine you have all the capabilities to edit, develop, and view your images, and you're not short of subjects, for simplicity's sake.
Share your choice in the comment section below.
My Top Three Choices
It's a difficult question, but one I think I have the answer to. However, to get our juices flowing, I'm going to pick my top three combinations that I would be choosing from and why.
1. Thinking With My Heart: Fujifilm GFX 100 and 110mm f/2
102 megapixels on a medium format sensor with superb IBIS. The sheer power of this machine means I have a huge amount of flex with cropping and shooting various situations. From street photography and portraiture to landscape and still life, this titan will deliver the highest quality.
Early last year, when I was at Fujikina for the launch, I was blown away by this body. It's big and heavy and not quite as pretty as some bodies, but it can do so very much. The resolution is staggering, and when paired with the 110mm f/2, I just couldn't take a bad image. Even using the GFX 100's predecessor, the GFX 50R with this 110mm f/2, I was beside myself with glee every time I took a shot. With the IBIS of the GFX 100, the ridiculous resolution, and that delectable piece of glass, I doubt I'd ever grow tired of the two. That said, picking a prime to go with any body when stuck on a desert island is a bold and potentially stupid move.
2. Thinking With My Head: Sony a7R IV and Sony 24-70mm f/2.8
As a Sony a7 III user, the a7R IV is an easy choice. Making the switch from my Canon DSLR to the Sony mirrorless was both easy and satisfying, giving me no sense of buyer's remorse or pangs of regret. The body and lens combination does require my mind to do the creative heavy lifting, though.
3. Thinking Outside the Box: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and Olympus 12-45mm f/4
It may only have 20-megapixel resolution and a dated sensor to boot, but what it lacks in raw hardware, it more than makes up for in software and unique functionality. Although cropping and pixel-peeing might be off the menu, I doubt there's a camera body that would offer more in terms of creativity
If I could put the Olympus functions in the GFX 100, I'd starve to death on that island a happy man (I don't foresee myself being a particularly proficient hunter.)
What Is Your Desert Island Camera Body and Lens Combination?
It's hard not to delve a little too deep into this question. While I wanted to keep my thought process fairly linear — what's my favorite camera body and lens combination — you do have to factor a few elements in. For example, a key consideration for me was longevity. Not so much with shutter life, as I've allowed for unlimited of that, but rather with using the kit day in day out. It's easy to become bored with your current equipment, which can often lead to a sense of handedness, and that's the true enemy I feel. I want a combination that will continue to inspire creativity. The question is whether that is derived from flexibility of genre and technique or from a pairing that suits my creative tastes, and I'm honestly not sure of the answer.
So now, we move over to you. What combination would you choose and why? Share them in the comment section below.
Oof, that's a tough question. Am I on a literal island? In that case, this is kind of weird, but I would take the a7R IV and the Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro. You would have neverending subjects with the macro capabilities, plus the 50mm focal length is neutral enough to handle lots of other situations competently.
5D IV + 24-70/4.0 L
Good, universal zoom lens with a great macro mode + the best compatible body.
I have this and the "macro" function is used way more than I could ever anticipate - great lens and a great combo.
The contrarian in me thinks I have no audience, no power, no nothing. My concern is survival.
However, Leica XU because waterproof and ruggedised with an APSC sensor.
Leica M10D with a Summilux 35mm. Though if it’s a desert island without an Internet cafe or some way to download my images I’m screwed 👍
I would have my travel camera. Sony RX100VA.
It fits in a pocket, has 24-70mm F/1.8-2.8 zoom, a viewfinder, eye AF, 24 fps burst, 4K & upto 960fps video. For my use it delivers 90% of what larger heavier bodies will do at about 1/4 the weight & bulk.
The Sony would be a great choice, all that detail, grains of sand, flashing water, beautiful 60 megapixel sunsets!
Then after 15 days of fantastic creative shooting ( assuming 50 images a day) One could use the camera to break open coconuts.
Since the battery is dead it’s back to survival... bummer for the creative side.
Rolleiflex with 75/3.5 Planar.
& a tripod :)
Pansonic G9 with the Olympus 40-150 f2.8 (plus lots of batteries)
All weather suitable and batteries will last.
Fuji X-30
For me, option 3 but with the 12-100 f4. The Olympus does a lot of things no other camera does but does it with the best IBIS, weather sealing and unique options of any other choice. IMO.
Living on a desert island. Phone and GoPro with clamshell work fine. Astroscaping 7100 with 800mm refractor and a 35mm 1,4 prime and 180mm Nikkor. You get fungus inside lenses. Keep everything airtight in a tote.
One that comes with a sola charger or one with very very good battery :-D
Moskva 2 with Fuji Acros Film. Olympus OM4 with Zuiko 28mm f3.5 and 50mm f1.4 lenses and a set of extension tubes (Ilford HP50). Olympus OMD 5 with 12-40 f2.8 Pro and an OM-M4/3 adaptor.
The one with endless battery life, endless storage, and weather sealed.
Everything that will last and would require minimum energy - Fuji Instax or Leica Sofort would be my natural answer.
xt-20 or 30 (small body) and 18-55
Thinking along the lines of durability, a 1DxIII and 70-200 f2.8 L III.
1dMkIV for durability and good old 24-105 F4 for flexibility.
The Canon EOS R5 with the RF 24-70mmis lens. They can ship the R5 to my island when it's available, I'll wait. =P
Nikon D850 paired with a 24 -70 f2.8 loved this combo 5 years ago, still live them!
Oh this is true dilemma, but I think I'd settled for what I know and use daily - Canon 5D Mark IV and 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM MACRO, covers pretty much 96.6% of any and all potential situations. This island better be nice, preferably warm and plenty of food and drink, some female company in the shape of my wife would be nice too! /Fox
I'm going to limit myself to cameras and lenses I actually own ...
Heart: Leica M4 and 50mm. I'll assume that I packed a good amount of film when I set off on the trip that led me to the desert island. Years later someone can discover my work like a shipwrecked Vivian Maier.
Head: Canon 5D Mark II and 40mm Pancake. Again, I'll assume that I have a laptop to transfer the photographs, otherwise the result is ultimately the same as the first scenario.
Leica M and a 50mm