[WordsLeon Poultney]

ONE

AF-S NIKKOR 70-200MM F/2.8E FL ED VR LENS

Nikon’s ultra-fast and super-sharp telephoto zoom lens has been tweaked for better AF and vibration reduction, while new lens elements make it lighter and tougher than ever. It might still be a big hunk of glass to lug around, but it captures the action like a true pro. £2549 /jessops.com

TWO

METZ 64 AF-1 FLASHGUN

Photography really comes to life when you master the art of light – and because of the professional nature of the D5, there’s no built-in flash (well, they tend to be a bit useless anyway). So it pays to invest in a mighty digital flashgun… and the Metz 64 AF-1 is one of the most powerful and versatile on the market. £309 /wexphotovideo.com

THREE

MANFROTTO BEFREE GT TRIPOD

This exceptionally light carbonfibre tripod can handle a mammoth 10kg equipment load and folds down to just 43cm long, making it the perfect travel companion for the discerning snapper. The included aluminium centre ball head also allows for buttery-smooth movement and precise framing. £400 /manfrotto.co.uk

NOW TRY THIS…

1 FIND PICTURES FAST

Forget relentlessly tapping a button or scrolling via a jog-wheel, because Nikon’s flagship D5 features an intuitive touchscreen display that makes locating pictures much easier. Simply swipe left or right to quickly scan through snaps, and double-tap the screen to zoom and check the focus point. There’s even a simple pinch-to-zoom function so you can zone in on the finer details.

2 KILL THE BAD VIBES

Vibration reduction (VR) has historically helped photographers achieve ultra-sharp imagery even when the camera is handheld. Unfortunately, VR can also play havoc with fast-moving objects, which is where Sport mode comes in handy. Only available on certain lenses, it makes subjects easier to track during panning and enables high-speed burst shooting mounted to the D5

3 LIGHTEN UP

Dive into the menus and explore the various Overlay modes, which allow you to get creative with multiple-exposure imagery. In Lighten and Darken modes, the camera cleverly compares pixels in each exposure and chooses only the lightest or only the darkest. This is perfect for capturing high-contrast subjects and, if you get it right, can do away with the need for fiddly Photoshop jobs later.

4 LET THERE BE LIGHT(ROOM)

The Instagram glitterati would be lost without Adobe’s powerful Lightroom software because it’s key to making those impressively creative visuals you so often double-tap in appreciation. Shoot in RAW, import to Lightroom and harness this powerful software to create moody looks and turn mundane photographs into eye-poppingly dazzling images.

5 SHUT UP THE SHUTTER

You’ve invested in a top-spec camera, so it’s quite possible someone will demand you shoot a wedding at some point. A silent shutter will be invaluable here, as it won’t punctuate proceedings with the clicking of a mirrored camera. The D5 features both Quiet and Silent modes, with the former allowing for burst photography and support for all image size and quality options.

6 GO TO THE DARK SIDE

One of the most outstanding features of Nikon’s mammoth D5 is its ability to produce crisp images in extremely low light. This is down to its epic ISO capabilities, letting you pump things up to a max ISO setting of 3,280,000. Obviously shooting at this end will result in grainy shots, but you can travel much further up the ISO scale than usual with very little effect on overall quality.

AND GET INSPIRED BY THESE

50 YEARS OF ROLLING STONE

From vivid live shots to elaborate Annie Leibowitz portraits, this chunky book includes some of the finest rock photography ever. £30 /amazon.co.uk

HIGH TIDE: A SURF ODYSSEY

Stoke your wanderlust with this compendium of stunning coastal photography from modern maestro Chris Burkard. £35 / abebooks.co.uk

MOTHER

Enlightening and poignant, Matthew Finn’s beautiful portraits follow his mother’s life from middle age to the onset of dementia. Proof of the power of the photograph. £30 / waterstones.com