Hey, I’m Markus Mittermayer, a photographer based in Steinakirchen am Forst, a small town in the Mostviertel region of Lower Austria.
I mainly shoot automotive and motorsport, but I also enjoy portraits, weddings, landscapes, wildlife, astrophotography, and drone work.
I enjoy keeping things interesting and challenging myself across various styles.
My photography journey started around five years ago with smartphone photography. That quickly turned into a passion, and I jumped into the world of full-frame with the Sony A7 IV and a kit lens. I sold that lens almost immediately and started building a genuine kit.
What really hooked me was not just shooting, but also the idea of creating high-end, fine art prints. I have also invested a significant amount in printing equipment.
Motorsport photography came naturally through my love of working on cars and everything automotive. That crossover made it all click.
Sony A7 IV – This is my primary camera and an amazing hybrid option. I use it for both photography and video.
It shoots 4K at 60 FPS (with a crop), and the S-Log3 color profile provides me with plenty of flexibility in post-production. For photography, the 33MP sensor is more than sufficient, unless you plan to crop heavily.
I’ve come to know the Sony system very well and find the camera to be highly intuitive.
Sony A7 III – My backup body. I bring it to essential events in case something happens to the A7 IV. It’s slower, especially when it comes to image previews and deleting files, but it remains reliable.
Fujifilm X100 VI – My fun camera. It’s compact, discreet, and perfect for travel or street photography.
I love Fuji’s film simulations, and the build quality is incredible. It takes some getting used to in terms of controls, but it’s great to have when I want to travel light.
Canon A1 – A classic analog camera that I use when I want that old-school film feeling. Solidly built, it provides an entirely different experience compared to digital.
Canon EOS 300 – Another film camera, but with more modern features. I use it mostly with black-and-white film for more artistic personal projects.
Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II – This lens replaced my older Sony 70-200mm f/4. It’s insanely sharp, the autofocus is blazing fast, and it’s perfect for motorsports.
I also use it for wildlife and even astrophotography. I especially love the OSS modes. Mode 2 is excellent for panning shots.
One significant upgrade was the introduction of a new lens hood featuring a filter access window. That was a real issue with the old model when using CPL or ND filters.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art II – My go-to all-rounder. This lens lives on my camera most of the time. It’s sharp, fast, and versatile enough for anything from motorsports to weddings to landscapes. The 24mm end is wide enough for tight spaces, and the f/2.8 aperture performs well in low light.
Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 Pro Series – This one’s my newest addition. The sharpness and bokeh are impressive. I use it for motorsport when possible, but also for portraits.
It’s big and heavy, but it feels solid. There’s even a small display with a startup logo, which is a fun detail. The internal lens elements make a noise when tilted (powered off), and the autofocus motor is louder than Sony’s; however, for the price, it’s outstanding.
Sony 85mm f/1.8 – One of my first lenses, bought for portraits. Image quality is okay, but not great. I barely use it anymore. It’s lightweight, but the build quality feels cheap, and the tiny filter thread is a bit annoying.
Sony 35mm f/1.8 – My first lens after the kit lens. I don’t use it anymore. It’s compact and lightweight, but the image quality doesn’t meet my current expectations. The Sigma 24-70mm replaced it completely.
PGYTECH OneMo 2 35-45L – This is my main backpack. It holds a lot of gear, and the battery compartment is super practical. The divider system inside the main compartment isn’t perfect, but overall it’s a solid bag with good value for the price.
Peak Design Cuff – A simple wrist strap to keep my camera secure in tricky situations. It does the job well.
Ulanzi Falcam Treeroot – This is a lightweight, stable, and well-built tripod. I love the quick-release system. I use it for landscapes, car photography, and studio work. It even has removable rubber feet that reveal metal spikes for rough terrain.
Apple MacBook Pro (M4 chip) paired with an LG 34P950G UltraWide QHD monitor – This setup provides fast and reliable performance, especially when editing large files or working with video. MacOS is smooth and dependable for creative work. The ultrawide monitor provides me with tons of space, which really helps with timeline management in video editing as well.
For my photography, I use Adobe Lightroom Classic and Capture One for editing and color grading, Adobe Bridge for organizing and managing files, and Aperture for archiving and revisiting my earlier work.
I mostly use my own presets or create a custom baseline look for each session and then build from there. I prefer to tailor my editing to each shoot individually.
In my bag, I always carry a 100W power bank for charging on the go, a field notes notebook for jotting down ideas or gear settings, and a few business cards—because you never know who you’ll meet.
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be: shoot what you love even if it’s not practical or profitable.
Motorsport photography, for example, is challenging — requiring a lot of effort with limited financial return — but it fuels my creativity. That’s what matters.
Credit : Source Post
