To attend the f:ocus course, any 1:1 macro lens and SLR camera body is essential. On this page you will find our f:ocus formula combinations are what we recommend, but are not mandatory. A twin flash is also required, however if you do not own one you will have the opportunity to buy our twin flash on the day or you may wish to purchase it at the same time as your course booking to benefit from a £200 discount. The flashes included with the standard course kit are NOT a twin flash and are for portraits only.

What is the f:ocus formula:

The f:ocus formula represents the camera body and lens combinations that we advise in order to have a setup that is not only more ergonomically balanced and comfortable to use but also provide a closer working distance that will improve the battery performance of your twin flash with diffusers as well as boost the aesthetic appearance of your images.

Buying from scratch: If you require a complete setup, we recommend our latest mirrorless camera body and lens combinations listed below. Choose according to your budget and brand preference. Mirrorless camera bodies can also be used with existing macro lenses using an adapter which must be purchased separately.

Where to buy: You may buy straight from the manufacturers website. If searching for a better deal, you should perform a Google search to find the necessary equipment mentioned on this page. If using a third party retailer with a better offer you can verify online using Trustpilot.

If buying pre-owned: We recommend using www.mpb.com who provide trusted “like new'“ pre-owned options. Some of our favourite macro lenses such as the Canon 60mm macro are now discontinued so MUST be purchased preowned. We advise selling your older equipment to mpb.com and use the credit towards our recommended setups.

Canon, Nikon or Sony? All of the setups on this page provide fantastic results with no one system being superior than the other in terms of performance or image quality. However if you are a beginner and this is your first setup, we recommend the Canon R10 + 60mm lens as this setup offers by far the easiest to use interface with the most comfortable and lightweight ergonomics, ensuring a fantastic new user experience with great image quality at a reasonable price point. If you already have experience using Nikon or Sony or have a fast learning curve as a new user these setups also work very well. It is also acceptable to invest a little more on model updates which may be available on those listed here.

You will need a twin flash: The f:ocus diffusers require a twin flash to work best in both posterior and anterior modes. If you do not have a twin flash, please purchase the f:ocus flash using our TWIN FLASH OFFER at checkout when you book the hands on course and benefit from a £200 discount. You can Use the link below to read more about the f:ocus flash or purchase it separately at the normal price.