SUMMARY
Photographer Steve McCurry, known for his National Geographic work, now primarily uses a single Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Asph zoom lens for about 95% of his shooting. He has also drastically reduced his gear, carrying only one camera body, a few cards, and batteries, foregoing a camera bag. McCurry switched to Leica in 2019 after a detailed analysis of image quality, finding Leica lenses produced sharper results that enabled larger prints. He focuses on capturing genuine emotion and storytelling, with rich color supporting the narrative rather than mimicking specific film looks.
TAKEAWAYS
Steve McCurry uses one zoom lens for 95% of his photography.
His current kit consists of one camera body, a lens, cards, and batteries, with no bag.
McCurry switched to Leica after analyzing image quality and print potential.
He prioritizes genuine emotion and storytelling over specific film looks.