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So what gear to use ?
In fact it all depends what you are going after: General landscapes, birds, animal wildlife.
Landscape Photography Gear:
Gear to start in landscape will include a wide angle and a medium zoom. Full frame cameras will be the favorite for landscapes because of the image quality they can produce. But with the new digital lenses for APS-C sensor cameras (all brands beginner & intermediate level SLR cameras) you can manage to produce excellent image quality with the proper techniques. So here are suggestions for landscape photography gear:
For full frames cameras:
1. a ultra wide angle prime or zoom in the range of 17 to 40mm
2. a wide angle prime or zoom in the range of 24-105mm or 24-70 (if you had only one to buy, that is the range )
3. a medium range zoom like a 70-200mm
4. some will want to use a 400mm as well for extreme close ups of far away landscapes.
For APS-C cameras:
1. an ultra wide angle in the range of a 10-22mm or a very wide prime like a 14mm
2. a wide angle prime or zoom like a 17-40mm or a 17-85mm (if you had only one to buy, that's the range)
3. a medium zoom like a 70-200mm
Very practical tools to use in landscape photography:
1. a bubble level that will fit on your flash hotshoe to help you get your horizon strait or a grid focusing screen for the cameras that allow to change theirs
2. a polarizing filter (if you had one filter to buy, that's the one)
3. Neutral density filters
4. a sturdy tripod; solid enough to support your gear and more and also to be stable when there is wind. (A must)
5. a remote switch (a must)
6. your camera manual to be read to understand how to operate your camera (a must)
7. a good hat since landscape photography is made by taking the time to see things; you will need to protect yourself from the sun.
BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR:
Bird photography, compared to landscape photography, requires lenses from the other side of the focal range: long focals. Because of their always on the move and flight situations, birds photography requires also rapid focusing capabilities.
As a rule of thumb, the focal length (the reach) should be privileged over the stabilized lenses.
The starter lens would at least cover the 300mm focal. So 300mm, 400mm prime lenses or zooms will be the adequate tools for someone who would want to start in this type of photography. In the Canon range, we are talking about the 300 f/4L IS (with stabilization), the 400mm f/5.6L. These lenses could be used with the extenders but eh 400 5.6 will loose it's autofocus unless you are using a Canon 1D series of if you tape the proper contacts. If someone is thinking using a 70-200mm with a 1.4X extender, they will find themselves short rapidly. For the Canon zooms, a 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS (cannot be used with the extenders) and the 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS. On the Nikon side, the 300mm f/4 for primes and the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR zoom would be the starter lens.
Advanced shooters lens would involve investing in a super tele. In the Canon family, the 300mm f/2.8L IS, the 400mm f/4L IS DO, the 400mm f/2.8L IS, the 500mm f/4L IS, the 600mm f/4L IS and the 800mm f/5.6L IS are magnificent focals that can help produce pristine shots. All of these lenses can be used with extenders on all camera models except the 800mm that will need a Canon 1 serie camera or e contacts to be taped. Keep in mind that, for an APS-C camera (entry levels, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, 7D), you must keep the aperture of your kit to 5.6 or lower (ex: a f/4 lens + a 1.4x extender= f/5.6) if you want your camera to keep the autofocus operating. Going higher than f/5.6 for these cameras will result in an non operating autofocus. For the Canon 1 serie (1D, 1DS) the max aperture will be f/8 and in this case, only the central focusing point will be operational. Also keep in mind that, in general, using an extender will not only reduce the speed of the lens but also the image quality and this, on various degrees depending on the lens used. The same principal is also true for the Nikon models. The Nikon super teles are: 300mm f/2.8G VR, 400mm f/2.8G VR, 500mm f/4G VR, 600mm f/4G VR. For the zoom, Nikon offers the superb 200-400 f/4G VR zoom is an excellent investment.
Extenders for bird photography are very useful but there is a trade off: the loss of quality and focusing speed. This "effect" will vary depending on the lens. As a rule of thumb, as a starter, I would keep on using the 1.4X and try to stay away from the bigger extender; the bigger the extender, the higher the negative effects.
Cameras are the next item where quality is important to invest in. If you had to make a choice, for image quality, the lens is more important. But for the focusing capacities, the higher camera level, the better focusing capacities. For Canon, the 1D and 1DS and now the 7D camera models have very efficient and rapid focusing system. The 5D series has a very accurate focusing system but not as rapid. All other APS-C (except 7D) cameras have a lower performance focusing system. In bird photography, you need a performing focusing system to make sure the accuracy and success rate is high enough. Birds move fast and fly. Nevertheless, if your objective is only to keep records and have great catches, the APS-C cameras will do the job adequately. But if you are serious about the results, want to publish or sell prints, a efficient and rapid focusing system is a must. For the Nikon cameras, the D300, D300s, D3, 3X, D700 are pretty darn good cameras equipped with performing focusing system.
A sturdy tripod... As for the landscape photography, if you are using a super tele, a sturdy tripod with a good quality ballhead or a good "gimbal" type tripod head is definitely a must to stabilize your big lens. if you are using a small size lens like a 300mm f/4 or 400 4.5-5.6 or 70-300mm lens, you can use them handheld but again, a tripod is preferable (or a monopod for these small lenses).
Flash extender like the better beamer are also very useful in bird photography as they help removing the shaded zones and get the highlights enhanced. They are also useful to get that spark in the bird eye.
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... to be followed soon, wildlife.