What Gear is Currently In My Bags; 2015 Edition?

The last time I wrote about the gear and bags that I currently use was April 2014.  As I still get questions about that topic, here is an update.  Some things have changed and some have remained the same. Read on.

Ape Case Envoy Blue Messenger Bag  is my primary bag.
It is shown here sitting behind a foot long ruler for scale (click to enlarge)

To update everyone, I now regularly use two different bags for three different kits of gear.  I know, I know, way too much gear. I agree.  I think I'll need to pare down soon.  The biggest change from last year is that I previously used my full frame Nikon gear as my primary kit, but now that has become my specialty kit.  My current primary kit is the Fujifilm gear, with the Olympus gear in reserve as I have gone back and forth between the two, then the full frame gear used the least and usually only when certain conditions exist. Here's how I utilize my gear.

Whenever I now set out to photograph, I almost always now take the Fuji gear.  I had done the same over the couple of years with the Olympus gear and, as I have written in the recent past, I think I have fully exploited all of the Olympus M4/3's versatility and image quality (and have been quite happy with it) so now I want to learn and use the Fuji gear in the same manner. Just to be clear, I really like my Olympus gear but I want to fully learn and wring out everything I can from my Fuji gear and the only way to do that is to use it as much as possible.  I still have my Olympus gear and have no plans to sell it.  In fact, I just purchased the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens to complement my other lenses.

The quality and versatility of my Nikon D810, to me, is still unsurpassed for the kind of work I do.  But full frame digital SLRs and lenses are much larger, heavier, bulkier and more expensive than APS-C or M4/3 formats and, as I have written many times, I am still determined to go smaller, lighter, less expensive but with equal versatility and high image quality.  Hence, the smaller format gear I now primarily use.  For all practical purposes, I believe that for about 90% of us, we no longer need full frame gear.  APS-C crop sensor and M4/3 gear can fit the bill easily for the vast majority of what we, that 90% of us, do.

I now carry the Fuji gear (X-T1) as a primary kit and if I decide to carry a backup body, it is my Olympus E-M1 with one lens (12-40mm f/2.8 PRO), but I have never had a camera fail in 45 years of photography so I don't really worry about it. The odds are with me or maybe against me, but as I said, I'm not too worried.

For a long time I looked for a bag that was small, lightweight and had a zipper across top instead of a solid flap. I wanted a bag that really didn't look like a bag in which expensive camera gear would reside.  Also, I don't like having to fight a bag's top flap, trying to hold the flap on messenger type bags out of the way while retrieving gear so the zipper across the top for easy access was an important component.  I can carry my Ape Case Standard Messenger bag all day without any stress on my back or shoulder.  It was also relatively inexpensive.

Here is what I consider my primary kit.

Ape Case Envoy Standard Messenger Camera bag in blue—see above, (most camera cases have black)

Fujifilm X-T1 with an Upstrap attached to Peak Design clips for easy removal; also a PD wrist strap if I want to carry the camera in my hand instead of around my neck

Fujifilm 10-24mm f/4 lens

Fujifilm 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens

Fujifilm 55-200mm f/3.8-4 lens

Fujifilm 23mm f/1.4 lens

Fujifilm flash with extra battery (the one that came with the camera, mainly just for some needed fill flash on occasion; waiting for a better one from Fujifilm)

Circular Polarizer filter

Variable ND filter (All my filters are 77mm and I buy step-down rings for each lens)

Think Tank SD Card Wallet

Remote release

Arca Swiss style L-plate with 2 hex (Allen) keys kept in separate places

X-Rite Passport Colorchecker

4 extra batteries and battery charger (I bought a plug adapter for the battery charger to eliminate the cord; if you want to know which and where I bought it, email me)

Lens cloth

Protein bars

hotel plastic shower cap with elastic for emergencies

Zip Lock® bag big enough to put camera and lens in if needed (cold/warm transition)

In a separate supplemental bag, which stays in the car or nearby, I keep:

Bottle of water
Lens cloths and blower

Sensor Cleaner

Sensor static brush

Rubber bands; coins; some NSAIDs, bandages for cuts, etc.

Also, I want to say that each of the Fujifilm lenses I own are excellent.  They exceed my needs for image quality, contrast, resolution and color transmission.  I can highly recommend these.  I haven't tried others.

Ape Case with small auxiliary bag with stuff I don't need to carry
but may need to have at hand if necessary (click to enlarge)

When I decide to carry the Olympus E-M1 kit instead, I pretty remove the Fuji gear and use the same bag.  Here is how the Olympus gear is packed.  Many of the items are the same, so I just transfer the actual gear back and forth.

Ape Case Envoy Standard Messenger bag 

Olympus E-M1 with Upstrap strap and Peak Design quick connectors; PD wrist strap

Panasonic 7-14mm f/4 lens

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens

Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens

Olympus FR-300 flash with extra AA batteries (for fill-in flash at most)

Circular Polarizer filter (again, all of my filters are 77mm and I use step-down rings)

Variable ND filter

Remote release

Arca Swiss style plate with 2 hex keys kept separately

X-Rite Passport Colorchecker

3 extra batteries and battery charger (I move the plug from the other charger to this one as it is universal in nature for the kind of connectors they put on these chargers)

Lens cloths and blower

Sensor Cleaner

Protein bars

Large plastic Zip Lock® bag, big enough to put my camera and lens in for cold/warm/moisture control

Again, each of these lenses are excellent.  They exceed my needs easily and I can highly recommend them.  I have used several other M4/3 lenses and if you are interested in my take on those, email me and I'll let you know what I think.

I also always have in my vehicle a Gitzo Traveler carbon fiber tripod with a Markins head and a Gitzo carbon fiber monopod.  You never know and if needed and not close by, you will regret bringing a tripod.  Either will fit in my suitcase in checked baggage.

Very old Domke F2 canvas bag.  I bought this from Jim Domke about
1978 or so. This bag will hold a lot of gear.  (click to enlarge)

Also, there are benefits in taking my D810 instead of a smaller format. It still focuses faster, more accurately with less hunting than either of the two kits described above.  Additionally, it can use higher ISOs with better image quality and the sensor has a much greater dynamic range.  I used to have to make at least 3 images, of varying exposures, to capture a very high contrast subject.  With the D810 and its sensor, which has an extraordinary amount of dynamic range (almost 15 full stops!), I now only make a single exposure. You can pull an incredible amount of detail from the shadows and highlights.  If I want to create the HDR "tonal compression" effect, I can do that with one exposure, but it is more efficient to take three or more.  Additionally, if I need sophisticated flash, the Nikon flash system is a lot better than either of the other two at this point.

The gap is quickly closing between the cropped sensored gear and the full frame, but there is still a distance to go.

This camera focuses faster and more accurately than any camera I have ever owned, bar none.  It is excellent at tracking moving objects and keeping them in focus. I find the focusing system is spot on and I have calibrated all of my lenses to this camera body using FoCal software.  The viewfinder is bright and shows 100% of the scene.  Live view works well for tripod work.  I find 5 fps fast enough for the photography I do.  As for image quality, it is really hard to beat that 36mp sensor for resolution, contrast, saturation and color.  Thirty-six megapixels even allows me more versatility to crop closely if I can't get close enough with my longest lens.  After cropping, you still have more pixels than most other cameras available.

To compliment the camera, I have a number of wonderful Nikkor lenses which provide me with very sharp, highly resolved, low distortion, contrasty images with good color reproduction.  I used to have the most expensive and fastest lenses, but I sold them and purchased lenses that were a bit smaller, but with excellent image quality.  For example, I had the Nikon 70-200mm F/2.8 G VRII but now use the 70-200mm f/4 VR which is less expensive, smaller lighter and equals the image quality.  Part of my going smaller and lighter philosophy.

Inside of the Domke with a body, 4 lenses, 1.4X extender, filters, cards,
straps, and everything else.  That isn't even mentioning
what is the the five external pockets! (click to enlarge)

Here is what is in my larger gear bag, which is a Domke F2 tan canvas bag I bought from Jim Domke about 1978 or so.  Still my favorite bag.  This is a great bag if you have to work out of a bag (except dealing with that big flap), which is exactly why Domke developed it as one for photojournalists.  As you can see, this bag holds a lot more than you would expect.

Nikon D8810 body with Blackrapid R Strap (and a Upstrap with Peak Design clips for easy removal if I anticipate a lot of tripod work)
Nikon 16-35mm f/4 G AF-S VR lens
Nikon 24-120mm f/4 G AF-S VR lens
Nikon 70-200mm f/4 G AF-S VR lens
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 G AF-S lens
Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di SP VC Macro lens  (not carried every time but when macro work is anticipated) (this lens is extraordinarily sharp and the images show it!)
Nikon TC14III 1.4 tele-converter  (gives me 280mm on the long end when needed)
Nikon SB800 with remote cord, extra rechargeable batteries and charger
3 extra Nikon batteries and charger
Circular polarizing filters
Variable ND filters
RRS L-Bracket and two hex keys stored separately
About 100gb in memory cards in a Think Tank Card Wallet (remember 36mp–big files!)
3 in 1 card reader and USB cord
Electronic remote release
X-Rite Passport Colorchecker
Lens cloths and blower
Sensor Cleaner
Protein bars
Large plastic Zip Lock® bag, big enough to put my entire camera bag in for cold/warm/moisture control

Also, I normally take along my Induro 410 carbon fiber tripod with an RRS B55 ballhead and my Gitzo carbon fiber monopod.

In addition to what I have listed above, when I travel more than one day or by airplane, I carry a Kata backpack with a 15" laptop loaded with Photoshop and Lightroom as well as two 500gb USB 3.0 bus powered external hard drives which serve as backups for my images. The Kata backpack also holds a lot of my normal travel stuff as well.

Each kit has lenses from very wide angle (16mm in 35mm terms) to about 300mm in 35mm terms as well as one fast prime.  I find that the zoom lenses are so good that they serve my needs very well.  In the past, they weren't nearly as good as they are today.

These setups work well for me.  It took a while to settle on something that just "works."  I hope you can find everything you need to work just right for you in whatever type of photography you practice.

If you have any questions, just ask!

Many of my images can be found at www.dennismook.com.  Please pay it a visit.  I add new images regularly. I've just added a gallery featuring all M4/3 images.  Soon, I will be adding a gallery of all Fuji X-Trans images. Thank you.

Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook

All content on this blog is © 2013-2015 Dennis A. Mook.  All Rights Reserved.  Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution.  Permission may be granted for commercial use.  Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.