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| Business end of a 1918 Bucyrus 150 ton capacity railroad crane (click to enlarge) X-T2, 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 31mm; 1/60th sec. @ f/5.6; ISO 200 (converter to black and white in Lightroom |
Over the years, as a function of how I find myself working photographically, has caused me to now split my gear into two bags. I believe in the premise that the bigger the bag, the more you will pack into it. Happens with suitcases and other things as well. That seems to be human nature. If you carry a smaller bag you will still fully pack it, but you have to carry less. My tendency is to take too much with me so I have tried to reduce what I have carry by having a second bag of gear handy.
As I said, most of the time I work out of my vehicle. I carry one bag and leave the other in the vehicle. Working out of my vehicle doesn't mean that I am always nearby it, but the gear is accessible within a short period of time so I don't have to carry everything with me everywhere I go, whether I think I will or will not need certain pieces of equipment.
One of my two bags is a shoulder bag that I carry when being mobile (on foot) and the other one is a small rolling bag that fits everything that I don't carry in the shoulder bag. The roller holds those things that I frequently don't use but want to have at hand during certain photographic outings. When I leave my home, most of the time I'll leave the second bag at home, just taking the shoulder bag. If there is something from the rolling bag that I think I'll need for a specific outing, I will remove something from the shoulder bag and leave it behind so the net weight is about the same. However, I always take the second bag when I am traveling for more than one day. I think it will become clearer as you read the post and read what's in each bag.
First, I currently use a Think Tank City Walker 20 shoulder bag. It is a very well made bag of black nylon and everything I need to carry if I'm out and walking, my primary tools, fits in. In fact, it is just a tad too big. I wish it was a bit smaller. It has lots of pockets and slots and is well designed. It is the kind of bag that will probably last forever. However, when a bag is bigger than it needs to be, like most of us, I tend to pack more stuff because "I can." Are you guilty of that as well?
I've tried to find a bag that is just "right" but we all know how that goes. Just right today doesn't quite work for what we are photographing tomorrow. Also, I have a Pinestone color Think Tank Retrospective 7, but it is just a tad too small! The Fuji 50-140mm f/2.8 lens is just a little too large to fit comfortably for my taste. I wish I could find the same basic bag that is sized just right between these two.
Here is what is in the City Walker 20. This is what I normally take with me on all photo wanderings as well as outings I may make specifically for photography (in previous posts, found here and here, I described what I pack in what I call a "Grab and Go" kit which I grab on the way out of my house when not specifically going out to photograph):
Fuji X-T2 with Peak Design wrist strap (called a Leash) attached
Fuji Power Grip
Fuji 10-24mm f/4 lens
Fuji 16-55mm f/2.8 lens (used 90% of the time; normally stays attached to the camera)
Fuji 50-140mm f/2.8 lens
Fuji 1.4x tele-converter
Fuji EFX8 flash (included with camera body at time of purchase)
2 64gb SDXC UHS II memory cards in the camera
1 Think Tank SD Pocket Pixel case with 288gb more of card storage inside
L-plate with 2 hex (Allen) wrenches
1 old fashioned mechanical cable release (not an issue when using the L-plate)
1 Manfrotto Pixi Evo 2 tabletop tripod (carried in rear slot of bag)
3 filters: 77mm circular polarizer, 6X and 10X ND filters and a 72mm to 77mm step up ring
3 Fuji batteries in the grip and camera
4 extra Fuji batteries
Fuji battery charger with Duck's Head plug instead of the cord
1 X-Rite Colorchecker Passport
3 lens cleaning cloths
1 Lens Pen
1 small Giottos Rocket Blower
1 Upstrap with Peak Design connectors attached (used interchangeably with wrist strap)
1 pair reading glasses
1 quick drying micro fiber towel
1 very large Zip Lock® bag that the camera and lens will fit if temp differences are high
1 plastic cheap shower cap from hotel room
1 bag raincover
1 pen
20 business cards
This certainly seems like a lot but it all fits nicely in the bag and the bag doesn't feel too heavy to carry for a few hours.
Notice I don't normally carry a fast prime. Unless I specifically know I'll need one for low light, the zooms along with the X-T2 have fully met my needs. They are good wide open and I feel comfortable using them that way. No need to stop down to achieve sharpness. If I have to up the ISO a bit to compensate for the lack of a faster aperture, I have no problem doing that. The digital noise generated at higher ISOs with the X-T2 is manageable and I normally don't need a faster aperture, again, unless I know I will be photographing under really poor light circumstances. If so, I can grab the 23 f/1.4 or such.
Also, notice I didn't list a backup camera body. I currently don't have a Fuji backup body. I'm waiting to see what next Fuji introduces and, if I decide to buy the new body, I'll probably keep the X-T2 as a backup. However, in the mean time, if I'm out for more than just casually photographing, i.e., if I'm trying to photograph something important, I'll bring the Olympus E-M1 Mark II with the 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens (or the 12-40 f/2.8 PRO) as an emergency backup. I've never had an issue with any of the Fuji cameras I've owned so I'm not expecting to ever have to go to a backup. But you never know.
The small rolling bag is a Lowe Pro Roller Lite 150 All Weather. I've had it for many years and it looks and works like new. It is a bit on the small side for what I pack into it and I wish I had a bag that is just a bit bigger. Seems like I'm never quite satisfied with my bags! Are any of us? LOL Rolling gear bags are expensive and I don't have the money to throw at a larger one so I make do. I have to be very creative in packing it. As I said, above, this roller doesn't go with me all the time but when I am gone for multiple days or I know I will need something that normally is packed in it (such as the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens), I will bring it. It stays in my vehicle, usually on the back seat next to the driver's side rear door if the vehicle will be in my sight so the gear is accessible easily if I need something out of it. If I will be leaving the immediate vicinity of my vehicle, I'll place it in the cargo area.
In my small rolling bag I have the following:
Fuji 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens
Fuji 55-200mm f/2.8-4 lens
Fuji 14mm f/2.8 lens
Fuji 23mm f/1.4 lens
Fuji 35mm f/2 lens
2 extra generic machined aluminum lens plates for mounting a camera or lens on a tripod
1 hot shoe mounted 2-way bubble level
Rubber bands
Extra Duck's Head plugs
Black Rapid R strap
Watson Dual battery charger with Fuji plates
Mind Shift Gear Filter Nest with ND and polarizing filters to fit prime lenses
A very large Zip Lock® bag
Half a dozen lens cleaning cloths
Butterfly sensor cleaning brush
Pur-O-Sol lens cleaning fluid
Lens Pen
Small LED flashlight (torch)
Head Lamp with both red (for night photography) and white light (torch)
Small Roll of Gaffer's Tape
Foldable Hex Wrench set to fit L-Plate and Tripod leg bolts
Small Ruler
Extra pair of reading glasses
Pen and paper
Business Cards
As you see, I pretty much bring everything but the kitchen sink with me. But my adult life and career has been about being prepared for just about any contingency and I do that. I just don't want to be out, away from home or traveling across the country and something happen that photographically neutralizes me.
I find the three lenses I pack in my shoulder bag to be excellent lenses that meet almost all of my normal needs for any outdoor work I do. They allow me to cover (35mm field of view equivalent) 15mm to about 300mm at f/4. If I am going to photograph something in low light indoors, that's where the second bag comes in which, as I listed, contains several fast prime lenses. If I am going out to photograph wildlife or birds/raptors, the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 is in the small rolling bag as well.
At first, when I purchased the Power Grip, I didn't think I would use it extensively. I thought I would attach it when I needed faster frames per second and the fastest focusing of which the camera is capable. But, I pretty much leave it on all the time now. I've come to like the extra stability it provides as well as the vertical controls. The extra weight and bulk are not an issue for me. I thought it would be but it turns out the Power Grip is a very nice complement to the X-T2 body.
Looking at the list of gear I have, I've come to the conclusion that I just own too much stuff. I had been on a quest over the past few years to go smaller, lighter, less expensive but maintain high image quality. That was one of the reasons I switch fully to mirrorless cameras. However, I seem to be negating that philosophy with all of this gear. Just as with bags, my mind seems to drift into the thought of "I better buy (insert the name of a lens or such here) since I may need it for XXX." Often times, I find that I really don't need a particular lens or such but just want to have it. Typical of many of us, I believe. Maybe it is time to, again, start divesting myself of some of this gear and get back to basics again! Sometimes simplicity and minimal choice can increase the experience and pleasure derived.
Also, a very important point, is that I have all my gear insured for any kind of loss at full replacement value. Not replaced at what the gear would be worth if depreciated over time, but full replacement value. Full coverage insurance isn't that expensive and gives me peace of mind. I've only had to make one claim. I (hate to admit this but...) once dropped a camera and lens in a river. Trying to get a particular photograph, I was standing on a piece of steeply sloping smooth granite at the river's edge and all of a sudden my tennis shoe lost its grip throwing me off balance. With the sudden motion, my hands and arms went up in the air and I lost my grip on the camera (no camera or wrist strap used—another lesson learned; I always have a wrist strap or camera strap on my cameras now) as I tried to keep myself from sliding down the rock and going into the river. The camera and lens came out of my hand and dropped into the edge of the water. Total loss. Fully insured and replaced! That one instance more than made up for several years of premiums.
That is about it. I change gear often—probably too often. I find I like to try out new cameras and new lenses. I enjoy writing about what I use and how well it works so I can share my knowledge with anyone who cares to read my blog. However, through all of this, I really take care of my gear. If you take care of your tools, they will always be at the ready when you need them. When I sell gear, it is always in like new condition. But that is just me.
If you have anything you normally take with you that I haven't mentioned, please leave a comment as the rest of us can benefit from your knowledge and experience.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
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