The Bare Essentials.

[Tadhg]

Well just got me a new 300d. I was wondering what are the bare essentials when carrying around. For example, tripod, camera and lens obviously, bag etc.

What things do you bring with you everywhere.

[ssim]

Depends on where "everywhere" is. If I am just out driving I throw just about everything in the car. If I am flying somewhere I am a little more discerning on what I take though I been able to take just about everything with me the way I pack it these days.

Alot of it depends on where I am going. If I am out after wildlife I am not concerned with making sure that I have my shorter lenses. I only take the tripod if I know that I will be using my 500 lens, though it is usually in the car.

When out walking I normally wear a shooting vest and I can carry a couple of extra lenses in it plus I always have more CF cards and one of 550 flashes. Too many times I have tried dragging around too much equipment without using alot of it.

[Binley Woods]

You need to assess what you think your needs are going to be for the shoot of the day, but whatever you do be careful how you carry it, as ssim says throw it in the car and that's great but when you haul it that is different. I bought my lovely 20D 3 months ago and some terriffic new lenses and treated myself to a Lowepro back pack to carry it in. Beware they should come with a health warning. Second time out I got to the area of the shoot , a Car display, put the lowepro on a wall and unzipped it and whow out came the 20D with 10-22 attached straight down onto the concrete!!
I've now bought a new shoulder bag so I can just lift it out !!

[Jon]

"Everywhere", well, an PowerShot A80.
Minimum load when I'm out expecting to photograph something - 1 body, 24-70, 15-30, potentially a tele-zoom, usually either 35 f/2 or 50 f/1.8, 580EX, UltraPod II, spare battery or two, extra CF cards. All fits in an Adorama Slinger. Maybe a monopod.

[Adam Hicks]

Arghhh that picture of the 10-22 makes me cringe!

[Titus213]

...I bought my lovely 20D 3 months ago and some terriffic new lenses and treated myself to a Lowepro back pack to carry it in. Beware they should come with a health warning. Second time out I got to the area of the shoot , a Car display, put the lowepro on a wall and unzipped it and whow out came the 20D with 10-22 attached straight down onto the concrete!!
I've now bought a new shoulder bag so I can just lift it out !!

Ouch!! I have a LowePro minnitrekker and I've noticed the same thing. Now I lay it down on it's back to remove equipment.

[Mitcon]

I always carry a squeeze bulb, microfibe cloth, couple of spare batteries and spare CF cards. Also a notebook/pad and pen, I also always carry a compass and water. I never had that problem with my backpack but I did think that sort of thing might happen. I just got some elastic and put velcro on it and then put it across the spots my camera and/or lenses are in the bag. If I pick up my bag now and it's not zipped, nothing happens and I just zip it up.

[ron chappel]

Hey wow,that 10-22 tilt-shift lens sure hase some tilt ability! :)

:o Sorry. Yes it makes me cringe too!

[Mitcon]

lol, thats gotta hurt

[Salleke]

You need to assess what you think your needs are going to be for the shoot of the day, but whatever you do be careful how you carry it, as ssim says throw it in the car and that's great but when you haul it that is different. I bought my lovely 20D 3 months ago and some terriffic new lenses and treated myself to a Lowepro back pack to carry it in. Beware they should come with a health warning. Second time out I got to the area of the shoot , a Car display, put the lowepro on a wall and unzipped it and whow out came the 20D with 10-22 attached straight down onto the concrete!!
I've now bought a new shoulder bag so I can just lift it out !!

This lens is backfocussing ... ;)
Sorry for your bad luck ... :)

[Salleke]

... shooting vest ...

Ssim - Can you please tell me where I can see shooting vests at some website? Thanks.

[Jon, The Elder]

Bring your Wife/girlfriend along to carry all the stuff you decide on - gives you great status at sporting events - just snap your fingers and your lens change is done in seconds - while you strut around looking like a pro.

Bet this gets some nifty comments !!

[fstop212]

I like the Domke bag myself. It holds my camera, 2 lens, filters, and a blower and some other misc. stuff. It also conforms to your body so it doesn't get in the way when you are taking a photograph. I use to have a Tameron backpack and hardly use it any longer. I have my film camera in there.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Backpacks are a more comfortable way to carry a heavy load for a long period.. but they stink to work out of. I'll take a top loader anyday,.. and use the backpack merely for travel.

[ITMaster]

I have the Canon Top Load bag that is carried with either a handle or shoulder strap. It is possibly spendy,,,,but hey, it says Canon on it. There is room for my 75-300, the 20D with the 17-85, the 580EX, a small mini tripod, the external filters that I use on occasion and the spare batteries, cards, owners booklets, eyeglass case with extra pair of glasses and a 200ml bottle of scotch. It has a belt and buckle or one can use the shoulder strap which is my exclusive choice. It is made of an abrasive resistant fabric, seems fairly waterproof, has lots of dividers and velcro to custom fab your storage compartment. Good luck and happy shooting! Tom

[Andy_T]

Ssim - Can you please tell me where I can see shooting vests at some website? Thanks.

... up .... up ..... up ...... up ..... there you should see it :wink:

OK, take a close look at the enclosed picture....

Best regards,
Andy

[Andy_T]

I am really very happy with my Tamrac Velocity 7 slinger bag (toploader)

Takes the 20D, Canon 50/1.4, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 80-200/2.8L (all with inverted lens hoods), some batteries and small stuff.

Best regards,
Andy

[zacker]

i have a canon back pack to hold all my gear, i use a canon top loader to carry around the body, a zoom (sigma 28-70 or canon 28-135 IS or tamron 24-200, which ever is on the camera at the time) then i put in the canon 75-300IS and the 50MM and an extra card or two and an extra batt and cleaning kit,The tripod stays in the truck, and as does the camera and extra lenses untill i need it! I take the camera with me everywhere..to work, play, visiting..everywhere!
-zacker-

[rklepper]

I have the Lowepro Offtrail 2 for a carry around and I reallt like it. Allows almost all of my gear in it, minus the P&S and my cleaning supplies. Any large bag should work when space is not an issue.

[Longwatcher]

Well just got me a new 300d. I was wondering what are the bare essentials when carrying around. For example, tripod, camera and lens obviously, bag etc.

What things do you bring with you everywhere.

No matter where I go, if I take my camera (at all) with only one lens (usually a medium zoom) I always take spare memory cards and a spare battery (if there is any chance of running out of either). The memory cards are in a lexar card wallet attached to the sholder/neck strap (or my belt) and the spare battery in a pouch goes onto my belt.

everything else is optional.

After that the next most likely thing I will cart around will be a flash. But mainly because I don't have a pop-up flash on mine. Spare batteries for flash will be in second pouch if I don't have backback.

Then I step up to backpack level
It usually contains: camera, the triple f2.8 zooms, flash, spare CF cards, spare batteries (camera and flash), circular polarizer and IR filters, lens cleaning cloth, small plastic trash bag (for unexpected rain), and business cards. Sometimes on longer trips I will also take a portable drive along.

Then add tripod when I feel I will need or may be need at the location. On rare occasions if I know I will be around crowds I will drop to a monopod just to avoid people tripping over the tripod.

And after that it gets messy; up to and including packing all 4 of my AB studio lights, stands, backup camera, backup lenses, extra flash batteries and anything else I think I might need that will fit in the trunk of my car.

But I usually run at the backpack level with spare light weight tripod in the car.

Just what I do,

[andrewc]

My normal carrying around kit

kit lens
70-300 sigma zoom
circ polariser
spare cards,
spare battery

I select the other gear accordingly - eg at motor race, i take a monopod and leave the extension tubes at home.

[i_will]

I carry everything in my signature with me in my Crumpler 6 million dollar bar. I get my Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 tomorrow (traded my Canon 70-200 f/4L) and that's another 2lbs so no idea if I'm going to be lugging it around all the time.

Sometimes I'm just lazy and don't carry my Crumpler bag around, just my camera and either the Tamron 28-75 or Canon 70-200. It gets annoying at times when I'm at school, carrying my regular items (textbooks and 7lb laptop with me) so I'll skimp on carrying my Crumpler and take extra precaution carrying around my camera.