What do you do with your gear when you go out?

[hegemon]

I assume most of you are "normal" folks and probably don't relish the idea of running around with your lens bags, etc. Carrying all that stuff can be a pain, and sometimes it's just not going to help your cause to be seen lugging photo gear everywhere. I know the simple answer is to just take a P&S, but I think the point of dSLRs is that the P&S isn't enough for us. ;)

Do you guys take your cameras when you go out, hoping you'll see/do something worthy of a photo, or do you always plan to go out for the purpose of using your camera, in which case you know you'll be carrying your gear?

[Quad]

Having your camera with you makes taking photographs easier.

I think Elliot Erwitt said that or something like it, in any case I agree.

[hegemon]

Having your camera with you makes taking photographs easier.

I think Elliot Erwitt said that or something like it, in any case I agree.I think that's a given, haha. :p

[RikWriter]

I usually have it in my car with me, unless it's raining.

[liza]

I put in in the trunk of the car.

[R Hardman]

I have it preset with me where ever so I turn on and click. You never know when...

[Skrim17]

I no longer carry a purse, I carry my lowepro backpack with my gear and my wallet and such.

[JabberJaw]

I'd say about half the time I go out I have my camera bag with me. Since I walk most places, it does get cumbersome. The only time I don't have my camera with me when I'm out is if I have somewhere specific that I'm going where I know the camera will get in the way (grocery shopping, the movies, things like that).

[m3incorp]

I pretty much have the ole back pack on in most places, except when going somewhere that I pretty much no that I will have no use for it.

[hegemon]

I pretty much have the ole back pack on in most places, except when going somewhere that I pretty much no that I will have no use for it.
Doesn't that become a little physically/socially cumbersome? I've never had a problem bringing my P&S with me places, and even using it frequently, but dragging lenses and backpacks everywhere just seems to be a bit much...


I guess one solution is just putting on a 28(ish)-75(ish) lens and hoping that you don't need anything else.

[liza]

You're assuming we have a social life. :)

[Mark_Cohran]

Most of my shoots are planned. I do keep a camera in my truck just in case I see something interesting, but it's not my main camera. It's simply a small P&S.

Mark

[Thornfield]

I always take my gear with me. There are numerous times when I've pulled over on the way home and taken a shot because the light was right.

[Lord_Malone]

I carry my gear everywhere I go in my 75 AW with LC-3 attached. If it's not on me it's in the trunk of my car.

[ssim]

My camera, a few lenses, the 580 and other accessories are always with me. You never know when you are going to run into "that one special" shot. I drive an SUV and keep it near the back door where the windows are highly tinted and you can barely see in so I am not overly concerned with theft as I also have a decent anti-theft package on this vehicle.

[advaitin]

Some things are just too specialized to haul around all the time. I usually have one camera with me at all times with a middle range zoom lens, say 24-70mm. Heck, on a run to the grocery store, if I saw something that needs shooting, I have a camera in my cell phone.

If I'm out for a day of shooting, I carry a wider variety, including extra bodies, flash, tripods, monopods, etc. If I'm aiming for wildlife, then the room in the Grand Cherokee gets crowded with cases for three Mucho Grande long lenses.

[elysium]

Most of the time when I go to and back from work. I always end up getting calls or favours from friends who just want to go out and shoot and since I drive, its not that much of a big deal.

Pretty much my whole gear list -

Camera Bodies
Canon EOS 5D & Canon BG-E4
Canon EOS 1

Zoom Lenses
Sigma 12-24 EX DG f/4.5-5.6
Canon EF 35-70 f/3.5-f/4.5
Canon EF 35-135 f/4.0-f/5.6
Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L

Flashguns
430EX Speedlite
430EZ Speedlite
580EX II Speedlite

Memory
2GB Sandisk Ulta II
4GB Sandisk Extreme III
4GB Sandisk Extreme III

Filters
Cokin P 82mm Filter Ring
Cokin P 77mm Filter Ring
Cokin P ND Graduated Filter
Cokin P Blue Graduated Filter

Other
4GB Asus EeePC

[scotteisenphotography]

"A good photographer ALWAYS has his/her camera" is a common saying...

[Ridebmx]

all of my gear fits snugly in a tamrac 3 bag (small backpack) so its not bad carrying it around, but when it comes to carrying it for 6 hours its a drag.

whenever i go out to ride bmx i bring the camera bag, tripod and monopod are always in my truck so their not on the bag.

never know when a photo oppurtinity will sneak up

[Riff Raff]

To be honest, my camera stays at home unless I'm going somewhere specifically to shoot, hiking, or on vacation. I'll just have to put up with not being a good photographer. ;-)

[polarbare]

Get a nice P&S and always have that on standby.

[rral22]

I hardly ever carry it all. I always have a camera and lens at least.

I have gone through many bags of various types. My goal is to have a bag big enough to carry a DSLR and lens, but not as big as most camera bags. I have got most of my friends to quit calling it my "purse", but my wife makes fun of me by constantly referring to it as my "itsnotapurse".

But I always carry a camera.

[pprice]

I almost always have my backpack with me! I dont leave it in the car when i park, so it is usually on my back when walking around. If I am just running to the store or something, I will leave it at home.

[Patriotic1]

EDIT: Deleted my personal ramblings about my experience back on 9/11... and how that affected my gear carrying habit.

I take my gear almost everywhere with me in a Lowepro backpack, and when I can't, I carry a Canon SD790IS compact with me instead (for trips to restuarants/bars etc)... There are rare occasions when I forget it or have to leave my gear in the trunk of my car. I know it sounds crazy, but the boy scout in me just wants to be prepared for the unexpected - which of course I hope is a great photo opportunity.

[eesparx]

The only time I don't bring my gear with me is when I'm going to work.

[Nick_b]

I have a point and shoot camera, a manual focus film camera, an Elan 7E, and two 20Ds and I usually have one of them around. There is no way I'm lugging my DSLR around unless I know I'm gonna use it. The MF film camera is awesome as a walk around. It's nice and small and very fun to use.

[fubarhouse]

When taking my gear to 'cover' and event, I plan the types of shots I want, the angles of each event at the show, primarily for areas where I have area to move. I take the entire bag, and that's it. I take everything and keep it on me at all times, this is only at shows though, at the zoo and other photographic areas where I can cut loose I carry it all at all times, I don't carry it all on me when I know it's safe, and I know I'll only need one set of gear (ie inside party)

[PhotosGuy]

I plan the types of shots I want, the angles of each event at the show, primarily for areas where I have area to move. I travel light. The usual small stuff + maybe another 1-2 lenses go in a waist pack. It's roomy enough for a 70-200 with a 2X TC attached.
For car shows, I just carry the camera w/28-70 f/2.8 & a 2GB card in my pocket.