My Camera Bag

[ItzBitzHair]

Being that i am fairly new in the game I wanted to get advise on this from you pro's.

I a trying to make sure what i NEED to have in my camra bag as i travel to event.

This is what i have so far

Camera Body 40D used for sports
85mm lens
50mm lens
2 4gb cf cards
Had 1 430 ex but its not working anymore (plan to replace with a 580)
75-300mm

Please help me complete my list.

10x

I do plan to get 5 530s and 2 brackets with a pocket wizard

[nicmo]

I would suggest a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. This is probably the most versatile lens that I use for sports. Even if it is not going to be my primary lens for the shoot I almost always have it on a second body ready to go.

I would also suggest an extra set of batteries, pen, note pad, and lots of sunscreen…:-)

[athsmom]

Business cards.

[Anderson-Photography]

I would suggest a 1.4 teleconverter to add to the 70-200 2.8 lens in the event you are doing field sports like soccer or baseball. It works well in good light and really helps for those sports. I also recommend a notepad and pens, extra batteries, and for days that are looking gloomy, rain gear for your camera and len(s) as well as for you which you can keep in the trunk of your car so you can pop them in your bag. Also, I keep a Swiss Army knife in my bag for the litte tid bits it has on it.

[ironbelle]

A few more CF cards if you are doing sports. Cards are cheap enough so you should be able to have quite a few. A couple of pens, notepad, batteries, lenscloth, a blower to blow dust off the lens before you put the caps back on. NO CANNED AIR. I REPEAT, NO CANNED AIR.

[ItzBitzHair]

I have a 2.0 teleconverter.. do you think i still need the 1.4

I would suggest a 1.4 teleconverter to add to the 70-200 2.8 lens in the event you are doing field sports like soccer or baseball. It works well in good light and really helps for those sports. I also recommend a notepad and pens, extra batteries, and for days that are looking gloomy, rain gear for your camera and len(s) as well as for you which you can keep in the trunk of your car so you can pop them in your bag. Also, I keep a Swiss Army knife in my bag for the litte tid bits it has on it.

[Eagle Eye]

I would use the 1.4 before I ever used the 2.0 just because the picture IQ is so often deteriorated somewhat when I have tried a 2.0. I don't see much loss if any with the 1.4 Sigma and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8. Maybe I got lucky.

[MT Stringer]

This probably sounds kinda redneck, but I carry my stuff in a brown bag - a "shooters" bag I bought at Walmart. It doesn't look like a camera bag and doesn't have any photo related logos on it.

Like the others have stated, I have extra CF cards (3 4 GB's), four batteries, business cards, notepad, pens (plural), and I always carry a few snacks like Teddygrams (I'm diabetic). Can't afford to go down while I'm on the field! :-(

You didn't mention what kind of sports. The 70-200 f/2.8 would almost be a necessity. I'm shooting night high school baseball at ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/400th sec.

Good luck with your gear bag.
Mike

[ItzBitzHair]

Thnx to all. I mainly shoot bball. I will be started to do some track. I am waiting on my 70-200 f/2.8

[MZDA PWR]

how come no canned air? (genuine question because I would have thought that's a great way to clean your camera?)

[ironbelle]

Using canned air to clean your sensor can give you unwanted moisture in that area. I take the lens off, hold the camera down and use the rocket blower that I purchased.

[KIPAX]

A few people saying pens.. personally I stay away from pens.. Imagine the damage to a camera or lens a leaky pen could do... Use a pencil and keep a sharpner handy... thats my tip :)

[dsul413]

A few people saying pens.. personally I stay away from pens.. Imagine the damage to a camera or lens a leaky pen could do... Use a pencil and keep a sharpner handy... thats my tip :)

I'd just use a mechanical pencil and get rid of even more worry.

Or, keep your pens seperate from your gear bag.

[ItzBitzHair]

cool thnx... I need to rethink my bag... its so darn heavy and I worry being out and about cause I dont want to be far away from my bag and it walks off.

I have a 75-300 lens a n85mm and and my 18-200mm I am thinking of taking out one of them which should it be.

I am going to have my 70-200 2.8 by next week

[tadrscin]

If you're using a shoulder bag, consider getting a backpack. I have 3 and use the smallest one I can for what I'm shooting. The slingbacks are also worth looking into.

[ItzBitzHair]

I have a sling pack. Got it at Best Buy cost a ton over 100.00 bucks but it fits nicely and very roomy.....

[Jimmy B.]

I don't think anyone has mentioned a small flashlite. Slingbag are ok. I have
a lowepro 200, but i need the 300 so I can pack my 70-200 in it.Happy shooting!
Jimmy B

[ItzBitzHair]

Thnx I should actually have my 70-200 by tomorrow.. So from there I will be packing my

50mm 1.8
85mm 1.8
70-200 1.8
2x teleconverter
my 40D
Tons of biz cards
paper
pen or pencil
ID Badge
a little money.
guase for cleaning the outside of my lens
cf cards ( I have 4; 2 2gb and 2 4gb)
1 430 ex Flash ( I know have 2)

There is not much room for anything else. .But I did take out some things to hopefully make the bad not so darn heavy.


if there is anything i missed that is def.. needed please update the post.

Thnx

[ironbelle]

Okay, I would not trust my L lenses with gauze. Real lens paper for lenses is not expensive, don't cheap out and use gauze. Just go get lens sheets or a lens cloth. For your nice 70-200 and that 85mm, you may want to consider a clear protective filter to go over the front. Keeps those stray scratches off of the element and if the front of the lens took a small hit, that filter which only cost 25-30 could save you the cost of repairs on your good glass. There are two camps about having clear protective filters over lenses, but I made the investment in L glass so I purchased clear filters for both lenses.

[ItzBitzHair]

OOK Thnx I actually had it in there originally for my glasses. i do have filters also.

thnx


Okay, I would not trust my L lenses with gauze. Real lens paper for lenses is not expensive, don't cheap out and use gauze. Just go get lens sheets or a lens cloth. For your nice 70-200 and that 85mm, you may want to consider a clear protective filter to go over the front. Keeps those stray scratches off of the element and if the front of the lens took a small hit, that filter which only cost 25-30 could save you the cost of repairs on your good glass. There are two camps about having clear protective filters over lenses, but I made the investment in L glass so I purchased clear filters for both lenses.

[Grumpy_one]

Ok, I have a question about the notepad thing. Back in the day (film) I used to carry a notepad to take notes of basically what exif data is nowa days. So what kind of notes are you taking now? Cheers

[ironbelle]

I shoot boxing and sometimes we are not given a fight card so I use it to write down the fighters names in the order of the fights and I checkmark the winner. I don't have the Canon with the voice recording capability, I have the 30D which will do for now. If I meet a photographer from my neck of the woods, I'll write down other info that is not on my contact card such as an alternate telephone # or email address. Trust me, I always have a need for a notepad/pen.

[MT Stringer]

I've used my notepad for notes...roster, starting pitcher's name, "who just hit the home run?", stuff like that. Final score or score by quarters, halves, innings, etc. Also, quick/cryptic notes about what happened, when, etc.

Mike

[Gipetto]

I have a Domke bag and its shoulder strap is long enough to let all the way out so that it can sit on the floor behind me and allow me to sit on the floor and still have the bag around a shoulder or my waist. Around the waist may sound weird but its pretty easy to shuffle around while sitting and then pop up on the shoulder to move positions.

And for Basketball I would tote a flash, a 24mm, a 50mm and an 80-200mm. Pretty much covers the bases (and at the time was my entire bag).