What is the MOST gear you've ever carried on a trip?

[Jacob Watrous]

The most I've ever carried: Two bodies with integrated vertical grips, a 70-200 2.8, a 16-35 2.8, a 50 1.4 and an 85 1.4, two flashes, and enough filters (cpol) and batteries for everything---and I hated it.

It definitely contributed to my current max carry of two rangefinders, each with a small prime.

 

[p.giannakis]

What do you have there, a fifty and a twenty?
Shane

50f/1.4 on the F70 and the 85f/1.8 on the F90x

 

[steveyork]

I always take two cameras on trips, even day trips, because once I had a camera break on me during the early part of a multi week trip. Lucky me, I had a second camera that carried me through the final weeks. Lenses break two, even expensive ones. Had that happen a few times, the aperture ring spins, the focusing sticks. The last time this happened, about 20 years ago, one of the Big Three told me the build quality of modern Leica was junk, because all plastic inside -- that was 20 years, so take it for what it's worth. Now planning some once in lifetime international traveling, and still an ardent film user, but I'll probably take a digital camera too as backup or a bit of hybrid use. So two film (Leica rangefinders) and one digital something. If not for CT scanners at airports, it would just be two film cameras and two lenses. Sweet and simple.

 

[Shadams]

I've heaved several Pelicans to the top of mountains, trees, and buildings. On a personal trip, however (sigh), I once took the standard two F4s bodies, one with a 24-70, the other with a 80-200, both 2.8 so big, heavy glass. Never, never again. Utter madness. That shrank to a FF digital body with a consumer 28-300. That was "okay." The most I'll take now on travel is an X100F and an RX100M7, often just one of them. I just find the process to be "quieter" when I have fewer choices. It becomes where I set my eyes and put my feet.

 

[Shadams]

50f/1.4 on the F70 and the 85f/1.8 on the F90x

Thanks! Great bodies and an excellent choice in FL. Iv'e always thought that if one carries two primes they should be roughly doubles. Me, I like 28 and 50 or 85. Nice.

 

[BillBingham2]

Not me, but a nice specimen spotted in the wild in Dubrovnik/Raguse

View attachment 4879948

So he left the petticoat at home that day, no?

In need of a large hoop skirt perhaps.

/S

Back On Topic

One Nikon FTn, one Nikon FM/MD-12, Vivitar 283 & 252, external battery pack. 24/2.8, 85/1.8, 300/4.5 ED-IF, Leica Tabletop Tripod and Large head, 10 rolls of slide film.

Then I switched to Leica M series cameras.

B2 (;->

 

[BillBingham2]

Boring... Lazy Moi
I only ever do
One Camera , Two lenses

Yes, but you look SOOOOOO GOOOOOD doing it!

B2 (;->

 

[skahde]

When traveling with the car I did fill the trunk with Hasselblad 2000, several lenses, a setup around the Nikon D800E and a Gitzo Series 3 tripod. On the last trip to Rome I only carried a Minox 35 GT-E loaded with Delta 400 and a tiny laser-rangefinder in my jacket. The phone had to cover the color-shots for friends and family.

 

[Godfrey]

When I was shooting for exhibition and stock photo sales, I'd carry two bodies and three or four lenses, exactly which lenses depended on where and when I was traveling, what event I might attend.

Shooting for myself, I mostly carry one body and two lenses. Or, if I'm in the mood to carry the additional bulk of gear, I'll carry two entirely different kinds of cameras for the sake of experimentation ... Like a Hasselblad SWC and a Polaroid SX-70.

My last trip (to Maui), I carried just the iPhone 15 Pro and my Leica X2. It was enough.

Lahaina Memorial - November 2025
Leica X2


GDG at Papawai Scenic Lookout - Maui, November 2025
iPhone 15 Pro​

G

 

[bigeye]

Lights/stands were in a 2nd pelican. Did 3am night shoots at monuments around europe. Minahdodisnomo.

 

[Shadams]

View attachment 4889185 Lights/stands were in a 2nd pelican. Did 3am night shoots at monuments around europe. Minahdodisnomo.

Yeah. That. Exactly what I mean. Someone asked me, "A tree?" Yep. Local was doing a HumInt piece on an epic tree fort build. I caught the stills call.
My pelicans were full of F bodies, some lenses, a lot of Kodachrome and Plus-X but at least three fiberboard cases were stuffed with heads, strips, scrims, reflectors, yadda, yadda. About two days in, everybody on the production side could see that things were coming apart, figuratively and literally. Then somebody stubbed their toe. I have no idea what happened to the footage but my slides and negs are in a lawyer's office.
I'm still down a few bits and pieces.