Bill Pierce
Well-known
What would you nominate as your favorite photo gadget? Mine is a roll of gaffer tape, the heavy fabric tape with the adhesive that doesn’t leave a residue when you remove it - and doesn’t destroy what it was stuck to in the process. Ross Lowell, the gentleman who changed location lighting for the better, developed it as the ideal light to tape cable bundles and portable light platforms, but its strength combined with its removability has made a small roll of it an item in a lot of gadget bags that turns out to be the solution to unexpected problems. What Scotch tape is to the office worker, gaffer tape is to the photographer.
When you look into your gadget bag, outside of cameras and lenses, what item is a little more indispensable than the others?
When you look into your gadget bag, outside of cameras and lenses, what item is a little more indispensable than the others?
JeffS7444
Well-known
Dogman
Veteran
Probably a Giotto bulb blower. I hate the spots that come from dust on sensors.
In the "nice-to-have" department: Many years ago Sandisk had some freebie flash card pouches included with some of their cards. These little zip pouches are padded and perfectly sized for holding spare cards. I was lucky enough to get a couple of them for tucking into my bag in an out of the way spot.
To return to the cleaning topic, I've found a good natural bristle paint brush works wonders in removing dust from difficult to reach areas of cameras and lenses. Fuji lenses have deep fine grooves in the metal focus and aperture rings and they collect dust and grit quickly with normal use. A soft brush cleans them up nicely. A small 1-inch size is about perfect. Mine came from Home Depot but I had to saw off the handle a bit to keep it compact for the camera bag.
I also second Bill's gaffer tape recommendation. I keep a roll in my vehicle and another at home but for the camera bag I rolled off a few feet and wrapped it around a plastic spool. Keeps a bit of the stuff handy. By the way, that spool came from the center of a roll of my dog's pooper bags.
In the "nice-to-have" department: Many years ago Sandisk had some freebie flash card pouches included with some of their cards. These little zip pouches are padded and perfectly sized for holding spare cards. I was lucky enough to get a couple of them for tucking into my bag in an out of the way spot.
To return to the cleaning topic, I've found a good natural bristle paint brush works wonders in removing dust from difficult to reach areas of cameras and lenses. Fuji lenses have deep fine grooves in the metal focus and aperture rings and they collect dust and grit quickly with normal use. A soft brush cleans them up nicely. A small 1-inch size is about perfect. Mine came from Home Depot but I had to saw off the handle a bit to keep it compact for the camera bag.
I also second Bill's gaffer tape recommendation. I keep a roll in my vehicle and another at home but for the camera bag I rolled off a few feet and wrapped it around a plastic spool. Keeps a bit of the stuff handy. By the way, that spool came from the center of a roll of my dog's pooper bags.
bayernfan
Well-known
For the Barnack shooter, a blade or pair of scissors. Pretty much mandatory if you're reloading in the field.
B-9
Devin Bro
Gaffer goes everywhere with me.
Very useful in the camper as well.
Very useful in the camper as well.
Mmm.. no gadgets really, just a SD card reader and microfiber cloth. And chocolate! Hershey's Nuggets (Special Dark with Almonds!)
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Gaffer's is the best. The hood on a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 can get knocked loose easily when the camera is hanging by your side and you're on the run. And it costs $48 each time to replace. So the back of my Mazda has little 2" strips of black gaffer's tape along the whole plastic part of the lift gate. Pull up to a location, pull the lenses and cameras out of the back, and always have a fresh piece of black gaffer's to slap on that hood. Has saved me a lot in replacement hood costs.
Best,
-Tim
Best,
-Tim
ptpdprinter
Veteran
Tripod, ballhead, and L-bracket. I can't remember the last time I used gaffers tape.
Darthfeeble
But you can call me Steve
3M heavy duty double sided tape. I've made grips from all sorts of things. ⅜" fuel line, grips from other cameras, rub rails from a flat screen tv mount. It molds, it holds.....
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
A small notebook and a pen.
I have what I think was intended to be a make up brush that I keep in the camera bag as well. It is just about the size of a lipstick and works similarly: there is a metal cap that comes off and the brush part extends and retracts by turning the base of the thing. Found the one I have at a yard sale and haven't seen anything like it in the local stores here. Very handy.
Rob
I have what I think was intended to be a make up brush that I keep in the camera bag as well. It is just about the size of a lipstick and works similarly: there is a metal cap that comes off and the brush part extends and retracts by turning the base of the thing. Found the one I have at a yard sale and haven't seen anything like it in the local stores here. Very handy.
Rob
Swift1
Veteran
Brian Atherton
Well-known
1 Classic 3.5x5.5 inch top-bound Moleskin Ruled Reporter Notebook and a propelling pencil. Ideal for taking notes and keeping track of frame numbers, dates and locations. Yes, the notebooks are more expensive than many but they have quality paper, stand up to repeated folding and don’t fall apart - they even have a small pocket at the back for tickets etc. Worth their weight in gold.
2 Altoids Smalls tin in which to keep SD cards: https://asingulareye.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/altoids-sd-card-holder/
3 Giotto blower and a half inch paint brush with a cutdown handle.
2 Altoids Smalls tin in which to keep SD cards: https://asingulareye.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/altoids-sd-card-holder/
3 Giotto blower and a half inch paint brush with a cutdown handle.
I have one of those too. I don't recall where or when I got it, but many years ago... Clever little item.
helen.HH
To Light & Love ...
Even before ageing Eyes,
My Favorite item... A Loupe
One on my desk, one in my handbag
My Favorite item... A Loupe
One on my desk, one in my handbag
Out to Lunch
Ventor
Same for me.
Tom R
Established
Essentials
Essentials
Good walking shoes, a way to carry water, and easily found public bathrooms.
Essentials
Good walking shoes, a way to carry water, and easily found public bathrooms.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Meter. Whether it's in the camera or around your neck. Measurement. Yes, guestimates are a valid way to work, but I prefer measurement.
sreed2006
Well-known
Why, of course, the bag itself! Without the right camera bag, there is no place (except pockets) to put all the other important things like meter, tape, notebook, tripod plate, bubble level, lens brush, remote release, batteries, film/memory card, extension tubes, filters, and whatever else can be stuffed in there. Without the right camera bag, the range of what can be successfully photographed becomes much more limited.
lynnb
Veteran
#1 is a small microfibre cloth, the sort you get with spectacles. Indispensable. Make that two.
A small pair of scissors to cut off the tongue of the film leader once I've rewound an exposed roll. The missing tongue reminds me the roll is exposed.
A thin business card, preferably plasticised, to load film in my Barnacks.
Small stickers and a pencil to write down film type and speed, to stick on the base plate.
A small pair of scissors to cut off the tongue of the film leader once I've rewound an exposed roll. The missing tongue reminds me the roll is exposed.
A thin business card, preferably plasticised, to load film in my Barnacks.
Small stickers and a pencil to write down film type and speed, to stick on the base plate.
shimokita
白黒
Retractable lipstick-style cleaning brush, small blower, microfiber cloth, and since 11-March-2011 there is a whistle in the bag. Studies showed that the latter item greatly increases the chance of being located and rescued if caught-up in an earthquake.