heavy man...

back alley

back alley

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gonna travel home this coming summer for a few weeks and for some reason feel the need to plan a bit more than i ever have planned before...probably part of my regular neurosis...

been checking out those handled pieces of luggage that will fit in the overhead compartment...swore i'd never buy one of them but hey, a guy can change his mind.
i packed my tenba cooper slim bag...thought that 2 bodies and 3 lenses would be good, threw in my iPad mini and hoisted that sucker over my shoulder...and immediately knew this was not going to work. it was heavy, man! damn, my body is getting old!!
and now, i'm thinking one body and 2 lenses along with the iPad mini...and pray the one body stays healthy for the trip.
 
I hear ya, Joe... We start getting a bit smarter about the load, with advancing age. One thing to consider is that you'll pack everything you need in that bag for the purposes of travel... But you can lighten the load significantly for those times out on the prowl for photos. You have no need out there carrying chargers, the iPad, earphones, and such, right? That stuff can be stashed back at your accommodations. The bag itself has weight, so if you can even dispense with that temporarily while shooting, carry just the camera and maybe a second lens in a pocket, with a spare battery and SD card. Done, and without aching shoulders! 🙂
 
Maybe we are getting older or maybe wiser, cause weight sucks. I have traveled with one body due to weight, as in less weight, and yes the body failed. I ended up shooting part of my travels with my iPhone. And damn if they didn't come out damn nice.
 
I started off carrying an Xe-1 with 18-55 and a few bits and bobs in a small shoulder bag around Paris. I barely lasted 2 days before the ache as unbearable. I was a little shocked since it really wasn't heavy.
Anyway, I picked up a decent backpack, threw the Fuji and much more in than I had before, and hardly noticed it even with the extra weight.
So really, this is a matter of weight distribution, and an aging body.
Get yourself a good quality, well designed hiking daypack and be happy 🙂
I have an Osprey since it is also very light when empty. Doubtless there are many others ...
 
Decisions, decisions eh Joe. I'm going through this myself. You know I'm coming over to Canada in about three months and travelling on the Rocky Mountaineer railroad amongst other things. I recently got a Fuji XE2 and last week added the 18-55 thinking that along with my Samyang 12mm it would be a small enough kit. Even got a new Hadley Pro to put it all in. When put together though I find i don't really want to carry it. The Pro would be more a travelling bag, carrying other stuff too. One of my Bare Bones Bags will more likely be the daily choice.
I know I could get away with a fixed lens camera e.g. X100, X70 or Ricoh GR for my normal shooting needs. When I get out in the Rockies will I wish for more versatility than the fixed lens cams offer.
These thoughts are probably brought on by recently feeling the same about my general shooting habits. I often go out with a fixed lens cam and rarely use my Xpro1, XE1, XE2 to the point I'm considering selling them all and sticking to smaller cameras.
As this is a trip for my wife and I to celebrate our 'big' birthday I certainly don't want weighing down with gear so I think I need to concentrate on enjoying the travelling, the places and the people I meet along the way.
 
I can feel your pain, back alley. Literally.

I really don't have any solutions other than to advise you to put everything possible in that carry on bag and use the Tenba with only what you need to go out for the day of shooting. I'm always surprised at what I see people put in their camera bags. Do you really need that iPad while taking pictures? Some people carry around their battery chargers all the time even though they have spare batteries--leave the charger at the hotel and recharge later. I'm not familiar with the bag you mention but I do know some bags are heavier than others when empty.

I've also found the camera bag carries lighter when carried with the strap across the chest rather than hanging on a shoulder. The weight is distributed better and access to the bag is actually more stable. The bag weight is less if you carry one camera on your body by its strap rather than carrying it in the bag all the time.

If you have already tried the above, the only thing left to do is to completely rethink your travel equipment needs. Limit expectations and work within those limitations. Small cameras with large sensors and superb quality are available these days. Personally, I'm happy with the Fuji X100 series and Ricoh GR. Add the Fuji screw-in teleconverter and the Ricoh wide angle converter and you have two small, highly capable cameras covering focal lengths 21mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm. And they fit in a very small shoulder bag. And, of course, there are compact cameras with zooms that are an even lighter and smaller package.
 
Joe I usually travel with my MM and a 35mm lens, batteries, charger and filters. That's it.

I used to travel with a very large bag with a lot of equipment. 2 sometime 3 bodies, lenses, tripod and all the other you need to support that and a very small bag with cloths.

Now its what i mentioned above and one small bag. Talk about liberating. I tend to being seeing in B&W and at a 35mm FoV so this is what works for me and my back and knees are thankful.
 
Similar: Leica M-D + 35 + 75 lenses; spare card; battery and charger; iPad Pro 9.7" and charger; Lightning to SD Card Adapter. It all fits in a Tenba DNA8 nicely, and I leave the chargers and iPad Pro behind when I'm out walking to make photographs.

If I carry the iPad Pro separate of the camera bag, or carry the iPad mini3 instead, I can do with an even smaller, lighter bag like the A&A RRN 01C sling bag or a Pacsafe Camsafe V4 compact travel bag

When traveling, less is almost always more. 🙂

G

(Note: Long-term use report :: After two-three years of constant use, my Tenba DNA8 is showing signs of stress and wear. The stitching in several locations is beginning to come undone, and the insert's padding is getting pounded very thin. I've not had this much wear evident on any of my BLB, A&A, Billingham, or Domke bags with more than three times the number of years in use; my Domke F5XB is now over 24 years old and the external bits are getting a bit worn looking, but the seams are all tight and the padding is still near-new (I've worn out three straps); the Billingham L2 and the Black Label Bag Oskars One Day Bag Mark II are near to 10-12 years old and still look/feel new. I'm a little disappointed by the DNA 8's durability; the Tenba Messenger Mini, however, is almost a decade old and still going strong.)
 
G,
I have been lusting after the M-D since its release. The M 262 is by far my favorite color digital body that I have owned.

Here's my usual travel kit.
L1009858_zpseb4z8rl2.jpg
 
This thread makes me feel like less of a wuss when I find my camera bag with Rollieflex TLR and SWC/M cameras too heavy to carry around. I think an assistant would be very helpful.
 
I'll leave tomorrow for a short three days Valentine trip with my wife, the M7 with 50 cron on it, ND and yellow filter and a few Delta 100 films (by the way 24 exposures!) + moleskin, pencil and eraser. At home will be left the 35 cron, 75 cv, 12 cv,.......
robert
PS: when in my 30s I loved to carry two SLRs, lenses, bags, ...
 
Get to my age and you will probably want to carry even less!
At present if it won't go in a small bag/case strapped to my trouser belt, it doesn't go. Lumix LX7 with case and spare battery - 12oz, and that's enough!
I will probably go for a chest/shoulder strap when my trousers begin to fall down!
 
I don't see the problem: buy a sturdy check-in wheelie bag; put your second body and lens in there. Keep your camera bag on your lap. If your checked-in luggage is a bit heavy, either the stewardess or a fellow passenger will assist you getting it into the overhead bin. Problem solved.
 
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