The Perfect Camera Bag

What goes in my Tamrac belt bag: R-D 1 with one lens mounted, plus one other lens (usual pairings: 28/1.9 Ultron and 50/1.5 Nokton, or 35/1.7 Ultron and 21/2.8 Kobalux.) Two extra batteries and 21mm aux finder (if needed) and a tiny red LED flashlight in the front pocket. Epson P2000 viewer/storage thingie in its case on the belt of the bag. One memory card in the camera and the other in the slot on the P2000, ready to switch when necessary.

And that's it! I hate carrying a lot of stuff.

If I think I might need more lenses, I bring the Tamrac bag that I got for registering the R-D 1; it holds the camera plus all five lenses I routinely use (21/2.8 Kobalux, 28/1.9 Ultron, 35/1.7 Ultron, 50/1.5 Nokton, and 100/2 Canon) plus batteries, viewfinders, my Megaperls 1.3x eyepiece magnifier, and the P2000 and its spare battery. But usually I park this bag somewhere as a "base camp" and transfer the items I think I'll need most into the belt bag, so I can move around more freely.
 
Stephanie,

For me, I've just finished building my ideal kit. I'm not into AE and so swaping out my M6 or M4-P isn't in the cards. The only lens I might like these days is the new Leica 75/2. It's attractive from a size and reach perspective, but I love the 15/40/105 set and each lens is great. If I could live with two lenses they might be a 28/1.9 and a 75/2. I just like the spread that my three lenses give me. The 105 is a KICK BUTT piece of glass, the 40 fills my need for speed and the 15 is just fun to use.

On my SLR part of the kit, I built a new (to me) kit from scratch around an F2AS (thought to be the most robust SLR ever built). I used my fathers F2 a lot and have always wanted one. While I love my Nikkormat, its not the same as an F2. I started life with a 24/2.8, 85/1.8 and 200/3 set but wanted to update. I researched what are the best manual focus prime lenses for Nikon and settled on a 28/2.8, 50/1.8, 105/2.5 and 180/2.8 ED.

Like you, I find I need an SLR but for me, it's because I need to reach out to things I just cann't with an RF. My 180 becomes a 360 with the 2X. The AIS glass gets me in really close without needing a macro.

Right now, I'm lucky enought to say I owe and use my ideal kit.

B2 (;->
 
Ideal kit-
Mindreader 2ooo. A gizmo that snaps pictures through my eyes and prints them any size and resolution on archival paper as I think it. Fits in and works from my wallet and uses the Force for power. Also takes audio and video clips for those times when a still just won't get it across. Not detectable to others.
Real kit-
Everyday- 645 Fuji, Bessa L/ 15mm, meter, filters, film and assorted stuff.
Mine hunting- Usually same, plus a couple flashguns and a tripod. If I'm sure I'll want it and am willing to carry it, I trade the Bessa for the Kludge, a Brooks Veriwide.
Other occasions- Mamiya 330 and lenses for portraiture or distant landscapey sort of stuff. Pentax K for macro or very long lens.
 
Ideally, in dreamland or if I win the lottery, an MP with the a la carte option of the M7 rewind crank, a 90/2.8, 50/1 noctilux, and 21 of some sort. Also, a Super Ikonta III for a compact medium format camera.
 
Easypack (but heavy): EOS 20D, EF 17-40, EF 24-105, EF 100-400, EF 100 macro, Flash, two batteries, two 1 Gig memory cards. It all fits in a Lowepro Mini Trekker.

Thinkpack (but light): M4 + 50 DR + HP5, 90 Elmarit. I don't have a 35 M lens so I also bring my new Canon P (still in the mail) + 35 2.8 + HP5, Weston Master V. Only two rolls of film to stay focussed!! This should fit in a Billingham Hadley Small.
 
Stephanie Brim said:
Heh. Everyone seems to be missing the point. I didn't ask what you carried...I asked what your ideal kit was. I was trying to get everyone thinking about what they think their ideal kit could be.
Click to expand...

I could say I would like a Zero Haliburton custom case with a M8, this and that wide and normal lenses and field digital editing setup, but, what I carry is my ideal daily kit. It has everything I need. Why would I want more? No matter what, the leatherman will alway be in any of my "ideal" kits.

I also keep a light weight tripod in the truck, behind the seats.
 
Over the past year, my perfect kit has been shaped to fit my current lifestyle. I suppose I'd originally set out to be more of an landscape photographer, but it's been some time since I've had enough time to shoot landscapes.

The only time I can spare for my photography these days is on my daily commutes and on outings with friends or colleagues. My camera equipment shrank in size and quantity out of necessity.

Most of the time, I carry nothing more than a CL and an Industar-22 collapsible in a camera pouch. Sometimes, when I'm carrying a messenger bag, a Jupiter 9 in a lens case comes along, but it'll be replaced by a CV 75mm. A CV 40mm Nokton would replace the Industar-22 for low light work.

It's very interesting, because my photography (and the gear) quite organically evolved towards street-shooting, and perhaps this forum had a bit to do with it as well. I suppose I'm not alone with this experience.

Clarence
 
Canon 1D (DSLR), 15mm/2.8 fisheye, 16-35mm/2.8, 50mm/1.8, 85mm/1.8, flash or two, some Pocketwizards, a few batteries, etc etc...
that's the BIG kit, for getting it done.

when rolling dirty and compact, i can get by with just the 1D and 16-35mm, maybe a flash and/or the 50mm.

but for film/rf purposes, i could get by with a Bessa (R4A? hehe) and prolly two lenses- a wide, like 21 or 25mm, then something more normal like 35 to 50mm. all as fast as possible. Size is not an issue with RF lenses to me haha.

I carry the big SLR rig in my Lowepro Computrekker, and the light rig is on the neckstrap and spare stuff is in my pockets.
the RF rig is what my Domke F5XB is for. 🙂
I really really like the Crumpler 5mil and 6mil though, i might get that 6mil!
 
Let's see...

For an afternoon: M6 with one lens, currently either the CV 35 Classic or a J-8, a few rolls of either Astia if I'm in a colour mood or Neopan 400 (XP2 at the mo' on account of being between houses), Digisix.

For a day, or week: M6 and M2, a 21, a 35 or a 50, a 75, a bunch of both kinds of film, Digisix and/or Lunasix 3 depending on the stock of suitable batteries for the Luna...

edit: it's what I carry, but I'm also happy with it. Add a Noctilux to be available for after dark, and that's ideal.
 
Last edited:
I think that most of the time I'd be happy with:

- AE rangefinder (R2A, Ikon or M7) with good 35mm and 75mm lenses; and
- Two Lomo LC-As (one with Reala one with Neopan)
 
My bag always has a few rolls of film, Tri-X or the like; a meter (either a cheap Russian selnium meter or a big Sekonic); a bottle of water or tea; a 90mm Elmarit and a 21mm VC Skopar; a couple of pencils and a small sharpener, a sharpie, and maybe a pen; some white tape; a small notebook and my cell phone are usually in my pockets, and my M3 with a 50 DR 'cron is either on my shoulder or in my hand. Still seraching for just the right bag for the stuff to go in- sometimes it just goes in my pockets if I'm wearing a coat, and I skip the water bottle. There might be a small paperback book, newspaper, or a copy of the New Yorker there somewhere, too- I carry my camera about 90% of the time, but I'm never without something to read and something to write on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Rogier
Taking an M10 on a motorcycle trip
Replies
9
Views
228
Rogier
Rogier
S
Suggestions / advice for new camera
2 3
Replies
45
Views
2K
silvershadelynx
S
M
Pivoting my rangefinding
4 5 6
Replies
106
Views
7K
mlzplayer
M
P
Which camera for 28 and 50mm?
3 4 5
Replies
95
Views
7K
Beemermark
Beemermark
boojum
Carry-on Bag - Camera Bag
6 7 8
Replies
140
Views
11K
Archiver
A
Back
Top Bottom