What equipment do you carry?

[Bigmonstertruck]

Currently I hit the road to shoot at local areas. Sometimes I just drive around until I see an interesting area, and sometimes I have a destination in mind.

I tend to travel heavy now, with a decent-sized camera bag and at least 5-6 lenses, a Leica M-3, filters for B/w photography, light meter, etc. I think I am still in the experimental stage. I never know what I am going to run into, but I am starting to favor certain lenses.

I am wondering if you have settled on a relatively compact kit when you go out shooting, maybe just one lens, maybe two or three, or perhaps you like having almost everything with you. On rare occasions I stick one extra lens in my pocket and make due with what I have.

So what are your experiences and practices? Thanks for any feedback.

Ed

 

[Frank Petronio]

More than lenses, I find a light Aluminum stepladder to be really useful. No kidding...

Otherwise I just carry one camera, one lens. Keep other junk in a backpack in the car.

 

[f16sunshine]

Yeah a ladder is good if you are by car.
I carry Pinch clamps regularly.
HomeDepot has tons of cheap ones in a variety of sizes.
Good for clamping reflectors and umbrellas to tripods and chairs.
You can use them as a stylist to snug up a shirt or skirt on the back of your model as well.
Blue tape and sharpie are always with too.

 

[mdarnton]

A Leica M4 with a 28 or 21, and 50, sometimes also a 15, if I've taken the 28, and a couple of rolls of film. Or, a Nikon FG with 24 and 50. Ideally, the lenses and film fit in jacket pockets so I don't have to do battle with a bag. No ladder--the jacket pockets aren't big enough.

 

[nikon_sam]

It varies...
Depending on where I'll be I'll take different gear..
Sometimes its my Mamiya m645 bag with several lenses and maybe an extra body...
It could be as simple as a Yashicamat, light meter and film...
Or maybe I'll just grab a newly acquired Canon A-1...all I have with that is a 50mm 1.4 & 100mm 3.5 lens so it's pretty basic...
If I'm really getting into it I'll grab my 4x5...that's one big bag (Tamrac bag that converts to a backpack), a second slightly smaller bag and a tripod...don't like too much walking with this set-up...

 

[Godfrey]

Only rarely, unless I'm traveling, more than one camera/one lens at a time. If I'm working with a heavier camera, like the Hassy, or a slower one, like the Polaroid, sometimes I'll add the tripod and a remote cord. The smallest bag I can get away with, and the lightest.

I carry two or three lenses only when I know in advance what I'll use them for.

G

 

[kxl]

For something local, I just take my ZI and 1 or 2 or 3 lenses, depending on my mood. I also bring a cable release and a Gorilla Pod.

 

[Ronald M]

35 50 90 mm lenses. Have recently added a 75 Summicron.

35 is v4 because it has nice bokeh and is small. 50 is collapsible Elmar because it is small , only 4 elements and thus nice bokeh. 75 is a plain killer lens. No bad traits. 90 is macro collapsible. Very sharp and small. For M9

For the M8 crop sensor, I have a 28, 35, 50 75

For Nikon full frame, 35, 60, 105 if I expect close up work. 24, 35, 50 85 all 1.4 for landscape.

On a lazy day, D7000 with 18/105 zoom. Pics are nice, but no satisfaction in use. Soccer mom set up.

 

[OddE]

When in a rangefinder mood, I tend to bring the whole lot - seeing as I mostly shoot using SLRs, my rangefinder kit feels incredibly compact, even when fully kitted out. 🙂

Two bodies, (M4&ZI), three lenses (35/50 Summicrons, 90 Elmarit), yellow/orange/light red/3-stop ND filters, a few rolls of Tri-X and a roll of Provia just in case - my light meter, a small gorillapod and a cable release. Spare batteries for the ZI & Sekonic. Lens cloth and a fibre brush.

It all fits nicely inside the pretty diminutive Think Tank Retrospective 5.

 

[Takkun]

I don't drive, which was one of the reasons I went with RF to begin with.
The X100 comes with me most days when I'm out and about, and if I actually intend to do street shooting, its generally with the 35/50/90 setup, and either a Bessa (if it's evening) or a Leica (daytime), plus film, lots of it.
Lately I've been taking trips along the Oregon coast, thankfully with people with cars, so I've expanded a bit--I'll bring an SLR, either a Nikon with a super wide, or a Bronica SQ, plus a tripod, and a handful of flashes if I *really* want to get creative.

The vast majority of my work is available-light street and architectural work, and then some more landscape-y things when the light is particularly postcard-ish.

 

[bastian a.]

Usually one 35mm or 50mm lens, one Leica M body and some rolls of Tri-X or Portra.

 

[Bruno Gracia]

MP, 35 cron and tri x.

Sometimes MP 28 skopar and 50 elmar m.

 

[soultheworld]

my everyday kit to carry around (i feel naked without a camera nowadays 😀). in a Domke F2

Leica M9/M6

35/50/75 LUX

some ND filters to shoot wide open.

and sometime also the 90 Elmarit.

thinking about adding a wide angle.

In a really tight situation i might just use a D700 with 24-70, but as a previous user said, its no fun to use compared to an M.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Locally, one camera and one lens: an M of some kind (usually M9) plus 35 or 50

If I'm far enough from home that I can't quickly and easily get back in case of problems (more than half an hour or an hour), two compatible M-fit cameras (one as back-up) and two, three or four lenses. I use a tripod less and less, but I generally have on in the car.

Of course it helps that my wife normally carries an MP and one or two lenses. And a lot depends on WHY I'm shooting: casually, as part of a trip, or whether the purpose of the trip is to take pictures.

Cheers,

R.

 

[cosmonaut]

Currently my daily carry is an X-E1 in a mirrorless mover bag. There are times I carry the a99. It's about 50-50. I have the the E-M1 on pre order so that's probably going to change some what.