How do you carry your camera?

[BruceN]

Now, I'll admit that I like my MF and 4x5 gear, but when I'm headed out the door and NOT going somewhere specifically to take photos it's always my OM gear that I automatically grab and throw in the truck. Until now I've always carried it in a Lowepro Rover AW II. Recently, though, I've begun to worry that I might occasionally throw something on top of it, or that the vibration from the crappy dirt roads I'm always driving along might have a detrimental effect. Last Christmas I received a gift certificate redeemable at a local camera store. Great, right? The problem was that said local store sells only digi-stuff. After digging through pretty much everything they had I found the answer - a large Promaster aluminum case. After fitting (some of ) my OM 35mm kit I simply stuffed the Rover II pack under the truck seat. Now I can use primarily the hard case and if I want to hike somewhere I can load the Rover accordingly. What does everyone else use to protect their gear from the everyday knocks?

Bruce

 

[reellis67]

Man, I have so many bags of different sizes it's not even funny anymore. I use padded bags of the standard variety for all my stuff, but no hard cases. They look nice, but I don't need that kind of protection, or weight, most of the time. Mostly, mine are the larger shoulder variety, but I have a few smaller hip shooter style bags as well. It just depends on how far I'm going, what I'm shooting, etc...

- Randy

 

[Troy Hamon]

My workhorse is a LowePro ProTrekkerAW (I think...one size down from their largest backpack). That's what I take when I go on a trip where photography is the main purpose (and I'm including trips that are just to the local docks...). I can load all my Mamiya RB stuff in there, and my Widelux, and still have room for an extra hat and pair of gloves. In a pinch, I can load most of my Mamiya stuff, the Widelux, and a 300 mm F2.8 attached to a Nikon. But...no room for the hat or gloves in that case.

When it gets tight for space or we're taking a family trip, I take my LowePro Orion AW, a hip bag with daypack attachment. This can take a one-lens RB outfit or a Widelux/Holga outfit or a 3-lens 35 mm outfit. That goes with me on more flights than the larger bag, partly just because it is less to worry about.

I have some hard cases, and I don't use them much for travel. Partly because they don't have backpack or shoulder straps, and no way am I checking my camera gear. But I find them extremely helpful for organization. I've been thinking that I might get some of the divider sets for Pelican cases and see if they go nicely in a shallow Rubbermaid tote...it's the dividers I like best of all...not the Pelican cases...

But, I do take full-on Pelican cases happily whenever I'm on a raft trip. That sweet feeling of security...

 

[bjorke]

BIG COAT with big pockets. I can carry my Contax, three lenses, a strobe, 10 rolls of film, plus on occasion a small DSLR and a normal lens. Always gets a laugh when I go through airport checkpoints & I start unloading it.

 

[unohuu]

depends on what i am shooting for the day. Tamrac Superlight 5 for Maxxum 600si and 28-70 lens with flash and Olympus XA That leaves room for a notepad and filters.

Tamrac shoulder bag for Maxxum 7 w/VC-7 grip; Tamrac small backpack when I want the 70-210 and/or the 300mm with either 7 or 600si.

Tamrac topload zoom for 7 and any long lens.

Tamrac small topload for Yashica Lynx and Olympus or Vitomatic ii.

Most of these bags were 2nd hand purchases. The smaller topload zoom purchased at resale shop for $3.

Luke

 

[Dracotype]

One faux leather shoulder bag, filled with my Canon TLb, light meter, extra roll of film, one cokin red filter (maybe), and cable release. That is it.

Drew

 

[argus]

Too many bags over here.

I mainly use the Lowepro AW4 for 35mm, it will fit my Minolta, Mamiya ZM Quartz, 2 additional tele lenses and some filter stuff.
It gets quite heavy for a shoulder bag sometimes.

For the 5x7" I bought a 35 Euro travel case with 2 wheels, long handle and - most important - backpack straps. It also has a padded back. It will fit the 5x7, 4 lenses, 8 holders and additional small stuff.
I was looking into this cheapskate solution because Lowepro bags with wheel basis and backpack carrying system are way to expensive for me right now.

G

 

[roteague]

I have a Lowpro Omni Trekker, I carry it everywhere. It's been to Europe, Jordan, New Zealand, Australia and all over the US. A great bag, in fact, I getting ready to order a new one.

 

[grahamp]

The 5x4 camera with a couple of lenses and around ten film holders and associated accessories lives in a California Innovations 50-can cooler with it's own 2-wheel cart. My medium format stuff is usually packed into a small cycling handlebar bag designed for cameras. I make up a bag with whatever I want on the day.

 

[Schlapp]

I have a lovely FUJI cycles bag that i use for just about everything camera wise. it was free, it's big and doesn't look like a camera bag either.

 

[sionnac]

I use a RoadWired gear wrap to protect my Canon A1 inside my backpack, and lens bags (leather type) if I'm bringing more than one lens. Inserts/wraps are great for throwing gear in non-camera bags, less likely to be stolen, I would think.

 

[Bob F.]

4x5 + 3 lenses etc go in Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II backpack. SQA + 3 lenses etc go in Lowepro Nova 5 AW shoulder bag. I really should buy shares in Lowepro...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Lee Shively]

I have a bunch of camera bags because I have a bunch of camera equipment and I use it all. Because I make the majority of my photographs when I travel, I have some bags for transport and some bags for carrying. Since I use a travel trailer for my trips, I can take along a lot of equipment.

A lot of stuff will fit in a Lowe-Pro backpack or some of the larger shoulder bags but I will not carry this much weight very far. I use smaller shoulder bags of various sizes and brands, depending on the equipment involved. One camera body and a couple of lenses are all I normally carry when I'm out shooting.

 

[roteague]

I live on an island that is 44 miles across, when I travel I have to get on an airplane. So, I need a bag that will carry everything and still fit under an airline seat.

 

[eric]

What does everyone else use to protect their gear from the everyday knocks?

Bruce

Nice case. But I do it backwards.

I buy Pelican cases with dividers, and whatever empty spaces are in there, I have to fill it up with used lenses

Let's see, 3 dividers empty....need to get more lenses!

 

[unclebilly]

So those who use pelican cases, what case would you reccomend for a Hassey 500 with a WLM and a 80mm lens preferably made up. I'd probably throw my sekonic 358 in there too.

 

[Santalum]

Bruce, I used the exact same hard case and foam setup to protect my Nikon gear when travelling around rodeo's, though must admit mine is a converted briefcase filled with foam I cut to shape over 25 yrs ago. still have it loaded with my old FT2 bodies, however nowadays find a soft shoulder bag more convenient, particularly when traveling by air.

Now, I'll admit that I like my MF and 4x5 gear, but when I'm headed out the door and NOT going somewhere specifically to take photos it's always my OM gear that I automatically grab and throw in the truck. Until now I've always carried it in a Lowepro Rover AW II. Recently, though, I've begun to worry that I might occasionally throw something on top of it, or that the vibration from the crappy dirt roads I'm always driving along might have a detrimental effect. Last Christmas I received a gift certificate redeemable at a local camera store. Great, right? The problem was that said local store sells only digi-stuff. After digging through pretty much everything they had I found the answer - a large Promaster aluminum case. After fitting (some of ) my OM 35mm kit I simply stuffed the Rover II pack under the truck seat. Now I can use primarily the hard case and if I want to hike somewhere I can load the Rover accordingly. What does everyone else use to protect their gear from the everyday knocks?

Bruce

 

[Gerald Koch]

The problem with the nice aluminum cases is that they are a magnet for thieves. Many pros simple use plastic coolers (not the styro foam ones) and cubes of foam. The theory being that no one is going to steal your lunch.

 

[arigram]

I have different case/bags for different situations in which I store my Hasselblad gear:

- For maximum security: Peli 1510
- For carrying lots of stuff: LowePro Magnum AW
- For trekking long distances: LowePro MiniTrekker AW
- For one-lens, one-back in style: Cullmann alluminium case
- For general one-lens shooting: Hama Charley shoulderbag
- For unimportant snapshots with a 35mm: Samsonite one lens 35mm bag

I also have a padded bag for my Manfrotto tripods when I travel in long rides or in plane.

 

[eddym]

The variations are seemingly infinite...
Small Domke bag carries 3 Leica M's and 3 lenses plus spotmeter and film; or digital SLR (shhh!) and 2-3 lenses, cards, batteries, etc.
Regular Domke bag carries Nikon F100, FE2, MD12, and several lenses, plus flash and Quantum battery.
Big white Zone VI bag carries Rollei SL6003, TLR, Sunpak 622, etc.; OR Technika V plus lenses and meter.

For travel by car:
Tech V stays in a large Halliburton case.
3 Calumet Travellites go in another large Halliburton case; light stands go in a soft case; Zone VI wooden tripod goes anywhere it wants to.

For travel by air:
Cameras (whatever of the above that I'm taking) all go in a Porter rolling case, which is carryon luggage. I also carry one of the Domke bags, pretty much empty, over my shoulder. This saves much wear and tear on the shoulder, but gives me a shoulder bag for when I get to wherever I'm going.

--Eddy

 

[Robert Brummitt]

I met John Wimberley and he carries his Sinar Norma 5x7 with 10 film holders, three lens, filters, light meter in a wooden box that he straps on to his back. The thing looks to weight about 80 pounds and John is not a big guy! He looks to be about 100 pounds himself.
Man, I tip my hat off to him. That's why he gets really nice images. He is lugging that that thing deep to where he works. That's devotion! Compare to me? I believe in Ruth Barnhard thought, "Photograph what's in front of your home"

 

[AZLF]

After my first outing with my 4x5 without a travel case I built one for each of the two I had at the time. They have worked very well for me so far but they are not for wandering in the wild. For that I use either a fixed focus 4x5 w/90 mm lens or a Crown Graphic. However this thread has reminded me that I have to get or make cases for several other cameras that followed me home (well, sort'a. Ebay...) I have two aluminum "tool" type cases that I bought foam for several weeks ago but have not gotten around to cutting it for my 35mm and medium format slrs and lenses. But I still need to make provisions for my 35mm rangefinders and my 120 tlr.

 

[removed account4]

110 + 3 lenses in a little lunch sack
35mm's in lowelpro camera bags
4x5 (speed) and a handful of lenses + film holders + meter in a (graflex)grey fiber box
4x5 toyo(rail/ upside down) or szabad 5x7 field(folded in the middle), lenses, film, dark cloth meter &C in a tenba "car case"

 

[Sportera]

Tachihara, 3 lenses, holders, dark cloth, meter, filters, tape measure, C2 never leave a Lowepro Photo Trekker AWII. Usually one other camera accompanies it lately an M6 but sometimes a rolleiflex or Hassy.

F100 and array of lenses stay in Domke F1 and rarely see the light of day.

The Domke F2 for lighter trips, usually a 35mm and either the Hassy or Rolleiflex.

 

[Soeren]

Two Nikon Bodies + 4 lenses, TC201 and PK13 + SB28 + accesories
One Nikormat
One Pentax 6X7 with lens + Extension tubes, Sekonic 308 and Minolta Spotmeter F
Films
All goes in my Lowepro Rower AW
Oh carry ? No way. Much to heavy. But it can all be stored in that little "Merlin bag"
Cheers Søren