My Camera, its Bag and Accessories that fit in

[arigram]

You could take this thread as being part of the "... portraits" series of people showing off their equipment. This really though isn't about bragging.

This thread is about showing your bag, backpack or any other means of transporting your gear, along with your camera(s) and any accessories that fit it. Its about helping people make choices when they are looking for bags for their equipment. A photograph can be indeed a thousand words.

So, I start with my Rolleiflex traveling bag and all the accessories and things that fit in. Its a tight fit in the end, but quite comfortable and ready for anything that can come in my way on the street or on a voyage.

tags: Medium Format, MF, bag, Rolleiflex

 

[phaedrus]

A tale of two bags

Well, Aristoteles, you made me clean out my bags! Here are two of them halfway between ex- and implosion.

The Hasselca bag, a LowePro Slingshot 200:
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As you can see, it takes a Hasselblad with two lenses, a Leica with five lenses, a Sekonic spotmeter and various bric-a-brac.
If I get a wide angle lens for the Hasselblad, it will take up the space of the Leica in the backpack and that will go into a belt pouch. Faster to hand this way!

And here's the soul-crushing 8x10 backpack, a Kelty from RPT:
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Top pocket and laptop bag for film holders opened:
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There's a carpenter's laser bubble level (the beast has none, and you can focus on the laser line projected on your subject in low light), an Olympus voice recorder for notes, the same Sekonic spotmeter, a viewing frame, the essential rocket duster, some filters and my large 20 diopter loupe. Not to forget the film holders in the laptop bag strapped to the side of the backpack.
Main compartment opened, gravity magnet Calumet C1 with bubble wrap ground glass protector, 165 mm Super Angulon on the camera not visible, 450 Fujinon lens in RPT box, fill flash wrapped in black T-shirt (serves as darkcloth):
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That backpack can be converted to 4x5 transportation with a few more RPT boxes but doesn't get any lighter in the process. The Wolff wood tripod with Gitzo low profile head is slung over the shoulder on a strap like a rifle.

Now I've outed myself as a packrat!
Christoph

 

[arigram]

Speaking of Hasselblad...

The indestructible Peli 1510 case holds my Hasselblad equipment while at the studio. I never had to move the whole lot at once, but if I wanted to, it has all the conveniences of carry on luggage and it can even be taken in an airplane. Or used to be able to, I can't keep track of the stupid regulations anymore.

It fits:
503CW with Winder, 501CM, three A12 backs, three medium sized lenses (40,120,180) and a small lens (80), PolaPlus back and a Pro Shade. Other accessories such as macro tubes and filters are kept in another case.

When I am carrying the Hasselblad with me, I have three choices:

The Billingham 335:

It fits one body (with winder or back attached), two lenses, a large lightmeter, a Metz 45 CL-4 flash and all kinds of accessories and film.

The Lowepro Mini Trekker AW:

Which fits one Body with back attached, two extra A12 backs, all four lenses, Sekonic L-558 lightmeter, proshade, a Manfrotto tripod on the back and all other accessories and film.

The Hama Charley:

It was my very first bag and has been my street and travel bag when I want to carry a 501CM with 2.8/80 lens, an A12 back, Lightmeter, some small accessories and a good amount of film.

I now use it mostly to story and carry my Metz 45 CL-4 and all its accessories:

 

[benjiboy]

I also find , that no one bag is ideal for carrying my gear, and over the years have accumulated five or six going from a very large Billingham 550 to a small Hama Caddy, which is the one I use the most, it holds a Canon F1 and T90 body a FD 35-70 and FD70-150 zoom in a very small space I find this a versatile combination for walking around photography, for more serious work I tend to use prime lenses and a Billingham 335.

 

[argus]

note to self: must clean camera bags soon!

 

[david b]

Here's my Lowepro Pro Roller 1 bag packed for my NYC trip.

What's in it?
-Hasselblad 503cw with PM45 prism and 60mm CFI lens
-Hasselblad 150mm CFI lens
-Pentax Digital Spot Meter
-Minolta Autometer IV
-26 rolls of Fuji Acros 100
-Rollei Flash
-WLF
-and strap, caps, and cable release

 

[david b]

where can I find the Hama Charley. I've scoured the internet but have not found one.

Can you leave the prism on the camera when using that bag?

 

[arigram]

where can I find the Hama Charley. I've scoured the internet but have not found one.

Can you leave the prism on the camera when using that bag?

I bought the bag at a local photo store, because it was there, it was really cheap and fit the Hasselblad kit I had at the time perfectly. I really don't know how to help you, as it could well be out of production, even years before I bought it. But I am sure there are other designs like this one.
One thing to note, is that inside the top cover, it has a mesh, that is really useful for accessories or 9-10 120 rolls. But it has no external pockets and that has always being its serious drawback.
It could well fit the Hasselblad with the prism on as it has plenty of space on the top. As a matter of fact, let me measure it for you.
The space above the 501CM, to the top of the cover looks to be about 10cm, without anything in the mesh.

 

[MattKing]

Ari:

Great thread. And really effective photos illustrating it.

I was thinking I'd try to contribute, but am faced with the question: "which camera and which bag should I show?"

Matt

 

[arigram]

I was thinking I'd try to contribute, but am faced with the question: "which camera and which bag should I show?"

All of them! Or at least the different formats (e.g. 4x5 field, etc).
Don't have to be all at once.
But as you see, it really helps to illustrate which bag fits what.

 

[konakoa]

Interesting thread! I made my camera bag. I needed something more compact for traveling with my 4x5 monorail, so this bag is made to fit my camera with a minimum of bulk. The exterior is cotton canvas and has been waterproofed. The interior is blue nylon fabric. There are D-rings on the sides for a shoulder strap or backpack harness. The walls and dividers are made of corrugated plastic with 1/8" foam glued to both sides for padding. The compartment for the camera has an extra layer of 3/4" foam padding on the bottom and one side. The bottom of the bag has two layers of corrugated plastic glued together for extra strength. The bag is amazingly lightweight; it's contents are not!

Contained within:

A Horseman LE 4x5 monorail camera, 150mm f/5.6 Schneider lens (on camera), Nikon 90mm f/4.5, bag bellows, notebook and pencil in front pouch of camera bag, six 4x5 film holders, focusing cloth, two 6x12 roll film backs (one for color, the other black and white) reflected light meter with case, red filter, polarizer and filter step up/down rings (in spare filter case) two-stop graduated neutral density filter with filter holder and blue soft homemade filter pouch, cable release and finally a 8x loupe for critical focusing.

 

[arigram]

Danny, that bag is simply gorgeous!
I am sure you would have quite a business if you made for others professionally!

 

[Soeren]

Great thread Ari. And very interesting contributions from the rest of you. Im on the outlook for some bags to fit my 35mm gear, Pentax 6X7 and my Sinar Norma 13X18cmm so it is very good to see some real life solutions.
Kind regards

 

[sun of sand]

Pelican case/backpack/maybe a little 8x10 shaving kit bag that unzips all the way and folds out etc
I carry the pelican case mostly. If I need to carry everything I keep in the case why transfer it to something else? This floats and can take a beating.
If just camera, lens or two and 4x5 holders and things ..backpack
35mm/small camera ..backpack and maybe the shave kit organizer thing

If I'm taking 4x5, one lens and film holders
I keep the 4x5 on the tripod and little organizer/backpack to hold film

My best tip
I always stretch a winter beanie hat over the 4x5 so that it's protected from trees and snow etc
I pack lenses in padded golf club covers

 

[eddym]

Interesting thread! I made my camera bag.

Hee, hee! I can't show it here now, but back when I had a beautiful 1930-ish Agfa Ansco 8x10, I used an old ice chest as a camera bag (case?). I think it was a Coleman ice chest that was missing its lid; I wrapped the folded 8x10 in an old blanket, and it fit perfectly inside the chest. Sometimes I would throw another old blanket over the top to cover everything and hide the fact that it might be worth stealing. Three 8x10 filmholders also fit inside.

It served me well, but lacked the sophistication of your approach...

 

[benjiboy]

I've never found the ideal camera bag, and over the years have had many, of various shapes and sizes, I am to camera bags what my wife is to shoes, one lesson I've learned is that you can always carry less in a larger one than more in a smaller one,(if that makes sense)