Just as my wife likes to move furniture around once in a while, I like to
rearrange the equipment in my camera bags. It's kinda a seasonal thing, but
often times driven by the demands of what type of photography I'm doing at a
particular time. Some might suggest that it's a sign of too much equipment,
but I loudly protest that claim.
So, at the moment:
In the smallest bag: The Minolta A1. This bag is my "whatever I need to
carry today" bag and I put in whatever camera I want to use for that outing.
It's purely a minimalistic setup and usually what I carry when going out for
a walk where walking is the primary activity. As a grab-n-go, the A1 makes a
great do-anything and go anywhere camera. But when hiking and in the mindset
of photography, I'll swap the camera out with whatever is pleasing me that
day. This is the bag that I carry to work every day that I don't have a
bigger bag with me.
In the small bag: This is my film kit. Currently configured for the book
project. A couple of OM bodies and a scattering of lenses. Some lenses share
with the digital kit, so there are holes in the bag, but I've got my most
used focal lengths covered. At the moment, I've got the 35/2.8, 100/2.8 and
200/4 in this bag.
In the Canon bag: This is my digital kit. Currently configured for
portrait/wedding/event. The E-1 has the battery grip and 35-80 mounted. The
DMC-L1 has the 24/2.8 on it. I've also got the 50/1.4 in there. Two Vivitar
285HV flashes with two complete sets of radio triggers. Flash modifiers and
the Sekonic meter round out the bulk of the gear. Various doodads fill out
the pockets. To convert this bag to film would just require the swapout of
the two bodies.
In the big uncomfortable black bag: This is the extras kit. The Tokina AT-X
100-300/4, Zuiko 300/4.5 and T45 flash ride in there. The T45 is configured
with the wireless receiver. I've also got other things in there related to
securing flashes to various objects, along with a roll of gaffers tape. A
spot exists for one extra camera from any of the other bags.
So, basically here's how it works...
For most "real" shoots, I'd have two bags with me. It's a mix-and-match
depending on what it is I'm shooting. It's easy to substitute any one or two
componants in any bag with little fanfare. For example, I can pull out the
flashes and substitute with either of the 300mm lenses. If I'm doing film
only, it's still just a two-bag grab to get every possible setup covered.
Otherwise, just a single bag will cover almost everything I normally would
use. A modular approach. None of this includes the studio lights and
umbrellas. That's in a tote and is accompanied by lightstands and backdrops.
That stuff sits with my tripods in the garage and is quickly tossed in the
car.
By the way, after all these years of using the canon bags, I finally figured
out how to put the E-1 in the bag when it has the battery-grip installed.
This bag is a backpack style bag, but has a serious design flaw in that the
compartment isn't thick enough to allow for a battery-grip equipped camera
to sit properly. But since the E-1 does not have a left-side to the body,
you set the camera in on its side. That's a little trick I learned to keep
from warping the rubber tulip lens-hood on the 35-80 too. Just set the
camera down on the left side.
OK, so I've rambled on long-enough, but sometimes a rearrangement is
necessary. This works for the moment, but give it a month or so and I'll
have moved everything around again.
AG
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