Loosing the weight……. Part 2
I started this series yesterday with my doctors orders to reduce the weight of my gear. We dealt with the tripod yesterday now how to cut back on camera gear or at least reduce the weight!! First I’m a big believer in a system I call the trunk bag!! I own a medium size SUV, a Toyota FJ Cruiser and it has a lot of storage space in the back, and is easy to work out of, but when you have to walk things change! If I have to walk more than the length of a football field a new system is needed. Reducing the weight of your bag or backpack can be done several ways! The first is get a bag that rolls!!! I own several and love them for airports, checking into hotels and on short walks over smooth surfaces, they don;t work so well on a trail in the woods!!!! So for a carry system, wheels are out. That leaves shoulder bags, back packs, and belt systems. I’m going to deal with belt systems in a different entry, so lets look at shoulder bags and backpacks. You can carry a lot more weight comfortably with a back pack than with a shoulder bag, but remember this isn’t about how to carry more, but how to carry less weight!!!
You have to start with your gear. How much is enough for general photography? For the purpose of illustration, let’s plan an imaginary trip, actually lets take a trip I’m planning to go on next year; Italy. Sherelene and I have always wanted to visit Tuscany and the Italian coast (seen Scott Kelby’s images from there, gotta go!!!) I expect to be walking around enjoying time with Sherlene and don’t want to look like I’m on assignment for National Geographic. So what do I have to have to not miss those once in a life time shots???? To keep weight down I want one body to carry, it has to be as small as possible, say a Nikon D7100 which being a DX sensor camera is pretty small compared to the bigger beefier FX models. I need a lens that gets me from at least pretty wide, to midrange, and then a telelphoto zoom to reach out and some way to do close-ups!
As of today, my absolute minimum system would be:
D7100 camera body
16-85 AF-S VR f 3.5-4.5 lens (24-120 equivalent range)
70-300 AF-S VR f 4.5-5.6 zoom lens (105-450 equivalent range)
A diopter to put on the lenses for close-ups and polarizers on both lenses, and lens hoods.
That is the bare minimum, if I weighed the bag and thought I could carry anymore, I would opt for the Nikon 10-24 AF-S f 3.5-4.5 (15-36 equivalent range)
Total Weight?
7 pounds! With a mirror-less system it might be 5 pounds! Now we are making some progress. So how are we going to carry this new lighter system, here are some ideas!
Before we start let me share with you that I am not sponsored by any single camera bag company. I couldn’t do that because I’m a proud member of the “Bag of The Month Club” I love a number of bags as you will see in this entry. I do have a long history with Lowepro, Think Tank, and Domke, and all of these folks make great bags and I have put them to the test, in-the-field, and they are all on my highly recommended list! You can’t go wrong with any of these fine brands….
Let me start with one I love for the Mirror-less systems, the Lowepro Flipside Sports Series AW, they look like a hikers travel backpack, are extremely well made and very comfortable to wear, with great ventilation in the back and shoulder straps
The next is the popular Messenger type bag, from Lowepro. This one is called the Lowepro Messenger 160 and it holds the DX system perfectly, with lots of extra space for accessories, but be careful, you can be load it up very easy and increase that weight! It’s a very handsome bag, almost dressy!
Next the great folks at Think Tank have two wonderful messenger type bags as well, they have a great in the field, rougher look and as everything they make are top notch build as well, they are the Retrospective 5 and 10. The 5 is great for a very small mirror-less camera and a couple of lenses and the 10 can handle a bigger mirror-less system or the DX system we assemble above. I got them in Pinestone, a color I love!
Well there are some ideas to chew on as you try to reduce the weight and burden of your camera system in-the-field! I’ve been working lighter for a few months since that doctors appointment, and to be honest, the simpler system is helping me make better images! A great bonus along with that is less shoulder, and back pain! Can’t beat that!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
FLASH – I already have gotten an email from a friend saying, “Surely you’re not dumping all your FX gear, D800/D600 etc, etc, and all those juicy FX lenses!!!???” Take a deep breath, nope, but I simply can’t lug them around in the field on my shoulder, or on my back anymore. Just can’t do it. So I plan to own a FX body, still working on which one, the 16-35, 24-120, and 70-300 still have a special place in a Domke shoulder bag which will now become a trunk bag. When my assignments, both self or otherwise, requires FX type equipment it will be close-by ready to go to work. The truth is I’m finding the new D7100 and mirror-less cameras to be so good that I don’t think I’ll be reaching for the FX gear as much in the future, but it will stay around until that is fully confirmed in practice. Please keep in mind this is a medical and joy decision. I’m feeling less pain with a smaller bag, and getting better images when I feel great, late in the day! Now before I get any alarmed responses, I’m not having a bout with any life threatening disease, and have not been diagnosed with anything other than too many birthdays pilling up!! I feel great, I just need to take better care of myself so I will continue to feel like getting out and shooting up a storm!!!!
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 26th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
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Too many birthdays pilling up is a good diagnosis. 🙂
Thanks for all the information. I think it would help anyone looking at gear and “stuff”.
That’s one of my goals here!
This is a great article Bill. Thanks for the info.
Thanks David, sure enjoyed being with you guys in Nashville!
Wow Bill,
I went through pretty much the same with the exception that mine was too many birthdays and a torn rotator cuff; worst part about the too many birthdays is how long it takes to heal!
Anyway, I pared down to an OM-D with a 12, 25 and a 75 (all primes) and carry them either in a TT Retro5 or (around town) or the Flipside Sport 10 (while hiking). All I can say is that I haven’t had this much pure fun with photography for an awfully long time!
Thanks for the articles 😉
Brian,
I couldn’t agree with you more, it is vital to get back to the basics and think about the image! Congrats on the discovery!!
Will that flipside bag fit a 70-200mm if it is not on the camera?
Yes, for regular or compact DSLRs I think the 20L illustrated might be best, the 10L is pretty small better for Mirror-less type cameras!
Sorry about that I meant the 15L!!!!!!!!
I remember buying a large blue bag from you back in 1977 during my first camera class. You got me hooked on photography AND camera bags. That bag could hold a toddler with his toys and a snack! I’m a ThinkTank and Domke guy myself. Still have the passion for photography AND bags – but smaller and lighter here too! Thanks brother!
My pleasure, did you guys ever decide on prints for the building?
No, I need to talk with you about it, I know you’ve been busy. I’ll email you with new details. Thanks
No sweat, look forward to it!
Thanks for the suggestions on the light weight system. For hiking/walking, I use an older Tamrac 517 holster bag. I put it on my belt or have the shoulder strap across my chest. I originally used it for an FE with a 80-210mm F4 zoom and a short prime lens (28 mm, 35, or 50 mm) in the bottom of the bag. The bag is a bit big for my D50 with one zoom, an 18-70 mm, f3.5-4.5G or a 70-300 F4-5.6 D, but not big enough for two zooms lenses. I’ll get a D7100 in a few days to see how it fits the old holster bag with a couple of lenses and let you know what I learn.
Sounds like a good solution! The best system is the one that works for you!! Nothing is a great solution until it makes your life, as a photographer, better!!
I have the D7100 with the zooms and find the holster is too big for the short zoom. With the 70-300 F4-5.6G, it is a bit too large. With both zooms, it is too small. It may be good for two short zooms. (Maybe I should get something like the 10-24 AF-S f 3.5-4.5 to go with my collection.)
Does this mean you don’t plan to migrate from the 70-300 to the new 80-400? 🙂
I am sorry to read about your shoulder problems, but am so impressed with how you are dealing with them. I’m a retired teacher who only became addicted to photography after retirement- obviously I’m on a budget. I love my D7000 and am thrilled that you are using the D7100. I keep hearing that I will have to go to full frame someday as I become a better photographer- so you can imagine how excited I am to hear that you went in the opposite direction (even if it was for health reasons). My husband will appreciate that a FX camera may not be the next step for me (although some better lenses would be nice…). Thanks for the beautiful images and always inspirational words.
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