What's your go-bag look like?

[Travis Butler]

If you won't need to swap lenses a lot, backpack should be the best to carry gear around, in a more comfortable manner than sling/messenger/shoulder bag.

Also depends on weather/environment. I live in Kansas City, where summers are hot and humid; backpacks inevitably trap sweat between your back and the pack, leaving both a sticky mess. ;_; I prefer shoulder bags, preferably with enough strap to go around the neck; shoulder-only tends to start sliding off my shoulder after a while.

This is also where gear selection plays a big role for me. ^^;; I've always preferred smaller cameras that let you pack a lot into a smaller bag. The Pentax Q with a collection of cine lenses is unmatched there; pity the IQ isn't higher. Along those lines, I've carried a Lumix GM5 (see pic below for how much I can fit into a small LowePro Edit 100 bag), Olympus Pen-F, and now a Sigma fp.

I've picked up a lot of bags used at garage/estate sales, which may not be that helpful for anyone else looking. Tamrac is my favorite manufacturer by far; one time I got caught a few miles out from my car when it started pouring rain, and the Tamrac bag I was using at the time kept everything dry for a good 30-40 minutes of heavy downpour. I was soaked. My clothing was soaked. The camera was just fine.

 

[Lance B]

For a trip or for a variety of subject matter:

Mindshift Backlight 26L with Z9, 24-70 f2.8 attached, 50 f1.2S, 14-24 f2.8S, 100-400 f4.5-5.6 VR S, 500 f5.6 PF.

• NIKON CORPORATION NIKON Z 7_2
• NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S
• ƒ/8
• 35mm
• 1/40s
• ISO 1400

Just for birds Mindhsift Backlight 36L with Z9 + 800 f6.3 PF attached, 500 f5.6 PF, and another lens, 1.4x TCIII.

• samsung SM-G973F
• ƒ/1.5
• 4mm
• 1/25s
• ISO 640

 

[Manzur Fahim]

Good topic. It would be useful to say what the bags are - from someone who spent a year looking for a bag and still didn't get it right!

PS My first post here.

Isn't that always the case ? I have so many bags, and I still can't get it right? The perfect bag doesn't exist

 

[Blufftonian]

For me it depends on what the "go" entails.

If it's a typical daily shoot then I just take my gripped D500 with my 500mm PF, or sometimes my 200-500mm if I know I'll be able to get closer, in a Think Tank Digital Holster 150. Very occasionally I'll add a TC-14EIII.

• NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D7200
• ƒ/4
• 24mm
• 1/40s
• ISO 2500

• NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D7200
• ƒ/4
• 24mm
• 1/30s
• ISO 2500

• NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D7200
• ƒ/4
• 24mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 2500

If I'm going on a trip I take an older Lowepro backpack with my D7200, 16-80 f/2.8, 70-300, and a small Nikon SB400 flash. The backpack will also have a rain jacket and an iPad in there.

 

[Lee Jay]

Nice set up- do post latest shot of a recent stargazing event... did you do the recent comet ZTF passing through?

Due to dual injuries, I haven't used it lately. I have previous images but I mostly do planetary. I like moon shots, especially eclipse shots.

 

[Travis Butler]

Following up, pics of my current bag sets.

First, the lightweight kit based around the Sigma fp. Perfect for always having with you, carrying on walks, and other shot-of-opportunity situations. (Also good for places that restrict/ban 'serious'/'professional' cameras.)

• Apple iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 mini back dual wide camera 5.1mm f/1.6
• ƒ/1.6
• 5mm
• 1/60s
• ISO 250

Top layer: The fp itself. Pentax-M 40/2.8 mounted on the camera, as it's a nice thin pancake; now that I've got a C/Y adapter for L-mount, I may try swapping it out for the Contax/Zeiss Tessar 45/2.8. Pentax-K 55/1.8 as a fast normal prime and because I like the rendering, though I've also had the Pentax-M 50/1.4 there. If I'm wanting to do casual macro, I can swap it out with the OM Zuiko 50/3.5 Macro.

Bottom layer: OM Zuiko 35/2 for wide-angle fast prime. Konica Zoom-Hexanon 35-70/3.5-4.5 for flexibility; it's not the best 35-70 I own, but it's pretty good and very small/light. Leica Elmar 90/4 to give a bit more reach, and because I like the tonal rendering; if I want still more reach, I can easily fit the OM Zuiko 100/2.8 in its place. The OM Zuiko 50/2 Macro can be added instead if I want to get serious about macro.

Second, the heavyweight kit using the Lumix S5 - for when I'm working with larger/heavier lenses, need IBIS, or just want the flexibility of more lens space.

• Apple iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 mini back dual wide camera 5.1mm f/1.6
• ƒ/1.6
• 5mm
• 1/60s
• ISO 400

Top layer: S5 with 20-60 native lens, Vivitar Series 1 28-90/2.8-3.5.

• Apple iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 mini back dual wide camera 5.1mm f/1.6
• ƒ/1.6
• 5mm
• 1/60s
• ISO 200

Bottom layer: Konica Hexanon 65-135/4, OM Zuiko 24/2.8, Super-Takumar 35/3.5, Minolta Rokkor-X 50/1.4 (MD III), Pentax-A 35-70/3.5-4.5.

I like to put lenses in microfiber suede bags to reduce the chances of scuffing/scratching, as in the Sigma fp pic; I took them off in the S5 bag pics to give a better view of the lens.

 

[Manzur Fahim]

This is what I take in my Manfrotto advanced III messenger bag when I go out to shoot portraits.

• samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
• ƒ/2.4
• 7mm
• 1/33s
• ISO 800

Fujifilm GFX 100S
Fuji GF110mmF2 lens
Fuji GF63mmF2.8 lens
Sigma 105mm F1.4 Art
Fringer EF-GFX Pro adapter
Powerbank with enough capacity to charge two camera batteries fully and my phone once
Two extra batteries
Extra memory cards
USB C cable
Portable fan

 

[LeicaMan]

It varies with every shoot. Sometimes a large bag with lots of varied equipment. Other times, it’s one body and one lens. One bag won’t work for me as I custom pack for every gig.

 

[Serge]

A Pentax travelling kit:

1. PacSafe Camsafe® X25 Anti-Theft Camera Backpack
2. Peak Design Tech Pouch
3. HD PENTAX D FA 70-200 mm f/2.8 ED DC AW*
4. Irix 15/2.4 Firefly
(5. Pentax 100/2.8 Macro)
6. Pentax FA 77/1.8 Limited
7. Nitecore Blowerbaby BB2 Electronic Cleaning Air Blower
8. Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon)
9. X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
10. Pentax K-1 Mark II + Sigma 35/1.4 Art
11. Peak Design Slide
12. Pluto Trigger - https://plutotrigger.com/
13. Pentax Sensor Cleaning Kit O-Ick1
14. Petzl Iko Core
---------------------
Behind the scenes:
ND/GND/etc. filters, tools...
There is also a similar set with Sigma cameras (SD Quattro H etc.) - to be posted later )

 

[Yar1971]

My DIY tethered carrying system:
Works with any photo bag or adapted bag with a shoulder strap (should be possible to switch sides of the strap).
The camera is tethered (15 cm / 6") to the carabiner clipped into double section (lenght regulation loop) of the bag strap. This is crucial, as this way carabiner is not jamming at the end of the strap. This slinging carabiner together with the tether allows free movement of the camera form the bag to the face level. The gear is constantly tied to the user so it cannot hit the ground unless the user falls. When we want to use the cam on the tripod or hand it to another person, we just unclip the tether from the carabiner. Optional wrist strap secures the gear on such occasions.
Note, a camera neck strap is eliminated here totally. This is because currently I'm using a cam with EVF. While using my previous E-PL1 I was still using neck strap just to improve holding non-EVF camera for framing with long range zoom. But ergonomy wasn't perfect, of course.
Another note: I currently use adapted waterproof bag from im_2. I sacrificed somewhat fast drawing of the cam for total waterproofness, as my main activity is multi-day hiking, sometimes in slightly wild terrain Now I don't have to loose time for hiding the cam into my backpack while fording bigger rivers and so on.
For others (more normal people), I suggest using a simple photo-bag with a single clip or velcro. Forget ziplocks, they need lots of time to draw Your camera. Bag from im_1 is very small, it has never been used with E-M10 II, just shortly with E-PL1 and my previous Sony point&shoot.
My current WP bag has DIY inserts, I carry in it E-M10 II with 14-150 and 2 WA primes. I may toss the close-up lens too if needed, or a single spare battery. But they are carried separately most of the time, as their bulk depends on the trip. When I go for a short trip I just take 1-2 spares. For multi-week trips I can take even 5-8 extra batteries + charger, depending on the trip profile. The longest time off-grid so far: 16 days in mountains. In winter 1 spare battery is always in pocket to stay warm.
Regards
-J.