Advice On Bags, Etc.

Hi, all.

 

I have a small studio for headshots, but I'm primarily a field guy. I shoot mainly headshots, marketing images, and editorial. When the world is normal, I shoot a lot of corporate events as well.

 

I need some advice on bags, etc., for toting my lighting around. I have a Think Tank airport roller, and that holds my cameras, lenses, and a couple of speedlights just fine.

 

What I need help on his my lighting equipment. If I'm taking "a lot" (and I know that's relative), I'll take three 60" umbrellas, couple of soft boxes, a backdrop or two, six light stands, four monoblocs, and a couple of Godox AD200s.

 

Currently I have a simple Neweer bag, some bungee cords, and a Rock and Roller cart. I put the Think Tank down first, then the neweer bag, and then the monoblocs and everything else on top, and bungee it all together. It feels like a hot mess when I'm rolling that thing around.

 

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Eric

Biggest/longest/least fragile stuff on the bottom would seem to make more sense, and for better handling and stability.

 

My 10ft lighting stands are kept in a tough nylon zipper bag, and would be the first things loaded. They're pretty unbreakable, so everything else can go on top. Lightweight and crushable stuff like brollys and softboxes go topmost.

 

I recently bought a used job lot 'studio-in-a-bag'. The bag itself was quite tough, but the zipper had split, making it quite useless. I put this down to having too much weight in one bag. Therefore my thoughts would lean toward smaller bagloads. A bit of a pain to pack and unpack, but much more durable in the long run.

 

But I'm really not sure what your question is.

Edited May 27, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

From your description, I would consider your "a lot" as "normal". I use a 60" Westco convertible cart (similar to Magliner) with a folding nose extension and 10" pneumatic front wheels (casters in rear), in the flat cart position. My typical load is two large video cameras, a case with recording gear and microphones, two large tripods and 3-5 microphone stands. The large tires negotiate curbs and door sills well, not to mention poorly maintained sidewalks. I use the handles to lift the rear casters over curbs. I usually pack in two layers, with an 18x24" folding table in between to provide a level surface.

 

I put the most fragile items on the bottom, where they are less likely to fall and be damaged. It's important that you use rectangular cases on the bottom. Anything in loose bags (e.g., light stands, tripods) should go on top and nestled in place. I bought the ThinkTank AV case below to hold mutiple light and microphone stands. It keeps things together (including rubber feet and knobs) which tend to get lost in transit. It is a roller in its own right, but short enough to fit on the cart.

 

I use 1 to 3 14' folding light stands for microphones (and occasionally for lighting), and regular mic stands for spot mics. Even small folding microphone stands are twice as heavy as the aluminum light stands. They need that weight to keep the CG low with a small leg circle. Depending on the job, I might have 50-75 pounds of stands on the cart. Thankfully 1-3 are more typical.

 

Think Tank Photo Stand Manager 52

Wesco Cobra Jr. Handtruck - Weight Capacity 650lbs (295kg)

Magliner Folding Nose Extension (30" Channel)

Years ago I discovered that a heavy canvas golf club bag and a three wheel 'pull along' golf club bag cart worked perfectly for my stands, etc. The bag was heavy canvas(not leather or similar), had a canvas 'top' that could be pulled up and tightened to keep rain out, bag contents inside, and fit the metal cart perfectly. I bought the whole used rig (about $75)on 'Craig's list' after another photographer told me how well such a setup worked. I made sure the bag was long enough for the tallest light stand. The bag came off the cart easily to fit in my car trunk, and the cart easily collapsed to also fit in the trunk. I told some others about my discovery, and one found a similar used setup for sale at the pro shop at a nearby golf club.

Years ago I discovered that a heavy canvas golf club bag and a three wheel 'pull along' golf club bag cart worked perfectly for my stands, etc.

Sounds like an ideal solution for lighting stands and tripods.

 

What's the betting that the idea gets lifted by some photo-accessory maker and marketed at twice the price of a comparable golf trolley?

A golf bag would hold only 1 or 2 of my medium-duty light stands. I have a Think Tank long rolling case which will hold 3-5 light stands, but it's too heavy to use. I use it to protect stands in cartage, but stack them on a warehouse cart for use on the job (the case is too long to fit on a 48" cart bed). I think golf bags are padded with flotation foam, so they can be retrieved from a pond when a frustrated owner throws it into the water.

 

I have the same problem with audio/video gear. I have a couple of these cases for my work. I use the large production case to carry 3-4 cameras, batteries and accessories. Everything fits, but it weighs about 75 lbs fully loaded and nearly takes all the space on my cart.

Manager Series.

 

I have a combination of hard and semi-soft cases, depending on the job and the contents. Hard bases offer excellent protection, but have a large dry weight and thick walls which limit the interior space. Semi-rigid cases keep their shape and stack well, and protect stands and lighting gear well enough. Soft cases don't stack well and offer little or no protection. I rarely use them in my work.

 

The key to moving heavy, bulky equipment is to keep things stackable. Then get a convertible warehouse cart (e.g., Magliner) with big rubber tires in front.