Bag /case or rucksack

<p>Hi all i have done a few weddings in the last couple of months and been reinvesting in new kit, so i now have two canon 70d 4 lenses flash guns etc etc, what i want to know which would be the best to carry it all in at a wedding as at the moment i leave some of it in the car, should i go for a rucksack, hard case or another shoulder bag?</p>

<p>I don't shoot weddings, but when I shoot events I use a Tamrac big wheels 2X, a soft rolling case. It is much more comfortable than a couple of shoulder bags (been there, done that) and it holds a lot. Should you need more space, you can hang a shoulder bag from the case, so none of the weight is on you.</p>

I'd look at one of the models of Thinktank Photo Airport rolling cases. There are cheaper makes but virtually every working professional I know (and I know dozens) uses Thinktanlk bags, backpacks or rolling cases for a reason: they hold up extremely well and are very practical.

 

Unless you like being a mule carrying all of that on your back or on your shoulder gets old really fast and isn't good for your body or your concentration.

<p>I use a rolling case (I think mine is LowePro). A couple of bodies, a few lenses, couple of flashes, Quantum turbos, etc., quickly gets to be too much weight to go over the shoulder or on my back, IMHO.</p>

<p>Arriving at a wedding with your photo gear in a rucksack will surely impress the bride and do wonders for your business image - but likely not in a way you will care for.</p>

<p>In the business of photography image is all-important. Buy the best carry bag or hard case you can afford. Go for a brand name and top design and quality. It will last you a lifetime. To me, rucksacks or shoulder bags holler "amateur! amateur!" and will fail to impress.</p>

<p>Brands do matter. I don't shoot weddings, but a close friend who has specialised in 'nuptials' for the past 40 years has all his gear systematically stored in three Haliburtons he bought in the 1980s. They are as good today as they were when new.</p>

<p>Make sure your bag or case has a good lock. Keep it securely locked and the key safely in your pocket or entrust it to your assistant. One of the main duties of your assistant (every successful and well-organised wedding photographer I have met or seen at work has a well-trained assistant) should be to keep a careful eye on your equipment.</p>

<p>JDW</p>

 

<p>They are different tools for different things.</p>

<ul>

<li>Rucksacks are for transporting gear over uneven terrain, stairs etc.</li>

<li>Shoulder bags are for shooting out of. Meaning reaching inside picking out gear as you shoot. This goes for carrying pouches, vests and similar stuff too.</li>

<li>Hard cases are for rugged transportation.</li>

<li>Rolling bags (soft) are for less rugged transportation over even terrain.</li>

</ul>

<p>When I shot weddings i used a combination of methods. I'd sling two cameras with lenses as I shoot with both at the same time and I carry a shoulder bag with two more lenses and hot shoe flashes. Then I'd have a hard case with additional strobes and radio triggers. A bag with tripod and monopod and small light stands. Another bag with larger light stands, umbrellas and light modifiers. And then I'd just have monolights and other things like a hand truck in the car as well as some backup gear. If I used rented gear they would often come in real flight cases.</p>

<p>What you choose to use depends on how much equipment you have and what you need to carry with you (versus have in the car) and what you need immediate access to. It's about having the right tool for the job you want it to do. It's basically a matter of how you solve your logistics. There is no right or wrong.</p>

<p>PS. Another vote for ThinkTank roller bags. I do like lowepro for shoulder bags though because weight is more important.</p>