How much gear do you carry?

With street photography, going light on the gear is ideal, but how

much is too much and what is too little? This question came to me as

I read the responses to my cropping question (thanks to all who wrote

in) when sombody mentioned being in the wrong position and/or having

the wrong lens on. So what do those of you on this forum carry with

you?

Until recently, I carried the RZ body, 120 6X7 back, AE Prism finder,

a 90mm lens, all these on the body, then a mirror up cable release, a

65mm and a 180mm RZ lenses, light meter, and several rolls of 100 and

400 Ilford Delta film in my gadget bag. The meter I'd keep in my hand

at the ready as I walk around. Tomorrow I'm heading out with only the

180 lens. My 90mm is being looked at for possible shutter problems.

The cable release, prism finder, and 65mm will stay home. It's really

a bare bones set up, but I'm trying to isolate possible problems with

some negatives I've been having. Trying to change a lens to capture a

moment often will take too long. I'll have to work on better

positioning. This will be my goal for tomorrows shoot.

Thanks,

Marc

One camera (35mm). One lens (35mm). A pocketful of film. On rare occasions, I'll take a P&S digital with me as well.

I carry whatever fits in my Adorama "Slinger" bag. Sometimes that's a camera and one lens, sometimes two. Depends on which lenses.

One lens. One back. film. Light meter.

 

Usally it's a 'Blad with the 80mm or a Leica ith the 85 or 28. Sometimes I take tw Leicas double hung.

 

I just got the 110mm f/2 for the 'Blad so I'll be trying that out soon.

A digicam with built-in zoom lens.

I used to carry everything including the kitchen-sink. Then I found myself at the osteopath having my neck and shoulder straightened out. So now I carry one camera with 50mm lens and a couple of rolls of film. And my neck and shoulder is much better now!

I'm completely inconsistent about how much and what kind of gear I carry. The main problem I have is taking enough film - too often I underestimate how much I'll need because I'm usually a pretty conservative shooter, picking my shots carefully.<p>

 

If I'm heading out for something like a street festival or an area where I know there will be a lot of opportunities I'll take at least two Nikons, a wide angle, normal and either a telephoto or zoom lens. Sometimes I'll take a flash too when I'm in the mood for that direct, Weegee look.<p>

 

Otherwise even when I'm not planning to do any shooting I always tote at least one small camera, something like a Canonet or Agfa Isolette folder because both fit my small Beseler shoulder bag, along with my day planner (I have absolutely no memory whatsoever and need the day planner), glasses, film, etc. Even if I don't tote the Beseler bag I'll shove an Olympus XA3 in my pocket.<p>

 

For theatre photography or other situations where I want to be more discrete I'll take my OM-1, because it's much quieter than the Nikons, and 28mm, 50mm and 75-150mm Zuikos.<p>

 

Interestingly, some of my favorite street shots have come unexpectedly when I was toting only a single TLR (Rolleiflex or Yashica) for shooting architecture from a tripod. <a href=http://www.photo.net/photo/1635244&size=lg><u>This photo</u></a> is one such example. I'd intended that roll of Tri-X for shooting architecture in downtown Fort Worth one afternoon but found a street fair that was more interesting. Unfortunately, because I'd planned on something totally different that would have required only a dozen shots at most, once again I didn't have enough film for the unexpected.<p>

 

Just can't seem to plan these things right.

Marc writes: "I carried the RZ body, 120 6X7 back, AE Prism finder, a 90mm lens, all these on the body, then a mirror up cable release, a 65mm and a 180mm RZ lenses, light meter, and several rolls of 100 and 400 Ilford Delta film in my gadget bag. The meter I'd keep in my hand at the ready."

 

Wow, I thought I was tough with an F-4 and two lenses. Marc, I carry a 28 1.4 and 85 1.4 (and no hoods!).

I used to carry a SLR(canon NF-1) , three lenses(28,50,85mm), 10 rolls of film, some filters and a meter. When I switched to Canon EOS system the lenses became bigger, so now, three lenses are too much for me.<BR>

When I don't have any plan to shoot I carry a Contax TVS and 5 rolls of NEOPAN 400. That's enough.

Marc, "going light on the gear is ideal, but how much is too much and what is too little?" - I think this everytime I head out and as previous posters have noted, sometimes you just cant get it right. Most of the time you do though, think simple and try not to think 'what if...' otherwise you'd drive yourself crazy.

 

I must say, I love shooting with the rb/rz out on the street. problem is the weight after a while - unless you have a tripod. I always think that if I have to go to the lengths of having a tripod in my arms or on my shoulder then hell I may as well bring everything else I need. Then I downsized to just using the body/110/back/WLF/leftgrip/hood/lightmeter/1xpropack of film. thats it.

 

On the other hand, depends what youre shooting. I alternate between 35mm and Med Format. I still occasionally take out the RZ but now when it comes to Med Format I pretty much use the Mamiya TLR. Depending on which model these can become heavy too. The one I especially use for outdoor is a C33 and this has been modified slightly so that i can handle it more like a press camera. Usually I stick to the one lens either a 65, 80 or 105. Mostly the 80mm.

 

As for 35mm the F90x with the grip serves me well. 50mm Lens. Again, a little bulky but who cares - as long as i get the shots i want (but thats another story..). Film - usually 3 rolls at the most (for a few hrs shooting) Varies though, sometimes you shoot 2 rolls in an hour, other times 10 frames in 2 hours...

 

I never really think about 'lens changes' - for me its more a case of knowing what I have and working with it. In changing lenses in a hurry I'd probably drop one.

 

Hoods - always. Cable release - one in the bag. Light meter - definately. Try a small one such as the 308 Sekonic, easily slips in your pocket when you need to load film etc.

 

Great to hear you are using the RZ out on the street.

I used to carry the Contax RX with the CZ vario Sonnar 35-135 lens and the 360 flash and still do when I feel an event I want to photograph warrents all this. At other times I will use the RX or Aria with the 28-70 zoom. These days I tend to go with primes such as the 50 Planar or the 45 Tessar a 35 or 25mm lens and an 85mm lens. I also carry the Contax s2 or Yashica fx 3 s2000. I find for street shooting that the Aria mounted with the 50 or 45 lens is simplest and best. If I am at an event and feel I may need to change lenses then I will use the S2 or Yashica. I think prime lenses for me are best for composition when street shooting. These lenses are faster and smaller therefore less noticable. I get a lot of questions when I am toting the 35-135 lens because it is so large, such as "What news paper are you with?" I tell people that I do what I'm doing because I love photography not to make money. For me the best thing when shooting in the street is to just have the Aria and the 50 or 45 out and at the ready. Anything more around my neck makes things too cumbersome. I think an asset to Street photography is to be as fluid and mobile as possible.

....depends. No, really. Sometimes I carry just a fixed lens Oly Epic Stylus and a couple rolls of film..................sometimes i carry a MF TLR with one lens, a RF 35mm cam fixed lens, and a SLR with zoom, handheld meter, flash, and enough film to ensure I NEVER run out................and every combination in between.........like I said.............depends.

On a typical day only street shooting: one body, one or two lenses (24mm and either 50mm

or 135mm) and 2-3 rolls of film. Camera in hand, everything else in a wee lumbar pack. At

night, add an off-camera flash.

 

On a typical day in and around work: a Yashica T-4.

I hate to haul stuff around, so usually I go with one camera, one lens.

Here are my choices - depending if I'm in a film or digital mood:

 

1) Bessa R with 35 mm f2.5 Color Skopar, sometimes a 50mm f2 (Jupiter 8)

a few rolls of Tri-X or slide film, stuffed in my cargo pants

2) Canon 10D with either a 24mm f1.8, occasionally a 50mm f1.8

a couple of memory cards (RAW mode only)

3) Recently I added a Rolleiflex 2.8C, with this beast I carry a Gossen Digiflash...

I'm pretty good at guessing though, so mostlikely I won't carry the meter in

the future either.

1. Seven pound IBM Thinkpad (for work, not photography).

 

2. Holga (140 x 102 x 76 mm, 200g) in the side compartment of computer bag.

 

3. Olympus Epic (4.3 in x 2.3 in. x 1.5 in. 4.7 oz.) in cell phone compartment.

You forgot to explicate on and weigh your underwear.

I didn't weight the bag either. He asked for gears, read carefully ;-)<div></div>

Your tangential laptop is nevertheless gears (sic)?

The problem of 35mm is that it usually takes me a week to finish it; with 120, I finish it in a day or an hour. However, I usually load Holga at home, so my quota for Holga is 12 shots a day.<div></div>

i take whatevers closest to the door at the time....

<pre>

Your tangential laptop is nevertheless gears (sic)?

</pre>

He asked about gear, not necessarily photography gear.

I should have included cell phone, MP3 and watch. That is less than 300 OZ.

I mean 300g (or less ;-)

This is a photography website. all the items he listed as gear are (wait for it) ...

photography gear. This appears to have eluded you, Sangtian.

<i><blockquote> i take whatevers closest to the door at the time....

</blockquote> </i><p>

 

Careful , or some people will think you're talking about carrying around doorknobs.

i do....gets me into doorknobless doors....u never know...