IN YOUR BAG REQ. - What Accessories Do YOU Find Most Usefull?

[chris_chen]

It's a trick question, I don't have any Leica or otherwise, and for what often used application (UV/polarizer filters and hoods excluded). I'm just willing and begging to LEARN MORE from the expertise of the members of this forum. Cost (weight/bulk NOT $$$) vs. benefit VERY important.

 

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Remember, I travel with my MTN bike worldwide, and carry everything I NEED to USE, including all season clothing for assignments up to one year; from 42 days straight in Edmonton where it NEVER got above -20C to Algeria where it was 53C in the shade.

[tony_rowlett2]

For the M camera, none. In fact, if you carry an accessory bag

filled with goodies, IMHO, you're not really using the M camera

properly. I keep an extra roll of film and a Sharpie pen with me,

but other than the body and lens, nothing. My $6.40.

[geddert]

a leica tabletop tripod and large ball and socket... the only high

quality tabletop tripod one can buy. I have used it on backpacking

trips to central america and africa and am incredibly glad i brought

it... it can hold upt ot a pro 35mm SLR with a pro zoom (70-200/2.8)

in a pinch. It's a bit pricy though... but i wouldn't leave home

without it, even if i were only using my Ricoh GR1.

[geddert]

I agree with Tony, except for maybe a small tripod and a pen and some

paper, and film you don't need much else.

[jackflesher]

Chris, in all seriousness, the MOST used and MOST important accessory

in my M bag is a micro fiber lens cleaning cloth... I actually carry

two; one for the finder eyepiece and RF windows (they get lots of

fingerprints and nose smears on them), and a separate one used only

for the lenses. The next most important item IMO is an extra battery

for my M6TTL. In dusty environments I would add that I use my camel-

hair brush a LOT, to dust off the lenses AND the camera body. I have

found this really helps to keep things clean, inside and out.

 

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Cost in dollars, VERY cheap; cost in weight, VERY little; bennefit in

performance, HUGE.

 

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Cheers,

[ilkka]

It depends.

 

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On a day, or short weekend trip, I wouldn't bring anything except the

body, 1-2 lenses, maybe a SF20 flash (but rarely) and probably the

already mentioned tabletop with large ball and a small cable release.

And of course a few rolls of film.

 

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For a longer trip, I might bring all of the above and also an

incident meter. I have the Sekonic 398 that doesn't need batteries.

If I haven't recently changed the battery, I might bring one spare as

well. Still all in all very little, and nothing that won't fit into a

Domke 5XB.

 

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Ilkka

[paul_chefurka1]

Here's another vote for the microfiber cloth, though I use mine just

for the lenses - the RF windows get the shirt-tail treatment. Other

than that - nothing. I've carried the TT tripod any number of times

because I felt I should; I never used it, so it stays at home now.

 

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Camera, lenses, film. As simple as it gets.

[mike dixon]

A mini-MagLite (kind that takes 2 AAA batteries; brighter colors are

easier to keep track of). Black Sharpie permanent marker. Penknife

with small set of scissors.

[alfie wang]

VC meter dude. It's the best meter I have as a separate accessory for

my IIIC and M3.

[max_wall]

Please pardon my ignorance, but the Sharpie pen has been

mentioned more than once. What is it primarily used for?

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

I apreciate a lot the small pices of film that I cut in order to make

bulk film loadble, with them I clen betwen my theet, can´t remind a

most important accessory, when you need it, specialy after a juicy

meet, ¡ho yes lenscaps!

[sunil]

My most used accessory is my film picker. I change films often and

usually before the roll is completely exposed. For those times when I

accidentally rewind the leader into the canister, the picker is

invaluable.

[mike dixon]

The Sharpie is for writing: exposure/development info on the film

leader or casette, the frame # you're at if you need to change film

midroll, phone #/personal info, whatever. The Sharpie will write on

almost anything.

[mark_sampson]

Camera, lenses, hoods. Film. Yellow filter. microfiber lens cloth. Kodak lens cleaner, 1oz.bottle. Kodak lens tissue. notebook, the kind with a sewn-in binding 3x5". ballpoint, sharpie. Short cable release.

 

then add: Tiny flash, batteries. Leitz table tripod, light meter (I use an M3). Go anywhere, cover any story.

[max_wall]

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate people like you who give kind

responses to simple questions from persons like myself who

are trying to garner as much information as possible.

[frank_horn]

The Gossen Multi-Pro meter, extra film (1 Pkg), lens tissue, a card

with certain exposure info for very long available light pix, red 25

filter, polarizer (linear), small Vivitar flash, extra batteries for

flash, Bogen tabletop tripod with mini-ball head, small cable

release, two small slaves (Midi & Wide Angle), 81B

filter.>>>>>>>Right now, I'm experimenting with a 75 Summilux to see

if this one lens, by itself, can "do it all," so I do not carry any

other lenses. It is a small bag and it is pretty full right now!

[albert_smith]

I carry a lot of the same items I see here, (sharpie, leatherman

tool, micro-fibre cloth, etc...), but I carry one other thing that I

didn't see yet. In my Domke bag or in my pocket when I am not using

the bag, I keep a 13 gallon garbage bag. It provides an

emergancy "raincoat" for my gear and is large enough to put my entire

canvas bag into if needed. Considering the price (about .02 cents),

it has more than saved the day many times.

[raymond_tai]

Since I shoot in hot humid SE Asia the best accessories I can think

of are individual ziplock baggies for the lenses and a large plastic

bag for the camera for the transition from an air conditioned

environment such as a hotel lobby, taxe cab to the street. Throw

away Kodak lens wipes, lots of small local currency, and extra

batteries.

[bobtodrick]

Bag #1 (IIIg with 35 Asph Summicron and 50mm Nikkor F1.4) which at

the moment is a Domke 803 has a Leica large ball and socket head and

legs, about 10 rolls of film, sharpie, minimaglite, cable release,

Gossen Lunasix F and a Sharp handheld PC (for writing). Bag #2 (R3

with 35-70, 90mm Summicron and 2X), a LowePro S&F 200, has a cable

release, Elpro c/u kit, sharpie, notebook, Metz 32MZ2, 10 rolls of

film and a Gitzo 220 with Giottos B&S head (not actually in the bag).

[jerry_pfile]

Microfiber cloth, and incident light meter.

 

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Jerry

[george_huczek]

Chris: Been there, done that.

Besides the usual ... Waterproof jacket with lots of pockets, a good

pair of running/biking shoes, UV sunglasses, penlight, insect

repellant, sunscreen, a pocket knife, wallet, ID, passport if crossing

borders, waterproof lighter, simple first aid kit, emergency solar

blanket, wide brim hat, compass, handheld GPS, a mirror, topographic

maps, bike repair kit, and lots of granola bars.

 

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... 1 camera body, custom tripod head clamped on handlebars, 2 lenses

(one wide, one medium tele,), a few filters (one size only, with an

adapter ring if needed), film and mailers, 1 really good spare

point&shoot. You will need at least these for mountain biking on any

major long distance trip.

[dan_brown4]

I want to say none, no accessories, but that is not the truth. While

I don't carry any filters at all, no lens caps or other adpaters,

fixtures, etc. I think of my bag and have the following:

 

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Lens hood for each lens

 

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Ambient light meter

 

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Shoe mount flash

 

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Micro-fiber cloth

 

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Camera strap

 

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A few rolls of film.

 

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Nikon Coolpix 800 (but it's a dirty little family secret :)

[zoeica images]

2 very small screwdrivers

Sekonic L-508

1 small "now can't take on airlines pocket knife" for cutting film

Leica cleaning cloths(cheapest Leica product only $4.00)

Calumet gear wraps for camera and lenses

Sharpie pen

Leitz table top tripod with ballhead* the best accessory!

[bert_keuken]

An old Leica table tripod with large Benbo ball head (from my Benbo Trekker tripod), a microfibre lens cloth that lives in a film can, spare batteries and a hot shoe mountable spirit level

[ray_moth]

When I go somewhere by car, I take a Lowepro Nova 3 bag, containing

everything I own:

 

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-- M6 TTL .58 with Motor-M and Tri-Elmar lens

 

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-- M6 TTL .72 with Motor-M and 90/2.8 Elmarit-M lens

 

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-- 50/1.4 Summilux "Wetzlar" lens with hood and caps

 

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-- Spare batteries

 

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-- Extra film

 

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-- Leica Table-top tripod and ball-head

 

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-- Metz 40 MZ-3i flash

 

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-- Nikon SC-17 TTL flash cord

 

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-- Small folding knife

 

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-- Silica gel.

 

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It's heavy but, in a car, who cares? It fits well into the Nova 3

bag, which I like.

 

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If I'm not going by car, then I take only what I can conveniently

carry, such as:

 

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-- One M6TTL body with motor and (usually) 3E lens attached

 

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-- One extra lens (50/1.4 or 90/2.8 depending on circumstances)

 

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-- Spare batteries

 

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-- Extra film

 

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-- Tripod + ball-head.

 

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Incidentally, I haven't bothered, yet, to carry spare batteries for

the Motor-M. One of the beauties of the Motor-M is that you can keep

using the camera, winding manually, if the batteries are used up.