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Organization |
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So, do I use all of this moderately impressive list of equipment? Unbelievable as it seems, I do use most of it regularly. The only camera bodies that seldom get used are the Konica T4 and TC-X and the Nikkormat EL. Older flash units, especially those made by Konica, are stored away. And, I seldom use extension rings. Other than that virtually all of my equipment will get used in the course of a year's time. Some more and some less, but all used.
On a day long or overnight photo trip, I may take a minimum of equipment, but anything lasting longer than two or three days I'll usually take three cameras, six to ten lenses, flash, tripod and/or monopod, several filters, cable releases, close-up lenses, various odds and ends, and a lot of film. I usually count on shooting an average of five rolls of film per day, so on a ten day trip I'll take fifty rolls of film. See below for a more detailed list according to how my equipment is used and organized bag by bag.
The Konica cameras I use most are a T3n and FS-1, while my most used Nikon cameras are my FM3A, F100, and D100. The Konica lenses I use most often continue to be my 57mm f/1.2 and 200mm f/3.5, with a Hexanon 24mm f/2.8 making that a threesome of most used lenses. The Nikon lenses I use most often are: 24mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, 300mm f/4, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 VR, 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 and 70-300mm f/4-5.6. However,which cameras and lenses I take on a trip depend upon what I'm going out after and how I want to go about performing the task. For the most part I've arranged my camera bags, as follows, for specific tasks, and by Konica and Nikon equipment. They are also listed alphabetically.
During the spring and summer of 2004 and in June 2005, I totally reoganized my equipment bags. This was partly to accomodate new eqipment, but mostly to organize them in a more useful and productive way. New bags were added and some older ones were dropped from use. The results are as follow:
Before I begin, I use Zorb-It as moisture control in all of my bags. Unless torn, this marvelous product will last forever as it works to control moisture in your bags, without needing replacement or recharging of any type.
Adorama Slinger Bag:
This is
my casual shooting bag, used for taking short walks, going to amusement parks,
or wherever I want to travel extremly light. It has my Konica T4 camera, along
with Hexanon 28mm f/3.5, Hexanon 50mm f/1.7, Vivitar 135mm f/2.5, and Hexanon
80-200mm f/4.5 lenses.
Ambico Camcorder Bag:
This is
a sometimes used bag, used to carry extra film if on a long photo trip.
Coastar VC-1505 :
This is my
camcorder bag, holding camera, VCR tapes, along with an extra battery and a
battery charger.
Domke F-1X:
This bag contains
my Konica T2 camera, my third most used Konica camera body. The T2 is also my
winter camera. By that I mean it is the camera I can most depend on in below
freezing conditons. Lenses with the T2 in this bag are: Hexanon 57mm f/1.4,
Vivitar 135mm f/2.8, Hanimex 300mm f/4, Koboron 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5, Tokina
60-120mm f/2.8, and Sun 85-300mm f/5. A Vivitar 285HV flash, cable release,
along with variuous filters, step rings, and cleaning supplies complete the
equipment within this bag. Planned additions are to add a 24 or 28mm, and maybe
a 100mm lens to the kit. Don't get me wrong, winter is not the only time this
kit is used. I enjoy shooting with the T2 and it may be used anytime within any
given year.
F.64 BP Large Backpack:
This
is my Nikon F4 bag. Along with the F4, I also have my N60. Lenses include:
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tamron 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5, Nikkor 24-50mm f/3.3-4.5, Tamron
28-80 f/3.5-5.6, Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5, Nikkor 35-135mm f/3.5-4.5, 70-210mm
f/4, and Nikkor 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6. It also houses my SB-24 Speedlight. I use
this bag when wanting to shoot with the F4, with the N60 as a secondary camera;
or on a longer trip when wanting to shoot mostly manual focus, in which case
I'll take this along to work with my Nikon FE2 or FM3A cameras and lenses.
F.64 BPX Extra Large Backpack:
The
BPX has become my primary Nikon manual focus equipment bag. Camera is the Nikon
FM3A, with MD-12 Motor Drive. Lenses housed in this bag are: Vivitar 17mm f/3.5,
Vivitar 24mm f/2.8, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5,
Vivitar 135mm f/2.8, Nikkor 180mm f/2.8, Vivitar 200mm f/3.5, Nikkor 300mm
f/4.5, Phoenix 500mm Mirror, Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5, Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm
f/2.8-4, and Nikkor 80-200mm f/4. Filters, step rings, cable releases, of course
are also included. Planned flash for this bag is an SB-27.
Konica OD-21:
This is a small
utility bag that houses my Phonix/Samyang 500mm f/8 and B&L 800mm mirror
lenses, and for storing various lens and camera cases.
Lowepro Mini Trekker AW :
I
origianlly bought this bag to carry my Olympus C-5050 digital equipment, plus an
SLR and a few 35mm lenses for those times I want to shoot primarily digital, but
also want a film SLR as a second or backup camera. It is still used for that
purpose, but now that I have the D100 this has become my secondary digital bag.
However, the C-5050 is better at shooting infrared and digital black and white,
and becomes my primary digital bag when wanting to shoot in those ways. For the
C-5050 I also have an Olympus 0.7X wideangle conversion lens, and a Raynox
DCR-1850Pro telephoto converter. My film SLR in this bag is a Nikon N65. Film
lenses include: Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8-4, Nikkor 35-80mm f/4-5.6, Nikkor 70-210mm
f/4-5.6, Nikkor 75-240mm f/4.5-5.6, and Vivitar 1.4x teleconverter. The bag also
contains a Phoenix RL-59N ring flash, along with various filters, step rings,
cleaning supplies, and other various minor equipment.
Lowepro Mini Trekker Classic:
This
is my secondary, and lightweight hiking, manual focus Nikon bag. It has my FE2
camera, along with Zykkor 28mm f/2.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, Nikon 100mm f/2.8
Series E, Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5, Nikon 70-210mm F/4 Series E, and
Vivitar 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lenses. The Sunpak 433D flash is also enclosed.
Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II :
This
is my favorite gear bag, and it houses my best camera, the Nikon F5. Lenses
presently enclosed are: Nikkor 24mm f/2.8, Nikkor 35mm f/2, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4,
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 85mm f/1.8, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Nikkor 180mm
f/2.8, Nikkor 300mm f/4, Tokina 28-80mm f/2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8, and Nikkor
70-300mm f/4-5.6 lenses. Planned additional lenses, with space already awaiting
them are: Tokina 17mm f/3.5, Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 Micro, Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4,
and Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lenses. Nikon and Sigma 1.4X teleconverters are
included and Kenko Pro 1.4X and 2X AF teleconverters will also be added
eventually. The bag also carries my SB-80DX Speedlight, a variety of filters,
step rings, 5T and 6T diopters (close-up lenses), off-camera flash cord,
electronic cable release, cleaning supplies, and other accessories.
Lowepro Photo Trekker Classic :
Now
that I have a Nikon F5, my F100 has gone to this backpack. On long trips it will
go along with the F5, with the F100 serving as my second camera and the bag
serving the F100 alone, and as an additional equipment bag for the F5. The pack
contains the following lenses: Sigma 28mm f/1.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tokina 400mm
f/5.6, Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6, Sigma 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6, Nikkor 70-300mm
f/4-5.6 G, and Kenko 1.5X teleconverter. Three more lenses are planned for this
bag, a Tokina 17mm f/3.5 prime, Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 wideangle zoom, and the
Tamron 200-500mm f/5-6.3 zoom. A Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 macro lens may also be added.
If I ever get a second digital SLR it will also be housed in this pack.
Lowepro Pro Trekker AW:
This
is my largest Lowepro bag, and has become my primary digital SLR bag, containing
my Nikon D100, with MB-D100 battery pack, and my N80 film camera. Lenses
include: Tokina 12-24mm f/4, Nikkor 24-120mm AF-S f/3.5-5.6 G VR, Sigma 24-135mm
f/2.8-4.5, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6, Sigma and Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 zooms,
and Tokina 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lenses. The backpack also holds the MH-18 battery
charger, MH-19 dual AC-DC battery charger, EH-5 AC adapter, spare batteries,
1.4x teleconverter, Compact Flash cards, filters, cleaning supplies, and other
odds and ends, including CCD cleaning supplies.
Nikon Gadget Bag:
This is my
Nikkormat EL bag, which uses non-AI lenses. Lenses I have for it are a Nikkor
50mm f/2, and Vivitar 70-210 Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 zoom.
Northwest Trails Sport Bag:
This
holds my spare, or seldom used, filters, and spare flash units.
Photo Technic Backpack:
This
is a small backpack that I use for my Konica FT-1 Motor and TC-X cameras.
Enclosed are: Hexanon 40mm f/1.8, Hexanon 52mm f/1.8, Vivitar 100mm f/2.8,
Soligor 28-90mm f/3.5-4.5, and Vivitar 85-205mm f/3.8 lenses, Konica X-14 and
Sunpak 322 D flash units.
Samsonite 550 HG:
This
camcorder bag is in what I carry film. It'll easily carry 70 or 80 rolls.
Tamrac 610:
This was my first
quality gear bag, but is now contains my least used Konica equipment, which
includes my original T3n and Auto Reflex cameras. Hexanon 50mm f/1.8, Hexanon
57mm f/1.4, Soligor 200mm f/2.8, and Hexanon 80-200mm f/3.5, as well as spare
Konica accessories are also enclosed.
Tamrac 5275 Expedition 5:
This
is my primary Konica gear pack. Camera, of course, is a T3n. Enclosed are:
Hexanon 24mm f/2.8, Asanuma 35mm f/2.8, Heaxanon 57mm f/1.2, Hexanon 100mm
f/2.8, Hexanon 135mm f/3.2, Hexanon 200mm f/3.5, and Vivitar 300mm f/5.6 lenses.
Flash is a Vivtar 283. And, it also houses my Konica Q-M200 digital camera.
Tamrac 5278:
This is my
extended trip Konica backpack. It also carries a T3n and FS-1 camera. Lenses
included in this bag are: Quantaray 24mm f/2.5, Vivitar 28mm f/2.5, Hexanon 55mm
f/3.5 Macro, Hexanon 57mm f/1.2, Hexanon 85mm f/1.8,Vivitar 135mm f/2.8, Soligor
200mm f/2.8, Hexanon 200mm f/3.5, Vivitar 400mm f/5.6, and the Konica
teleconverter. It also has a Vivitar 283 flash and the Konica X-24 flash,
manual and electronic cable releases, T-mount adapter, off-camera flash cord,
spare body and lens caps, and other odds and ends.
Tamrac 5612 Pro 12:
This
Tamrac bag is about the same size as the 610. It'll hold two cameras, five
lenses and a flash. However, it has become my filter and accessory bag. I've
also modified it to carry two Lowepro SW-50 attachment bags. It carries all of
my Cokin filter system filters, filters for black and white photography,
specialty screw-on filters, NiMH battery charger, Sunpak ringlight, gloves,
cleaning supplies, spare front and rear lens caps, spare cable releases, and
various other odds and ends.
Flashes I use most often are the Vivitar 283 and 285 with my Konicas. Both are reliable and I'm more comfortable with them. When shooting Nikon I'll use the Nikon SB-15 and SB-80DX speedlights, and on occasion the Sunpak 433D. My macro flash is the Sunpak DX12R ringlight.
In all of my working camera bags, I'll also carry a pen and notebook, keeping track of each subject taken, lens used, aperture and shutter speed and what filter was used. I also carry white adhesive tape and a felt pen in case I need to mark which roll of film goes with which set of notes. I also keep a bean bag in my truck for use when a tripod can't be used and the camera needs to remain steady.
In addition, on extended photo trips, I'll carry flashlights, an emergency spaceage blanket, compass, magnesium fire starter, water, snacks, waterproof matches, spare batteries, photo vest, hat or cap, first-aid kit, photo guide books, various road atlases, and always more film and media cards than I think I'll need.
Go back to the Konica or Nikon equipment page, my SLR homepage, or go on to the next page for some of the clothing, boots, various gizmos, and camping gear I use on photo trips.
