Carrying your equipment on trips

[goodguy]

So I just came back from a family trip to New York (I knew the traffic there is bad but MY GOD its even worst then I expected it to be!!!).
Our trips usually start at 7am and ends at 10pm so weight of stuff I carry is always a big struggle for me, never the less I took my D750 and all my lenses (Tamron 70-200mm 2.8, Nikon 24-70mm 2.8, Nikon 50mm and Sigma 18-35mm).
I must admit in these cases I do envy those with Sony a6000 or Fuji X-T1
Well to my joy the weight was actually not a problem at all, we were having so much fun I forgot the weight of the gear and was busy at just having fun and shooting to my content.

I wonder what is the gear you take in such occasion ?

 

[jaomul]

I went to Croatia for a week 2 years ago. I had my Canon 5d with 24-105mm and a 50mm f1.8. The zoom was for day, the prime was for nights. I needed nothing else for 90% of my shots. I did also take a bridge camera.

About 3 days in my zoom failed. Kind of frustrated I began looking at lighter systems. By coincidence I never seen so many people with good to great kits. There were many Asian people there and they seem to really like there cameras. Not sure if it's because of availability where they live, price or is it just a higher percentage of photography enthusiasts from there.Many had mirrorless cameras.

Long/ short. Any trip now I bring my Olympus EM5 with 12-50, and 40-150mm lenses. I will get the 45mm prime f1.8 in time. I brought this kit to the Greek islands recently and never wished for more or felt I could get a better photo if....

Now I do have a dslr set up and it's great, but I'll take it only if doing wildlife or I'll have my car nearby or also people events where it's more flexible, but no more sore travel back for me, especially if family are there also

 

[sashbar]

I usually carry a small Messenger 150 bag where I throw two cameras:

XT-1 with 18-55 mm f/2,8-4 as my main walkabout lense,
and Ricoh GR that has 18 mm lense, it weights very little,
also
27 mm FUJI (excellent) pancake which is tiny and weights nothing
and FUJI 55-200 (OR FUJI 10-24)

and a handful of cheap but good Chinese spare batteries, these cameras are power hungry.

All that combined ( with either 50-200 or 10-24) weights significantly less than Nikon 5100 body with just two lenses: 16-85 and 70-300, never mind a prosumer bodies.

Having said that, when it comes to some big dedicated trips like your trip to NY , I would happily carry a D750 with 24-70 and 700-200. (4 lenses would be probably too much, I would most probably not use them all anyway). Yes it is heavy even with just one spare zoom, but the gear is great and it is worth it.

It is smaller trips when you go to your office or somewhere else by public transport and probably may have one of two hours for shooting if the weather allows, and think, if it is worth carrying a big heavy bag, - that is where a compact gear has a real edge.

I often do not remember if I am carrying my little Ricoh in my bag and have to check if it is there when I see something interesting. And this is an APSC camera with image IQ similar to D7000 ( or better if D7000 has a zoom) and this little thing is more customiseable and has some controls that D7000 or D7100 lack!

PS. I just imagined if I had both my and your gear and were packing things for a trip to NY, what would I take? Hmm, not an easy choice...
For a family trip it would be FUJI+Ricoh without any doubts. If I were alone with one small suitcase, plenty of time and no other obligations, then D750 would be tempting...mostly for shooting NY at night... and I would throw my Ricoh in the bag of course

 

[nerwin]

When I went to Boston, at the time I had the D7000 and I only bought the 12-24 f/4 and 50 1.8 packed in a Event Messenger 150. It was light enough to carry around all day. But Boston is no NYC. I actually have plans going to NYC soon and I'm going to leave my camera at home and rent a smaller camera like the Panasonic LX100 or the A6000. If I traveled all the time I'd totally have some kind of mirrorless system.

 

[goodguy]

"Jaomul" in regards to cameras you saw on your trip, most of the cameras I saw in New York were cell phones, I would say 60% or even more.
Lots of DSLR's, mostly Canons but still lots of Nikons.
Saw some mirrorless cameras, saw Sony, Fuji and even one OM-D5 but to my surprise I didnt see too many mirrorless cameras compared to DSLR's
I was also happy to see lots of Canon G cameras which is my second camera and used by my wife.

 

[sm4him]

It really depends on the situation for me, but I tend to take as much as I can.
If I'm staying at a friend's house or in a hotel I feel safe enough about--then I'd take both my D7100 and the D5100 backup, along with most of my lenses, ND filter, tripod, etc.
But if I'm going somewhere where I won't be able to pick and choose on a daily basis what to take with me and what to leave behind--then I'd just take the D7100, the birding lens, and one or two other lens (depending on what I plan to shoot), MAYBE the travel tripod and probably the ND filter.
But to be fair, I rarely (that is, NEVER, since I've had a DSLR) go anywhere by plane--that would likely change the equation quite a bit.

I went on a cruise last year; took both camera bodies, the birding lens, the 70-200 f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, macro lens, 28mm f/2.8, and 18-55 kit lens, along with the travel tripod, ND filter and a flash. Never used the flash or the backup body, but otherwise used all the lenses at some point and was glad I took them. Choosing what to actually take with me off the ship each day was a challenge, though! Didn't take the birding lens into Nassau because:
1. We were mostly shopping
2. It's Nassau.
But I kinda wished I had, because there were some cool birds in a park there.

 

[nerwin]

@goodguy That's a really interesting observation. I don't mind carrying around my DSLR, but in a place like NYC where there is a TON of people, I'm worried that I would be a target because I got expensive camera gear vs someone with a tiny point and shoot. I've also read that some street photographers put gaffers tape over their camera's branding to help it look inconspicuous..not sure if that actually works.

 

[D-B-J]

I would have likely carried my usual:

Nikon D800 w/ Really Right Stuff L-Bracket
Nikon 16-35 f4 VRII
Nikon 85mm 1.8G
Tamron 70-200 2.8VC
D800 Grip
Gamut of Lee Filters and accessories
Tripod

All in my Lowepro Vertex 200AW, with the Tripod in it's own small bag.

Jake

 

[Gary A.]

It depends whether the trip is a family sightseeing thing or a photo expedition thing. With family usually one camera, say the X100S. If I'm there just for photography then two cameras with a wide assortment of lens.

Photography and family vacations don't mix.

 

[fjrabon]

90% of the time for travel it's Nikon A (18.5mm fixed prime compact aps-c), Fuji X100T plus the Fuji 35mm conversion lens. In 35mm equivalent terms, that gives me two bodies and available focal lengths of 28mm, 35mm and 50mm, in a kit that can easily fit in a small messenger bag or coat pockets. Pretty versatile little pair that can take care of most any needs I'd have. The Fuji has wifi built in, which is great for vacation stuff because everybody likes things in the moment posted to Facebook, Instagram, etc.

If I think I'll be shooting wildlife, macro, portraits, ultra wide or sports i'd bring the D7000 plus the lenses I still have for it (11-16 f2.8; 35mm f/1.8; 60mm f/2; 80-200 f/2.8)

I don't bother with a walk about zoom for the d7000, because it's not my walkabout camera.

 

[goodguy]

It depends whether the trip is a family sightseeing thing or a photo expedition thing. With family usually one camera, say the X100S. If I'm there just for photography then two cameras with a wide assortment of lens.

Photography and family vacations don't mix.

In my case its both, when we go out its always a photo shoot, my wife with the G15 and me with the D750.
To my joy my daughter has joined us with a superzoom Canon I bought her few months ago.

 

[Tailgunner]

It really all depends on whats going on.

My last trip out was a backpack camping trip. You brought what you need...including water. Well, water weighs 1gl = 8lbs. So saving weight was crucial. This meant bringing 8 lbs of camera gear was out of the question (2 lb body, 2 lens, 4 lbs tripod). I opted for my Gopro 4 Black instead. The quality isn't as good as my D800 but it only weighs 5 ounces with the housing. I probably had a pound tied up with it and a back pack clamp, extra batteries, and cards. It was also compact and took up little to no room. This is my bare minimum set up designed for saving space and weight.

 

[tirediron]

My most basic kit is one body, 16-35, 24-70, 70-200, 105 macro, 85, speedlight, tripod, remote release and basic filter kit. That all fits into a good-quality back-pack style bag which I can wear without any issue for 10-14 hours at a time.

 

[D-B-J]

Here's what I took with me today to Nantucket for the Daffodil Festival. The only thing not pictured is my Black Rapid Sport strap.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SnappingShark]

I went to Seattle mid last year (2 hours drive away from me) and took my Nikon gear (body, 3 lenses, tripod) and hated every minute of carrying it, setting the tripod up, changing lenses.
I drove, so it was fairly simple to throw it all in the car, but obviously with car crime, I had to keep it with me in certain areas of Seattle.

I then went to Costa Rica at the end of last year, and took my mirrorless equipment - body and 4 lenses, a tripod, some filters - and it filled my carry on bag, but I was good to go (it got a little heavy at times).

I'm shifting my thought process now - if somewhere on a photography assignment, or for work (as a photographer) - by all means take everything. But if it's a family trip - be happy just carrying one small camera.