Trying to figure out a good way to store my equipment when not using it.

[rachelanne6791]

I like to keep it all in a central location, and then when I have a shoot or a trip, I select what I need and put it in one of my two gear bags. Currently that “central location” is just the top of a dresser, so I've lost quite a bit of the smaller bits of equipment, like caps and quick release plates, from it being a mess or falling off the sides.


I’ve got one average sized body, 2 small and 2 average sized lenses, 1 flash, and multiple filters, plus other small accessories, like extra batteries and the like. I'd like something portable, as I'm in college and need to bring it between home and school, and something I could possibly label would be fantastic, so I could keep organized.

Any suggestions?

 

[Designer]

I like to keep it all in a central location, and then when I have a shoot or a trip, I select what I need and put it in one of my two gear bags. Currently that “central location” is just the top of a dresser, so I've lost quite a bit of the smaller bits of equipment, like caps and quick release plates, from it being a mess or falling off the sides. I’ve got one average sized body, 2 small and 2 average sized lenses, 1 flash, and multiple filters, plus other small accessories, like extra batteries and the like. I'd like something portable, as I'm in college and need to bring it between home and school, and something I could possibly label would be fantastic, so I could keep organized. Any suggestions?

Personally, I use a couple of dresser drawers, and I don't have a bag that holds it all anyway, so I have to select the pieces that I am going to use, and use whatever bag I can use to carry it all.I suggest that you consider obtaining one or two of those plastic storage bins with lids. Not the really deep ones, but kind of small so nothing is on top of something else. When you need to put it in the car, you can just grab the bin and go.

 

[sm4him]

I have three different camera bags. One is a LowePro AW100 that is my main bag. It's small, but I can actually fit my D5100 with 100mm macro lens on it, plus 3 other lens and my flash, in addition to the wireless triggers, extra batteries for camera and flash and extra memory cards. It is stuffed full when I do that, though.
Since this is the bag I use most often, I keep the stuff I would most often take with me in it. Camera, flash, macro and zoom lens, extra batteries and wireless triggers.

I have a much larger bag, LowePro AW200 that I only take when I need most of my equipment. I use it to store any lenses that aren't in my main bag, my Kenko tubes, some filters that I don't use that often, basically anything I use on occasion but not every time. I also keep a spare memory card in it at all times, to lessen the chance that I forget to take an extra with me if I switch to that bag.

Then I have a smaller, basic camera bag that came with the camera. I never really carry it, but I use it to store anything that I rarely ever use but want just often enough to not bother getting rid of it. Right now, the only thing in there is an old manual-focus sigma lens I bought with a Nikon film camera and a few little accessories.

 

[KmH]

I used a couple book shelves I added doors to. I kept a couple of re-usable desiccant canisters on each self too.
Dry-Packs Indicating Silica Gel 40 Grams in Sturdy Aluminum Dehumidifying Canister - No Cobalt Chloride II - DP40CAN

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[manaheim]

Leave it strewn all over your desk. (sorta what I do, though not intentionally... I have two bodies, 2 lenses, a few batteries and a various plastic bits there currently)

What I have found that works very well is one of those multi-drawer plastic storage things that you can shove in your closet or whatever. It's about 3' high with 4-5 drawers in it. I then label each drawer and store things by category. (when they're not strewn on my desk)

You can get them at any office supply store.

 

[cgipson1]

My main bag... that I used just for bodies and lenses (I have another bag I keep speedlights and accessories in). Something like this would probably hold everything you have, securely and in a portable case.

Amazon.com: Lowepro Pro Roller x200 Camera Bag (Black): Camera & Photo

I then have a backpack and some smaller bags I used to carry gear with... I usually only take the main bag if it stays in the car.

 

[Don Kondra]

This is what I use

26" W x 34" H x 11" D, prices start @ $3300.

Cheers, Don

 

[manaheim]

Don, that's just not fair.

 

[Tony S]

I use three different bags for holding stuff. I use an Airport Addicted for holding larger items (400 2.8 IS, chargers,extra 580's,clamps) that I most likely won't need to carry around when I grab and run.
I then have a Tamrac video bag that I use as my grab bag when I head out for a shoot. I like the video bag because it's a bit longer than a regular photo bag and I can leave my 70-200 2.8 with hood on it in the bag ready to go, it also holds the other body with either the 100mm macro or 24-70 on it, two 580 EX, filters, batteries, various little stuff I may need, and snap my third bag to the outside of it.
My third bag is a fanny pack, it holds the two flash units, one extra battery for the camera, two sets of batteries for the flash,circular polarizer, ND and graduated filters, and can hold either the 100mm or 24-70.

So if I head out for a day of shooting I put the three bags in the car, I have everything I need with me. The way it's set up I can grab one in each hand and be out the door.
When I venture from the car for something I will be doing for a while I take the video bag and fanny pack.
If I am going to get some quick shots for spot event type shooting I grab the camera with the 70-200 on it, the second body with the 24-70 on it, and go.

It all sits inside the door of the coat closet ready to go.

 

[rachelanne6791]

Thanks, everyone- I think the plastic storage unit is the route I'm going to go, as it's the lightest and the see-through aspect is really handy. I'd love to have a dedicated dresser drawer with inserts and such, but since I'm in between school and home, and storage is really limited in dorm rooms, I just can't use that much space.
I currently have the Lowepro Fastpack 350 and the Adventura 170, and I like having the option of the bigger pack for longer shoots with more complicated equipment, I just don't like to keep it all in the bags in between shoots because I have a tendency during shoots to take things out and put them back very haphazardly, so by the time I get home, everything in the kit is a mess. I like to take it all out and get organized after a shoot so that it's ready to go for my next one.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!