I'm a 3 lens guy so I typically go whats my wide, whats my normal, whats my portrait lens. 1 lens on camera, 2 with the back to back rear cap. Right now I'm on 28/40/50. I'm curious about a 21/24 though
Leica M I have 6 lenses and normally I take 3 lenses and choose 1 of each pair
16-18-21 or 24/3.8
35/1.4 or 50/1.4
90/2 APO or 135/3.8 APO
There are times I take both the (35 and 50) or the (16-18-21 and 24) and leave both the 90 and 135 behind.
I use a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 25. The odd occasion I go all out and the camera does not go in the camera bag it goes on my shoulder with attached lens and I take all but the 135.
On my Canon mirrorless front my kit for most coverage was EF 11-24, RF 28-70/2 and RF 100-500
With the advent of the VCM lenses I have all 6. In many cases these replaced other lens kits. The most common combination I take is 20,50 and 85.
I also combine the 14vcm with the 24-105mm/2.8 Z.
If shooting wildlife and scenic then the kit is 100-500 and 14-35/4 L
When shooting flowers/gardens RF 24/1.8, 35/1.8 and 100/2.8 macro
Sometimes I go all manual focus picking 3 Zeiss lenses, or 3 Otus lenses or 3 Voigtlander (SL-EF and RF) or 3 Canon FD/FL lenses.
For ultraviolet photography Coastal Optics 60, Asahi Pentax 85mm f/4.5 Ultra-Achromatic-Takumar and 105 Nikkor UV
For infrared Zeiss ZF-IR 25/2.8, ZF-IR 50/1.4, ZF-IR 85/1.4 though I will shoot with other lenses that are IR capable but these are my goto IR lenses.
For my GFX II system it is 20-35, 55/1.7 and one of 110/2 or 120/4 macro. Occasionally I will adapt the Coastal Optics 60, Canon EF 40 instead of the 55/1.7.
There are other combinations I do as I have many many far too many lenses but the above is my main go to kits. Though as of late the RF Voiigtlander 35/1.4 seems to go in the bag with any combination of lenses.
I take most of my photos while traveling and I'm headed to Maui and Kauai in about 10 days. I've been to both many times so I know what to expect.
I try to take a light kit to walk around just one or 2 lenses but I have recently completed an ultra small and pretty light 5+1 lens M kit consisting of M10R, 21mm f/3.5 Thypoch Ksana, 28mm f/2.8 Brightin Star (I don't use that 21mm or 28mm much) 35mm Summilux Pre Aspherical that I just got back from a YYE CLA, 35mm LLL 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical "11873" (I want to compare the 35s), 50mm Summicron Rigid, 90mm Macro-Elmar. All the lenses (except one on the body) fit in a small Wotancraft zipper pouch each in their own microfiber pouch. I don't carry it all I just take 1 one two lenses at a time in a small Wotancraft or ThinkTank sling bag.
I only take my Leica's near the water. For on or in the water I have a Nikon Z6III (I haven't decided on either the Nikon 35mm 1.8 or 40mm f/2 in an Aquatech Housing. I'm signed up for 2 Sailing/Snorkel trip so far one on Maui and one on Kauai to the Napali coast.
I transport my gear in a ThinkTank Roller Derby Spinner bag. I pull out all the dividers and bag or wrap each piece of gear. I'll also bring along an action camera, I prefer the DJI Osmo to Go Pro. A MacBook Air and an iPad mini 2 backup SSDs and a smallish CF tripod with a RRS BH-25 head. I bring protection like a Matador camera base layer some Op tech rain covers and a few dry bags, a floating waterproof tethered soft case for my iphone.
freaklikeme wrote:
How do you manage your personal kit? How do you decide what makes it into the bag? Are you a big believer in well-matched optical performance in different lenses or do you prefer a variety? Do you have specific kits for specific duties? What goes through your mind when you're loading up the bag for a personal adventure? Your day to day? How do you kit?
For me I choose a camera/lens based on where it sits between three points: speed, size and capability. I like to visualize it as a triangle, where if I move towards any one point, then I know the other two points will be diminished to some degree*. Once I know where that point should sit for any one event, I choose the cameras/lenses that best fit the bill. From those the list is whittled down further based on bag choice and how much work the shoot will be.
I don't really believe in matching optical performance, but I generally like to have a performance floor that all of my lenses meet. As for specific kits for specific duties I used to, but what I found is that more often than not that was just an excuse to buy more camera gear. In practice I found it was way better for both wallet and mind to have one or two core bodies and fill out a lens selection. The one exception to this for me is that I've had a few specific lenses that I've kept bodies around for.
The thing that goes through my mind more often than not when I'm loading up the bag is figuring out how much of a hassle it's going to be carrying what I'm bringing, that and what the weather will be and where I'll be eating; I think half the reason I go out for photo trips is because it's a good excuse to try new foods wherever I'm at.
For travel kits I really just prefer bringing something that can stay out of mind. I'm there to enjoy myself and while pictures can definitely be part of that, I find I mentally take myself out of the place I'm in if I'm just focusing on getting shots. I also do not like to take dedicated photo bags on trips with me**, instead I take my normal little shoulder bag for my books and stuff my camera in there. So, I usually optimize for speed/size on vacation. This isn't to say that I'm necessarily choosing an autofocus camera every time, though. I actually really prefer more mechanical cameras with manual focusing for vacation because for me they're simple enough that I can use them fairly quickly, and that simplicity means that they're out of mind more often than not.
*There are definitely caveats to this particularly with how you're defining speed/size/capability, but I find it's a generally helpful model to use. I used to stress and obsess over kitting stuff out, and I think that it makes the analysis paralysis go away because it gives you an easy way to define what you need.
**Bag choice for me is something that I could write way more about, simply because it is such a surprisingly outsized factor in how I build a kit. It determines ease of access to gear, what weather conditions and environments I can bring my gear into, and how fatigued I get. I have spent an irresponsible amount of money and time on acquiring all sorts of photography gear, and the singular best purchase that I have made was an $80 ThinkTank Retrospective 50L. If I was given the choice of either keeping all of my cameras and losing the bag or keeping the bag and losing all of my cameras/starting over, I'd choose keeping the bag. I don't take it on casual outings just because the thing is over half the width of me when on my side, but when I'm at events, having the space for 3-5 bodies with large lenses and accessories, snacks, water, and maybe a laptop or two all in one well-padded and easy to access spot made photographing so much easier that it fundamentally changed how I approached it. The bag also having an in-built retractable cover for weather means I also have to be far less worried about the forecast.
I usually try to keep it simple and start with what I’m actually going to shoot. One body and 2–3 lenses is usually enough for me. I don’t worry too much about having every lens match perfectly as long as they’re all good enough for the job
As I get back into film, I think I’ve finally settled on how I want to use my cameras.
The plan is to carry the Nikon FM3A with the 28mm as a second camera alongside either the Leica or Sony. If I’m going somewhere where I don’t expect to have great light, I’ll generally leave the film camera at home and take advantage of the dynamic range and flexibility of digital. I don’t want to force film into situations where digital simply makes more sense.
The nice thing is that my entire kit actually fits into a relatively small MindShift backpack. All of my cameras and lenses fit, and everything is easily accessible. So even though I have multiple systems, traveling with the whole kit really isn’t much of a hassle. I can bring what I think I might need and make the decision once I’m there.
I don’t find myself using a tripod much anymore either, but if I do want it, it rides on the outside of the backpack. It’s an older carbon fiber Gitzo that I’ve had forever, so I’m certainly not getting rid of it.
If I’m going out by myself, though, it’ll usually be the Leica. That’s the camera I actually want to shoot when I’m just walking around with nothing else going on. The M10-R with the 50 Lux is my personal favorite camera and lens. By a lot.
The FM3A gives me something different. I like the idea of having the 28mm on it and using it alongside the Leica’s 50mm. If the light is good and the situation lends itself to film, I’ll bring it. If not, it stays home. I don’t need to make film part of every outing just because I’m getting back into it.
Sports is a completely different story. That’s where the A1 II will eventually come into play. The idea is to have the A1 II essentially glued to the 70-200 GM II, with the A9 staying with the 35 GM for my wife to use. That gives us two complete setups without constantly swapping lenses or bodies.
Then the Leica becomes more situational. If I’m going somewhere where I expect a reasonable crowd and can actually enjoy shooting with it, it comes with me. If I’m going somewhere chaotic or where I’m likely to need fast AF, it stays home.So I’m not really trying to make one camera do everything anymore.
flash wrote:
I’m packing for a trip now so I’m right in the middle of choosing my kit. I am very specific about what I carry on any particular day or trip. And I agonise over gear selection every time. Mind you I don’t actually hate the process. I just takes a while to settle in my head.This includes any accessories and even the bag I’m taking on any particular trip.
Days out are relatively easy. It’ll be a Q3-43 or an M with a 50 and maybe a 90 macro. Or if I have a new camera I’m learning (currently the Sony A7R6). These almost certainly are a camera strap over my shoulder and no bag, lens caps or accessories. If I have a spare M lens it’ll go in my pocket wrapped in a microfiber cloth.
For my travel photography the process is much more involved. But I follow the old mantra:
Subject>Lenses>accessories>bodies>bag. IQ and system flexibility are more important to me than weight but would prefer less, if possible.
I’m heading to Greenland in a week so I’m currently procrastinating about what to take. The main subject is ice but there will also be people, landscapes and *maybe* whales and sea birds. I also have a flight to Denmark with strict weight limits and I need to be water resistant (shooting from a zodiac). Mostly I’m looking for the best IQ I can in a reasonable kit as my goal is to print as big as I can when I get home. I’m currently deciding between three kits:
1. My X2D2 plus a X2D, 20-35, 35-100, 135 and 1.7x TC. Plus a 55 and 90V for any portraits etc. This would basically do except for any birds or wildlife we encounter. IQ monster obviously. But no where near as flexible as the other two. But my preferred system if it’s suitable. Epic IBIS will help in the zodiacs. I wish there was a longer zoom lens though. But I could just let the wildlife go and concentrate on the ice.
2. Leica SL3 and SL3-P with the 14-24, 24-90 and either 90-280 or 100-400 .he 100-400 is very good but not as good as the 90-280. But the 90-280 has slower AF. Extremely weather proof and robust. A medium sized kit but not as great optically as the other two unless I take the 90-280 and lose some reach. I’d absolutely kill for a version 2 of the 90-280 with AF like the newer lenses.
3. 2 x Sony A7R6, plus 12-24G, 28-70 f2 GM, 50-150 f2 GM and 100-400 4.5 GM. This is the ideal kit, optically but bigger and heavier. I’l have to be sneaky on that single flight to Copenhagen. But the performance is undeniable. As this is a IQ focused trip the A1ii’s stay home.
4. Take the Hasselblad kit but add the A7R6 and 100-400 for any wildlife. Kit starts to get pretty big though.
Bag needs to be something splash proof because of the zodiac. So that’s easy. It’ll be a Wandrd backpack of some form. No wheelie bags (my preference for travel and then repack into a small backpack on location) due to the weight issue. Those bags are heavy. But there’s no real hiking on this trip so I can have a backpack weight of 8-10kg and be comfortable. That’s my limit. I’ll need some Kase magnetic ND’s and a polariser and a small but decent tripod. I’ll pack a small Gitzo with a geared head. I’ll also pack a sling bag for the 50-150 for wandering around Copenhagen at the end of the trip.
Laptop is out and 11 inch iPad is in. I despise processing on the iPad so it’ll be to facilitate backups and maybe check a few shots but nothing more. I always pack a small repair and maintenance kit with sensor swabs and lens cloths, multitool etc. Extra spare batteries because it’s cold. Dual battery charger. Spare lens caps. lenses are all with Kase rings to the largest size so only one set of filters.
The whole thing is complicated by the fact I’ve not been to Greenland or shot icebergs. So, although I’m doing as much research as possible it still feels like a best guess. I think I’ll need something a bit longer as we’ll be away from some icebergs (for safety if nothing else). I also need at least two bodies to minimise lens changes. So I’ll likely pack the three kits and pick one on the day of departure.
I’l spend the next week going back and forward, testing and packing until eventually there’s only one kit. Generally it’s a toss up between my ‘blades and everything else.
So that’s my process. Until the next rip and I’l do it all over again. It sounds daft and complex and it is. But I actually enjoy it. Not something for everyone though. Once on location I completely forget about all the stuff I left behind and concentrate on getting the best with what I brought. When I get home I analyse the pros and cons and what I might change and then start the process again for the next trip.
It does depend on what you think you are shooting and in what light the 2-4 lens go in the bag depending on what the anticipated goals of the outing really are. Sometimes mistakes are made.
Scenics/outdoors when vintage character might not be my thing mostly the "clinical" sort of lenses from 21-135 usually anchored with an apo 50 summicron or 3.5 50 CS, and the 28 mm apo 2 CS in the middle unless it is low light then maybe a CS 50 1.2, some colors like Fall colors a 50 thorium summicron or LLL elcan with Lak glass seems to be nice, or a sonnar like the omnar but all of these are not quite as detail sharp as a 50 summicron. Compression of scenery 90 mm ultron or 135 apo Leica... If really bright light, I might scale down to colorskopers at 21/28/90 with an apo 50 especially if I have to carry my kit too far and want to lighten the load since I will probably be doing a lot f5.6/8 anyways. Very light 4 lens kit that fits the smallest bag and all E39 if I want to carry a filter or two.
Flip over the vintage character, things made by people or people then I carried a steel rim, 50/2 omnar, and a 1966 LLL recently to Japan that worked well, but lots of other possibles, the LLL super 6, the 75 mm SP2 or ms optics 73 much in the running
Indoors, like shoot interior of a cathedral the 21 mm and 28 mm CS Noks...all the way. Ditto low light, fading light and perhaps that 1966 (or a .95) for 50 mm people indoors background..
I have been to Greenland several times, polar bears exist, tough to see, never have seen them even going way up to > 80N on the east side far far from civilization, guides had guns that stayed on shoulder, ditto even at the north pole a polar bear is possible and when I was there the russian guides had rifles and dogs, no bears seem. However, go to Svalbard.. polar bears commonly seen (and people carry rifles in case, like they carry guns in Alaska for brown bears), but in the end if you really want to see bears churchill is the place, 100% chance! A few years ago parked in a boat behind Nat Geo, they were documenting Polar Bears near churchill catching beluga whales, apparently one them figured out to sit on a rock for days and wait for a whale to pass and pounce, after a mo th they got their shot, the polar bear dragged it to shore and a feeding frenzy of maybe 10 bears descended on the kill site, got to see it and Nat Geo captured it, in the end it was maybe 3) seconds or a minute on the televised show, for more than a month's work by them, and I have no idea at what cost. Also, once saw a bear hunting on the polar ice pack between Svalbard and east north of Greenland far from land, that was really neat.Anyways you have to go where the bears are commonly seen to have more than a lucky shot. I guess there are something like a few 10s of thousands spread across the entire arctic.
Greenland is a great place for photography, caribou and musk ox very possible, scenery amazing, towns are great subjects, but not really the place to see polar bears with any degree of confidence.
No polar bears seen, unfortunately. Well maybe not. We were on foot mostly.
Kit worked well as usual. Could have used a boring super zoom for city wandering. Have ordered a Sigma 20-200 to try out.
It all depends on the mission. Daily carry at home tends to be one camera, one lens, no bag. Euro travel tends to be a backpack with a Q3 in it. If I'm shooting landscapes, construction, or events, I'll bring a proper kit with multiple purpose oriented lenses.
If I'm just going out and being deliberate (street downtown, photo hike, family outing) I take either MP240 or M6 and Biogon 35 or 50 1.5. Need to add a 28 1.5 but missed the last one.
Skiing, extended photo first outing like a backpacking trip where I don't know what to expect, AF need, I want resolution, I'd take A7rvi , 16 1.8, 20-70, 70-200 (if I think I want compression). 24 1.4 if I want to be more deliberative.
Airshow or wildlife or I know the weather is going to crap all over me, steal my OM1.2 back from my daughter with the 100-400 ii or 8-25.
Mountain biking blue type runs - iPhone
We're going to start doing some euro trips now that the kids are turning 15 and I'm leaning toward both 1 Leica and Sony a7rvi.
The Leica's are my angst, I want to grab them both! But, film is probably a short lived experiment. Grates on my to buy a roll over porta for 18 and then pay 8 for developing and realized I left the lens cap on or my finger was in the way or some other stupid thing!
Every time that I post regarding kit, I take out something different next trip. Currently sitting in bullet train from Seoul to Gyeongju. A7R6 with battery grip, 17mm, 24mm,35mm,50mm and 90mm. Mostly compact lenses.. two manual focus .. Usually go out with two, or three lenses. This completely contradicts my usual simpler carry. Struggling a bit with the body and overly complicated menu.
In the early 60's I inherited 2 Leicas and 6 lenses. I had already done a fair amount of photography so at least I almost knew what I was doing, but while hitchhiking around Europe I took those two bodies and 4 of those lenses from Norway to Algeria (35mm to 200mm with screw mount Visoflex) and survived, with images I still treasure.
Since then I've tried just about everything, going from a setup that included 2 Leica M's with 4 lenses plus two Nikons with 5 lenses from 15 to 400mm in the 80's (but I was stronger then) to one camera and its lens (Hasselblad SWC). The last trip with film to Egypt and the Middle East was with 2 Leica M's with 5 lenses, an Xpan and its 3 lenses and one carry-on completely filled with film. That trip convinced me to fully switch to digital for trips.
For 45 years I shot professionally; mostly architecture and construction both ground based and aerial, so my kit was often quite expansive.
Personally I always shot a lot; I hardly missed a day most years. We took many trips and visited about 75 countries over the decades without that being a goal.
On a long trekking trip in the Annapurna region in Nepal I took 2 Leica M's with 4 lenses, a Mamiya 6 with its 3 lenses and a Noblex 150U. I also took a Roundshot 28/220 on one trip to Europe as well as a 3 lens 4x5 kit with a 2.5lb Ikeda and 3 Graphmatic holders.
On an Arctic and on an Antarctic trip I took m43 cameras and lenses, mainly zooms which I could take into the shower with me after the Zodiac tours to get rid of the salt and they were the right equipment for that.
On a trip to southern Italy and Sicily last fall I took an M10-M and Apo 35 and an iPhone.
On a trip to Guatemala this spring I took an OM-1mkII, a Pen-F, the 12-100/4 (an amazingly good lens), a Laowa 6mm, a Panasonic 15mm/1.7 and a recent iPhone.
Later this fall we're going to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Hong Kong and I'll take the M10-M with at least 2 and maybe 3 lenses and either an M11 and another lens or just an iPhone again.
At home I always go out with only one camera and usually 1 or 2 lenses, and I have lots of choice. However, I truly believe that there are many more pictures out there to be captured by any one camera and any one lens than will ever be realized. I just try to make sure I always have at least one camera with me.
For me is:
vacation - milc with 3 lenses plus compact backup(1 lens)
camping/hiking - compact (m43) with 2 lenses
roadtrip/car camping - milc/m43/rf...multiple lenses
walkaround - 1 camera/1 lens
events (as in special sites/locations nearby) - milc with as many lenses my camera bag can fit
two bodies, 3 lenses 21/35/100 Macro (all Zeiss classic manual focus) for traveling. If I want to shoot birds and wildlfe a 70-300 if I want to hike light, or 80-400mm. Or Panasonic G9 + 100-400 which I also use for fliming.
If I want to go with just lens Nikon Z7 and Voigtländer 40/1.2.
I have always loved 35mm. This made the next narrower lens difficult:
- 35 - 85 is too big a jump,
- 35 - 50 is too close.
This has become especially true with digital, where some slight cropping can be done in a breeze with hardly any penalty.
The 65mm lenses from Sigma and Voigtländer have addressed this problem: 35 - 65 is a very natural gap.
After that a 135 lends itself, yielding 35 - 65 - 135. 135mm is a real tele and with a 1.5x crop you get a 200mm.
To finish things off at the wide end for me personally an 18mm lens fits best:
18 - 35 - 65 - 135: that coveres a lot of range!
