Comments on: 5 reasons to minimize your camera gear

By: Ivan Phillipsen

Ivan Phillipsen — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 04:23:41 +0000

Thanks for making this point. It’s easy to go nuts and pack too much gear. I am into lightweight backpacking (not quite “ultralight”) and it is sometimes hard to figure out how much or how little camera gear I should take. Saving weight on an extended trip is essential.

I also use a Canon G10 while backpacking, but I finally got a Canon Rebel… Guess I’ll be carrying a bit more weight now!

By: Carlton Ward

Carlton Ward — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:45:46 +0000

I have scaled back as well. I had a backpack stolen with 25K worth of camera gear and was very lucky to get it back intact. I had just put the pack in the car and went to retrieve another camera bag inside a friends house and in that 2-3 minute window, a thief snatched the pack out of my car. A kid that was outside playing saw it happen and we (police & neighbors) quickly found the guy. It was a wake up call and I never leave my backpack alone for even 1 second. Its now the last bag that gets packed as it stays on my back until I get into the car.
I decided I just had too much stuff and am now down to a Canon 5D Mk II, a 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS, & a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS and these 3 lenses are able to capture about anything I want. They all fit into my Lowepro backpack with a carbon fiber tripod attached.

By: Enfocando. 5 razones para usar el mínimo de equipo fotográfico…

Enfocando. 5 razones para usar el mínimo de equipo fotográfico… — Mon, 24 May 2010 05:32:42 +0000

[...] pecado, que tire la primera piedra”. Pero leyendo el artículo que publica Steve Berardi en PhotoNaturalist uno vuelve a reflexionar sobre cuanto de necesario es el nuevo equipo, tan atractivo siempre, para [...]

By: Surf’s Up, Condensed: Top Creativity Links for April 17, 2010 « Creative Liberty

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:06:32 +0000

[...] 5 reasons to minimize your camera gear | PhotoNaturalist Steve Berardi makes the case for not becoming obsessed with new lenses, DSLRs, etc. A passionate (and persuasive) plea for focusing on vision and content over tools. [...]

By: Thierry

Thierry — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:09:51 +0000

Your article is great! You are right to remind us that eventually its is the photographer and not the camera that makes the photo. Henri Cartier-Bresson, founder of the Magnum agency and considered as the father of today’s travel, journalism and street photography was famous to use only one 50mm mounted camera…
–
I am trying to make photography as my full time activity since 2008. I am into journalism (but not hardcore news) and candid street photography, I am French but currently stays in Mumbai, India. After many years of carrying two DSLR bodies, one fish eye, one wide angle zoom, two 50mm (one AF and one manual), one short tele (90mm macro), one x2 extender, two flashes, tripod and all… I gave all this to my dad (who became the happiest dad of his street) and switched for a much simpler set : one Nikon D300 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2,8 + Nikkor 80-200 f/2,8 + one flash SB800 + one mono-pod (occasionally). The whole easily fits either in a special photo backpack or, when I don’t want to be noticed, in a shoulder rough canvas bag (in that case I don’t carry the monop’).
–
Sometimes I even go out carrying the lightest equipment I ever did: only one Panasonic Lumix LX3. And I can tell you that this little thing really lets me do some good work. Here in India, the moment you show your white face up with a decently mounted DSLR in hand, everybody looks at you, dozens of kids come and want to be in your frame. Most of the people are truly very nice in India, especially kids, but sometimes this makes you miss some good natural city life scenes.
Now when I carry only my LX3… In my pocket, none notices me. Even when I handle it, I just look like a tourist… I take it out of my pocket, point, shoot and done. It is so small that most of the time I remain unnoticed. And I must admit that the LX3′s wide angle zoom (eq. 24-60mm) is perfect in street conditions. I am very happy with the image quality which is far better than any other pocket digital cameras I ever had before. Of course it doesn’t compete with the D300 and ED grade lenses but does a photo really needs to be technically absolutely perfect to tell a story? In street photography, I don’t think so. It is more a matter of catching the right look in the right frame, a matter of timing and looking for the proper angle… And this is the photographer’s job, not the camera’s.
–
Very last point: like a lot of photographers and although all I’ve said above, I love cameras, lenses and all sort of photo gears, modern or old ones. I love to go to Paris’ 12th district and check all second hand stuff there, I love to browse ebay and buy old film compact cameras or manual lenses that fit on my modern DSLR… And of course use them, for fun when I can take my time.

Cheers to all photographers: the light ones as well as the cargo carriers ones, what really matters is the passion!

By: Jim Stearns

Jim Stearns — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:59:31 +0000

Vest-Multiple Camera
Well….I carry two Canon cameras, a 20D and a 5D MK II. One camera is setup for a 24-70mm f/2.8 and one setup for a 70-200mm f/2.8. I also carry a one addition lens a Super Wide EF 16-35mm f/2.8 and a 2x extender for the 70-200mm in my photo vest.
How do I carry all this equipment:
1. For Spring through the Fall I use a Tactical Vest, Model: TacLite Pro Vest mfg my 5.11. About $80
The vest is/and has:
• Lightweight Taclite fabric
• 6.1-oz 65% polyester/35% cotton ropstop with Teflon™ finish
• 17 Pockets
• Accommodates AR mags, maps, sunglasses, phone, snacks, water bottles, binoculars, etc.
• Cut long to conceal sidearm
• 5.11′s Back-Up Belt System™ compatible
• Quad-stitched, 55 bar tacks at all stress points
2. During the winter I use a lightweight Military type, netted, assault vest, XXL that goes over my winter clothing. It also has gobs of pockets and a camel pack. About $60
3. To carry the cameras I procured a RS DR-1 Double Strap Harness from BlackRapid. Love this to death. Very comfortable and the weight of the camera are evenly distributed on the shoulders. $130
4. Another good thing I like about the two cameras setup is that I’m not swapping lens under adverse conditions such as dust, rain, snow, etc., thus keeping the elements off the sensor.
I’m primarily a Street/Candid shooter and love the mountains here in Northern Virginia. So, this setup provides me with my needs. When I go out for a shoot it is normally for 6 to 8 hours.
Have Fun, Learn, and Shoot a Lot,
Jim Stearns
P.S. I’m 72 years young…..

By: Gary Van Schaick

Gary Van Schaick — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:14:59 +0000

My 80-400 lives on the D90. I have a Canon G10 for the wide angles, that goes in my pocket. Then I may have the 50mm F1.4 in a pocket. I’ve learned to travel as light as possible on back trails.

By: Jarvis Grant

Jarvis Grant — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 23:15:46 +0000

That great photograper ( well I think he’s great!) Jay Maisel is reported to have said, ” The more equipment you take, the less pictures you make!”

By: What I’m Reading This Week 04/02/10 | Marc Benton dot Com

What I’m Reading This Week 04/02/10 | Marc Benton dot Com — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:43:59 +0000

[...] 5 reasons to minimize your gear PhotoNaturalist [...]

By: Steve Berardi

Steve Berardi — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:13:30 +0000

@renee – Good point! On long hikes or backpacking trips, I usually just bring my Canon G10.. which is great for landscape photos.

@Zack – I’m surprised you didn’t need a burro to haul all that gear

@Michael – I’ve been very satisfied with the 300mm + 1.4 combo so far. And, you’re right–it’s much easier to hike with that combo than a 600mm btw, that photo you linked to is pretty awesome, amazing you took it at 12mm!

@marcus – Good point, and I definitely hope to have that 600mm someday just not anytime soon (unless $10k falls from the sky into my hand, haha).

@photografied – haha, that new 70-200 definitely looks nice, especially with the shorter minimum focus distance than its previous version!