[Reliant K1000]

My 18-55 WR for the weather resistance, my Kiron 100mm Macro and a 2x teleconverter.

And this clamp tripod by Optex - weighs nothing but clamps to a handy tree if I need a stable shot:

[bpjod]

In the past: DA15 & 70, then either DA21 & 40 or else DA35macro. Then I acquired a Sony RX10 and I've been loving that for the 24-200 range and WR.

I've just ordered the DA20-40 for the walkabout lens and with it's WR and range, plan on leaving DA21, 35 & 40 at home. In the future if I've got time to change lenses, I'll go with DA15, DA20-40, and FA100 macro, otherwise I'll bring along the RX10.

[AquaDome]

It depends on where I am hiking and for how long and such.
My "light-weight kit" is the K-50 with DA 18-135. Sometimes I can "loan" it to my sister so I can bring the "heavy kit".
The "heavy kit" is the K-3 with DA* 50-135 and the Limiteds in their zipper case, plus either DA 10-17 FishEye or Sigma 10-20. Maybe the MeFOTO Road-Trip tripod.
The "MF kit" for city-shooting is the 645N with 45mm and a couple extra 120 or 220 cartridges, plus a Kodak Medalist II 6x9, light meter, and the MeFOTO tripod.
My original kit was just a K1000 with M50/2 and a pocket full of film cans. That camera got hauled all around America for nearly 20 years. Why isn't that enough any more?

[Dice]

Manfrotto carbon, k-5, DA20-40, DA50-135, CPL, remote, spare battery. If I want to get more creative I bring my DA300. 80% time though it is just the first 3 on the list. The close focusing of both 20-40 and 50-135 is good enough for pseudo macro. I typically cram extra lens into a hydro pack and hand carry camera and primary lens.

[bpv_UW]

I prefer compact and lightweight. This is my usual:

K5
Da 15 (though don't have a copy at the moment)
Fa 31
Fa 77
49mm CPL and 10-stop ND
(all the above carried in a small Clik Elite SLR chest pack)
Feisol tripod/legs (strapped to the side of my backpack)

I've gotten the A50/2.8 macro recently and could probably squeeze that in as well to add macro capability.

-Brandon

[ChatMechant]

Subject to change per lba attack, but as of today: k-3, 16-50, 60-250, old tammy 90 macro and if I'm not feeling lazy, one of those nifty mefoto tripods. Pretty nice kit, but heavy.
Sometimes I think just a k-01, 15 limited, 35 macro and 100 macro would be all I'd really need.

[KjellAV]

My all-round travel kit is:

Pentax K3 with battery grip
Sigma 18-35mm f.1.8
Pentax 50-135mm f.2.8
Pentax teleconverter 1.4

With this kit have the range from 18mm to 190mm APS-C format and sharp lenses. The Sigma is bulky, but it´s SHARP. Only problem with the sigma is that it is more often not in focus despite ok by the camera.
Pentax lens and the teleconverter gives me the range i normally need, and I can shoot in realy bad weather.

If i know i need more range, i swap my sigma with pentax 300mm f.4.0 and I bring a tripod. With the teleconverter i get 420mm.

[magkelly]

Depends upon the weather. If it's gloomy K-30's and my WR lenses. If it's not like to rain a lot of the time now it's my E-P3 and my M43 lenses. I actually prefer to take my E-P3's mostly now. My whole E-P3 kit fits into my purse, covers 17mm-150mm (34mm-300mm comparatively speaking) and I don't get a backache carrying it around all day. I mostly keep my K-30's for working these days. I do work outside and need the WR sometimes but mostly for my personal stuff I can get by with the Olys. The main exception to that is for birds. If I know I am heading to somewhere where I might be going to photograph a lot of birds I take the K-30's and a longer lens. Technically I have the reach with my Oly's and actually the AF with the E-P3 is nice and fast but I still prefer a proper DSLR and a 75-300mm zoom or a 300mm or 400mm prime for that.

[mattb123]

Mine really varies with the hike.

The lightweight kit is a K-5 or K-3 with just a DA40 and DA15, and sometimes a tripod. That's what I take backpacking. It goes in a dry bag in my pack and/or on a Black Rapid strap for quick access.

If it's just a day hike I'll take more or bigger stuff depending on what I'm after. I have hiked and skied with my 60-250 if I'm after wildlife but don't usually bring anything that big. I'm also not usually specifically after wildlife shots as I am more of a landscape shooter. But I like long landscapes sometimes. The A* 300/4 is good for that too and pretty compact for what it is.

I recently got a DA* 16-50 and it's nice as a single lens hiking landscape setup.

The 18-135 is another good one if I don't really know what I'm after since it's so versatile. 18-135 plus the DA15 is a nice way to go too.

I have tomorrow off my day job but I have a 7am appointment in Crested Butte. So I'm thinking I'll do a short-ish early hike before, and then either a longer hike or mountain bike ride after. Then I have an event shoot back in my town at 3 and then my alma mater's homecoming is tomorrow night where they light a big letter W on a mountain on fire.
So I'll be trying to come up with a gear plan to cover all of that without taxing myself on the hike too much.

[theraven871]

I think the best value vs weight would be:

Something wide angle - Probably Sigma 10-20
Tamron 17-50
Pentax 55-300mm or 70-200 f2.8
3-4 small prime lenses (Since they are so small and light for pentax cameras)

I really don't see why someone would need much more than that. There would be too much overlap.
If you're looking to photograph wildlife, then I would probably look for a 2nd body and keep a 400mm prime or a sigma 150-500mm on it.

[formercanuck]

For me ... I just have a light kit.
Small Tamrac bag, spare batteries, spare SD card, my old tired Sigma 18-200mm and my manual Sigma 28mm f/2.8 mini-wide II
Lens cleaner/cap/filter.

[AldaCZ]

K30 with 18-135 plus AA battery with Eneloops. - really light hiking/biking/motorbiking kit.

[Roguephotographer]

I'm in the Smokies until Sunday, so I brought along my hiking setup. Some might say it's a bit heavy, but I've hauled it for 10+ hours at a time! See any holes in my kit? If so what? What do you bring along for hiking or general screw offery with your camera?

Attachment 184832

Wow, look at that distortion from my phone!

when backpaking or bicycle packing I have worked out a kit that works well for me'. A Pentax LX, a 35mm Macro lens, a 28-85mm, 80-200mm, a 500mm cat and a 1.4x teleconverter. two Vivitar 225 flashes one with an sl2 slave module, a Gossen luna pro f a folding portable reflector and lastly my Gitzo Loisir tripod. My case is some odd off brand (label fell off long ago) my local shop owner helped me' to select it to fit all my gear. Even taking it out onto the sidewalk to make sure it would fit on my bikes front rack. A perq of being a regular customer. I should note that on a casual day hike I only carry one camera usualy my Yashica MAT12g.

[Marktax]

K-3, w/ K-30 as backup
10-17 fish
15 ltd
20-40 ltd
21 ltd
FA135
F*300
carbon tripod

Lacking the 12-24: Q7 w/ 08. It's all I have for really wide.

[Juventino]

I think the best value vs weight would be:

Something wide angle - Probably Sigma 10-20
Tamron 17-50
Pentax 55-300mm or 70-200 f2.8
3-4 small prime lenses (Since they are so small and light for pentax cameras)

I really don't see why someone would need much more than that. There would be too much overlap.
If you're looking to photograph wildlife, then I would probably look for a 2nd body and keep a 400mm prime or a sigma 150-500mm on it.

I have a similar kit except the Tamron 17-50:
MX and K-r
Sigma 12-24 (with aperture ring)
Sigma 28mm Mini-wide II
Pentax FA 50 (or K55 1.8)
Pentax A35f2.8 (or K35 3.5)
Pentax 55-300
filters
(tripod)

This is not "optimal" in sense that I can't use the 55-300 on film camera. I am looking for alternatives in the future. For AF, I am planning to get the FA35.

Otherwise you are true about the kit. I think if you take too much gear, you spend too much time thinking about the best combo body + lens instead of shooting.