[LensBeginner]

Travel kits - small as possible:
1. K-01 + 18-55 WR
2. K-01 + M 28/3.5

Travel photography kit - fits in a holster bag, good for photos, not for snapshots:
3. K-01 + Sigma 10-20/3.5 + 40mm XS + M 100/2.8

Macro kit:
4. K-01 + M 50/1.7 + Kenko MC7 2X macro TC + Yongnuo YN560 flash + tripod + cheap macro rail

Prime kit:
5. K-01 + M 28/3.5 + M 50/1.7 + M 100/2.8 + M 200/4

Action kit:
6. K-30 + 18-55 WR + DA-L 55-300

[WPRESTO]

The only one of my "kits" that's easy to describe is the one I take along when walking the dog. There are actually two kits:

1) If I don't expect many photo-ops because of where we're walking, or the weather, or the time of year, I take a Panasonic LF1 that has a 24~200mm FF equivalent lens. It fits easily in any pocket or into one of the zippered pockets of the little shoulder pouch used for doggie treats and poop bags. So long as there is minimal PP cropping, IQ is remarkably good. I've posted numerous (many?) images on PF taken with this tiny camera. The battery is tiny, so I also take a second.

2) If it's good weather, Spring when flowers are out, or following a lovely tree-coating snow, or in the glory of a New England Autumn, then I take a small bag with: Olympus OMD 10 with 12~100mm Oly zoom (same FF equivalent as the little shirt-pocket Pany), a tiny Metz strobe, and one other lens with the choice depending on the situation: sometimes a Pany 100~300mm (if I expect to see some birds); sometimes an Oly 60mm macro (if Spring flowers are blooming); and sometimes a Pany 7~16mm (obviously if expansive scenics are possible).

[TaoMaas]

I don't really have specific kits that I carry for different occasions. It varies depending upon whether I want to carry a bag or not, how loaded I want that bag to be, and what I expect to be shooting. Two of my favorite minimal kits, though, are my Tamron 70-300mm with either my Pentax 16-45mm or 17-70mm....or if I want an even more compact kit, my Pentax 18-55 with my Tokina SD 70-210.

[Bad Boy]

Basic kit
K-5
Sigma 17-50 f2.8
Soft camera case

To cover wide or tele I add:
Sigma 8-16 f4.5-5.6
Pentax DAL55-300 f4.0-5.8
camera bag
table top tripod

Then I add primes for special purposes
FA35 f2.0 or DA50 f1.8 for low light
FA100 f2.8 for macro

DA10-17 f3.5-4.5 for fisheye look

I may add tripod or flash unit as needed

My minimal kit is the K-5 with the FA 35 f2.0 and soft camera case

[magmotif]

My new carry-around "kit" is the Ricoh GRII that works very well for my daily photo journal. Otherwise it's the K5 with either the DA18-135 or DA35/2.8.

[kh1234567890]

Quite often I leave all the heavy Pentax kit behind, slip a little Panasonic TZ100 into my pocket and live with its limitations ...

[Videopilot]

My general kit includes:
KP
HD DA 20 to 40 Limited

HD DA 15 Limited

DF A 100 MM Macro WR

This seems to cover most situations so far.

[aaacb]

I usually pick 2-3 lenses depending on the situation, most often two, because that fits best in my think tank day-pack, which has two pouches for camera stuff and the rest for ... plain stuff.

With focal lengths adjusted to 35mm equivalent, when either going with my digital apsc or with a 35mm film camera, day to day: one normal-ish lens (35-60mm), sometimes I add one short tele lens (~100mm).

For concerts: digital always, da 70mm and fa 43 (before it was the fa 50)

Gearhead-tourist mode with no clear expectations of what the subject matter will be: da 15, normal prime, 16-85, 55-300, 100 macro, usually a tripod

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Last edited by aaacb; 06-16-2018 at 11:52 AM.

[northcoastgreg]

1. If I'm going somewhere and am not expecting to do any photography but still want a camera with me just in case, I take my Olympus E-M5ii and Lumix 12-60, a small kit which I can nevertheless get close to professional quality out of.

2. Travel kit, local day trips: Usually I'll bring my three limiteds, the DA 15, 21, 35, which I slip into pockets on my photography vest, often accompanied with the DA 55-300, which goes in a lens case that can be worn on a belt. Tripod + KP finishes out the kit.

3. Travel kit, weekend trips 1: Minimal kit here would be DA 12-24, DA 16-85, DA 55-300, KP + tripod, along with pac safe duffel bag (which stays in car: it's not a camera bag). I may add specialty lenses as I see fit. Last weekend I went to crater lake with the three zooms + DA 10-17.

4. Travel kit, weekend trips 2: I also have a prime kit for weekend trips, which features the aforementioned DA limited trio and DA 55-300, along with the aforementioned E-M5ii and 12-60 for quick access to standard zoom just in case.

5. Trip to zoo kit: I'll either take the DA* 300 + DA 1.4x converter or Tamron 70-200 + DA 1.4x converter.

One thing remains constant: absolutely no camera bags or backpacks. At worst, pac safe duffel bag, which stays in the car, buried in jackets, sleeping bags, etc. I don't like walking around with bags or backpacks draped like anchors around my carcass.

[tonezime]

Is that the 12-60/2.8-4? I remember reading mixed reviews of the slower one.

[GlennG]

What are your photography purposes and what is the minimum kit that you carry for them?

General travel, and I most often find that I'm just using my K-5 and the DA*16-50. I elect not to go wider or longer. IQ with that combo is quite nice, IMO. WR also.

[northcoastgreg]

Is that the 12-60/2.8-4? I remember reading mixed reviews of the slower one.

It's the slower one. Whatever faults the lens has (which are fairly minor), it's the best of the compact standard zooms on the m43 platform (I've tried all the better ones). The Leica branded 12-60 is a really nice lens, but it's too big and heavy for my purposes.

[ddharriman]

In house shooting: K-S2 + Tamron 28-75 2.8
All the rest: K-S2 + Tamron 28-75 2.8 + Pentax 55-300 4.0-5.8

Before November 2016 and for several years, the same lenses but with the Kx.

[abruzzi]

For most purposes:

SuperProgram, A28/2.8, A35/2.8, A50/1.7, M85/2.0

the nice thing is it all fits in a pretty tiny bag. I wouldn't mind adding a lens at either end--24 and 100 or 135--but then it might get a little big.

[tonezime]

I never actually answered this thread, and I'd love to see more responses from other people

Travel: K-70, Sigma 18-200 (C) for outdoors, Sigma 30/1.4 (Art) for indoors
"throw something in the bag, I'm going out": K-S1, DA 40 XS

I have a bunch of SMC Takumars, but I pick and choose when I'm taking one of them out, so it's hard to say that anything's a kit exactly. The closest is probably Spotmatic F with 35/3.5 and 85/1.8 for general city/street shooting.