[normhead]

In mushroom season, it's just me, the camera and the little tripod.





Optico glasses cleaning wipes are in every camera bag/ First i clean my glasses, then i clean my lens.



And I love these lens cases, of which I have four. When you don't want to take a camera bag, these lens cases let you just put a lens into a day pack, or you can velcro them onto your belt. And they have the little pocket in the top where you can put your cleaning wipes.

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Last edited by normhead; 09-15-2017 at 06:05 AM.

[biz-engineer]

Canon, Hoya or Marumi 77mm achromatic closeup filters. Small to carry in the bag, cheaper than a macro lens and can be use with any brand of camera.

[FreeSpirit9]

Infrared remote
tripod
baby pram to push all the gear around in

[dbs]

Hi FreeSpirit9

Point no 3 Is that with or without the baby?

Dave

[Des]

Some obvious things not mentioned so far (and not prohibited, as far as I can see):
1. Spare battery for each camera. If it's a DLi109, maybe two. No functioning battery, no photography.
2. High grade microfibre cloths
3. Flash. Or if that's too close to the basics, how about flash extender and/or flash modifier/diffuser? And no doubt some would say radio triggers. (Studio and portrait photographers can keep this list going.)

For wildlife, a flash extender is invaluable. Trouble is the Better Beamer/JJC/Magbeam types are rather bulky, and rely on attaching to a shoe-mount flash, all perched on the little hotshoe. (Yes you can use the flash off-camera, but that's often not practical on a walk and with a telephoto lens. And yes you can mount the flash on a bracket instead, but that makes the whole kit much heavier and bulkier.) A cheap and simple solution is the Rogue Safari flash extender, a cheap, lightweight plastic gizmo with a fresnel lens, which mounts on the hotshoe and concentrates the beam from the popup flash. It works well with the K-3 (unfortunately it doesn't play well with the K-30 or K-S2 because it generates banding). More here: Rogue Safari Flash Extender - PentaxForums.com

[DeadJohn]

baby pram to push all the gear around in

I've considered that at places that don't allow camera bags for security theater reasons yet allow giant double-wide prams/carriages/strollers. Bring stuff in via pram, temporarily leave gear with wife, then return empty pram to car.

[BarryE]

Getting some interesting posts. Hope it's giving readers some ideas. Thanks for the contributions so far ...

[aslyfox]

If at all possible

1 battery grip for camera which takes AA or AAA batteries

available most cities and towns, at reasonable prices if you don't buy from the gift store at the attraction that is.

even if the battery grip for your camera doesn't take AA or AAA batteries, it will take the extra battery and might be a place to securely carry an additional memory card

2 sealable plastic bag to store camera and lens ( if possible )

I will be going to a Cubs vs. Cardinals game at Wrigley Sunday. If my camera is not in my hands, it will be in the sealed plastic bag thus I don't have to worry about any thing being spilled or dripped on it

beer

coke

mustard

never ever put ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago or any place else unless you are under the age of 18 or extremely misguided

don't upset Harry

dirty harry ketchup on a hot dog - Bing video

http://gothamist.com/2014/03/14/national_hot_dog_council_never_use.php


3 I like the idea mentioned before of unlimited cash - usually accepted every where I have ever been.

haven't been able to track down a cheap source for obtaining unlimited cash though, every one insists on cash value in any exchange I ever have had

anyone have any legal ideas how to get around that problem ???

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

I know these are 4
A good thermos that keeps my coffee warm,
The right foot ware for the season
A mosquito net (I know they look stupid but at the end of the day anyone that's come along with me always ask where can they buy 1 for the next day )
And a compass to know where the sun will rise or set

This way my tummy is warm, feet are dry and free from blisters, I am kept from being eaten alive and I know the best setup before sun rise/set.

[Dartmoor Dave]

1: Incident meter (Sekonic L-308S). Personally it's an essential rather than just an accessory.

2: Clear plastic "ziplock" bag to keep the light meter dry when I'm shooting in rain and mist. The camera and lens have their own weatherproofing.

3: Reading glasses on a lanyard around my neck. They're never going to win any fashion awards, but nowadays I can't do anything closer than arms length without them.

[aslyfox]

1: Incident meter (Sekonic L-308S). Personally it's an essential rather than just an accessory.

2: Clear plastic "ziplock" bag to keep the light meter dry when I'm shooting in rain and mist. The camera and lens have their own weatherproofing.

3: Reading glasses on a lanyard around my neck. They're never going to win any fashion awards, but nowadays I can't do anything closer than arms length without them.

I agree with the reading glasses

after my cataract surgeries I have great distance vision ( was 20/400 before ) but cannot read anything up close

I still need prescription lenses for that work

[BrianR]

1) 5-in-1 reflector/diffuser. Has at least 5 uses, probably closer to 5000. Most versatile lighting tool I own for $25 or less. Mine's 60cm diameter and overkill in size for little subjects, but still folded its small enough that I can tuck it in a waistband and only look moderately absurd. Great on its own for shaping ambient, also pairs well with flashes.

2) A small led light panel, Aputure Amaran AL - M9. This thing is the size of a fat stack of credit cards but more useful when in the middle of the bush. A handy light for fungus or other small low-speed forest dwellers, it's also become my go-to as a focusing aid at night when using flashes. I do love my external flashes, but given its size and versatility this thing is almost always with me.

3) UV flashlight. A new addition for me. My main purpose was to find caterpillars and other insects or spiders at night, but UV induced fluorescence is pretty interesting to photograph. Some caterpillars I've photographed are here, but I've been aiming it at all sorts of other things (moss, lichen, mushrooms, algae, flowers, etc).

Can I squeeze in an honorable mention? My stack of field guides and reference books. Pretty much the only books I actually purchase anymore. The latest additions cover Wildflowers, Fungus, Moths, Butterflies, and a dedicated text on Tent Caterpillars. I like to know what I'm photographing, both out of interest and to better be able to find and photograph them.

[TaoMaas]

Something I have in every camera bag I own is a plastic bag big enough to cover the entire camera bag. The heavier duty, the better. Every camera bag has little hidden pockets in the back or in the top flap. You can usually fold up the plastic bag so it's small enough to fit in one of those pockets and not be noticed. Those bags have saved me numerous times over the years on everything from a very wet boat ride to full downpours of rain. If I'm shooting in conditions where it's just sprinkling off and on, I'll put the bag over my camera while it's on the tripod and wait for the rain to stop. It keeps me from having to constantly put my camera up. My second choice for my most useful accessory would be the Op/Tech Hood Hats. I like to keep lens hoods on my lenses at all times and it's sometimes hard to find a lens cap that matches the size of the lens hood so I've started using Hood Hats over the last few years and they work great. Plus, they're soft enough that they can be stuffed in a pocket while you're shooting. Going slightly off-topic, I want to join those who like Tilley hats. I'm more of a ball cap guy when I'm taking pictures, but I wear my Tilley for all sorts of other things. My wife and I love to go to garage sales and estate sales. I once spotted a very dirty Tilley stuffed out in a garage among the gardening tools. I guess the people doing the estate sale didn't know what it was because they sold it to me for 50 cents. We took it home, threw it in the washing machine, and it came out looking like new. Unfortunately it didn't fit me, but it did fit my wife.

[photoptimist]

1. A nickel or a quarter -- great for tightening/loosening 1/4-20 screws on tripods, mount plates, etc.

2. A compact white umbrella -- keeps the rain off me and diffuses or reflects sun or photoflash light.

3. GPS wristwatch -- there's 1 way to the top of the mountain and 360 degrees of choices for going down.

[snpsht]

1) lenspen- Australia is a dusty place filled with sticky pollen!
2) reading glasses, so I can see what needs cleaning off the lens
3) 4WD car...like the US we have big distances, and rough roads