What is absolutely, positively necessary to carry in your camera bag ?

**robgski** · 08-14-2019, 01:52 PM

That bounce card is a great idea, I need to add one.

The only time I switch to a larger bag is when I have a hike, a photowalk, or some special project planned.
My daily carry for 10 years has been a CaseLogic holster-style bag, with multiple exterior and interior pockets. I grab it on my way out the door when I leave for work or a day trip, the camera has whichever lens I've chosen for the Monthly Single-In Challenge (SIC) here on PF. Now that I own a K-1, I am purchasing a larger CaseLogic holster for full-frame.

As others have written, I have a manual cable release, lens spray, lens tissue, 1 or 2 spare batteries, spare SD cards.
Some out-of-the-ordinary things I regularly have are also in the bag:
1.miniature folding tripod, it's really for a desktop video camera or cellphone, but it works with a light camera and lens combo, or to hold up an accessory.
2. I keep a bandana or similar cloth handy, I can fold it or wad it up for use as a cushion or to level an uneven but stable surface if the lens and camera combo overwhelms the miniature folding tripod.
3. A Lume Cube - 1500 lumens in just over 1"/2.5cm square. It has a hot shoe mount, or I put it on the mini-tripod.
4. DA 40 XS. It's great to have a pretty normal focal length lens as a back-up, especially if my SIC lens is a 500mm Mirror or a 17mm Fisheye.
5. CPL and/or ND Filter.

sculptor666 · 08-15-2019, 07:59 AM

waterproof cover, one wide, one macro, one tele, flash, diffuser, spare aa's, spare camera batteries, spare phone battery, monopod(instead of snake hook, also to hold down grass or sapling that's in the way... never actually use it on the camera), great flashlight, water bottle. i can't seem to leave the house with less than that.

**ChrisPlatt** · 08-15-2019, 04:17 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by kevinWE

How about a sandwich and a bottle of water? Ya, just never know. :-)

I know some bags now even include a pouch intended to hold a water bottle,
but I would never store a potentially leaky water bottle with my camera gear.

Well, maybe with my Nikonos...

Chris

k1man · 08-15-2019, 05:23 PM

most probably gonna get shot down for saying it but i think a camera and lens, haha

**clackers** · 08-15-2019, 06:18 PM

Originally posted by k1man

most probably gonna get shot down for saying it but i think a camera and lens, haha

And rightly so, Ian, you need to lift!

**monochrome** · 08-15-2019, 08:39 PM

2 spare batteries
2 SD cards (needed more often than I care to admit)
Collapsible pop-up flash diffuser
Small Rocket Blower

ZombieArmy · 08-16-2019, 07:38 PM

Spare batteries, SD cards, paracord, snacks, first aid kit, rocket blower

---------- Post added 08-16-19 at 10:38 PM ----------

Originally posted by monochrome

Collapsible pop-up flash diffuser

I need to add this to my list.

**monochrome** · 08-16-2019, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by ZombieArmy

Spare batteries, SD cards, paracord, snacks, first aid kit, rocket blower

---------- Post added 08-16-19 at 10:38 PM ----------

I need to add this to my list.

Paracord!

Mine is about the size of a stack of ten 3x5 cards. Great for fill flash on 1/4 power for backlit portraits just before sunset. You know, the

DA15 or 21 beach shot with the palm tree, a pretty woman and the sailboat crossing the setting sun.

(I actually have the file somewhere but my archive is a complete mess.)

bdery · 08-19-2019, 04:57 AM

I have a small pouch which carries 3 polarizers (for my three main diameters). I also have a Think Tank battery case with two slots: one carries a spare battery for the camera, the other 4 spare AAs for the flash, as well as an HEX key and the Pentax IR remote. If I switch bags I only have to grab those two pouches plus my LensPEN and I'm all set.

lesmore49 · 08-24-2019, 11:17 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by robgski

DA 40 XS. It's great to have a pretty normal focal length lens as a back-up, especially if my SIC lens is a 500mm Mirror or a 17mm Fisheye.

Great idea ! Lat year I was in a game refuge in Alberta last September..looking for Pronghorn, Elk...to photograph. I had my K5 and Sigma 150-500 lens. I though about bringing my K1 with 28-105 for other shots, but thought...it's the open prairies...I'm out for Pronghorn and Elk...what do I need a regular or close up lens for. Anyways.

Well, guess what. Didn't see any wildlife at all that time, except for the odd crow, magpie. But I did come across a salvage yars, with some vintage cars and trucks. I asked permission to shoot vintage auomobiles and managed to get some good shots...many of them where I had to photograph many, many yards away from the subject.

I learned my lesson the hard way...be prepared and now always tuck my 40 Limited or 50 Macro F 2.8 in a side pocket of the dedicated telephoto bag when I have this Bigma.

Two other items I carry in my regular bag...my K1 bag..is my 360 flash and my Rogue Flashbender which is a flexible, reflective device, which has immeasurably improved my flash pictures. I would not be without my Rogue, which cost me under $ 40 CAD.

Ronald Oakes · 08-25-2019, 12:21 PM

Spare Battery
Mini Tripod
Extra SD Card
Wireless shutter release
Lens cleaning tissue

That's it for me.

**rogerstg** · 09-02-2019, 03:11 PM

Sometimes, I don't even carry a camera bag.

PDL · 09-02-2019, 04:05 PM

Besides my camera and selected lenses:
At lease one fully charged battery (I have four batteries that I rotate through)
Two SD cards (K-3II ya know)
18% grey card. (4x5 in)
X-Rite Color Checker (Classic)
Lens Pen
Micro fiber cloth
Mechanical pencil (with extra leads)
Ball point pen
small notebook (at present a Moleskin 65x104mm)
LED flashlight (1 AA battery)
6 in plastic ruler (former Archaeologist - gotta be able to measure stuff or show scale)
View finder cover (for self timed shots)
Edit: A cheap blower about 2 inches in diameter.
On some occasions, my Gossen Digipro F Light meter (just to tic off the "equivalence crowd") usually carried along with my flashes for flash metering if I am going to be pedantic.
As for flashes, I am going to be carrying my Yongnuo 585ex with batteries and a plastic difuser and a PTTL hotshoe cable.
All of this would be in my one bag.

**bkpix** · 09-03-2019, 02:46 PM

My U.S. National Park Senior Pass. It's saved me, without exaggeration, hundreds of dollars since I got it in 2013.

normhead · 09-03-2019, 02:57 PM

I sometimes go out with nothing but my K-3 and and the bag. The K-3 has two extra memory cards on it's strap, and I just take the bag to protect the camera on hikes. I generally put a fresh battery in the camera before I leave, and put the one in the camera in the recharger. Many times I go with a lot more, lens wipes, extra batteries, a granola bar, toilet paper and hand wipes, how much do you want to know? But nothing is essential beyond the camera.

08-15-2019, 08:39 PM	#36
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	2 spare batteries 2 SD cards (needed more often than I care to admit) Collapsible pop-up flash diffuser Small Rocket Blower

08-16-2019, 07:38 PM	#37
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	Spare batteries, SD cards, paracord, snacks, first aid kit, rocket blower ---------- Post added 08-16-19 at 10:38 PM ---------- Originally posted by monochrome Collapsible pop-up flash diffuser I need to add this to my list.

09-02-2019, 04:05 PM	#43
PDL Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: PNW USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,128	Besides my camera and selected lenses: At lease one fully charged battery (I have four batteries that I rotate through) Two SD cards (K-3II ya know) 18% grey card. (4x5 in) X-Rite Color Checker (Classic) Lens Pen Micro fiber cloth Mechanical pencil (with extra leads) Ball point pen small notebook (at present a Moleskin 65x104mm) LED flashlight (1 AA battery) 6 in plastic ruler (former Archaeologist - gotta be able to measure stuff or show scale) View finder cover (for self timed shots) Edit: A cheap blower about 2 inches in diameter. On some occasions, my Gossen Digipro F Light meter (just to tic off the "equivalence crowd") usually carried along with my flashes for flash metering if I am going to be pedantic. As for flashes, I am going to be carrying my Yongnuo 585ex with batteries and a plastic difuser and a PTTL hotshoe cable. All of this would be in my one bag. Last edited by PDL; 09-02-2019 at 10:15 PM. Reason: just being pedantic

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08-14-2019, 01:52 PM	#31
robgski Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,799	That bounce card is a great idea, I need to add one. The only time I switch to a larger bag is when I have a hike, a photowalk, or some special project planned. My daily carry for 10 years has been a CaseLogic holster-style bag, with multiple exterior and interior pockets. I grab it on my way out the door when I leave for work or a day trip, the camera has whichever lens I've chosen for the Monthly Single-In Challenge (SIC) here on PF. Now that I own a K-1, I am purchasing a larger CaseLogic holster for full-frame. As others have written, I have a manual cable release, lens spray, lens tissue, 1 or 2 spare batteries, spare SD cards. Some out-of-the-ordinary things I regularly have are also in the bag: 1.miniature folding tripod, it's really for a desktop video camera or cellphone, but it works with a light camera and lens combo, or to hold up an accessory. 2. I keep a bandana or similar cloth handy, I can fold it or wad it up for use as a cushion or to level an uneven but stable surface if the lens and camera combo overwhelms the miniature folding tripod. 3. A Lume Cube - 1500 lumens in just over 1"/2.5cm square. It has a hot shoe mount, or I put it on the mini-tripod. 4. DA 40 XS. It's great to have a pretty normal focal length lens as a back-up, especially if my SIC lens is a 500mm Mirror or a 17mm Fisheye. 5. CPL and/or ND Filter.

08-15-2019, 07:59 AM	#32
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	waterproof cover, one wide, one macro, one tele, flash, diffuser, spare aa's, spare camera batteries, spare phone battery, monopod(instead of snake hook, also to hold down grass or sapling that's in the way... never actually use it on the camera), great flashlight, water bottle. i can't seem to leave the house with less than that.

08-15-2019, 04:17 PM - 1 Like	#33
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	Originally posted by kevinWE How about a sandwich and a bottle of water? Ya, just never know. :-) I know some bags now even include a pouch intended to hold a water bottle, but I would never store a potentially leaky water bottle with my camera gear. Well, maybe with my Nikonos... Chris

08-15-2019, 05:23 PM	#34
k1man Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Si Chiang Mai. Nong Khai Province Photos: Albums Posts: 358	most probably gonna get shot down for saying it but i think a camera and lens, haha

08-15-2019, 06:18 PM	#35
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by k1man most probably gonna get shot down for saying it but i think a camera and lens, haha And rightly so, Ian, you need to lift!

08-16-2019, 08:34 PM	#38
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by ZombieArmy Spare batteries, SD cards, paracord, snacks, first aid kit, rocket blower ---------- Post added 08-16-19 at 10:38 PM ---------- I need to add this to my list. Paracord! Mine is about the size of a stack of ten 3x5 cards. Great for fill flash on 1/4 power for backlit portraits just before sunset. You know, the DA15 or 21 beach shot with the palm tree, a pretty woman and the sailboat crossing the setting sun. (I actually have the file somewhere but my archive is a complete mess.)

08-19-2019, 04:57 AM	#39
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	I have a small pouch which carries 3 polarizers (for my three main diameters). I also have a Think Tank battery case with two slots: one carries a spare battery for the camera, the other 4 spare AAs for the flash, as well as an HEX key and the Pentax IR remote. If I switch bags I only have to grab those two pouches plus my LensPEN and I'm all set.

08-24-2019, 11:17 AM - 1 Like	#40
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,343 Original Poster	Originally posted by robgski DA 40 XS. It's great to have a pretty normal focal length lens as a back-up, especially if my SIC lens is a 500mm Mirror or a 17mm Fisheye. Great idea ! Lat year I was in a game refuge in Alberta last September..looking for Pronghorn, Elk...to photograph. I had my K5 and Sigma 150-500 lens. I though about bringing my K1 with 28-105 for other shots, but thought...it's the open prairies...I'm out for Pronghorn and Elk...what do I need a regular or close up lens for. Anyways. Well, guess what. Didn't see any wildlife at all that time, except for the odd crow, magpie. But I did come across a salvage yars, with some vintage cars and trucks. I asked permission to shoot vintage auomobiles and managed to get some good shots...many of them where I had to photograph many, many yards away from the subject. I learned my lesson the hard way...be prepared and now always tuck my 40 Limited or 50 Macro F 2.8 in a side pocket of the dedicated telephoto bag when I have this Bigma. Two other items I carry in my regular bag...my K1 bag..is my 360 flash and my Rogue Flashbender which is a flexible, reflective device, which has immeasurably improved my flash pictures. I would not be without my Rogue, which cost me under $ 40 CAD.

08-25-2019, 12:21 PM	#41
Ronald Oakes Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,582	Spare Battery Mini Tripod Extra SD Card Wireless shutter release Lens cleaning tissue That's it for me.

09-02-2019, 03:11 PM	#42
rogerstg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 1,168	Sometimes, I don't even carry a camera bag.

09-03-2019, 02:46 PM	#44
bkpix Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Creswell, Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 568	My U.S. National Park Senior Pass. It's saved me, without exaggeration, hundreds of dollars since I got it in 2013.

09-03-2019, 02:57 PM	#45
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	I sometimes go out with nothing but my K-3 and and the bag. The K-3 has two extra memory cards on it's strap, and I just take the bag to protect the camera on hikes. I generally put a fresh battery in the camera before I leave, and put the one in the camera in the recharger. Many times I go with a lot more, lens wipes, extra batteries, a granola bar, toilet paper and hand wipes, how much do you want to know? But nothing is essential beyond the camera.