What's in your (vacation) bag?

[FowlersFreeTime]

I believe Tim started the "what's in your bag" thread, but allow me to add a twist. We all love our gear, but I imagine most people rarely travel with more than a fraction of it. So what's in your holiday/vacation kit?

I'm flying in a few days, so I'll post a pic when I pack mine.

 

[spudhead]

Well Chris I travel a fair bit these days and this is always the issue these days depending on airlines and places I visit, next trip will be either a9 or a73 Sony 70-200 f4 and Zeiss 24-70 f4, battery usb charger, 5-6 memory cards and artic butterfly to keep the sensor clean all in a Gitzo shoulder bag

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Everything I own to be honest, as I only have one body, three lenses and a flash. It's all I need to cover anything I'll shoot.

 

[Tim Mayo]

For the next family holiday I'm probably just going to pack the A6700 + E 18-135 + 70-200 F4 II + 1.4x. With two little boys running around taking photos on holiday is a tad challenging!

 

[iamdlewis]

It really depends on what the vacations are. For the photo ones it is generally the A1 and A7Riv the 200-600G, 100-400GM and 24-105G with the big camera bag. For the more general vacations it is the A1 with the 100-400GM, 24-105G and sometimes the 90G with the sling bag.

Forgot the other stuff that fit in both bags. A duel charger, small cleaning kit and cables.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

It really depends on what the vacations are. For the photo ones it is generally the A1 and A7Riv the 200-600G, 100-400GM and 24-105G with the big camera bag. For the more general vacations it is the A1 with the 100-400GM, 24-105G and sometimes the 90G with the sling bag.

Forgot the other stuff that fit in both bags. A duel charger, small cleaning kit and cables.

I wish I could do a photo-centric vacation, but I'm usually cramped for space and carrying a diaper bag nowadays.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

For the next family holiday I'm probably just going to pack the A6700 + E 18-135 + 70-200 F4 II + 1.4x. With two little boys running around taking photos on holiday is a tad challenging!

I get this sentiment 100%

 

[GT12]

ive got some hiking in a trip coming up so priority is weight and size. I’m thinking Sony 16-35 f4 and Tamron 70-300. A bit of a gap between 35 and 70mm but can live with that I reckon through some cropping (or APS mode) using the first lens at 35mm on A7RV. Neither are that fast and the 50mm f1.8 is super light and might slip in if I think low light / indoor will be a thing. Hate checking baggage and a never ending series of compromises every time I pack!
Last time I hiked I took Sigma 28-70 f2.8 and Tamron 70-300 and very largely used the Sigma, plus IPhone for super wide angle. Every morning I looked at the longer lens and left it in the tent, making way for something more essential like a rain jacket or food, and am peering down that rabbit hole again.

 

[iamdlewis]

I wish I could do a photo-centric vacation, but I'm usually cramped for space and carrying a diaper bag nowadays.

Interesting choice, I doubt many of us have considered diaper bags for the camera but I don't think this review will convince many that is a good idea.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Interesting choice, I doubt many of us have considered diaper bags for the camera but I don't think this review will convince many that is a good idea.

Oddly enough, I had a conversation with the wife yesterday as we were packing: "Hey Hun I think this Peak Design 30L bag would make a better diaper bag than camera bag, plus I could segment a part for my camera"
Her response was simply the look that a wife gives a husband to let them know they are not entertaining any nonsense

 

[etiennescamera]

I have now reached a point in my life where almost every holiday I plan, is photo centric. No more diaper bags, no more toddlers, in fact on the last trip I did with my children, I had them carry some of my underwater photography gear in their hand luggage since we were doing a scuba diving trip, followed by a chimpanzee trekking experience and visit to Ngorongoro, so needed some very different gear for the different parts of the trip.

For my next planned trip, to Kruger National Park in October, I am planning to take 2 camera bodies (A1 and A9ii), Sony 200-600 lens, Tamron 35-150 lens, Sony 16-35 lens, leaving just enough space in my camera bag for my binoculars, 13 inch laptop and necessary chargers and external hard drive. The trick is to not let the airline weigh my hand luggage, since I will probably be well over the weight limit.

Edit: I use a Lowepro Protactic BP 450 AW II

 

[liggy]

Totally depends upon the trip. I've not actually had any photo-centric trips since moving to Sony.

All my trips have been with my wife or with her + friends that couldn't care less about photography.
For those trips it used to be:

A1 + 17-28, 28-200 Leica Q2 or
A1 17-28 35/50GM 70-180.

Now it's A1 20-70 and Q2 and 70-200 GM II + 1.4TC only if a tele would be handy.
Otherwise the 20-70 and Q2 take care of low light, mild tele and wide.

The 20-70 is a game changer. Really takes lens changes nearly to zero. I wish Fuji would make an equivalent lens for the X mount.

 

[spudhead]

This is easy. Tamron 50-400 covers almost everything. 24-105 does everything else, then a fast wide prime, probably the 24/1.8.

That covers lenses then, a camera body?

 

[spudhead]

Might have been helpful if people had said which kit bag they use for their travel gear, some have some have not, could be useful to know.

 

[etiennescamera]

Might have been helpful if people had said which kit bag they use for their travel gear, some have some have not, could be useful to know.

Good point, edited my post to add

 

[liggy]

Might have been helpful if people had said which kit bag they use for their travel gear, some have some have not, could be useful to know.

I do have a pretty bad GAS problem but not with bags to the same extent. For super casual travel - no bag. Just the camera on a shoulder strap.

This bag comes on every casual trip though since it doubles as everyday carry. Have had the now discontinued grey version for the better part of a decade now. Absolutely love it.

"NEW CITY EXPLORER" SCOUT DAILY / CAMERA BAG 9L - WOTANCRAFT

www.wotancraft.tw

 

[spudhead]

Well Chris I travel a fair bit these days and this is always the issue these days depending on airlines and places I visit, next trip will be either a9 or a73 Sony 70-200 f4 and Zeiss 24-70 f4, battery usb charger, 5-6 memory cards and artic butterfly to keep the sensor clean all in a Gitzo shoulder bag

Just remembered I usually have the Sony rx100 mk3 its tiny top pocket for the places you do not want to be noticed

 

[iamdlewis]

Might have been helpful if people had said which kit bag they use for their travel gear, some have some have not, could be useful to know.

Sling bag = Think Tank Photo TurnStyle 20 Sling Camera Bag V2.0
Big Bag = Manfrotto Pro-Light B-130

I know the Manfrotto one has been replaced by a different design.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

One thing I learned from this thread: "vacation" certainly means different things to different people. I did not count on the popularity of photography-centric vacations, because my thought on it was "family trip, limited storage space". Fascinating to see our differences in gear and needs, beyond simply saying "I usually take a camera body and two lenses".

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I have here my large, medium, small options. For day trips, the sling on the right is all I want. For a quick weekend jaunt or local trip, its the bag in the center, but for any airplane travel its the bag on the left.

• Galaxy S23+
• 5.4 mm
• ƒ/1.8
• 1/30 sec
• ISO 640

For next week's trip its beach and family oriented, so this is all I'm taking:

• Galaxy S23+
• 5.4 mm
• ƒ/1.8
• 1/24 sec
• ISO 800

A6400, 17-70mm, 30mm macro (to enjoy the flowers in mom's garden more) my MS Surface Pro, a small tripod, gopro, and some other odds and ends.

 

[liggy]

^^^ I like that Sage color PD strap. Nice.

 

[Landshark99]

All depends, it is mostly just my wife and I plus the three dogs, if the grandkids come along their parents,they will be running after them, so it does not effect what camera gear goes
In the rv pretty much everything fits in a older now discontinued bag a Moose Peterson designed for Mindshift/Think Tank, that includes an A1, A7rV, 14mm, 20mm, 24F1.4, 24-70 GMII, 70-200GMII, 100-400GM, TC1.4, some pl filters and batteries, in its onw bag a 200-600
In the Jeep A1, A7Rv, 24-70GMII or 16-35GMII and 70-200GMII and a Ricoh GRIII in a ThinkTank retrospective bag
These days on an airplane I am not sure but might be A7RV,A7CR, 16-35GMII or 14mm, 24F1.4 or 20F1.8 and 70-200GMII, Ricoh GRIII or the RX1RII, while shooting may change but I have been using a Mindshift/Think Tank sling bag

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I notice many people who have responded do not bother with a laptop or tablet? I'm starting to think it may be an unnecessary item. I'm going to take note of how often I use it on this trip. Without the laptop and gopro pole I could get away with just the sling.

 

[liggy]

I notice many people who have responded do not bother with a laptop or tablet? I'm starting to think it may be an unnecessary item. I'm going to take note of how often I use it on this trip. Without the laptop and gopro pole I could get away with just the sling.

I *always* have at least an iPad .

Since they run on Apple Silicon chips I hope Topaz offers Photo AI for iPad. That would be epic.

 

[etiennescamera]

I notice many people who have responded do not bother with a laptop or tablet? I'm starting to think it may be an unnecessary item. I'm going to take note of how often I use it on this trip. Without the laptop and gopro pole I could get away with just the sling.

Cannot imagine a holiday without a laptop to download and check my photos.

 

[Roland]

I will leave for Tanzania next week. Because of weight restrictions on the tiny airplanes, I can not take all the lenses I want. I packed my A9ii with 200-600mm and A7Riv with Fe PZ 16-35mm F4 and Zeiss f4 24-70. It does not sound much but all the accessories, cable, charger, spare batteries, memory backup system, cleaning pouch, add a lot of weight, too. I was weighing my gear constantly to make sure I had enough for a toothbrush and a set of fresh underware.
My laptop and big Ipad stay at home since the give my the opportunity to bring an extra pair of pants.

 

[etiennescamera]

I will leave for Tanzania next week. Because of weight restrictions on the tiny airplanes, I can not take all the lenses I want. I packed my A9ii with 200-600mm and A7Riv with Fe PZ 16-35mm F4 and Zeiss f4 24-70. It does not sound much but all the accessories, cable, charger, spare batteries, memory backup system, cleaning pouch, add a lot of weight, too. I was weighing my gear constantly to make sure I had enough for a toothbrush and a set of fresh underware.

When we went to Tanzania earlier this year, we purchased an extra 10kg luggage allowance for all flights on the small planes in order to be able to take enough camera gear.

 

[iamdlewis]

I notice many people who have responded do not bother with a laptop or tablet? I'm starting to think it may be an unnecessary item. I'm going to take note of how often I use it on this trip. Without the laptop and gopro pole I could get away with just the sling.

For photo-centric vacations I do take a laptop pavilion something (super thin, small and cheap), it is basically a through put for a few SSD external drives as there is rarely time to do any editing or more likely there are more interesting things to do. If it is a normal vacation I'll just take more cards.

 

[Landshark99]

a long time ago I was shooting an advertising job for a film in the Maasai Mara, Kemya. We bought extra seats for the cameras and lighting equipment, getting there on the small plane was fine but when leaving from the dirt airstrip, there was some confusion about the number of passengers booked on the little plane. There were no extra seats left, so the pilot just had us load up all the stuff in front of the emergency exit. Luckily all went well. Just for fun this is one of the shots from that job,Nigel Hawthorne, sorry I know it was shot on film, with a Mamiya RZ67

 

[spudhead]

I just wondered if anyone wanted to help me fill my travel bag by donating kit as my travel kit seems a bit lacking by the look of some of yours on here