What's in Your Camera Bag?
March Issue
Written by Leslie Lazenby
First a little bit about Leslie...
She wasn't quite born with a camera in her hands, but it wasn't long before she discovered the art of photography. Teaching photography and always working in the industry, she was never satisfied with the "norm" and found the many avenues of alternative photography kept her inspired. She is an avid promoter of traditional film photography with a life long love and passion for Polaroid and instant imaging. People are curious when they see her use classic cameras, and she always takes the opportunity to educate them on the joys of traditional film photography. Currently she is the owner of Imagine That and The Mecca Studio in Findlay, Ohio and can be heard occasionally on The Film Photography Project's internet radio show sharing her passions for all things related to traditional photography.
You can view her Flickr photostream at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
My camera bags, yes bags are packed for each adventure or assignment, then usually stay packed with this equipment until the next event. Sometimes certain items stay in there for years. Both bags shown are packed for adventure rather than an assignment.
Like most females I don't have just one bag, I have a few, each for different situations. So "What's in Your Camera Bag" first requires an explanation of my two camera bags and their reason for being my favorites. My two main camera bags are a Tundra Chameleon and a 20+ year old Domke Reporter's bag.
The Tundra is a lightweight ballistic nylon bag called the Chameleon. It is nice and slim when minimal equipment is packed, but when needed the body unzips to expand the main section and the padded walls become customizable pockets and dividers. The front is also smartly laid out with all kinds of pockets and the back contains a large zippered document pocket. I can customize it to hold my medium format cameras or even my Leonard wide 8x10 pinhole and a few film holders. I replaced the original shoulder strap with an Op/Tech weight reducing non-slip version. This loaded bag is currently housing top to bottom:
Polaroid SLR680 - I never go anywhere without a Polaroid Camera.
A Demekin, Pop Eyed Fisheye 110 film Camera with a roll of Lomography Orca attached. I was glad to find this little camera. I didn't know where it was; it had swam to the bottom of the bag!
Imperial Satellite 127 1960's camera with matching flash attached. This "toy" camera is so much fun to use. It never fails to start conversations. It is loaded with Murano color negative film. Tucked in beside the Satellite is a Minolta IV exposure meter.
Sharpie Fine Point markers - and Frog painters tape. Two very indispensable items. The frog tape is used for repairs, labeling, notes, holding 35mm film in 120 cameras and many other uses.
A chop stick for manipulation of Polaroid photographs. Although I can manipulate with anything from a dinner fork to car keys this chop stick is my tool of choice. It has been with me for 20 years.
P-Size Cokin filters - Red, Yellow, 81B warming, circular polarizer and hidden in front of these not seen is a TIffen 62mm enhancing filter. You may notice that there are no Cokin holders in here, I never take the time to attach them, I just hold them in front of the lens, shoot and move on. I use the large P size as they not only cover the lens but the electronic eye or sensors on cameras that are not reading exposure through the lens.
Olympus XA-4 - It's a nice compact, quick, wide angle and macro 35mm camera with an exceptional lens.
My newest love a beautiful Fed 5b Soviet 35mm camera.
Minolta Maxxum 7 with Minolta AF 28-85 lens and pop up flash, this or the 600si have become constant traveling companions.
Re-leathered in green snake is an OM1n with a standard 50mm Zuiko f1.8 lens. The Olympus OM camera system was my first SLR and is still a given in my camera bag. This one is loaded with Polypan F and currently has a modified back as an experiment with this film.
Miscellaneous films Portra 400 & 800, Ilford HP4, Kodak Ektachrome, a roll of Kodak Plus-X, Impossible Silver Shade, and original Polaroid 779.
Now for the Domke. This bag in general is smaller than the Chameleon and heavier. It is all leather and ages beautifully. The contents bottom to top:
First a pair of classic Nikons, a newly gifted Nikon F with a f 1.4 lens - it is in the testing stage. I have it loaded with 400 color negative film. Keeping it company is a Nikon FM2 with a Nikkor 28-105 AF lens with a 25A red filter attached. This camera has a modified pressure plate and is loaded with original Kodak HIE high speed infrared.
The newest addition to the bag is an Olympus OM-G with a 50 mm f1.8 Zuiko lens. This camera looks new and was being tested for a resale student camera. It did not pass all the tests, it will need some service first. It has been marked as such with aforementioned frog tape.
Among the film in this bag are two boxes of instant film, Impossible PX-70 CP and original Polaroid SX-70, Time Zero. The latter is used for manipulations.
Another test camera in the form of a Canon 110ED Pocket Camera - This little guy takes 110 film and was tested with Lomography Color Tiger. If it passes all tests it will be given away at a future film photography event.
Loose film in this bag includes Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Tri-X, Polypan F, Lomography's Tiger and Peacock in 110 size.
In the pockets are:
My original Polaroid folding Sx-70 camera, a Alpha 1, Model 2 SE. No outing is complete without a Polaroid camera.
A roll of Frog tape and a Sharpie fine point marker, more must haves.
A chop stick for Polaroid manipulations and a flash bar.
The Rollei Prego Micron satisfies my need for a super quick, ultra wide and ultra slim camera.
Minolta flash meter V.
A map of Gettysburg, PA.
Behind that in the white envelope is a love note from my husband.
And finally in the document pocket a folder with notes from my last visit to the Film Photography Project's studio to record podcasts.
There you have it! The contents of my camera bags filled with fun, adventure, education and the satisfaction of film photography.
She wasn't quite born with a camera in her hands, but it wasn't long before she discovered the art of photography. Teaching photography and always working in the industry, she was never satisfied with the "norm" and found the many avenues of alternative photography kept her inspired. She is an avid promoter of traditional film photography with a life long love and passion for Polaroid and instant imaging. People are curious when they see her use classic cameras, and she always takes the opportunity to educate them on the joys of traditional film photography. Currently she is the owner of Imagine That and The Mecca Studio in Findlay, Ohio and can be heard occasionally on The Film Photography Project's internet radio show sharing her passions for all things related to traditional photography.
You can view her Flickr photostream at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
My camera bags, yes bags are packed for each adventure or assignment, then usually stay packed with this equipment until the next event. Sometimes certain items stay in there for years. Both bags shown are packed for adventure rather than an assignment.
Like most females I don't have just one bag, I have a few, each for different situations. So "What's in Your Camera Bag" first requires an explanation of my two camera bags and their reason for being my favorites. My two main camera bags are a Tundra Chameleon and a 20+ year old Domke Reporter's bag.
The Tundra is a lightweight ballistic nylon bag called the Chameleon. It is nice and slim when minimal equipment is packed, but when needed the body unzips to expand the main section and the padded walls become customizable pockets and dividers. The front is also smartly laid out with all kinds of pockets and the back contains a large zippered document pocket. I can customize it to hold my medium format cameras or even my Leonard wide 8x10 pinhole and a few film holders. I replaced the original shoulder strap with an Op/Tech weight reducing non-slip version. This loaded bag is currently housing top to bottom:
Polaroid SLR680 - I never go anywhere without a Polaroid Camera.
A Demekin, Pop Eyed Fisheye 110 film Camera with a roll of Lomography Orca attached. I was glad to find this little camera. I didn't know where it was; it had swam to the bottom of the bag!
Imperial Satellite 127 1960's camera with matching flash attached. This "toy" camera is so much fun to use. It never fails to start conversations. It is loaded with Murano color negative film. Tucked in beside the Satellite is a Minolta IV exposure meter.
Sharpie Fine Point markers - and Frog painters tape. Two very indispensable items. The frog tape is used for repairs, labeling, notes, holding 35mm film in 120 cameras and many other uses.
A chop stick for manipulation of Polaroid photographs. Although I can manipulate with anything from a dinner fork to car keys this chop stick is my tool of choice. It has been with me for 20 years.
P-Size Cokin filters - Red, Yellow, 81B warming, circular polarizer and hidden in front of these not seen is a TIffen 62mm enhancing filter. You may notice that there are no Cokin holders in here, I never take the time to attach them, I just hold them in front of the lens, shoot and move on. I use the large P size as they not only cover the lens but the electronic eye or sensors on cameras that are not reading exposure through the lens.
Olympus XA-4 - It's a nice compact, quick, wide angle and macro 35mm camera with an exceptional lens.
My newest love a beautiful Fed 5b Soviet 35mm camera.
Minolta Maxxum 7 with Minolta AF 28-85 lens and pop up flash, this or the 600si have become constant traveling companions.
Re-leathered in green snake is an OM1n with a standard 50mm Zuiko f1.8 lens. The Olympus OM camera system was my first SLR and is still a given in my camera bag. This one is loaded with Polypan F and currently has a modified back as an experiment with this film.
Miscellaneous films Portra 400 & 800, Ilford HP4, Kodak Ektachrome, a roll of Kodak Plus-X, Impossible Silver Shade, and original Polaroid 779.
First a pair of classic Nikons, a newly gifted Nikon F with a f 1.4 lens - it is in the testing stage. I have it loaded with 400 color negative film. Keeping it company is a Nikon FM2 with a Nikkor 28-105 AF lens with a 25A red filter attached. This camera has a modified pressure plate and is loaded with original Kodak HIE high speed infrared.
The newest addition to the bag is an Olympus OM-G with a 50 mm f1.8 Zuiko lens. This camera looks new and was being tested for a resale student camera. It did not pass all the tests, it will need some service first. It has been marked as such with aforementioned frog tape.
Among the film in this bag are two boxes of instant film, Impossible PX-70 CP and original Polaroid SX-70, Time Zero. The latter is used for manipulations.
Another test camera in the form of a Canon 110ED Pocket Camera - This little guy takes 110 film and was tested with Lomography Color Tiger. If it passes all tests it will be given away at a future film photography event.
Loose film in this bag includes Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Tri-X, Polypan F, Lomography's Tiger and Peacock in 110 size.
In the pockets are:
My original Polaroid folding Sx-70 camera, a Alpha 1, Model 2 SE. No outing is complete without a Polaroid camera.
A roll of Frog tape and a Sharpie fine point marker, more must haves.
A chop stick for Polaroid manipulations and a flash bar.
The Rollei Prego Micron satisfies my need for a super quick, ultra wide and ultra slim camera.
Minolta flash meter V.
A map of Gettysburg, PA.
Behind that in the white envelope is a love note from my husband.
And finally in the document pocket a folder with notes from my last visit to the Film Photography Project's studio to record podcasts.
There you have it! The contents of my camera bags filled with fun, adventure, education and the satisfaction of film photography.
Thank you for reading, and BIG thank you to Leslie for writing this article for us. Show her some love on Flickr!
Copyright 2013 Analog Revival
Thanks for the inspiration, Leslie and all of the FPP fun!
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