What’s in My Bag?

As of early December, 2019, here is how my bag (actually backpack) looks.

First, the bag itself. It’s a Tenba Solstice 20L, which has served me well up until very recently. Only now am I feeling the limitations of its storage, after shoehorning a third lens in there along with my camera.

The backpack

The silver and the black/red attachments are the Peak Design Capture Clip and the CaptureLENS plate. These allow me to mount the camera (with one lens) and another lens to my shoulder straps, which means that I don’t have to take off the backpack to switch a lens 90% of the time, instead of every time. I still have to remove the backpack if I’m getting out the really large lens, but more on that below.

Main compartment

Lenses:

• Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4 DC Macro HSM C, attached to the Peak Design Lens Kit Plate, with B+H high-light transmission circular polarizer (72). Landscape and nature shots.
• Tamron 70-300 f4.5-5, Di VC USD, with B+H high-light transmission circular polarizer (62). Landscape and nature shots, rarely birds.
• Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM C. Birds and some landscape shots. This is a true gem of a lens with massive built-in contrast and better-than-expected AF.

Camera: Canon Rebel T5

Top storage compartment

Here, you are the things I often use on typical walkabouts 🙂 (up to about 5 hours, usually 2-5 miles).

• Off — critical for most of the year in North Florida
• Sunblock — same, esp. for me, because I tend to burn rather than tan
• Purell hand sanitizer — sometimes you need it
• Toilet paper — self-explanatory 🙂
• Trail mix (AKA “fail mix”) — not because it’s lame, but because it’s a funny name that stuck (hat tip: Harrison)
• Viltrox remote cable release — a real lifesaver for eliminating camera shake
• Breakthrough Photography zip-up pouch with microfiber cloth — for wiping down lenses, sensors, cameras after rain, etc
• Brush — obtained this as part of a cheap camera care kit
• Canon camera strap with Peak Design latches — these receive the anchor links on the camera. Note that they have velcro on the reverse. This is so after they are connected to the anchor links, they can stay fixed to velcro on the camera. Otherwise the circular disc + latch assembly hits the side of the camera with every step (grr).

Back compartment

• Peak Design bag with various tools to maintain the Peak Design equipment
• Tripod spikes and tripod allen wrench
• CardPacker SD card holder (yellow square) — a magnetically-sealed compartment with cutouts for many SD cards (great Kickstarter find)
• B+H Filter cases – when I need to remove the circular polarizers (rarely)
• Spare batteries
• Larger camera eyepiece — useful to block out the sun

In order to make room for the Sigma 150-600, I had to eliminate a bunch of things that I rarely used, like the transfer cable, the battery chargers, and so on. At first, I felt exposed without a battery charger, but I don’t miss it so much now. Instead, I charge my batteries before going out, and I rarely need to use a second battery.

There’s a few things on my wish list that I’d like to fit in here, but I know I’m pushing up against the limits of the bag (specifically a water purifier). I do carry two water bottles, one on each side of the bag, but I’ve been curious about hooking up a hydration system. Also, right now I’m carrying my tripod. I’d like to hook it up to the MOLLE extensions on the back of the backpack, but then I’m concerned that I will have to take off the backpack every time I need the tripod.

Decisions, decisions.

What’s odd or unusual in your bag?