It's not about THIS EDC...
So recently I came back from a weekend trip, Monica and I were hiking on a Yellow Mountain, and
just like after every trip before I've got some questions about what things do I carry with me
and bag preferences. Today I'll try to cover everything from the bags I use to small
everyday carry things. Most of the time just a camera with the lens is enough
for me, but sometimes it takes more than that, especially during travels that luckily start
to occur more often these days, given our f***ed up situation here on the planet Earth...
If you're from the future, just google COVID. Since I'm a minimalist photographer, I also
apply same philosophy to the gear I use, so we're talking only essentials here. Let's begin!
Welcome back, it's Aperture Value with another episode, this one is about everyday carry. It's 2022
and with single, double or even triple vaccinations done, you have some more and more travel options
opening up. I can't be more happy about it, and after my recent trip I decided to sum up
everything I use as a photographer during travel times. Hopefully, you can pick up some ideas for
yourself and this video won't be completely useless... Let's start with the bags. I've tried
many camera bags over the past 6-7 years and I've found couple of things; first of all,
dedicated camera backpacks are sh**. They are too expensive for what they are, too bulky and what's
most important - very heavy, I mean some of them are up to 6-7 pounds or 3 kilos, and it's the
bag only!.. My whole kit weighs the same. Most camera bags are intended to accommodate practically all
the gear you have, and taking all you have with you is a very wrong strategy. Prioritize and
minimize to the most extent possible! People who have to carry everything they have are pros (or
simply dudes with hoarding disorder) who anyway use something like Pelican cases instead of do-it-all
backpacks which are less convenient, less practical, less comfortable, and obviously, less protective.
So don't try to find a perfect camera bag, because it doesn't exist. Now the bag I've been enjoying
so far is a 3L Peak Design Everyday Sling bag and yes, it does hold three liters of
beer, in case you're wondering like I did. It's the version two, first version was a bit bigger at five
liters and even though I considered it in the past, I didn't get it because I thought it's too
much booze for me to carry around legally... But this one is 3 liters and the size is
perfect!.. I really love it much more than conventional backpacks because they were
killing my back, they're too uncomfortable, you quickly become tired and irritated, especially when
it's hot outside, just like that ugly sweater given to you from grandma on Christmas. Sling bag, on
the other hand, is quite versatile: you can hang it across your body, on either of the shoulders,
in front or back, you can use it as a hip bag or waist bag, again, in front, behind or the side,
you can hang it as a shoulder bag or just carry it in hand. To sum up, all I can say is that this
is probably one of the most comfortable ways to carry your gear around for hours without getting
tired. It is especially convenient when taking pictures since you can hang it on your waist
hiding behind the back, that way it will be invisible in picture and your back and arms are free to
to do any pose you want. This bag has a very nice water resistant shell material as well as sturdy
waterproof zippers. On the bottom you have two loops that can be used to accommodate a tripod, a
pouch with a long lens, or coat, or umbrella. There's a small compartment that I don't really use, but I
guess you can fit something like a passport, or ticket, or cash, or vaccination card. Main
compartment opens up nicely from both sides, so you have easy access to everything without any tight
spots. 3L sling comes with a special Peak Design divider, some may recognize it if you're
familiar with other Peak Design products. Two thirds of space is devoted for the camera with the
lens and strap attached, my Fuji X-Pro3 can fit there no problem. Talking about the strap, I tried
different quick release straps from Peak Design and they are convenient, but far from comfortable.
I have this no brand handmade thick strap, looks a lot like Leica straps, it is well made, quite secure
and it's easy to maneuver camera in your hands and around your body. Camera with the lens and strap
take the main space, the rest is for other lenses, and it can fit at least two more primes, three
you might do as well, if the biggest one will be attached to the camera. Some of you may know that
I'm using Fujicrons trio, that is a 16mm f/2.8, 35 f/2 and 50 f/2. I consider it a perfect
lens gang for X-Pro3. I've made a separate video about them, so you can go ahead and check it out if
you like, I'll pop the link above. Seriously, pause now and go check it out first, I'll wait for you here...
I also use the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 wide angle lens which is also a Fujicron size
prime, so according to my needs I can choose up to three primes to take with me and that's all I need.
I also have a DJI Mavic Mini 2 and guess what: it fits perfectly in the bag as well, I can even
fit in an X-Pro3 with a lens, but mostly I'll just hang it on my neck and carry 1-2 primes
in extra space instead. I'm working on my review of Mini 2, it is a great drone for photographer,
so subscribe not to miss it! There is an extra pocket to the left and right, it is too small for
any of my primes, but I guess it would definitely fit some third-party manual focus primes for Fuji
or your vaccination cards, for instance. I mostly use it for microfiber cloth and dust blower, if
I need to. Lastly, there is a compartment with a zipper intended for SD cards, but since I already
have two 64 gig cards in X-Pro3, I don't need it, instead, I'm carrying an ND and CPL filter
in two of them and step up rings in the third one. Both filters are 49 mils which is perfect
because all my primes are 49mm or below, so I can use a step-up ring if I need to, and I can
also fit here an SD to lightning adapter as well as USB-C cables, which will power both
X-Pro3 and Mavic Mini 2, if I run out of juice which I rarely do. Many times I would carry only
the camera with the lens or only the drone, which leaves me some extra space. In this case, I can
take my 5000 milliamp Anker power bank, it is small, has 20 watt power delivery USB-C port and
a built-in power plug, it is enough to recharge my iPhone 12 as well as give some juice to my Mavic
Mini 2. I might as well put here my film point and shoot Ricoh GR10, although I usually carry
it in my pocket since it is one of the smallest and slimmest film pointing shoots out there.
I did a review of it, so check it out as well! I might also throw in my Libratone Air earbuds, but
again, I usually carry it in my pocket. Now moving on to a bit bigger bag for longer travels, I've had
a great experience with Incase bags. I owned their original 13 inch Reform backpack with an awesome
folding soft pad compartment for camera, then I had their DSLR Pro Pack with tons of compartments and
I could even strap my DJI Phantom drone to the side. Airport TSA's favorite... But now I own a very
stealthy and light Allroute Daypack, this one can fit a 15-inch laptop, they had a bigger one called
Allroute Rolltop which is more for hiking. Sadly, both seem to be discontinued, but I'm sure you can
find them used for cheaper price. The good thing is that the materials are very durable and wearing
out is not much of a problem. Allroute Daypack is not a camera bag, but who cares? I use it to pack
all gear when moving: it fits perfectly the Peak Design sling bag with camera and lenses, as well
as a case with the drone. Talking about it, I also recommend buying the generic all-purpose type of
foam case for the drone. Dedicated drone cases come at more expensive price and generally are
a bit bigger than needed, this one came with sliced foam cubicles, so you can shape it up according to
your needs. I just left the foaming around the perimeter and as a separator between the remote
and the drone itself. As you see, it makes a tight, compact and secure fit. You also have a zippered
net for your cables, cards, filters, etc. So back to my Incase bag, after packing camera and drone,
I'm still left with plenty of space and pockets. I rarely use a tripod, but if I think I need it,
I can pack it in the very bottom of the bag. I use the already discontinued Sirui T-025X, a small carbon
fiber tripod with a weight limit of roughly 13 pounds or 6 kilos, which is plenty of sturdiness
for my Fuji system. Inside the main compartment there are smaller pockets to fit my GR10,
same power bank or earbuds; pen pockets I usually use for sunglasses. There are two bigger
compartments underneath that can fit something like a map, tickets, wires, etc. There's a dedicated
laptop compartment that can be accessed separately, but I don't use it since I don't have a laptop or
a tablet. On the side, there is a hidden pocket that I usually use for passport or my phone, since it is
secure and quickly accessible. In the front there is a less secure compartment that I use for things
like band-aids, mints, tickets, trail snack, etc. Well, that is my roundup of bags and essentials I use,
hit the like button if you find it useful, and I'm aware that I didn't cover 100% of what you might
be interested in, so if you have any questions left you can ask me down below in the comments.
I guess the bottom line is - don't fall for dedicated camera bags and cases, prioritize comfort first. Any
bag can be a camera bag, so just find the one that comforts you most. Everything else can be figured
out, except for my big ass Instax Wide here... It's like the least packable camera after Pentax 67.