Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

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Darwinean_John
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Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Darwinean_John » Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:57 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

As I acquire more LF kit, the storage/portability issue becomes more acute.
Any advice re :
- storage of kit at home eg for lenses i) home-made wooden or plastic boxes ii) optimum location re temperature / humidity, ....
- kit carrying systems
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dave_whatever
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by dave_whatever » Fri Jan 29, 2010 4:02 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Other than generally trying to keep lenses out of long term humid conditions (unlikely to occur in the UK anyway) then there's no special needs. If you're just starting you're not likely to have more kit than you'll have in your camera bag anyway.

Lowepro bags are pretty popular - reasonably priced, well made, good availabilty and lifetime guarantee.

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Joanna Carter » Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:59 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

We keep all our kit in LowePro Photo Trekker bags, with a couple of sacks of silica bran to ensure nothing grows inside. All kept in a cool, dry room.
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Darwinean_John
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Darwinean_John » Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:52 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thanks for that, so not too much risk of damage due to atmosphere.

But my non-LF gear is already significant so adding a new LF system is likely become a storage issue - wondered how others resolved.

Until now, I have been hiding the kit away until used but I'm now considering whether to create a display in a glass-fronted cabinet.
Does anybody have any thoughts about the practicalities of that?

For info, I currently have 1 LF lens, 4 MF bodies, 2 SLRs, 2 compacts, lots of lenses, 2 hammerhead flashes, 3 Gitzos, Sekonic meter and some bits - Lee holders, adaptors and filters, extension rings, step-down rings, reversing rings, IR trigger, slave units, .....
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by David Rees » Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:21 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

John,

I'd go with the Lowepro (or similar) solution. I have quite a bit of kit, and the hassle of picking out what I want for each shoot, then placing it in a bag, is simply too much. I'm lazy - I like to be able to grab a bag and go. There is also (particularly with LF!) a significant risk of not taking an essential item (eg., spotmeter, loupe, cable release, etc.) if you pack the bag afresh each time, esp. if you are packing whilst half-asleep, such as before dawn.

The downside to this approach is you end up with a lot of bags -- currently I have 6, for different systems. Plus a big storage box filled with rarely used items...

Another downside, now that I think of it, is duplicate items of kit -- spotmeters, etc. But I consider this useful in two ways:
a) the hassle reduction factor mentioned above - cheap at the price.
b) I have a spare item if something breaks. I'm a firm believer in the principle that unique items ALWAYS go wrong -- but if there is a spare, BOTH are utterly reliable.

So all I have to do (apart from picking up a bag, and the appropriate tripod) is to visit the fridge to grab some film before I head out the door. You do need to remember do this last step -- I have forgotten both tripod and/or film on one or more occasions in the past...hence my desire to keep things foolproof!

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by PAUL O » Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:44 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I keep all my kit in aluminium cases - bought for ridiculously cheap prices but ideal for storing gear! One for my lenses/filters/step-rings/light meter, another for my camera body/reduction back/6x17 roll film back, one for my 5x7 DDS and another for "everything else".
I then decant what I need into a "carry bag"; either a Lowepro Super Trekker or Tamrac Adventure 10 pack.
It is a pain to pack/unpack kit but this way I know where everything is stored prior to packing.

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by dave_whatever » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:33 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I second David's advice of having the camera bag packed and always ready to go.
I wouldn't however want to use sheet film straight out of the fridge, cos it'll probably move during exposure when exposed to the ambient temp/humidity, especially in summer. I've had this happen and now after film is loaded in a holder it doesn't see the fridge again.

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Darwinean_John » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:02 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thanks for your top advice guys. I'll get more bags and pack them so that I'm more or less 'good to go' at short notice.
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Thingy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:21 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I currently keep most of my kit in my Lowepro Nature Trekker, and the rest in a drawer beside my bed (all the architectural lenses). I am having a fitted wardrobe put in in 8 days with dedicated extra drawer space to store all my photographic equipment (Contax G2, Olympus OM & DSLR stuff & LF stuff). I just need a new freezer to put food in, now that my current one is taken up with QL & Astia F sheet film! :mrgreen: :roll:
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Darwinean_John
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Darwinean_John » Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:23 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Anybody investigated the technical backpacks by US-based photobackpacker?
It seems to have a satisfied and loyal customer base due to the products being :
- tailorable
- configurable
- effective and efficient
These features appear to enable you to carry more kit more comfortably for longer.
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by PAUL O » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:52 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I've tried the lens cases and they are good quality but my "issue" is the amount we get stung for taxes/duty here in UK - my order from Photobackpacker incurred a fair few quid in the above PLUS a Royal Mail handling charge!!
As yet I've never had to pay for kit from Far East/Japan but the US of A gets me every time :?

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Patrick Dixon » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:47 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

PAUL O wrote: As yet I've never had to pay for kit from Far East/Japan but the US of A gets me every time :?
I think you'll find that it's something to do with the 'honesty' with which US citizens declare the full value on the customs form ;-)

Darwinean_John
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by Darwinean_John » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:23 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Yes, I agree it hurts. I hadn't noticed the correlation between full tax payments and US sources
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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by David Evans » Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:20 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Darwinean_John wrote:As I acquire more LF kit, the storage/portability issue becomes more acute.
Any advice re :
- storage of kit at home eg for lenses i) home-made wooden or plastic boxes ii) optimum location re temperature / humidity, ....
- kit carrying systems
To go against the flow a bit, I'd say the main problem for me with the Lowepro backpacks is that they are getting heavy before you ever put anything in them! The Lowepro Naturetrekker AW II is 4.4kgs before you start loading it!

If you then add 10-15kgs of kit, and I think it's pretty difficult to get below 10kgs of kit with large format - you've got quite a heavy backpack.

If you're in the studio, or don't stray far from the car, that's fine. If you are planning a 10 to 15 mile hike, it's a definite consideration.

Another consideration if you are going to going to be walking miles, is the comfort of the backpack.

The US sourced packs from Photobackpacker are light weight (the biggest model is nearly half the weight of the Lowepro), but I found the downside of this was that they are unpadded and tend to sag. I also found the backpack uncomfortable and not suited to my back shape. There's no option to try before you buy when importing.

Having tried a LOT of different options, I've settled on a non photo specific backpack - an Osprey Atmos 35, together with a Photobackpacker multi lens case, and some padded cases made to measure from Bags for Everything https://vault1.secured-url.com/SecurePa ... index.html. The Osprey Atmos is very comfortable and lightweight, and my whole kit with film, two lenses etc weighs in at about 11-12 kgs - that's including the tripod. However 35 litre needs careful packing with little room for extras. The ideal for me would be if Osprey made a 50 or 60 litre Atmos with panel opening, but they don't.

I keep the backpack ready packed, and keep everything else in a chest of drawers, and have desiccant silican gel sachets around if lenses are stored for any length of time.

If I were getting a bag to hold everything, I'd probably get a photography specific wheeled case.

Finally, consider whether you are going to be flying with your LF kit - you'll be wanting most of it in the cabin with you (and you definitely don't want film travelling in the hold).
David

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Re: Kit Storage at home and portability on foot

Post by dave_whatever » Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

David Evans wrote:
Darwinean_John wrote:As I acquire more LF kit, the storage/portability issue becomes more acute.
Any advice re :
- storage of kit at home eg for lenses i) home-made wooden or plastic boxes ii) optimum location re temperature / humidity, ....
- kit carrying systems
To go against the flow a bit, I'd say the main problem for me with the Lowepro backpacks is that they are getting heavy before you ever put anything in them! The Lowepro Naturetrekker AW II is 4.4kgs before you start loading it!

If you then add 10-15kgs of kit, and I think it's pretty difficult to get below 10kgs of kit with large format - you've got quite a heavy backpack.
I think this is the problem of carrying heavy gear or a lot of gear, it has a knock-on effect. Lot of gear needs a bigger rucksack, which is heavier in itself. Heavier camera and lens needs not only a bigger and heavier bag, but a heavier tripod too.

My packed bag at the moment weighs 7.7kg in total,with 3 lenses, 3 darkslides, filters, meter, hood etc and a rollfilm back. If I cram all the darkslides I own into it then add another kilo. Tripod and head comes to 2.5kg. If I was being serious about lightwight I could probably knock a few KGs off this and get into a smaller bag by going with only a lens or two (do we really need a dozen lenses?) and buy a CF tripod. Even as a healthy active person still (just) in his twenties I find the weights some other people are carrying pretty frightening. :shock:

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