How many cams do you lug around?

[DaveP]

How many cameras do you usually take when you go on an officil photo day shoot? I was carrying 3 or 4 until the time I had finished for the day and sat on a park bench to stow everything. I got up and got in my truck and started backing out and glanced around at the bench.......there sit my Zorki 1 !! So now I only carry two cameras because they are always around my neck at the same time. I find more than two is cumbersome and you end up with the same photo on too many cameras, much less hardware considerations. I usually carry my Petri Color 35( chosen over the Canonet since it uses 40.5 filters to fit into the FSU scheme) and a Fed or Zorki. Life has been easier since...............

[BJ Bignell]

Between one and four... but that depends where I'm going (or what I'm shooting). If I'm going out to the farm, often I'll take as much as I feel like stuffing into the Lowepro bag, 'cause there's no risk of it being stolen, and little risk of it being lost. There's so many different opportunities in the country, and more time to work, so I can use many different tools.

If I'm walking around town, or going over to a friend's, it's usually just the R, and maybe a second lens. I like to keep it light and fast, and I definitely like to avoid drawing attention to myself.

[Jarvis]

Hassleblad and 3x FM3a ..... both standard lenses only.... everywhere I go... Hassleblad 80% of the time FM3a all of the time (at least one)

[back alley]

on a good day, just one camera and one lens.

if i'm workin' it, 2 cameras and 3 lenses.

joe

[xcapekey]

hmmm...if i'm in a zen mood...then the iiia and summar...

but atleast two if i'm just out and about...either a 50/35, 50/90 combo...

if i'm working to document something...then 3...35/50/90 or 21/50/90

[Bob Michaels]

one body and usually one lens. Occasionally two lenses if I'm hours away from my stash in the car.

The body might be a Contax G, might be a Mamiya 7. The lens might vary from normal to wide to very wide. But I do with what I have. (don't own a zoom)

I do much better giving 100% of my attention to the photograph I'm making without expending any on the equipment I'm using.

[wierdcollector]

Since I'm always testing more goodies or film, I always have either 3 or 4 cameras and about the same number of lenses. One time I lugged 10 lenses along only to find the three largest (and of couse heaviest) were T mount and I had Minolta mounts on them, but a Pentax Spotmatic with me. Doh!!!

[Nikon Bob]

One or two bodies and two or three lenses. Going light it is a body with a 35mm.

Bob

[cp_ste.croix]

poverty limits me to 2 FLRF's at the most, usually just one at a time though (in the olden days, it was 1 slr and a zoom)

[Gabriel M.A.]

No more than two, and carrying more than one is rare. I once took four cameras with me; never again. No pleasure in it. When I carry the second one is usually because I'm carrying a digital camera. Film is always with me, and not because I'm "old school", but for mainly technical reasons that I won't get into now.

[rover]

I am trying to keep things light, one cam and 2 or three lenses. Right now my bag has my M3 and 3 50s. (don't ask, I don't know why 3 50s) Most of the time I carry a 35 and a 50.

[GeneW]

Two cameras -- one digital and one RF -- is the usual mix. Both fit nicely into a Lowepro Nova 2 bag, along with my Palm and folding keyboard. One lens on the RF -- usually 35mm Ultron on the Bessa R, or J8 on the Zorki 3M.

Gene

[Honu-Hugger]

I try to never carry more than two; three is not too bad if there's good reason. When I'm heading out I might place in the car anything from one or two bodies to as much as everything I own -- just depends upon the day and what I'm after. But I try not to walk with more than two cameras; I like to keep it comfortable. I also don't like to carry spare lenses, I prefer to take whatever lens I'm going to use mounted to a body -- it's just a silly little peculiarity of my own.

[wlewisiii]

I usually only have my go bag with my kiev lenses, film and etc in it to go with one Kiev body. There are rare occasions where I might use more than one, but I can't remember the last time I did so.

William

[peter_n]

I now take the Canonet everywhere so mostly one, but at weekends I have the bag so I also have the M6TTL which currently has my 90 welded to it. I find the 40 & 90mm lenses can cover just about anything. :)

[DougK]

One camera and one lens at a time.

[phototone]

Usually six. They're small.

[pvdhaar]

One camera, and either one or two lenses. Anything more and then my brain goes into confusion mode.

[nwcanonman]

Almost always TWO.
Usually an SLR and a lens on neck strap. Then always an RF and spare lens/lilm/filters/water-bottle in the KATA sling under my arm.

On a Big trip, THREE. One body with print color, one with print B&W and one with E-6 (Velvia or Astia)

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Usually two. Either my Bessa R and a FED or my QL17. Lately these will be carried around in my old leather camera bag.

[chug]

For me it depends on what I am going to to take pictures of. The last time I went to a family gathering I took 3 cameras. But only used 2. Othertimes when I go to say.. the botanic Gardens or something I will take 2-3, but I may only get to use one of them. It all depends on what the subject of the shoot is :)

Of Late its been My Bessa L and Rolli 35 S. I take the Rolli with me most places now cos its so damn small and does a wonderful job. My next outing I shall take my Bessa R and maybe the Rolli. Sometimes I will take a small P&S digital with me, but when I do, I dont seem to use it. Same goes with my D70.

[thpook]

My M2 and Konica Hexar RF. The RF generally has my CV 2.5/35 on it, and the M2 generally has my M-Hexanon 2.8/90.

If I'm doing low light work, I carry my M2 with the 35 and my M-Hexanon 2/50, and my Sekonic L-608, or my Rollieflex 2.8 GX.

[Roger Hicks]

If it's just for a day, as few as possible. This is not always 1 because I will often need illustrations for a particular article/book so I might have (for example) Linhof 5x7 inch plus Leica MP.

For a longer trip, usually two Leicas (one mono, one colour) and one or two other cameras eg Alpa. And my wife also carries 2 M-mount cameras...

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.,com)

[impact07]

Usually, one of each. I'll take my Leica and maybe something MF, like my pentacon, or my Rolleicord (when it worked). Now I have a Speed Graphic 4x5, so I'll take that if I can take the time to set it up and all. If I'm not going to have a chance to mess with the bigger stuff, I'll take the leica and one other 35, a Zorki, GSN, Canonet, Kiev, maybe an SLR. Sometimes a holga or an old box camera.

Sometimes I think I should narrow to just one of each format. Then I think Naaaaaaaaah.

[BAPIEMAI]

Usually 3. The Olympus mju II which is surgically implanted with me, a Mamiya 645 and my EOS 30 Hi-Matic.

When on a trip I take the Mamiya for serious photos, the Canon for telephoto and wide, the Hi-Matic for the same reason as the Mamiya but for portability, the Polaroid for fun, the Olympus IS-500 for hazarous places (ie the beach) where I dont want to carry the EOS, the digital E-300 for backup, the Minolta X370s for use with the 18mm wide lens and naturally the mju II.

[taffer]

For the daily photos, just (and always) one camera and one lens, as I tend to mix photography with long walks, carrying too much soon starts to be annoying, and having a limited vision in the 35-50 range means also that almost any 'normal' camera/lens will do what I need.

On trips, vacations, etc, it's a very different thing, but anyway I always try to have a big bag with all the equipment which I can leave at home, hotel, etc, and a smaller 'battle' one for the small excursions with 1 or 2 cameras.

[RubenBlaedel]

two or three leica Ms and one Rolleiflex TLR or Two Rolleiflex and one leica M
or a lowepro full of Hasselblad and one Leica M around the neck
Optimally the amount of gear I carry around should be between 1/5 and 1/3 of my own body weight in order to make me feel comfortable and not having to seek instant therapy :p

[Goodyear]

Usually just one, but never more than two. It could be my Bessa R (most common), plus either the L+21, or my Autocord. When I have the Bessa R, it'll be accompanied by a 35 and a 75.

If I'm digital, I'll be digital with just the 300D and a couple of lenses - too big to carry another body just on a walkaround.

The K1000 still gets the occasional look-in.

[wclavey]

I have 2 basic "systems":

120: Mamiya C-220 with 65, 80, and 180mm lenses
35mm: Olympus OM-1, OM-2, with 28, 50, and 200mm lenses

so I usually decide which I'm most likely to use effectively based on what I am shooting (it usually ends up being the Mamiya...).

I also have 3 "shooters" I always carry in addition to a system or when ever I am just out & about: a Zorki-4, an Ansco Speedex 4.5 Special, and a Kodak Retinette 1A. So if I take the OM stuff, I also bring the Ansco, or if I take the Mamiya, I also carry the Zorki or the Retinette.

But I usually will not take one of the systems unless it is a planned photo outing, usually with someone elso who is out to take pictures, as well. If it is a trip out with the family or friends or a walk through our booming metropolis (downtown West Hartford), I just take one of the shooters.

BTW, the nice thing about the 2 systems is that the Olympus lenses (except for the 200) take 49mm filters, hoods, etc. and the Mamiya is 46mm, so a simple 46-49 step up ring lets me do double duty with the usual accessories.

[TPPhotog]

I used to carry around 2 bodies and 4 lenses to choose from. These days I decide on the way I want to shoot before I got out and take my QL17 and an SLR usually with the 50mm fitted. Not missed a shot because of lens selection so it makes me wonder why I used to carry such a huge bag with me.

[Flyfisher Tom]

I must admit that my mind is usually more ambitious than my back ;-) When I think I can handle it, one body with slide film, one with Tri-X.

[FrankS]

Day-in, day-out, back and forth to work it's always 1 camera and lens, either the Bessa R or a Leica M with a 50. If I'm going to visit my folks for a few days (by car), I'll take 3 or 4 in a large bag. A couple of rangefinders and a couple of MF cameras.

[tamerlin]

Normally, two -- Leica m7 and XPan. When space is a concern (like during tomorrow's bike
ride), just the m7... though I'm not really sure about the best way to carry it when on a bike yet.
Any suggestions? :)

[jorisbens]

I always carry a fed (fed-1 or 2) and sometimes a fed and a praktica super tl1000 :eek: (yep that is a slr :bang: )

Joris

[einolu]

one camera, currently this is a zorki 1.

[Heath]

Yesterday was an example of a 'typical' shooting day for me.

I had with me:

Canon EOS 1000FN with 35-80, 50 and 80-200 lenses
Yashica J
Graphlex Century Graphic
Tripod and
2 hand held light meters.

Last wekend I had an outing with my camera club and this is what I took with me:

Graphlex again
Canon 300D and EOS 1000FN with the same lenses as well as the 18-55
Ensign Ful-vue and
Yashica-A TLR

The others I was with all had digital P&S's except one what had her new EOS 350D and a couple of lenses.

I sometimes only take 1 camera, like when I am at work I have a RFer in my bag at all times. You just never know when a 'moment' is going to happen.

Heath

[tamerlin]

When I'm biking, I take only one camera and lens (Leica m7). If I'm on foot or
driving, I add my XPan, tripod, and reflector. :)

[Terence T]

When shooting RF, usually no more than 2. I got myself a smaller bag so as not to let my desire to bring out everything in my dry cabinet come to pass.

Usually one of the Bessa bodies + 35mm + longer lens along with the Fuji TX-2 +45mm + 30mm. It's a small and mangeable setup which covers most of the situations I'd run into. I'd pop in the 15mm sometimes cos it's so small and hardly takes up any additional room.

Lately I've been contemplating a Rolli 35 that I can just slip into my pocket.

[Laika]

I just got back last night from a five week trip to Europe, I took a three cameras ...

Nikon FM3a w/ 24mm/f2, 35mm/f1.4, 75-150/f3.5. Bessa-L w/ 15mm/4.5. FED2 w/ 35mm/2.8(J12), 50mm/2(J8).

Most of the time I only had two cameras on me at once but a few times I went out for the day with all three (but not with the full kit of lenses). I think next time I travel I'll take a pair of RF's, I can see a Bessa R3 or 2 on my camera shopping list :) I think if I get a RF lens as useful as my 35mm/1.4 SLR lens the switch to a full RF kit will be easy... So I guess I need to add a VC 28/1.9 or 35/1.7 to my list as well :rolleyes: ..... Now I've just got to work how to pay for all my film processing from my trip :)

If I'm just visiting friends or going out for the day I normally have a Nikon SLR & my fast 35 lens and whatever Soviet RF has got my interest at the time.

[Duncan Ross]

Just the one, my Kiev 4 and its four lenses (and a bunch of flashbulbs). In fact always just the one based on the 'a-camera-for-every-occasion' rule of GAS!

[Richard Black]

Most of the time I carry at least one rf camera, Bessa R, Leica IIIc, or Mir. Of late I have been working on a disciplined approach and have begun taking only 1 camera and 1 lens in order to focus, no pun intended, on perspective. I think it has help me improve overall. Too many options can be more entertaining but also distracting. Oh, the Yashica GSN has risen to a constant traveling companion because it is so quick and easy. On long trips, this idea goes out the door and the equipment goes in. See my tag line for equipment that travels, it does not include all the SLRs.

[pendevour]

When I used film exclusively I always took at least two cameras, an SLR with 28-105mm zoom loaded with slide film and a 35mm rangefinder loaded with B&W neg film. Sometimes also a folding medium format (Zeiss Nettar) with B&W. Two cameras gives you back-up in case one breaks down or is "dropped" when your miles from anywhere. The 120 folder is usually just for sheer pleasure.
Nowadays photo technology has changed, I'm older and want to carry less weight (that isn't part of me!), its a digital Canon G5 and Bessa R (35mm lens) loaded with XP2. Still add a 120 folder sometimes (depends on the terrain and my state of mind).

[Penguin_101]

For everyday carrying I have:
-Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
-Canon Elan 7
-Canon:
28-90 f/4-5.6 USM
70-300 f/4-5.6 USM
50 f/1.8

For my upcoming trip to Colorado in June I will take:
All of above
Minolta X-700 w/ 50 f/1.8
Yashica GSN (B&W Film)
Canon A60 Digital
Teleconverter for A60 digital P&S


This does not include the little things like filters, ect.

[rbiemer]

Most often one camera and one lens. Occasionally two lenses.
Rob

[vsolanoy]

I have both my R3A and Digilux1 with me almost all the time. They're small enough to fit into a small, vertical messenger bag along with other things. If I'm on a photo expedition, I may carry 3 cameras. The R3A, Digilux1 and a Canon 10D with a couple of lenses.