You will be much more likely to keep your camera close if you have an appropriate bag for it, as well as extra lenses, spare batteries, SD cards, lens cleaning solution and tissue, etc. Try to find a bag that holds all of your equipment with a little room to spare. Sooner or later you will find some gadget or accessories that you just “have to have”. I have gone through most of the major camera bag designs and manufacturers over the years. My primary bag at this time is a LowePro backpack style bag that opens completely and gives me quick access to all of the contents within. I also have a small bag that accommodates one digital SLR with a medium telephoto lens attached. By using the small bag I can protect my camera and lens from the elements without having to carry all of my gear with me. When traveling dictates that I will not need to access my equipment until arrival at my destination I use a hard sided, waterproof, Pelican case.
I like to store my gear in whatever vehicle I normally drive when I am out looking for photographic opportunities. In the event that you have different vehicles you will need to bring your bag into the house with you and carry it out again when you next head out. I keep an old sweatshirt in my truck to cover my bag with when I leave the truck. I follow the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy when trying to secure my gear. If you live in an area where car break-ins are common you may want to never leave your equipment in the car.
What should go in your case besides the camera and lens? Extra batteries should always be on hand whether you are using a small “day” case or a larger one for all of your stuff. If you are on a multi-day outing, and your camera requires rechargeable batteries, don’t forget to include the charger. I carry a soft camel hair brush for dust removal from the lens, a small can of compressed air for getting dust and other debris out of hard to reach places. I keep a small bottle of lens cleaning solution, and lens cleaning tissues, in my bag for the occasional smear that always seems to get on a lens no matter how careful I try to be. If your bag is large enough, slip the owner’s manual in so that when your memory fails you about just what all of those buttons and menu settings so you can look them up. I am a big advocate of third party instruction manuals. Amazon.com offers excellent user manuals by various authors that contain more detailed information than the manufacturer’s publications. My copies are dog eared, with notes in the margins, and color highlighted through important information. I try to not be without them.
In the next column I will look at equipment including types of cameras, lens selection, and what cameras might be best for the photographer on a budget.
If you would like to see samples of my photography at my blog“Natural World Through My Camera” simply click here.