INSIDE YOUR GUIDE'S CAMERA BAG

Here is a list of the most common items found in my camera bags and gear hard cases:

Nikon D3S Camera Bodies
Nikon D300 Camera Bodies (Smaller/lighter than D-series Pro bodies to make up for weight of 400mm 2.8)
Nikon D200 Camera Body (Backup body and for multi-camera applications)
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 Lens (My #1 wildlife lens)
Nikon 300 f/4 Lens (for traveling light)
Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 Zoom Lens
Nikon 18-70mm Zoom Lens
Nikon 12-24mm Zoom Lens
Nikon TC-20E 2X Teleconverter
Nikon SB-900 Speedlight Flashes (w/colored gels and various light diffusers/modifiers, lens-mount brackets)
Nikon SB-24 Speedlight Flashes
Nikon SC-29 TTL Flash Synch Cords (For multiple off-camera flash applications)
Nikon MC-30 Cable Release
Multiple Flash Slave units (For multi- and remote flash applications)
Assorted Synch Cables/Cords/Light Stands/Umbrellas/Soft Boxes
B+W 82mm Kaeseman Circular Polarizing Multi-Resistant Coating (MRC) Glass Filter* (*Sealed to prevent water/dust entry in tough shooting conditions)
Nikon 52mm Drop in Circular Polarizer designed for Nikon 400mm f/2.8 lens
Assorted Nikon and B+W glass filters for warming, etc..
Various step-up rings to adapt polarizer and other filters to various lenses.
Nikon Camera Batteries (5 for remote expeditions where recharging is not possible)
LowePro Compact AW Camera Bag
Pelican 1450 Hard Case
GITZO 3540-XL Mountaineer Carbon Fiber Tripod
MacBook Pro Laptop(s) w/Pelican 1495 Hard Case

The "Attic"

Toyo View 4" x 5" w/assorted lenses
Mamiya C330 Twin Lens Reflex w/assorted lenses
Leica M6 w/assorted lenses
Nikon F4 35mm Film Camera Body
Nikon F3 35mm Film Camera Body

 

PHOTOGRAPHER'S NOTE:

After carrying entirely too much gear into the field and on assignments for well over 20 years, I have streamlined my process and find that "Less is More", assuming I carry a few basic essentials. Carrying too much gear in the field actually limits one's ability to make great photographs.

Choosing the more compact "pro-sumer" camera bodies lightens the load and volume considerably and has few, if any, significant sacrifices. In some cases, these bodies actually pack more technical power (on a feature by feature basis) than some Nikon D-series "pro" bodies.

Know what you're going after, photographically, and pack accordingly. Recent airline travel restricitons have made it even more important to have a "tight" and consolidated gear list. We're on a field expedition - not in the studio, so less bulk is extremely important. Photographing in jungles requires a special type of efficiency that carrying too much gear prohibits.

Jon Friedman
Wildlife Photographer and Naturalist Field Guide
Owner, EXPEDITION WILD