ThinkTankPhoto create camera bags that will blow you away... Stuff that doesn't need introduction, commands a cult following and generally outlasts the people that purchase it... That said, each time I travel, I put my gear in my 'carry on' choice of bag for that trip, be it the Retrospective 20, the Streetwalker HD or even my Airport Takeoff... I've not really ever put my gear in my 'checked' luggage... Well, this trip [tomorrow morning, 11am folks] to San Fran, I've acquired the Airport Security and plan on changing that... My gear is insured, and I'm only taking my Canon 5DMKII, 24-70, 70-200 and some 'stuff' but I've packed it and my clothes for a week in my Airport Security and plan on checking it... The bag is bomb proof, it has TSA approved locks, it is a normal looking 'wheely bag' for those not in the know...
Before we go any further, if you're in the US and you're after ThinkTankPhoto gear, please use this link to get yourself an extra special something at checkout when you spend fifty bucks or more!
I removed all the dividers and, like many of you, went to grab a coffee and think about how to put them back in to best serve my needs - this is what I came back to... [most amusing, Seb]
I decided that I'd put a divider half way down, then pack my clothes in the lower half of the bag, my camera gear and 'stuff' in the top section... I have jeans, shirts, tees, socks and boxers for seven days, and a couple of spares for office water cooler accidents! Then in the top I sectioned off the top square with the battery grip of my 5DMKII down in the rut, lens (24-70 f/2.8) facing inward... Sectioned off, I've put the 70-200 f/2.8 IS II in the top section, both main bits of gear have sufficient padding over them to hold them in place should the bag fall from the hold at 30,000ft... (I have only used the padding that you would get by default with the bag)
You might notice there's a Lens Changer 35 in there, too... It has two chargers, three power cables, two batteries and my belt (I hate beeping through security and having to take it all off, baby) below that, there's the 70-200 under the padding, to the left is my Custom Pixel Pocket Rocket (Skull, uh huh) and my Holga dSLR lens tucked in beside my 5DMKII / BGe6 / 24-70 f/2.8 w/ hood reversed... Then clothes, and 'stuff' in the lid including a spare Lexar card for my Sony, business cards, spare batteries for the Canon an Orbis lens cloth, A spare Frio and my remote...
Then, to the left, there's what I'm going to carry on as I want to take my 17" MacBook Pro - the Streetwalker HD. There are a few extra modular and skin components in there, too... You can see the Skin Chimp Cage at the bottom of the bag, the Skin 50 sitting on top of the Skin Double Wide... I have my iPad in the double wide, I've got my deo, tooth brush, shaver and a couple of USB cables along with my NEX5, slrMagic 28mm f/2.8 lens and the Sony 18-55mm f/notsure ...then in the 50 I've got a G-Tech external drive and... err... some socks I think?!... Yeah, so that's how I'm going to roll, to San Fran, and did I mention I'm frikking excited to be visiting the head office!!
I want to leave you with a song, special lyrics form a friend of mine - this is how she feels about my trip... pretty hilarious!!
*Sung to "Have I Told You Lately" by Rod Stewart...or Van Morrison...oh yes!
Have I told you lately that I'm jealous?
Have I told you there's no one else this jealous of you?
You fill my heart with green-ness
Take away all my keen-ness
Keep me troubled - that's what you do.
For the morning San Fran in all it's glory
Meets the day with an Aussie and his brew
You fill my life with laughter, but that can't make it better...
Keep me troubled - that's what you do.
There's a pic less defined
And it's yours but not mine
Of the San.
And at the end of the day,
You should give thanks and say,
I'm the One, I'm the One!
Have I told you lately that I'm jealous?
Have I told you there's no one else this jealous of you?
Fill my heart with green-ness
Take away all my keen-ness
Keep me troubled - that's what you do!
Fill my heart with green-ness
Take away all my keen-ness
Keep me troubled - that's what you do!
