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I’ve been carrying Thinktank Airport AirStream Rolling Camera Bag pretty much entire winter season.  I also have airport international bag as well but it’s just too big to carry everyday.  Anyway, here’s my gear bag and thought someone would be interested.

Here’s my camera gear for basketball and hockey. Two camera bodies: 1d Mark III and 5D Mark II.  I know 5D Mark II is not designed for sports. But it’s great in low light situations and full frame body is nice for remote.  Glasses: 300 2.8 is, 70-200 2.8 is, 15mm fisheye, 17-40, and 1.4 x teleconverter.  I think this bag is perfect carrying 300 2.8.  Occasionally, I carry pocket wizard for remote and some canon 580EXIIs depends on assignment.

I also carry stuff like, extra memory cards, old credentials, AM radio (so that I know what’s going on during the game), laptop security lock, card reader, laptop charger, and bible memory verse cards.

I was organizing my old photos today and found this photo

I sold both 1Ds Mark II & 1D Mark II earlier this year and replaced with 1D Mark III & 5D Mark II.   Man, I miss them a lot

Before I became a wedding photographer, my go to lens were 24-70 2.8 L and 70-200 2.8 L is.  They cover most of the focal length I need and fit my photojournalistic style.  2.8 is also important in low light situations.  This year, I sold 24-70 and got 35 1.4 L instead.  It’s sharp and a lot lighter to work with.  This is my gear bag I bring in most event coverage.

I have two camera bodies (5D Mark II + 1D Mark III), two 580 EXII, CP-E3 Flash Power pack, 35 1.4, 70-200 2.8 is.  Other items such as credentials, gels etc all go into front pocket of Domke J-1.  I love this bag.  I can put a lot of stuff.  I can even put couple pocket wizards, off camera cord, and maybe 1 additional lens.  I usually mount 35 1.4 on 5D Mark II and 70-200 on 1D Mark III.  On a wedding day, I carry 35 1.4 on 5D Mark II and 85 1.2 on Mark III.

I do love my 70-200, but my clients like images that I took with 85 1.2 L better.

I don’t carry lens hood that come with 70-200.  It’s too big.  I don’t know where I got this hood but it’s made of rubber and works well.  One last thing, I just gaffer taped all the switches that I don’t use.   Don’t want to worried about all the switches are  set (especially AF- MF) while I am shooting.  I do change focus range switch quite often when I am shooting sports.

I’ve been looking for portable softbox for small strobes. I know bruce dorn makes wonderful products but it was very expensive (the adaptor called “magic slipper” is about $300). I also had to buy softbox etc. There’s other makers on the market but I wasn’t so sure about their quality. I am a big fan of Elinchrom softboxes. They are quick & easy to setup. Couple month ago, I bought the Elinchrom accessory called Reflector Adapter EL-RQ for Quadra. It’s designed to work with Elinchrom softboxes including Octa.

Today I’ve been playing with 580 EXII and trying to find a way to modify so that it works with Elinchrom light modifiers that I have.
Here’s a setup: Justin clamp, 5 ⁄ 8 Inch (Nominal) Spigot (which is used for the common umbrella adapters), and flash stand. Nice thing about this is that I can use pocket wizard flex TT5 as well as plus II. This was a perfect setup.

Here’s another look with Elinchrom Rotalux attached.

I will be using this setup where I can’t bring power packs with me. Nice thing abut this setup is that I can adjust the strobe hight very easily and set up very quickly. Now I can use ETTL and new pocketwizard Flex TT5 makes so easy. It also works with Nikon SB-26s as well.

If you already have Elinchrom light modifiers, this is pretty neat setup.

I just heard that Pocket wizard came out with new shielding system.  I’ve been using new pocket wizard for couple of month now and I have mixed feelings about the units. I trust plus II and it will trigger 100%. However, new flex TT5 has some issue with RF noise. It doesn’t fire all the time. The pocket wizard came out with shielding idea and the first one was made of plastic and it’s kind of weird bring it to paid gigs. The new prototype that Mark Wallace showed in his blog looks small and easy to move 580 EXIIs around, but I personally don’t want to use it in front of my clients. Hope pocket wizard fix this bug soon.