I get many email inquiries regarding what my equipment bag looks like. Well, here it is. I don't normally take all of this on safari with me, but most of it usually finds its way to Africa at some point or another.
Since September 11, 2001, travel restrictions on carry-ons and checked luggage have caused quite a bit of stir in the photographic community. I carry all of my camera gear with me onto the airplane, and check my clothing and camera accessories underneath. Am I crazy? Perhaps. But I don't think so. I would rather have a sore back from carrying everything than have my gear stolen or broken. Since we no longer enjoy the luxury of locking our luggage, I have no other options other than carrying my equipment with me. I remove all unnecessary weight, such as my camera batteries and chargers. I fit all of my camera gear in my Gura Gear Kiboko bag, which only weighs 4 pounds before I put all of my gear inside. Because of the lightweight nature of the camera bag, I am usually right on the edge of the weight limit on an international airline. If I am slightly over the limit, I will just remove something small and dense like batteries, teleconverters or a portable storage unit and insert into my coat pocket or laptop bag pocket. I check-in, and put back my gear in the bag once out of sight of the ticketing agents. Voila.
Back in 2005 I started working on my own camera bag design, because I was fed up with all of the heavy bags that were on the market. I launched Gura Gear in November 2008, and continue to work on new products for the traveling photographer.
I own both Canon and Nikon systems, and pride myself on being able to answer questions that are related to either system. My photographic kit changes month to month, so I have chosen to not list out all of the cameras and lenses that I own. These cameras and lenses are merely business tools for me, and I choose the equipment that best suits the job at hand.
Gura Gear Kiboko camera bag
Canon G9 point and shoot (great for web video)
Nikon D3x
Nikon D3
Nikon D300
Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Nikon 85mm f/1.4
Nikon 50mm f/1.4
Nikon 1.4x and 1.7x teleconverters
