Carrying My Camera Gear: Think Tank Belt System

Travel Photography KitI acquired quite a few camera bags in my quest for the holy grail for carrying my gear around. There are some smaller ones and larger ones meant to carry a kit consisting of various numbers of lenses. I'll take all my lenses on a longer trip; I spend so much time taking photos that it's worth having 5 lenses. These days, with my Micro Four Thirds kit, that translates to a lot less bulk than the heavy Nikon kit I used to lug around.

But with 5 lenses, I still need a practical solution for carrying the kit. As far I see it, a good bag for my gear offers the following, in order of importance:

1. QUICK ACCESS, so I don't waste time rooting around for the lens I need nextVanguard Pampas 47 Sling Bag
2. COMFORTABLE to wear without hindering my movement
3. PROTECTS gear from shocks, dust and moisture

Comfortable means I have to be able to wear the case the whole day without it getting in the way. You just can't take your bag with gear costing thousands and put on an adjacent chair in a busy café. All it takes is a moment's inattentiveness and everything is gone. So I've got to be able to sit down without the case I'm wearing creating a barrier between me and my food (can't have that!). My bag also shouldn't restrict movement or otherwise get in the way when I bend down to take photos close to the groundLowepro Photo Runner 100 Beltpack or when I'm moving through a crowd.

I've tried all kinds of bags on trips, including shoulder slung bags which were literally a pain in the neck when they got larger and heavier. Also, they dangled around generally getting in the way. So I switched to a “sling” backpack. Despite being designed for fast access, I found it took too long to get at my equipment. Backpacks also tend to be uncomfortably warm in tropical countries. So that left belt-packs to try. For myself, this is a better solution: there's no back and neck strain and my gear is easy to access. The belt-packs I used were designed for traditionalThink Tank Belt System DSLR systems so they were all too deep for the smaller Micro Four Thirds lenses. They also got in the way when sitting or bending over. We won't talk about what happens when you have to heed the call of nature.

Really that left only one system to try next: a modular one. Essentially this is comprised of a belt to which you attach individual component pouches. I settled on a Think Tank Thin Skin Belt™ V2.0. Think Tank also make a thicker, padded belt which should be even more comfortable to wear. But that belt doesn't work with my Lowepro lens cases whose attachment “attachment tab” won't go around the padding. I could've used Think Tank's own lens pouches, but they don't offer any that are small enough for my 3 mid-size MFT lenses (Lumix 7-14/4.0, Leica 45/2.8 and Voigtländer 25/0.95). I am using Think Tank's Lens Changer 15, their smallest lens case, for my largest lens, the Lumix 100-300/4.0-5.6. Using their smallest case for my largest lens speaks volumes about the advantages of mirrorless interchangeable lens systems.

Think Tank Belt System with Shoulder BagI've been wearing the belt with the lens cases on photo outings during the past weeks and have found it to be very comfortable. It offers quick access to my gear and doesn't restrict movement. I've been able to sit comfortably with the belt on; the individual lens cases more readily conform to my body's position than a single belt pack can. I can cycle, bend down and wear it for long periods of time without any problems. The belt is designed to be rotated around the waist, for improved access and to shift weight. I could also clip my camera pouch to the belt, but I prefer to keep it in a small shoulder bag which I wear on my chest. With the GH2's strap around my neck, the camera is always ready to shoot.

The camera bag is a Lowepro Rezo TLZ 10. I like these "toploader" bags: you can close the lid using the buckle while the camera strap remains around your neck.

The individual components on the Think Tank Thin Skin Belt V2.0 S-M-L from left to right:

1. Think Tank Lens Changer 15 Lumix 100-300mm/F4.0-5.6
2. Lowepro Lens Case 1S Lumix 7-14mm/F4.0
3. Lowepro Lens Case 1S Leica 45mm/F2.8
4. Lowepro Lens Case 1N Cosina Voigtländer 25mm/F0.95
5. Think Tank R U Thirsty? Manfrotto 709 Digi Tripod, Hama Lens Pen, 500ml bottle water

In the various side pockets, there is also a spare battery, an ND and a polarizer filter. In addition to a 32GB SDHC card in the camera, I also have two spare 16GB cards.

So this will be the way I carry my kit while in India. That'll be its real test. Stay tuned...

I'd be very interested in hearing how you carry your gear while traveling.

Comments

[Eric Jeschke]

Thanks for that interesting post. I've been looking for a way to carry my u4/3 gear as I've acquired more and more lenses. The only downside to your approach (as I can see it) is that it screams "I'm carrying a ton of expensive photo gear!" even without any of it being out of the pockets. This would be my concern when travelling to certain places. At least with a backpack approach, especially if you don't have any fancy camera backpack logos showing, it hides that. Your approach seems very ergonomic though.

[Doug Elliott]

Thanks for posting this information. It's always helpful to see how others carry their gear. I've come to the conclusion that I don't like sling or shoulder bags (at least very large ones) due to their eventual shoulder or back discomfort due to their inherent asymmetrey. That has led me to belt backs, and currently I'm using a Think Tank Change Up. This bag can be used as a chest bag, a shoulder bag, or a belt back. I've got my G2, 20mm, 14-45, Oly FL36 flash, and a 45-200 in it, with room to spare for other accessories (batteries, flash bounce accessories, etc. I'm very impressed wtih Think Tank build quality.

And by the way, I really enjoy your site, and check it out daily. Thanks for your efforts!

[Björn Utpott]

Thanks for your comment, Eric. You're not the only one to express concerns about the conspicuousness of the belt system. That seems to be one of its drawbacks that needs to be weighed against advantages such as accessibility and comfort. I also use a camera backpack but not in hot humid climates. I find my back get gets uncomfortably hot when wearing my gear that way.

Doug, thanks for your kind words about my blog. It's great to have people visit and I gain a lot of insights from their comments. I agree, Think Tank does make both innovative and good quality products. The "Change Up" you mention is interesting in that it can be worn as both a belt pack or a shoulder bag or even use both carrying systems simultaneously.