Technology…

I pulled the trigger on this camera bag so long ago that I had my doubts that it was ever going to arrive.  But it did, finally, and I think I’m pleased with it.  Right now it’s holding my camera with 150-600mm lens attached.  Plus the extra plastic ‘hood’ (I have no clue what it’s really called) that came with it.  Knowing that I could fit this into the bag as I have it here is the entire reason I bought the bag.  In addition I have my 10-18mm wide angle lens, the 18 to 55mm and 75-300mm lenses that came with my Canon T6, and my 1.4 Canon extender for the big telephoto lens.  My wallet fits over top of the longer lens in the side slot, and  additionally I have a spare battery and the bag’s rain bonnet stuffed in there.  There is a second zipper that reveals a large padded laptop and/or iPad pocket, which I can’t imagine the need for carrying either one, but you never know.  There are straps on the side for your tripod, and a side mesh pocket for a bottle of water, or my iPhone if I have on the pocket-less pants I complained about the other day.

Okay, yes, it’s heavy.  But once it’s on your back the weight is distributed well and actually feels as if it’s supporting your back.  Spoken by a person who has worn this all around the kitchen and is now a total authority on the subject.  I’ll let you know what I think after I wear it to a photo meet up.  Lately I’ve been leaving some of my camera gear in the car when I’m out and about.  It bothers me to do that.  It’s an investment and I’d be heartbroken to lose it.  And since you never know what you’ll discover when you leave the house I’d also be heartbroken to not have the lens I need when I need it.

I’m remembering my love of iPhone photography now, and remembering all the posts I read where people had given up on lugging their photography equipment with them, and they were extolling the virtues of the iPhone camera.  Which is a force to be reckoned with for sure.  But then you spot a baby eagle way up in a tree, across the street and behind a barbed wire fence, plus another distance beyond that, and you just have to take it’s picture.  So you lug the equipment and are happy to do it, just to get that one shot that makes it all worthwhile.

The rest of the story… The bag has been on several outings with me and it’s not too heavy, and it has proven to be fantastic to know that all the lenses are with me.  Literally ‘with’ me, rather than being in the car.  To ride the Clearwater ferry I even had a folded up windbreaker in there, thank goodness.  I can wander at will, and if I get lost I can ask Siri where I parked the car and she’ll get me back there, not to mention giving me directions back home again.  Sometimes it seems that technology is all that is keeping me straight/sane/amused these days…