Shooting another non-profit event tonight. Tight quarters during cocktail hour, so I’m bringing the slimmest bag I own – a LowePro Midtown 160. I’ve got a Stealth Reporter D400AW, but it’s much deeper, and I’d be spending much of the cocktail hour saying, “Excuse me.”
The non-profit I’m helping out is The Citizen’s Campaign. A New Jersey based group, they work to get normal, non-elected citizens involved in the political process. I made a video for them last year that explains what they do:
Inside this little bag is the K-5 with grip and DA*50-135 F2.8, the K-01 with DA*16-50 F2.8, a Metz 58 AF-1 flash, a DA70mm F2.4 and DA21 F3.2 Limited, extra batteries for the camera and flash, memory cards, and gels for the flash. Oh, and an iPad too.
This bag reminds me why I chose Pentax – I’d be hard pressed to fit a similary Canon or Nikon kit in this bag (2 cams and 2 zooms and 2 primes and a flash). Micro Four-Thirds is smaller, but they don’t have the fast zooms yet. They are getting there though, if the reports of the Olympus OM-D are to be believed.
No kit is perfect though. Pentax AF and flash lag behind Canon and Nikon, and thhe K-01 stumbled at the last event, struggling with AF, and flash exposure. But I’m giving it another chance tonight to see if improved technique and tweaked setting can make up the gap.
To be honest, if I shot events for a living, I’d be shooting Nikon. But my needs vary, and my choice of Pentax is tuned to my needs and preferences.
Wish me luck.