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Bags to carry lighting gear?

MichaelS

Member
I'm just looking for recommendations or user experience with various bags or cases for moving mono lights, battery packs and stands, etc from A to B. Should I look for cases that would allow me to fit everything in to one big unit or do people find it easier to have several smaller cases to break up the gear into? So many options out therem advice would be great.


Specifically 2 profoto Acute B batteries and heads, stands etc and a second set of elinchrom mono lights, soft boxes etc.

Thanks!
 

Tibor

Member
Specifically 2 profoto Acute B batteries and heads, stands etc and a second set of elinchrom mono lights, soft boxes etc.
Thinktank photo Airport Security V 2.0 fits 2 profoto Acute B batteries and heads perfectly. I have this combo and it works grear.

For stands (I use C-stands) Petrol Bags Deca "C-Stand" Bag, the PL2001, is just perfect. It fits 2 C-stands complete with extension arms.

For Zoom Reflectors, Disc Reflectors, Speed Rings for softboxes and umbrellas I use Petrol Bags Light Case Medium, the PL2003, and it fits 3 Speed Rings with Profoto mount, 2 Zoom Reflectors with 2 Disc Reflectors underneath, 2 umbrellas, 1x 5 Degree grid for Zoom Reflector, Softgrid for small softbox, small softbox and 3x Plume Wafer wafers in tubes, a beauty dish sock and diffusors for Plume Wafer medium softbox, stripbox and hexa. I carry the Plume Wafer medium softbox, stripbox and hexa "body" in the original Plume zipper bags which are then attached to the Petrol Bags PL2001 bag (a roller actually).

So, 3 bags will do everything for me on all occassions when using 2 Acutes:
1. the Airport Security - for the lights
2. the PL2001 - for C-stands and wafer zipper bags
3. the PL2003 - for light modifiers

If you want to go with just one bag look for Thinktank photo Logistics manager. I don`t have it so I cannot comment on what it could fit.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
It'll be hard to put all of that gear into one bag without piling it on each other. Besides, it'll get to heavy and cumbersome unless you use a mega beefy-boy assistant.

For lighting transport, I either use Think Tank or Kata, with a preference for Kata because their lighting transport cases are very lighting centric in design keeping each item separate from the other, lighter weight but just as tough as Think Tank ... and I like their yellow interior which makes it easy to see stuff in crappy light.

I use an older version of their current LW-99 PL Rolling Organizer because of the 50" interior depth that'll take decent folded sized regular stands (not C stands), and/or large folder modifiers/umbrellas :

LW-99 PL For Extra Large Lighting Kit KT PL-LW-99 - Pro-Light | Kata Bags

Or consider two OC-88 GCD Cases which will hold everything you mentioned ... except the taller stands needed. The strategy of two cases is that you do not have to take everything to every job.

Kata OC-88 Organizer Case KT OC-88 B&H Photo Video

For carrying standard light stands, tripod, and larger/taller folding modifiers or large parabolic umbrellas like the Westcott 7', take a look at the "Light Caddy" ... I have one and found you have to may have modify the interior dividers to take beefier stands, and it really should have a bit bigger wheels ... but it's built well and works.

The Light Caddy :: Off Camera Flash Photography Equipment Bag

Good luck, you can't really go wrong with Think Thank or Kata.

-Marc

Oh, if by "From A to B" you mean while on set moving from one location to another while shooting ... get a cart ... trust me on this one :)
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Bowens USA Rolling Kit Case - Cases and Bags - Accessories Professional photographic studio & location flash lighting

I use this one, will hold 4 Alien Bees or three Profoto D1's (only two Bowens cause of the nasty design of the arm on them) and 3 light stands. My present one is rather bulging with 3 light stands, 3 Alien Bees, extension cables, gaffer tape, two 60" brollies and a lastolite umbrella box.

They roll and take an incredible amount of abuse, how those zippers survive what my friend does to them I'll never understand!
 
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