Equipment - What's in the bag?

The list below is what I take with me on a trip dedicated to trying to capture the best images possible. It takes a fair amount of gear and it is heavy! Always try and leave behind whatever you possibly can . . . your back will thank you later! With that in mind, the first thing you need is a great backpack.

Backpack

Tenba Shootout Backpack Medium - this pack will hold everything below and is as large of a pack as you can probably successfully use as a carry-on with most airlines. It holds approximately 2 bodies, 6 lenses, accessories and up to a 15.4 inch laptop in a special compartment. Fully loaded weight is about 40 to 45 pounds . . . heavy!

Laptop

Dell 15.4 inch E1505 - a bigger laptop is heavier, but provides the screen room to work in Photoshop on the road. You might as well take advantage of that travel time and get your images organized and processed. I highly recommend at least 2GB of RAM if you are using Photoshop CS3.

Tripod

Gitzo 2530 tripod with leveling center column
Really Right Stuff BH-40 ballhead

Camera

Canon 40D - main body
Canon 20D - backup body

Lenses

Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L
Canon 70-200mm f2.8L
Canon 400mm f5.6L
Canon 180mm f3.5L macro
Canon 1.4x II teleconverter
The color and sharpness of the Canon L-series lenses are worth the extra money if you can afford it. I was stunned by the improvement in my images after I took the plunge!

Filters

UV/haze - for protection near the ocean, mountains, windy days, etc.
Moose's Filter - combination polarizer/warming filter
Split neutral density filters - Cokin P system

Accessories

Canon Speedlite 430EX
Laptop accessories - plug adapters, cables, etc.
Giottos Rocket blower
Cleaning kit
Cable release
Memory cards
Batteries