There are some of you who will totally get this, many will not.

I have a new bag coming and I am excited. There is something very therapeutic for me when planning a new camera bags’ filling. It makes you feel organised and right about things, abe to handle anything, determine how you are prepared, but only as long as you remember to fill it correctly, comprehensively.

The “monster” Domke F804, will have a dual role. It will be a roomier camera bag than the F802, but also it will be my commuting and day bag. The insert I have for it (Tenba standard messenger), will not fill it to the edges like the F802, so there is room to think outside of the box (or insert).

The EM1x with 40-150 will fill the insert, but not now stretch the bag. The G9 and 8-18 can go next to it without being cramped and the two primes will go into one of the front pockets in little padded bags. The other pocket can handle the OSMO and Godox flash (more on these below).

There will be room for my laptop, which the F802 can take, if not over packed like it is at the moment.

I will also have a small rain jacket and a scarf for added bottom padding and un-foreseen weather events (Tasmania is known for these, anytime of the year and I only live an hour from mountains or the coast). The added height of the bag to the rescue here.

Once the camera kit and general bits are accommodated, I need to think “creative field fixes”.

Sound.

There is not a whole lot of pressure here. Most of the papers’ sound bites are simple voice-overs, to accompany video, most likley to avoid sound issues wit the content. The photog I went out with on my trial day, used the mic from a D500 Nikon over my video, so anything I take will be a bonus.

I think my “small mic” kit, a bunch of stuff that has been relegated to the “nicely packed, but probably never used” shelf may have a use after all. The Zoom H1n as pre amp-field recorder-LAV interface, some small ear phones, the Movo mini shotgun (original), Movo LAV and the Neewer mini shotgun make a good fix-all kit. I can split two 3.5 mics into the H1n, run a small mic straight to the G9 and the zoom off camera, boom or clamp a mic close. All sorts of things are possible. I will also take a bunch of cables, rechargeable batts, wind covers etc, so the little XCD* case will be filled to the brim.

Video.

Sound fixed, means video needs to be looked at closely. The G9, EM1x and OSMO are my “A” team for video. The G9 matched to a Pana lens are the core, the OSMO handles odd angles, movement, run and gun problem solving and the EM1x can do long lens or semi stabilised hand held. I would use the EM1x more except it needs 4k recording down sized to 1080 to do its best work. The G9 and OSMO also do out of camera effects like slo-mo, time lapse and panning.

All I need really is another XCD case full of OSMO accessories. This adds the under water housing, mic connector and some brackets. I will also add a 1’ carbon fibre rod for better angles for it and the cables to connect it to my phone.

So video and sound, both fixed by adding if needed a pair of small XCD cases that will fit in the bag with the insert.

Flash.

I have a dual off camera Godox TTL set that again, like the OSMO and small mics has been falling into disuse lately as other things have taken over. It looks like my new job will help me achieve my goal of “nothing wasted”.

Another XCD case and I have the TTL controller, second Godox (685) and a small Olympus flash to expand the one flash (860) base kit. I will add in a 60cm 5-in-1 for diffusion/eflection etc. and the “black foamy thing”. One flash, the foamy and a reflector gives me a studio in the hand flash.

So, flash, video, sound, tech and stills covered. Unlike the Crumpler Muli, which has not fixed anything, I can actually plan for this bag, because Domke bags are a known thing. All I really needed was a bag a little bigger than the F802 and I know the F804 is basically double the depth and an inch taller for a start.

There is also room for a small drone.

*The little semi-hard XCD cases, have been super problem solvers. They always seem to be “just right” being the ideal length of a Zoom H5, Godox flash etc. True to their accommodating nature, they should slip into the bag between the insert and front panel, stabilising the lot.