can tolerate is a messenger bag with over-the-shoulder straps.
More often I use a 10”x10” over-the-shoulder bag about the size of
an army mess kit. It is tolerable. Sometimes it is just my tripod, ball-
head, and camera.
I often carry an extra battery in the car, other lenses, a light tent, hip
boots, mosquito netting, and you- name-it, but I don’t haul all of that
around. I don’t tend to go more than a mile from the car on any one
trip, so I am not backpacking or camping overnight. Aside from
carrying my carbon-fiber tripod, ball head, and camera with lens
attached, what else do I carry in my smallest over-the-shoulder
bag? Not a lot, but here is the list:
(1) Flowerpod tripod and flexible arm.
(2) Shower cap for the camera in case it rains.
(3) Two or three diffusers.
(4) An extra lens... sometimes.
Carrying It All
It would seem that there are many ways to carry your camera,
tripod, ball head, and stuff. Many photographers take their camera
off the tripod for every shot and carry it in a special bag. I am too
lazy for that and don’t feel the need to do it. My ball head is
attached to my tripod with “Locktite Threadlocker” which makes it
very difficult (but not impossible) for the ball head to unscrew from
the base of the tripod.
Sidebar: And less I forget it, if you use a tripod with a center
column, best use the Threadlocker on the hook hanging from the
bottom of the center column because otherwise that is the first part
you will lose.
Sidebar: I always use a tethered remote release on my cameras
and they are another accessory that is easy to lose. Check the
tightness of the connection as often as you think of it or you will be
backtracking to find where it fell off. When I carry my camera and
tripod I try to have the remove release hanging under the tripod on
the top of my should so that I can see it dangling below my right
shoulder.
Back to securing the camera to the ball head. I use quick-release
knobs (not lever-clamps) and I very firmly tighten the knob to