Show us your sub-20-pound (9-kilogram) LF kit

[Axelwik]

Now that I'm past 60 with knees and feet that ache if I carry too much weight too far, I've been on a large format field kit weight reduction plan.

Below are photos of my current field kit. It can be configured for either 4x5 or 5x7, the only difference being the camera, lenses, and film holders. Total weight of each kit (either 4x5 or 5x7) including the tripod is a bit less than 15 pounds (6.8 kg).

Show us yours!

The backpack is a Lowepro Flipside 300. I have bigger bags, but what happens when we have a big bag? We tend to fill it, which is counter-productive to saving weight. The ounces add up fast!
Tripod is an aluminum Gitzo 2220 with the column removed and a small pan-only head in its place. Tripod and head together weigh 4.5 pounds (2 kg). I could probably save a pound or so going with a carbon fiber tripod, but this one is pretty light as it is, and CF is more likely to blow over in the wind. The 2220 model is easy to level because the legs are infinitely adjustable.
Pack by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Backpack open with the 4x5 kit inside. The 5x7 kit fits almost the same way, except only half the film holders will fit. For 4x5 I take between 4 and 6, 5x7 2 to 3.
open pack by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

4x5 kit. Tachihara camera with a 135mm Caltar II N f5.6, and a Fujinon A 240mm f9. The rest is the same as the 5x7 kit except of course the film holders. I use the same set of 52mm filters for the lenses in both 2-lens kits.
4x5 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

5x7 kit. Current model Intrepid camera with a Fujinon A 180mm f9, and a Nikkor Q 300mm f9.
5x7 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Some extra lenses that stay in the car unless they're really needed. For the 4x5 I bring a 65, 90, and 400 telephoto, and for the 5x7 I bring a 125 and sometimes also the 400 telephoto.
lenses by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

[Alan Klein]

I might have to give you a call. My back is starting to hurt again.

[Axelwik]

I might have to give you a call. My back is starting to hurt again.

LOL. It's a pretty simple formula: light camera combined with small light lenses. The rest is trying to minimize weight of the other accoutrements needed. If it's not helping you make the photograph that you're making today, then leave it in the car!

Little things like using wood film holders that are a little lighter than plastic, using a mostly plastic loupe instead of a big heavy metal one (mine is a Rodenstock aspherical 4x), see if you can use a small 2-ounce light meter instead of that 1-pound Pentax spot meter (or replace the Pentax with one of those Reveni Labs spot meters), standardize filter sizes for your lenses with a step up ring so only one set of filters is needed, etc. Another way to make sure it doesn't get out of hand is to use a camera bag/pack that's only big enough for the camera, a couple lenses, a few film holders, a very few odds & ends, and nothing else!

[Vaughn]

My Gowland 4x5 PocketView with 150mm/5.6 on a Gitzo Reporter or Studex w/ darkcloth...about 9 pounds. Exchanging for a lighter CF tripod would take a couple pounds off. With the CF tripod and a small shoulder bag holding 4 to 5 holders, the Pentax Digital Spot Meter, a couple filters and note book it would be about 10 pounds.

I do the same with 5x7. Both systems well under 20 pounds, but on backpack trips I double the number of film holders

[Axelwik]

My Gowland 4x5 PocketView with 150mm/5.6 on a Gitzo Reporter or Studex w/ darkcloth...about 9 pounds. Exchanging for a lighter CF tripod would take a couple pounds off. With the CF tripod and a small shoulder bag holding 4 to 5 holders, the Pentax Digital Spot Meter, a couple filters and note book it would be about 10 pounds.

I do the same with 5x7. Both systems well under 20 pounds, but on backpack trips I double the number of film holders

Excellent! Keep 'em coming.

[nitroplait]

Fun subject.

It seems like the more lenses and options I have in my bag the less satisfied I am with the process and results.
I experience a mild paralysation by too many choices.

I feel the search for a subject to photograph with a one-lens-perspective and one-film-type offers me a clearer vision.
It appears to be valid across formats for me, not only LF.

Facilitating mobility is becoming more important - not only for the sake of my ageing body, but also the ability to move quickly and change plans with less weight to lug me down. I feel a need to be more spontaneous with age.

For a large format day trip of 5-8 hours walking/photographing, the kit looks something like this:

Intrepid 4X5 (1.3kg)
Typically 150mm/5.6 Symmar on a light Intrepid board (0.4kg).
SLIK Master tripod (1.7kg) (wo. head)
4 film holders (0.7kg)
Sekonic L308 (0.1kg)
Misc.: release cable, loupe, yellow filter etc. (0.8kg)

That is about 5.0kg (11.0 lbs)

My softshell jacket doubles as dark cloth, my smartphone as notebook and backup light meter so these are not included.

The bag itself adds an additional 1.4kg though, making the full kit grow to 6.4kg (14.1 lbs).

Add to that 2 liters of water, food and a emergency kit and the entire load reaches 9.5kg (21 lbs).
I don't think it is possible to reduce the load by more than 1 kg, and that would not be without a significant investment replacing the tripod and the bag.

ca. 9kg is probably at my limit and if (or rather when ) my health degrades, I will have to switch to medium format.

A Rolleiflex, a ballhead on a clamp and a handful of 120 film will cut the load by 2.5kg easily. And after all, it is a matter of enjoying the process.

In the end, nobody will care about my "arty" photographs. My audience only want to see the 35mm snapshots I have taken of family members and events over the years, I don't think that will change after I pass (and why should I care?).

[Axelwik]

Fun subject.

It seems like the more lenses and options I have in my bag the less satisfied I am with the process and results.
I experience a mild paralysation by too many choices.

I feel the search for a subject to photograph with a one-lens-perspective and one-film-type offers me a clearer vision.
It appears to be valid across formats for me, not only LF.

Facilitating mobility is becoming more important - not only for the sake of my ageing body, but also the ability to move quickly and change plans with less weight to lug me down. I feel a need to be more spontaneous with age.

For a large format day trip of 5-8 hours walking/photographing, the kit looks something like this:

Intrepid 4X5 (1.3kg)
Typically 150mm/5.6 Symmar on a light Intrepid board (0.4kg).
SLIK Master tripod (1.7kg) (wo. head)
4 film holders (0.7kg)
Sekonic L308 (0.1kg)
Misc.: release cable, loupe, yellow filter etc. (0.8kg)

That is about 5.0kg (11.0 lbs)

My softshell jacket doubles as dark cloth, my smartphone as notebook and backup light meter so these are not included.

The bag itself adds an additional 1.4kg though, making the full kit grow to 6.4kg (14.1 lbs).

Add to that 2 liters of water, food and a emergency kit and the entire load reaches 9.5kg (21 lbs).
I don't think it is possible to reduce the load by more than 1 kg, and that would not be without a significant investment replacing the tripod and the bag.

ca. 9kg is probably at my limit and if (or rather when ) my health degrades, I will have to switch to medium format.

A Rolleiflex, a ballhead on a clamp and a handful of 120 film will cut the load by 2.5kg easily. And after all, it is a matter of enjoying the process.

In the end, nobody will care about my "arty" photographs. My audience only want to see the 35mm snapshots I have taken of family members and events over the years, I don't think that will change after I pass (and why should I care?).

Well said. I agree with you about the clearer vision by keeping it simple. I think that carrying too much stuff (complication and weight) stifles creativity.

[Ben Horne]

When I go backpacking with my 8x10 kit, the entire weight including the camera gear, camping gear, food, water and video kit is only 34lbs. That's with ultralight camping gear.

I don't know the weight of just the 8x10 kit if I were to take away the tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cooking gear, fuel, food water, etc, but it's extremely lightweight. So much so that I can scramble unhindered and sometimes I forget I have it on my back.

Here's what I carry for my lightweight 8x10 kit:

Chamonix Alpinist X 8x10
4 Chamonix Film holders
Fujinon A 240, Fujinon C 300, Fujinon C 450
Sekonic Spot Meter
Wander Ultralight Dark Cloth
Gitzo 1 Series mountaineer tripod (center column removed)
Arca-Swiss P0 ballhead
Misc Stuff: cable release, stopwatch, etc.
All of that is carried in an ultralight backpack from Z-Packs. The pack weighs 1.5lbs as compared to most photo bags that can easily weigh 10lbs.

If it's not a backpacking trip, I'll carry a 3 series Gitzo with an Arca-Swiss cube.

Large format gear doesn't need to be heavy and bulky if you make smart decisions. Unfortunately those decisions are often expensive, but so is large format. ;-)

[Axelwik]

When I go backpacking with my 8x10 kit, the entire weight including the camera gear, camping gear, food, water and video kit is only 34lbs. That's with ultralight camping gear.

I don't know the weight of just the 8x10 kit if I were to take away the tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cooking gear, fuel, food water, etc, but it's extremely lightweight. So much so that I can scramble unhindered and sometimes I forget I have it on my back.

Here's what I carry for my lightweight 8x10 kit:

Chamonix Alpinist X 8x10
4 Chamonix Film holders
Fujinon A 240, Fujinon C 300, Fujinon C 450
Sekonic Spot Meter
Wander Ultralight Dark Cloth
Gitzo 1 Series mountaineer tripod (center column removed)
Arca-Swiss P0 ballhead
Misc Stuff: cable release, stopwatch, etc.
All of that is carried in an ultralight backpack from Z-Packs. The pack weighs 1.5lbs as compared to most photo bags that can easily weigh 10lbs.

If it's not a backpacking trip, I'll carry a 3 series Gitzo with an Arca-Swiss cube.

Large format gear doesn't need to be heavy and bulky if you make smart decisions. Unfortunately those decisions are often expensive, but so is large format. ;-)

34 pounds with all the backpacking gear and 8x10 is quite impressive. Shows what's possible - thanks for sharing.

[Drew Bedo]

I am facing this issue myself. My 4x kit weighs in at 25 pounds. It centers around a Wista 45DX and an older light duty CF tripod from Velbon. There is a discontinued Magnesium ballhed on top. It is marginal in strength for the camera and lenses. With three lenses and six film holders it all adds up to the 25 or so pounds.

The only quick thing I can think of is to drop two lenses. Replacing the Nikkor 90mm f8 with the Schneider 90mm f.6.8 would help. I guess an al plastic WilTtravel might drop some more. Going to a lensless pinhole would do some more.

I just don't want to streamline that much . . .