IN YOUR BAG 1770 – Kyle Pozan
It’s been nearly 10 years since I sent my first “In Your Bag” submission to Bellamy in November 2014. Bellamy published it the following month, and it now serves as a snapshot of that period in my photographic journey: In your bag No: 1085 – Kyle Pozan – Japan Camera Hunter. At the time, I had a Canon Canonet QL17 G-III, a Leica M6, and a Sony a7r paired with a Summicron 50mm f/2 and a Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II adapted for use on a Sony a7r. What a wild and needlessly complicated setup.
Today, I own none of that equipment. Let’s talk about what I currently have in my bag:
Mamiya 7 II and 65mm f/4
The Mamiya 7 II is my walk-around camera. About a month after my submission to Bellamy in November 2014, I sold the Leica M6 and purchased the Mamiya 7 II. (I flipped the rest of the equipment not long after and haven’t owned a digital camera in quite a while.) I was captivated by medium format photos and still am. The Mamiya 7 II arrived in December 2014, and I’ve owned it for almost 10 years now. It has been a perfect fit for me.
My Mamiya 7 II was mint when I received it. Based on the serial number, it was produced in 2009. I was so enamored with the camera that I picked up a spare Mamiya 7 body a year later for a little over $700, thinking that I could use the spare as a donor body if it ever came to that. But I sold it a few months later, feeling guilty that I was keeping the body out of the hands of someone who would actually use it.
Throughout that time, I’ve paired the camera almost exclusively with the 65mm f/4 lens, which has a 35mm equivalent of 32.5mm. I briefly owned the 80mm f/4 in 2018, but I found the two focal lengths too similar at the time to warrant keeping both lenses. Lately, though, I’ve been toying with the idea of buying the 80mm again. The majority of my photos are shot on a 50mm equivalent lens, so I’m incredibly comfortable with the focal length. And I’m beginning to think that a 40mm equivalent lens would therefore be a better fit for me on my Mamiya 7 II. I also owned the 150mm f/4.5 for about a year, but I struggled to take handheld photos without camera shake. That’s not the lens’s fault, but it didn’t fit my capabilities and shooting style as a result.
Fujifilm GX645AF and 80mm f/2.8
The Fujifilm GX645AF is my portraiture camera. I use it almost exclusively to document my daughter’s childhood. Unless there’s someone out there using a Mamiya Press camera for the same purpose, it’s the most over-the-top family photos setup I know of.
When my wife became pregnant, I grabbed a banged-up Mamiya 645AF with an 80mm f/2.8 lens to photograph our daughter. This was no shelf queen, with a missing AEL button and old gaffer tape all over. But it was a strong performer. I put 200 rolls through that camera without issue. After three years of solid service, I had an itch for larger negatives. I sold the Mamiya 645AF and purchased a Rolleiflex 6008AF. What an incredible machine. Cool like a Ferrari Testarossa, incredibly well built, and with a wonderful stable of Zeiss and Schneider-Kreuznach lenses. But the added negative size changed the field of view of the 80mm lens—a focal length I grew to love on the Mamiya 645AF but didn’t work for me on the Rolleiflex 6008AF. It wasn’t a good fit in the end.
So last summer, I switched back to a 645 camera when I acquired the Fujifilm GX645AF. I bring it everywhere my daughter goes. The shutter makes an incredibly pleasing Ka-Ching!sound. The shutter button is satisfying, and the button layout is thoughtfully designed with an easy-to-navigate menu. And the 80mm Fujinon lens renders beautiful images. The maximum shutter speed of 1/800 can be a bit limiting outdoors in bright sunlight, but it’s been a wonderful camera. It’s a reliable workhorse clearly designed with portraiture in mind, so it suits my needs. I’ve made photographs and captured memories that I hope my family will treasure for years to come. As of now, I plan to keep the camera until my daughter gets annoyed with having a personal paparazzo.
The Bag
My bag of choice for the last two-and-a-half years is the Evergoods Panel Loader Classic 20L in navy. It’s a general-use backpack, so it lacks built-in inserts for cameras and lenses. But I don’t personally need those things. Inside the backpack is a ThinkTank Stash Master S, which nicely holds the Mamiya 7 II with the 65mm f/4 attached. The Stash Master also holds a couple of LensPens and a filter case, as well as an AirTag.
The backpack is perhaps a bit small on my 6’2” frame, but it’s compact and an ideal size for carrying both my Mamiya 7 II and iPad Pro. And I can even squeeze the Fujifilm GX645AF on top of the Mamiya 7 II, if needed; though, I’ve done that only once on a recent trip abroad.
Bits and Bobs
I haven’t owned a tripod in a long time, but I do have a solution that works most of the time that I need added stability: a RRS Multi-Clamp paired with a RRS BH-25 ball head. I picked up this combo in 2016, and it has served me well since. It is light and compact, which allows me to keep it in my backpack and take it everywhere.
I have two JCH 120 film cases; though, I tend to keep only one in my bag unless I’m traveling. I also have a 35mm JCH case lying around from a bikkuri film case I ordered in 2014. Bring those back, Bellamy!
I have a HIBI Design aluminum hot shoe cover in the “spicy” color for my Mamiya 7 II. The color matches the red markings on the shutter speed dial and is a way to distinguish and identify my camera if I ever lose it or it gets stolen.
I have a Cecilia camera strap on my Mamiya 7 II. I snagged it after reading Bellamy’s review on JCH. It’s a lovely strap. Sadly, it appears the company is no longer in business.
I use the stock camera strap on my Fujifilm GX645AF. It’s a bit narrow for how heavy the camera is, but I don’t know if a third-party option with metal rings would work due to the unconventional attachment points. I guess I should buy one to try and find out.
I do most of my editing on an M4 iPad Pro (and the M1 iPad Pro before that), despite also having an M2 Mac mini. With Lightroom and Photoshop on iPad, I think it’s a great option for the light edits I make.
I have an AirTag in my backpack and another AirTag inside the Stash Master. I tried the SmallRig quick release plate, which features a hidden AirTag compartment. While it’s a brilliant solution, it’s a universal plate and it unfortunately blocks the lower spool stud that allows you to release film from the chamber.
I have a Heliopan UV SH-PMC filter on each lens. I also have a Tiffen 1/4 Black Pro-Mist filter for the Mamiya 7 II that I use for night photography.
And that’s it! I hope to see more “In Your Bag” submissions from others.
Thanks for sharing your kit, Kyle. Nice to see the film cases in there.
Check out the links and please come and comment.
Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com
Send me a high resolution image of the bag. Optimum size is 1500px across. Please ensure there is a bag in the shot, unless you don’t use one. The more you can write about yourself the better, make it appealing and tell us a story. Snapshots of your gear with a camera phone and no words will not be featured.
Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here. Please understand that there is a long wait now as there is a backlog of submissions. Not all make the cut, so make sure yours is funny/interesting/quirky. And please make sure the shot is of good quality, as the ones that are not do not go up.
Cheers
Japancamerahunter
