Chase Jarvis packs his bags in new behind-the-scenes gear run-down (VIDEO)

 

 

Photographer and videographer extraordinaire Chase Jarvis has a lot of gear. He needs it—while he's most famous for his action shots, he also does landscape work, tons of video, and plenty more.

But some equipment is essential to just about any kind of shoot. In a new blog post and behind the scenes video, Jarvis goes over all of the must-haves that he brings to every gig—the full-frame bodies, high-end zooms, and storage solutions that he always finds a reason to use. The full payload adds up to one roller suitcase, one large backpack, and a hand-made briefcase (plus a few tripods).

Jarvis's stills rig includes two Nikon D4 bodies (though he says that he'll be upgrading to the D4s as soon as he can, which probably means he already has, by the time you’re reading this), three f/2.8 zooms covering the full 14-200mm range, an 85mm f/1.8 AF-S portrait lens, and an SB-910 flash. For video, he totes along two Canon 5D Mk. III bodies, a 16-35mm f/2.8 II zoom, a 24-105mm f/4 zoom, a 70-200mm f/4 telephoto zoom (chosen over the f/2.8 for size and weight considerations), and a 35mm f/1.4 prime for low-light situations. That list doesn't include any of the batteries, chargers, filters, laptops, backup drives, and other accessories—or any specialty gear that he and his crew will bring along for many shoots.

Nothing on the list is particularly surprising, but it is interesting to get a working pro's perspective on what exactly is essential—especially since it’s the kind of list that most hobbyist photographers can only dream of. Check out the full list of gear over at Jarvis's blog.

But how about amateurs like us, with more modest budgets? What do you consider your must-have kit? Do you keep a camera bag packed with your go-to kit, or do you just grab what's needed & toss it in the bag whenever you go shooting? Share your thoughts in the comments below, we'd love to see how our readers roll :-)