How much camera weight do you carry around the parks?

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I'm putting together my new gear setup for our next trip (42 days, woo!) and I'm a bit worried that the amount of weight I'm jamming in my Lowepro Slingshot 200 will become a burden.

For our last trip, it weighed in at about 6.3 pounds (2.86 kg) including the bag and I rarely noticed the weight. For this trip, my entire gear setup has changed except the bag, and it is going to be 9.0 pounds (4.08 kg)... a 43% increase.

edit: if I exclude the weight of the bag (2.05 pounds), the gear was 4.25 pounds last trip, and will be 6.95 pounds this trip

Anyway, it got me curious to ask the question here:

How much camera weight do you carry around the parks? (Not including the lenses you might leave back in your room or the tripod you leave in the locker, etc etc.. but the weight that is with you all day long on an average park day)

And does it ever become a burden? If so, what bag are you using?

 

[proteus]

I travel light, <1 lb. for camcorder (Pany SD1) and <3 lb. for camera (D70). Used to lug around more like you do but got tired of that. The camcorder is so small that I don't even notice I have it. I carry both in bags that are very tight fits.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I like to travel light - camera (3 lbs), flash (3/4 lbs), usually two lenses (3+2 lbs), maybe an extra battery (3/4 lbs) and polarizer. So I guess that totals about 10 pounds. Sometimes I'll bring along a tripod or through in a third lens, a teleconverter, or some extra filters, but most of the time I skip the extras.

The weight never bothers me (and I'm a pretty small guy). The bulk sometimes does. I like to carry the camera, flash, and primary lens on a handstrap but sometimes switch to a neck strap. I usually where a hip belt with a lens pouch and an accesory pouch. Sometimes I'll use a backpack.

 

[DueyDooDah]

I carry a Canon 30D (27.4 oz.) with a 50mm f/1.4 prime (10.2 oz.) I use my feet to zoom so the benefit of going lighter may be outweighed by the exertion I need to zoom in/out on the scenes I shoot.

I don't carry an extra battery because a fully-charged battery will last me a day or two. I keep a spare in my room (we always stay at a Disney resort so it's easy access for any needs we have during the day) along with all my other photo gear (why I bring it all is a mystery.) I only bring a tripod into the parks if I intend to shoot in the evening, and then I place it in a locker for the day and bring it out just before sunset.

I've always used a neckstrap but intend to find a handstrap before my next trip. As Mark states, it's the bulk that's bothersome, moreso than the weight.

I carry no bags. If I buy something in the park, I eat it or have it delivered to the resort for pickup later. I travel as light as possible for the extent of the day. My wife and I try never to leave the parks (except to park-hop) until Mickey gets his cronies to carry us out. And even then, we've been known to offer bribes.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

One other issue I have carrying my camera in the park is the fear that I'm going to knock some kid out. Whether I'm holding it with the hand strap or with the neck strap, the camera is often right about kid head height. Getting zonked in the noggin by 5 pounds of metal and glass would be a lousy experience. As a consequence, I'm extra careful when walking through crowds. Often, in those situations, I hold the camera up on my shoulder or cradle it.

 

[boBQuincy]

Between the camera. lens, spare lens, pack, water bottle, etc. my load is usually in the 8 pound range. I carry the camera in my hand and the rest goes in a Crumpler $4M or $5M bag, worn messenger style.

It doesn't feel too heavy or bulky but at the end of a hot day it's good to put it down. Like Mark, I am concerned about whacking a kid in the head with a big camera so in crowds I usually rest it on my shoulder.

 

[handicap18]

I depends on the park. I carry my camera and lens on it. I'll also carry 2 additional lenses in lens pouches I have that attatch to my belt. Those 2 lenses will vary, for AK and maybe DHS I'll add the 70-300mm. I'll usually carry around the 30mm f/1.4. I may bring the SB-600 flash if I know we're doing a character meal. That can fit in one of the lens pouches if I don't bring the 70-300. My 50mm f/1.8 can fit in my pocket. I'll also carry an extra battery and 1 or 2 extra memory cards. From time to time I brought along my 90mm f/2.8 which isn't to heavy, and without the lens hood is pretty small.

So at most I may carry 5lbs. But I have it pretty evenly distributed around my waist so its no big deal, except for the occassionaly ride where the seats are on the small side.

 

[Groucho]

It's all about weight distribution...

I have three things on my belt - a lens pouch (with one big/heavy or two small lenses in it), a filter wallet, and a battery/memory card holder. The camera is almost always around my neck or handheld with the strap wrapped about my wrist. The camera bag has the remaining lenses (3-4, 6 lenses total last few trips), flash, and small doodads.

The camera and the bag have Op/Tech straps and those help a lot. I also switch the shoulder that the bag is on fairly often, and whenever possible, hang it on the back of the stroller.

 

[YesDear]

What ever it is I carry it is far lighter than the backpack and shoulder video camera I used to carry, back in the day. The VCR was separate back then and was as big as a small desktop computer. The VCR was rested on your shoulder and looked like a smaller version of TV station cameramen today,

So when I am carrying my camera and several lens and I am tired, I think back to those days and glad I am not back there.

Of course I walked to school up hill both ways when I was growing up in the snow!