Grab Bag

Or perhaps that should read " Fold bag "...because that's the fun feature of this little F-Stop product. Domenic pulled it out of the Murray Street stock to show me the features on this accessory bag. The basic structure is pretty regular - a tough nylon fabric duffle-type bag that can be home to camera gear, accessories, clothing, food, etc. Perfect hiking hauler. Plenty of nylon loops around the outside from which you can suspend things. The new feature is the closure. In common with a number of newer backpacks and messenger bags, the weather resistant sealing is done by rolling the open lip of the bag over itself several times and then clipping it with a plastic spring clasp. It sounds more complicated than it is, and the whole thing is a little hard to illustrate in the confines of the Minuscule Studio, but it really does work. It's the sort of item the 4W Driver would cherish. The other grab bag items are for studio use - the Tether Tools items on the rack at Stirling Street. Been there for years and sell regularly. As with all connectors and cables, you have to peer carefully at your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone to make sure you're seeing the right sockets for the right connectors. Cameras also have had different parts over the years so it pays to make certain before you head off to do a job. But when you do get the Tether Tools gear set up you can begin to appreciate the practical experience that has gone into it. They do a series of clamp-on trays for laptops that can form the basis of an entire studio rig, and they make perfect connector lines to run into them. Note the bright orange colour - everything in a darkened studio should be this bright. Also note that Tether Tools are not sanguine about how your ability to move safely round the place, even after they have carefully marked their product. They know that you or your assistant will eventually thrash or stumble your way into the cords and that you will rip them apart. So they have supplied an accessory called a jerk-stopper. Don't look upon the name as an insult - they will keep your electrical cords connected and your data safe.