Why I Started Using Labelled Camera Accessory Pouches
As my filming kit grew, so did the number of small accessories I needed to keep track of. Tentacle Sync units, DJI microphones, action cameras, card readers and filters all came with their own cables, batteries and smaller parts.
I already used accessory pouches, and I still use some of those today. But with the opaque pouches I had, I couldn’t see the contents or easily identify them from the outside. I had to open them to check whether the part I needed was inside.
That became less practical as I added more equipment—and when working with different assistants.
Making the kit easier for everyone to find
It’s unfair to expect an assistant to know your equipment as well as you do. I use this kit regularly and know what most of the accessories look like, but someone joining me for a shoot won’t necessarily have that familiarity.
Asking for a particular cable, filter or adapter can mean searching through several bags before finding the right item. Clear labels give us a shared reference.
Instead of trying to describe where something might be, I can ask for “the blue pouch labelled Drone Filters”. That makes the request easier to follow, even for someone working with my setup for the first time.
Finding a pouch that suited the job
I tried a few different pouches while working out what suited my setup. Some were more expensive than I wanted for organising a growing collection of accessories. Others were cheaper, but I wasn’t happy with the quality.
I wanted something practical: a pouch I could label clearly, see into and keep accessible while working.
That’s how I now use the Whitetail camera accessory pouches. Coloured contents cards identify each group of equipment, and the clear front lets me check what’s inside without opening every pouch.
Giving the smaller accessories a home
I separate equipment by its purpose, with pouches for things such as drone filters, card readers, cleaning kit and microphones.
The labels help me find the right group of accessories first. Being able to see the contents then helps me check for the particular item I need.
On the media cart, I clip the pouches around the outside so they stay accessible. The same labelled groups also help when packing equipment into larger bags and cases.
An organising system that others can follow
The benefit becomes most obvious when several jobs are happening at once. I might be setting up a camera while an assistant finds an accessory, or switching from drone filming to managing footage.
A system that only makes sense to me is less useful when someone else needs to work with it.
Keeping the smaller equipment visible, labelled and in a consistent place makes the setup easier for both of us to use—and means less time opening bags to find out what’s inside.