Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
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I'm writing a feature for the next issue about choosing the perfect camera bag and it occurred to me that this is an almost impossible task. I myself have about 8 bags of varying types and sizes and none are perfect.
Part of it comes down to how much kit you want to take out on a given day. For example, I have about 6 nikon lenses, two flashguns, numerous filters etc. I've got a bag that takes it all, but if I'm out shooting landscapes I certainly don't need the flashguns, and when I went to my son's school sports day I didn't really need to take the hefty Sigma 12-24mm wideangle. So a smaller bag is often preferable.
I'm not a massive fan of backpacks as you can't shoot on the move, but heavy shoulder bags can be uncomfortable to carry after a while.
My current favourite bag is the Domke F2 shooters bag because it's simple and not over-engineered, which adds to the weight and complexity of getting to what you need.
Anyone have any views on this? What bags/backpacks etc do you all use or like best? Do you have different bags for different situations?
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Barney
Baht 'at
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 11377
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
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I have 6 main bags to cover my current needs.
LowePro Stealth 650 - This is my carry all I can bag. It's far too heavy to cart around for any length of time though, but it is the bag I have that will take my 200mm f:2. I'm thinking that I might be better off with a large backpack though, to save my back for one reason, but also I think the way your kit fits in a backpack is better, less stacking than you get with a Stealth Reporter.
LowePro FastPack 200 - I review this for WDC not that long ago. It's the bag I'll use when out with the kids or we're going away for the weekend, with just my D300 (no grip), a 24-70mm f:2.8, maybe a Speedlight and perhaps my 50-150 f:2.8 too. The downside is that I can't use my R-Strap with it when I've got it on.
Crumpler Ben's Pizza XXL This was my day bag prior to getting my FastPack. Now I use it as either an accessory bag for lighting kit etc or as a day bag when I'm using minimal kit, eg D300 with 20mm and my old faithful 28-105 for street work, the plus being that I can use my R-Strap with it.
LowePro AW Trekker I'm not sure of the exact model, but this was the bag I bought in Sydney when I was travelling, for which it is brilliant. I fashioned a couple of short lengths of webbing so that I could hang it from the D-Straps on my rucksack and it was perfectly placed for fast and easy access. It was also a good bag to have when we were out for the day because the hip strap takes a lot of the weight and stops it swinging around. I've only used it to store kit in at home, mostly old film stuff, filters etc, but I'm think that it will come into it's own as a bigger day bag now when I want to take my D3 and D300 and again becasue it will work with an R-Strap.
Oyster 3000 This bag just takes a body and lens, and I only use it when I just want something to protect the camera when we're in the car.
Calumet Tripod Bag - I got an oversized one just last week so that it will take my tripod plus lightstands and brollies too.
I am one bag short though, I need a slimline professional looking bag which I can use when travelling with work - it needs to take my laptop, chargers, a washbag, shirt, undies and socks, plus my D300 & 20mm lens. I've decided that the ThinkTank UrbanDisguise 50 is probably the best bag for me, I just haven't got around to ordering it yet.
So, from all that I can only conclude that unless you've only got a small amount of kit, there is no such thing as a perfect all round bag, just many that suit certain requirements.
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"Wrong on so many different levels."
Blog - Contre Dour - Capturing the ordinary for posterity.
Flickr
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Benchista
Which Tyler
Reged: 11/08/2000
Posts: 42177
Loc: Everywhere and nowhere, baby
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Ah, bags. I've bags of them, actually. Most used is a small shoulder bag, the Kata DC443 - fits my EOS 5D and 3 lenses snugly. A terrific little bag when photography's not the main focus. Then I've got a couple of large shoulder bags - a LowePro Nova 5, which has now been effectively replaced by the same company's Stealth Reporter D550 AW - that will take a couple of bodies, lots of lenses, flashes, other bits and pieces and my netbook. An excellent all-round bag. Then I've got 3 backpacks: 2 from LowePro again, one the original Mini Trekker, which is still a great bit of kit for landscapes, and is the bag I prefer to fly with, and a Rover Plus AW, which is great for more serious walking. The final backpack is a smaller Tamrac that I won on some website, and is only used now when I go by train, as it fits in the meagre luggage racks on Pendolinos - I used to use it with my rangefinders.
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Nick
www.nbrphoto.com
Light and Shade II - the new blog
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Barney
Baht 'at
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 11377
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
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Quote:
Ahonly used now when I go by train, as it fits in the meagre luggage racks on Pendolinos
you've managed to fit a bag into one of those? I thought they were for magazines! 
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"Wrong on so many different levels."
Blog - Contre Dour - Capturing the ordinary for posterity.
Flickr
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OneTen
'Two Breakfasts'
Reged: 23/06/2003
Posts: 4101
Loc: Lancashire
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I also have several bags and never take all my kit out at once:
LowePro Rover AWII is a small backpack. The lower compartment accepts camera gear and top is used for food, waterproofs etc. It's very comfortable to wear and I use it for days out walking. The camera section will hold a body with grip and two or three lenses and accessories.
LowePro Stealth Reporter D100 AW is a very small shoulder bag. It will hold a camera and a couple of lenses and I use this for street photography. Not conspicuous and is light and comfortable enough to pound the streets with.
LowePro Photo Trekker AWII. Large capacity and too big and heavy to be of use to me. I'm going to sell it.
Web-Tex yoke and belt as used by the military. I'm using this more and more for wildlife work. Pouches hold spare cards and batteries, converter and extension tubes and a water bottle. I'm in the process of adapting it so a camera can be clipped to the belt using a tripod quick release mount and plate. Very comfortable and doesn't get in the way when doing macro or wildlife work.
For many years I used a Billingham 205 canvas shoulder bag and loved it, I can't remember why I sold it. I did have the 550 for a while and again that was just too big for me. The temptation to fill it made carrying it a chore and gave me back and shoulder pains.
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Richard .......... My Flickr
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Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
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I'm impressed that everyone can remember the model names of all their bags.
I loved my Billingham 550 but it got nicked from my desk, along with the Bronica ETRS, lenses, prism head and so forth that was in it, back when I worked on AP. My own fault for leaving it there over the weekend!
I've currently got:
•Lowepro CompuTrekker AW (big backpack)
•A small Billingham backpack that they don't seem to make anymore
•An old Tenba bag they don't make anymore (great but too narrow for larger DSLRs like D300 unless you take the lens off)
• A CCS Heritage (Billingham rip off) with Gladstone opening. good for a body plus 2 lenses - again, CCS don't exist anymore
• A Lowepro Stealth Reporter 200AW - small bag, duplicates the CCS really
• A Lowepro CompuDaypack - lower space for small camera/lens kit, upper space for sarnies etc and a laptop space at the back. this is ideal for taking to shows like PMA. I've also been using Kata's version, the DR467, for a while but the straps keep slipping.
• Domke F2 waxwear - a great bag, just reviewed this in the current issue. They'll ask for it back at some point but they'll have to pin me down and prise it out of my fingers!
Plus a couple of sundry bags in the WDC stock cupboard (somewhere) and 2-3 tiny shoulder bags big enough to hold one camera/lens, for day trips with family etc.
My wife hates this bag collection because she's either tripping over them in the corner of the bedroom or they're falling down on her from the top of the wardrobe when she opens the door too sharply. I could do with a clear out really!
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SUNSHINE
Reged: 11/03/2001
Posts: 1485
Loc: Seaside Resort, Humber Area. (...
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Whilst I do have other bags, I tend to keep the gear I use most in kits ready for picking up and walking out the door.
Medium format (traditional, not digital, sorry!  ) ~ Cobra Senator. Holds several lenses, bodies, films, light meter, release cables, winder attachments, and a whole host of other bits and bobs that get packed "just in case".
35mm Film Cameras ~ Lowepro Orion Trekker and Lowepro Mini Trekker Backpacks . Both hold a couple of Canons and a few lenses, films, filters, etc.
Digital SLR ~ Lowepro Nova 160AW. Holds the new baby and an extra lens, spare cards, cables, manual and gorillapod.
I also have a small bag from the pound shop (oh! the shame!  ) which nicely holds and protects my compact digi, spare cards and spare batteries.
Cameras and photography bags(and magazines) seem to invade every room in the house!
Jo
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All this time, and still only IRIPN!
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huwevans
The 'Not Really Here' Dude
Reged: 05/08/2000
Posts: 17150
Loc: Dorset, UK
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Pretty much the same story for me - different bags for different occasions and/or different systems.
My main bag is a canvas Billingham 335 job - used for most of my digital shooting.
For when I'm out walking I have a LowePro Rover Plus, which I'm fine with from the camera/lens carrying point of view, but which I really don't like as a rucksack.
But I also shoot some wildlife stuff, and the long toms need something else again - a LowePro Pro Trekker does the job admirably. Overall, it's the one I'm happiest with, in its particular niche.
And then ([f I'm allowed to mention it here ;-)] there's the bags I use for F-I-L-M shooting:
A Canvas Billingham 445 - my longest-serving bag, having done me a good 20 years now. It's looking a bit the worse for wear, but it's still totally serviceable. It has mainly been used for my Mamiya RB system - not much nowadays, but it did also get an outing with the digital gear when I went to Japan a couple of years ago. It's very much an old friend. :-)
Next to that is another Billingham - a standard Hadley - which is perfect for my Mamiya 6 gear (the only medium format system I still use regularly).
And finally, A Lowepro Super Trekker does me for the large format stuff. It's just a bigger version of the Pro Trekker, so I'm equally pleased with it - it's a brilliant bag, and I can't relly fault it.
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Huw Evans.
     
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SqueamishOssifrage
Lawrence of Ayia Anna
Reged: 13/09/2006
Posts: 1962
Loc: Ayia Anna, Hub of the Universe
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Quote:
And then ([f I'm allowed to mention it here ;-)] there's the bags I use for F-I-L-M shooting:
I shouldn't actually be reading this part of the forum - I don't even own a dSLR.
In this thread I had a mini-rave about my latest bag. Some people complain that the Velocity series still puts all the weight on one shoulder, but I have to say that if the bag is correctly positioned in the small of the back when in back-pack mode, it is not an issue. This is particularly true if the included waist strap is used, as it can be adjusted to transfer some of the weight to the hips.
Other than the usual back-packs (a small LowePro and a larger Jenova) I also use a Kata waist pack, which is great for fast lens changes when the camera is around your neck. It can take up to five lenses of up to about 135mm, and can be reversed and clipped to the bottom of a backpack for long treks.
Finally, amongst my oddities, I have a Kata torso pack, which I only use for marine photography. If you are sitting on a side tube of an inflatable dinghy or RIB, you do not want your kit either on the floor, where it will definitely get wet, or hanging out over the side of the boat on your back.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
Benjamin Franklin
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Barney
Baht 'at
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 11377
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
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Quote:
I am one bag short though, I need a slimline professional looking bag which I can use when travelling with work - it needs to take my laptop, chargers, a washbag, shirt, undies and socks, plus my D300 & 20mm lens. I've decided that the ThinkTank UrbanDisguise 50 is probably the best bag for me, I just haven't got around to ordering it yet.
Just to update, I ordered an Urban Disguise 50 yesterday afternoon from Morris Photo and it arrived this morning. 
I took a bit of a punt, I'd seen the 60 and the 35 but not the 50 so I was guessing that it would be the right size for me. First impressions are very very good and it looks ideal for the main purpose I bought it for.
I'm not sure when I'll be first using it. My next trip to London is after my holiday and I've a couple of shoots pencilled in then so I'll be needing to take the Stealth, but when I've used the UD50 in anger I'll report back.
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"Wrong on so many different levels."
Blog - Contre Dour - Capturing the ordinary for posterity.
Flickr
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Nod
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 08/04/2006
Posts: 5514
Loc: Devon, UK.
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The perfect bag doesn't exist!
The best compromise I've found so far is a LowePro MiniTrekker but even that isn't perfect. As Nigel said in the OP, backpacks make lens changes on the move a bit awkward (although it doesn't take more than a few seconds to remove and replace the backpack). It's deep enough to hold a D700 comfortably (without a grip) and long enough to keep a 70-300 VR on the body with space below it to hold a 24-70 f/2.8 sigma as well.
At some point in the not-too-distant future, there will be a 70-200 f/2.8 to fit in somewhere - I may have to resort to adding a SlipLock pouch to the outside.
1 D700 + 70-300 VR
2 90mm Macro
3 50mm
4 8mm Fisheye
5 12-24
6 24-70
7-10 Spare battery, film, cards, compass etc.
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MATWSIJ.....
To avoid being offended, please insert apropriate smiley.
Books (It’s like somebody downloaded a web site and printed it out for you!)
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IvorETower
Little Buttercup
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 2305
Loc: Camberley, Surrey
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You can never have too many bags..... I tend to use a Lowepro fastpack 250 when I need to take more than 2 lenses. The laptop compartment is handy not for a computer, but for a magazine or two to read on the train, plus maps etc. When I am only going out for a few hours and just need one or two extra lenses, then the Slingshot 200 does for me. A Tamrac shoulder bag gets used when I need just the camera with one lens, plus not much else.
For a trip round the shops etc, I have a black baby-changing backpack which has 2 external pockets ideal for water bottles and plenty of internal padding (hence buying it despite its original aim!)
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Too many cameras, too many lenses.......
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daft_biker
Action Man!
Reged: 11/10/2006
Posts: 10531
Loc: Oot n aboot
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Quote:
The perfect bag doesn't exist!
You're right...the perfect camera bag is going out with just the lens you need already mounted to the camera and hanging round your neck ready to go.
I'll rarely stop and unpack the camera en-route to a location...takes a lot less to get me to stop and try for a pic if I've alredy got the camera out and ready to go.
...but for when I am taking a lot of kit for shots of different things I cram as much as I can into a mini-trekker.
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Andrew (BSRIPN) ... My pics on Flickr.
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
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Barney
Baht 'at
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 11377
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
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Quote:
I tend to use a Lowepro fastpack 250 when I need to take more than 2 lenses. The laptop compartment is handy not for a computer, but for a magazine or two to read on the train, plus maps etc.
That's a very good point, one which I hadn't thought of before. Also, it would be a better holder for reflectors etc.
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"Wrong on so many different levels."
Blog - Contre Dour - Capturing the ordinary for posterity.
Flickr
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Still_Togging_Along
old hand
Reged: 24/09/2008
Posts: 879
Loc: Reading, Berkshire UK
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Well, I have a Billingham 550, which I use with my Dynax 9 kit, but it's not used for my E1 & E3 because of the larger diameter of the Olly lenses. Instead, I have made up a set of circular 'tube' pouches out of table-top protection material, which I can then put inside a range of other totally nondescript (non-camera!) bags, such as this one sold by Tilley. It can be swung (when the strap is diagonally across the shoulders) easily from your back, to access the contents, and does NOT look like a camera bag!
The material used for the 'pouches' is thick enough to protect lenses from knocks and makes carrying them more comfortable. Other 'bags' include one of the traditional wickerwork picnic bags, also suitably lined with more of the same material to keep out water, with the lenses etc still contained in their usual pouches.
I don't use 'camera' cases/bags because they just advertise what they are holding, to 'Tea-Leaves'!!
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40+ years of togging, but still learning!
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Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
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Quote:
Well, I have a Billingham 550, which I use with my Dynax 9 kit, but it's not used for my E1 & E3 because of the larger diameter of the Olly lenses. Instead, I have made up a set of circular 'tube' pouches out of table-top protection material, which I can then put inside a range of other totally nondescript (non-camera!) bags, such as this one sold by Tilley. It can be swung (when the strap is diagonally across the shoulders) easily from your back, to access the contents, and does NOT look like a camera bag!
The material used for the 'pouches' is thick enough to protect lenses from knocks and makes carrying them more comfortable. Other 'bags' include one of the traditional wickerwork picnic bags, also suitably lined with more of the same material to keep out water, with the lenses etc still contained in their usual pouches.
I don't use 'camera' cases/bags because they just advertise what they are holding, to 'Tea-Leaves'!!
But I'd say the Billingham does look very much like a camera bag – it's THE classic camera bag, isn't it? I had one once. Beautifully made and great looking, but so heavy, even when there's nothing in it!
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Barney
Baht 'at
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 11377
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
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Quote:
But I'd say the Billingham does look very much like a camera bag
I'd say that to a photographer, then yes, but to a scrote, probably not, and who's more likely to nick it?
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"Wrong on so many different levels."
Blog - Contre Dour - Capturing the ordinary for posterity.
Flickr
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Rhys
Sasquatch
Reged: 15/01/2004
Posts: 4049
Loc: York (home of the speedbump)
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I always used to use a dark blue flight bag, it went everywhere with me when I was at college. The front pocket was just right for a box of 10x8 paper. I had a piece if foam in the bottom of the main pocket and used it carry everything from little snappy snap cameras to Hasselblads. No one knew what was in it as it looked nothing like a camera bag.
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BSRIPN (Officially full of it..)
RGMP.co.uk (My Website.. getting there at last.)
Benchinistas.org.uk The home of Benchism
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Mugshot
journeyman
Reged: 08/01/2006
Posts: 84
Loc: U.K.
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Quote:
Quote:
Well, I have a Billingham 550, which I use with my Dynax 9 kit, but it's not used for my E1 & E3 because of the larger diameter of the Olly lenses. Instead, I have made up a set of circular 'tube' pouches out of table-top protection material, which I can then put inside a range of other totally nondescript (non-camera!) bags, such as this one sold by Tilley. It can be swung (when the strap is diagonally across the shoulders) easily from your back, to access the contents, and does NOT look like a camera bag!
The material used for the 'pouches' is thick enough to protect lenses from knocks and makes carrying them more comfortable. Other 'bags' include one of the traditional wickerwork picnic bags, also suitably lined with more of the same material to keep out water, with the lenses etc still contained in their usual pouches.
I don't use 'camera' cases/bags because they just advertise what they are holding, to 'Tea-Leaves'!!
But I'd say the Billingham does look very much like a camera bag – it's THE classic camera bag, isn't it? I had one once. Beautifully made and great looking, but so heavy, even when there's nothing in it!
Ain't that the truth, I have a Billingham 550, I haven't used it for years because when it has my Mamiya gear in it I can't lift it , if you consider that that in the army it has been accepted since the middle ages that the maximum weight that an infantryman could carry for a days march and still be effective in combat is about 60lb, the bigger the bag the more one is tempted to carry.
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Ben.
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photomark
addict
Reged: 14/01/2009
Posts: 505
Loc: Slinfold
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Lowepro for me: I like the mix'n'match capabilities offered by having all the same make and their Street & Field system.
The a900 lives in a Commercial fitted with a Backpack Harness.
The a350 lives in a Slingshot 300.
I use a Slingshot 200 as an occasional 'day bag', but generally I use a S&F waistbelt with various Sliplock cases attached to carry an assortment of lenses for the day, together with a thick neck around which I hang a camera or two.
Then there's the bags for tripods, misc gear like clips, clamps, reflectors, etc
In the car boot there is usually a 2-step stepladder and a collapsible trolley thingy.
Perfect camera bag - no such thing! Unless someone knows of a self-supporting bag with the capacity of Mary Poppins' carpet bag...
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