What Camera bag?

[TheJoker]

I Need a camera bag.
I have had a Lowepro Slingshot 200 which was a nice idea but i didn't like the way it held the camera. The camera would twist over on the lens when i had it on my back.
But it held all my gear.

I have just bought a Crumpler master dehli. It is a very nice bag and it protects the camera and is very well padded but...
I can't get everything in.

So I'm looking for recommendations.
Dont mind either a rucsac type or a shoulder bag but it must protect the camera.
I have
50D and battery grip
70-200
17-85
50 1.4
and a Speedlight flash
and i will probably buy a 60mm macro and a 17-40
I probably wouldnt need to carry all this.

I have been thinking about billingham but nowhere local stocks them to have a look

Any thoughts?

Rob

[Wheelu]

Have you thought bags rather than bag?

I cycle and walk quite a bit and prefer to travel as light as possible. My standard bag is a Lowepro that accommodates only the DSLR and a 24-70 lens, along with a few filters and spare batteries. I can carry this slung over my back while cycling, while it is not too onerous when fell walking. I have just bought a belt mounting bag from a HK stockist to hold my 70-200 lens, and will occasionally take that as well - but, when lightness is more important than absolute quality, the ancient but sharp manual focus Olympus 75-150 will fit into a coat pocket!

When setting out to take photos, rather than carrying the camera in case something turns up, I use a Tamrac Expedition camera rucksack. This carries, for example, my Bronica MF kit, or would accommodate all of my digital gear, but it sees far less use than the smaller bag, because it's so heavy and unwieldy in comparison.

Horses for courses methinks.

[parisian]

Dont mind either a rucsac type or a shoulder bag but it must protect the camera.

To carry all your kit you are into rucsack territory. Lowe or Tamrac all weather versions will suit your needs and balance the load. Shoulder bags will very quickly give you neck ache and leave you seriously unbalanced if you are cycling, walking on rough terrain etc.
Many folk on here use different systems, film, digital, medium/large format. They tend to have a bag for each, initially costly but compared to the replacement cost of your kit then well worthwhile.
Billingham are stylish, beautifully made and ooze class but they are expensive and really if truth be told at their best with a small body and a couple of lenses such as a rangefinder outfit. I have had mine for the best part of 30 years and it still looks good.

[AGW]

My main bag is a 335, bought in 1992. It normally holds 40D and 17-40, 100mm macro a 50mm and a 200mm, Ringflash plus spare cards batteries release reflector etc. Occasionally I will leave the 50 and put a 100-400mm instead, but things do become heavy and congested.
I have tried rucksacks but for the gentle art of just wandering around taking pictures...none of them come close to the simple efficency of the Billingham. Everything is at hand. Rucksacks are fine for longer expeditions but they do get in the way when you have take them off to use them.

Graeme

[GeoffR]

I have a number of bags, used for different purposes as the occasion requires. The smallest is a CCS bag bought second hand, it will take three large lenses, Sigma 12-24, Nikon 17-55 f2.8 and Sigma 70-200 f2.8 plus s D2 body, MacBook, battery charger and computer PSU, spare batteries and memory cards plus travel documents. It is then heavy but I have carried it for several hours without problems. I suppose a Billingham Hadley would be the current equivalent.

Next is a Billingham 305 (nearest equivalent is the 335) which takes the above less the computer plus a second body, flash and a 1.4x converter.

Then there is a Crumpler that takes all the 305 does plus the computer.

Finally there are tow LowePro bags the bigger of which, the commercial, will take 3 bodies, nearly every lens I possess, three flash guns, computer and medical insurance, because when it is full I can hardly lift it.

There are a multitude of bags but my favourite would be a Billingham as they don't have to look like camera bags. If the 305/335 will take all the gear I want to be carrying around it should cope with your current and proposed kit comfortably. Remember though that it has to be comfortable to carry otherwise you will probably not want to take it very far.

[PentaxManiac]

I've just got a real bargain which you may be interested in, from Ffordes:

Ffordes.com

If you decide on a shoulder bag rather than a rucksack, I strongly recommend what I've bought. It's called the Lowepro Stealth Reporter D550 AW and Ffordes are currently selling them for £65: they cost far more elsewhere, in particular the Jacobs' catalogue has them listed at £130.

This will take all the kit you list and more - even a laptop. There's an illustration on the Ffordes website.

[Benchista]

I recently bought that same Stealth Reporter, and if you want a capacious shoulder bag that's remarkably comfortable to carry, even when too full, that's it IMVHO. Best large shoulder bag I've ever used.

[SqueamishOssifrage]

I have just bought a Tamrac Velocity 8x, which I find to be an excellent compromise between a shoulder bag and a back pack. It holds a large-ish SLR with battery grip plus mounted 28-75 f2.8, a 28-200, 24/2.8 and a 70-300 or large flash. If I need both the flash and 70-300, then the flash can be put in an external pouch and clipped to the side of the bag.

The only (and significant) problem I found with the Tamrac is that when the strap is shortened for a comfortable back-pack position fairly high up, it is impossible to get the camera out when the bag is swung around, as it is up under the armpit. To solve this problem I bought a Blackspur reflective belt and removed the clip-together plastic fastener. With the Tamrac strap disconnected at the buckle, I threaded the male and female Blackspur fasteners onto the strap, and reconnected it to the Tamrac, leaving the strap fully extended. With the relative distance between the two Blackspur fasteners correctly adjusted, the strap can be shortened for a comfortable position on the back. When I want to get the camera out I simply push in the two clips on the Blackspur buckle, and the bag drops instantly to the maximum length of the strap.

It only took about 15 minutes to set up, and now I rate it as the best walking/togging bag I have - and I have over a dozen that I will confess to.

[Rhys]

I have just bought a Tamrac Velocity 8x, which I find to be an excellent compromise between a shoulder bag and a back pack. It holds a large-ish SLR with battery grip plus mounted 28-75 f2.8, a 28-200, 24/2.8 and a 70-300 or large flash. If I need both the flash and 70-300, then the flash can be put in an external pouch and clipped to the side of the bag.

The only (and significant) problem I found with the Tamrac is that when the strap is shortened for a comfortable back-pack position fairly high up, it is impossible to get the camera out when the bag is swung around, as it is up under the armpit. To solve this problem I bought a Blackspur reflective belt and removed the clip-together plastic fastener. With the Tamrac strap disconnected at the buckle, I threaded the male and female Blackspur fasteners onto the strap, and reconnected it to the Tamrac, leaving the strap fully extended. With the relative distance between the two Blackspur fasteners correctly adjusted, the strap can be shortened for a comfortable position on the back. When I want to get the camera out I simply push in the two clips on the Blackspur buckle, and the bag drops instantly to the maximum length of the strap.

It only took about 15 minutes to set up, and now I rate it as the best walking/togging bag I have - and I have over a dozen that I will confess to.

I have the Tamrac Velocity 9X and agree with the above - I just usually have it on full stretch and leave it as a normal shoulder bag. I use it as a back back if I'm going any distance but usually have my camera round my neck. That's a good idea with the clips though - have heard similar before.

One problem that irritates me a great deal is the main zip is the wrong way round when accessing equipment - I'd prefer it to open front to back but that's just me (or is it?)

[Lazza]

I have just bought a Tamrac Velocity 8x, which I find to be an excellent compromise between a shoulder bag and a back pack.....

I have so many bags I forgot I also have one (Velocity 7x) - And there's me daring to argue with "Er' Indoors" that I most certainly do not have too much camera gear!

I travelled all over the USA with it back in 2002 when they first came out and found it a fantastic all rounder, managed (just) to squeeze in a Nikon FA, FE + 50mm, 28-70mm & 55-200mm I seem to remember (Had no transport of my own so had to take my bag almost everywhere). Bag like this is great if you are on the move and so much better than a backpack that's for sure as once setup it's ready to use in a second without having to take the thing off and mess about with zips & velcro.

Personally I prescribe to the "horses for courses" view of others when it comes to camera bags and if using the car store everything I will use in a big Crumpler in the boot and then use either a small Crumpler Pretty Boy to take what I *only need* or better still no bag at all which is best - I HATE having to carry a bag around and a camera around neck at the same time. Best advice I've ever taken on board with photography is travel as light as poss at all times. For just a camera and lens I tend to use a Y-Strap with said camera concealed under a jacket which is sheer bliss. ( http://figitalrevolution.com/y-strap/ )

[SqueamishOssifrage]

One problem that irritates me a great deal is the main zip is the wrong way round when accessing equipment - I'd prefer it to open front to back but that's just me (or is it?)

Definitely agree with that - I was always groping to find the damned thing, so I put a large day-glow pink tassel on it!