Camera Bags

[Jay Gould]

Hi,

I am leaning towards a shoulder/hip/back/tummy :) bag because the idea of having to take of the backpack every time you need an accessory or wanted to change a lens seems a big negative. Also, the idea of having to put it on the ground which might be very wet and icky is a big negative.

I am leaning towards either the Kata or the Think Tank as you can have two bodies with lenses attached stored at the same time - makes it pretty easy to jump from telephoto to wide angle in the field.

Anyone with experience with these specific bags; anyone with experience using these types of bags?

I did a comparison chart in next post:

[Jay Gould]

Second attempt at chart - that works better (if a moderator wants to edit and move this up/cool!):

Brand/#	Cost	Ext H	Ext W	Ext L	MP* H	MP W	MP L	#		Misc
Kata WS606	$149	12.5	12.5	17.7	9.4	10.2	14.1	4.63		http://www.kata-bags.com/product.asp?p_Id=313&Version=Photo
										http://www.adorama.com/KAWS606.html
										Opens away from body
										Appears to be narrow belt
										No 606 on Amazon; only 604
ThinkTank	$160	10.75	8.75	12.5	10.25	6.25	11			http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_SpdRcr.php
Speed Racer										http://www.adorama.com/TTSR.html?searchinfo=Think+Tank+Speed+Racer
										Opens away from body
										Wide belt!
Tamrac 5612	$134.95	10	10 1/2	19 1/2	8 1/4	6 3/4	15	4lb 70z		http://www.tamrac.com/5612.htm
										http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=Tamrac%205612
										Adorama and Amazon reviews worth reading
										Opens towards body
Tamrac 5608	$99.95	9	9 1/4	16 1/2	7	6	12 1/2	3lb 3oz		http://www.tamrac.com/5608.htm
										http://www.adorama.com/TR5608NY.html?searchinfo=Tamrac+5608+Pro+8
										Opens towards body
										Good pocket system - appears to be the most organizable externally
Lowepro	$139.95	22	9.4	14.6	9.1	7.1	12.6			http://products.lowepro.com/product/Orion-AW,1987,7.htm
Orion AW										http://www.adorama.com/LPOAWBK.html?searchinfo=Lowpro+Orion+AW
					*MP = Main Pocket					Opens away from body
										First system with negative reviews!

[Alfred Forns]

Jay I'm for going light and don't carry much.

Use a LowePro RoadRunner for moving the gear to the car and stays there. Have the 500 on tripod and another camrea/lens over the shoulder. Converters and extension tubes go in little bags attached to tripod legs and CF cards in pocket. At time will carry a waist pouch (small) for carrying a 70-200 4.0 IS when not using a second body.

For the beach I need to take water and more gear so its a vest. Its all trial and error.

[Jay Gould]

What car?!

We are hoofing it for six months around South America, and when we do Antarctica what we carry ashore in a waterproof bag and then once ashore put either on our back or around or waist is all there is!

On land when we leave the hotel, what we take is what we got!

This next trip will be for twelve months; all camera gear other than the tripod needs to be in one bag that gets carried on the plane.

The reason I have seriously considered the waist pack in part is because my backpack rides high on my back and contains all other essentials: clothes, food, and hydration bladder.

I'm for going light

Ain't no light; what I carry is what I got all day until returning to the hotel room. ;)

Not complaining; just our chosen lifestyle. :D

[Alfred Forns]

Jay you might want to check out the backpack Moose Peterson uses. Its a well designed backpack.

If I had to look for one a combination of being sturdy and light weight would be my target. Can't only imagine the logistics ... have fun :)

[Randy Stout]

Jay:

You didn't specify your situation, so Alfred gave general advice.

I have not shot under the circumstances you describe, but if I had to, besides your essentials backpack, I would do some combination of a substantial vest like Artie uses, and possibly some of the Think Tank belt modular gear, such as you mentioned. You need to get some of the weight off your shoulders and onto your hips for sure. How substantial of a back pack do you carry? A full hiking backpack with frame?

Randy

[Grady Weed]

Jay,

I use the Tamrac expedition 8 series back pack. I can put my 5D, MK2n, 100-400, 100mm macro, 28-135, 580 flash, Nikon Monarch Binoculars, battery chargers for both cameras, tons of CF cards, 2 extra batteries for my 5D and 2 extra for my MK2n, 2x extender, Bogen Ballhead, Artie's Blubb (minus the beans) a few hygiene essentials, cable release, double bubble level, end caps, maps and a compass. And I still have a small amount of room.

Now I know you said you were leaning toward a fanny or belt pack. You also said you were doing a lot of walking and what you carry is what you have for the day. You could get the Tamrac 5612 for $135 and put your gear in it. It looks like by the review on Tamrac you can most of what I have in my backpack in that smaller bag. then you could use the Tamrac 8 backpack for clothes, water or whatever. It also can hold a sturdy tripod or a monopod. I use the Gitzo 5540LS with the Wimberley 2 head, it will attach right on the outside of the backpack in the middle of the pack, upright. the head can go inside.

Granted it might be a lot of weight. I am 6 ft 6 and 280. So that pack is not too bad, till the end of the day at least. LOL. Just a thought. Sounds like you will be walking around a lot. You must be fit. I'd check them both out at a store and then decide. Hope you have fun.

[Jay Gould]

You didn't specify your situation, so Alfred gave general advice.

Al: I have mentioned in so many threads that I am going around the world for a year - some of which you have graciously responded to and provided advice - that I thought you understood that this bag pertained to that lengthy trip. If I offended in anyway; sorry Mate.

If I was a land based/sorta stationary I agree with your assessment 100% about "go light".

To expand this further since so far no one seems to be using a belt system or coming our of the woodwork:

Randy: I carry a 22ltr Camelback RimRunner. When I am not carrying a lot of equipment I do exactly as described by Al (now I have only the 40D with the 100-400 and that is on the tripod; other lenses in the bag). They hydration bladder goes in the designed rear pocket.

Unfortunately I have found that the bladder when full at the beginning of a day out takes up a lot of the main compartment as it expands with water. Camelback now has a 2ltr external bladder that can be attached to anyone backpack - great unit. I have attached an image of the baldder; I do not know where it will appear in this post as I can't find the image! Anyway ........

Instead of using the internal bladder pocket, I remove the internal bladder and I put the external bladder into one of the side pockets and balance the pack by putting something heavy on the other side.

The other cool thing about the RimRunner is that it has a loop at the bottom of the pack actually designed for a climber's pick; I can put the head of the tripod into that ring and strap the tripod along the centerline of the backpack on the outside with a couple of quick release straps - works a charm.

Grady: Not too fit; fit enough. Currently recovering from a partial knee replacement; that is why I have so much time to sit in front of my 'puter and play on BPN. :D

Yes, the Tamrac 5612 is a good bad and seriously under consideration. I have put all the urls into the chart for anyone else doing the same research. No reason to reinvent the wheel. I will look at the Tamrac 8 as a possible replacement for the RimRunner since it is a purpose built camera bag.

Thanks everybody.

[Tim Dodd]

Jay, if you are interested in a belt system you may want to look at these threads over on POTN....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=667690

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=636358

There are links to videos and reviews of some belt systems. After much online research I have just ordered a Think Tank Skin Set and Pro Speed Belt but it is backordered so I don't know when I'll receive mine.

There is also a humungous thread called "Show me Your Camera Bag", which might give you some ideas, here....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...ad.php?t=36952

Another useful reference if you have a bag/system in mind and just want to see pictures....

http://www.taschenfreak.de/indexliste.htm

and some user reviews of bags here....

http://www.cambags.com/

Indexed compendium of POTN user reviews here....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=585253


Regards,
Tim.

[Jay Gould]

In choosing a lens to travel around the world with,
consider total bulk and weight as well as desire for
focal length and image quality.

Lens_______weight__diameter__length minimum_focus
___________pounds___inches___inches___feet

400 f/5.6____2.8_____3.5______10.1____11.5

400 f/4 DO___4.3_____5.0_______9.2____11.5

300 f/2.8____6.0_____5.0_______9.9_____8.2

300 f/4______2.6_____3.5_______8.7_____4.9

100-400______3.0_____3.6_______7.4_____5.9

So, how big a backpack do you want to carry (or roller equivalent) and if traveling by air, can you fit in the carry-on weight limits?

I travel with various combinations, depending on objectives. Of course everyone has their own objectives and limits, so this is only my own.

A light trip would be a Lowepro computrekker AW photo backpack 13.4 x 9.1 x 17.7 inches, 4.39 pounds empty
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...specifications
with the 300 f/4 L IS, one body, 28-135 IS, 70-200 f/4 L IS, 20 mm f/2.8, 1.4 and 2x TCs. Plus a laptop in the computer slot.

A more serious expedition would be with the above but switch the 300 f/4 with a 300 f/2.8 and add a second body. That requires a significantly larger backpack. I use the Lowepro computrekker Plus AW backpack 14 x 8.5 x 19.8 inches, 6.06 pounds empty
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...specifications

Next level is 500 mm f/4 and switch to Lowepro phototrekker AW backpack with a separate laptop bag.

If your travels include trudging through cities, how big a backpack or roller bag do you want to carry, balanced against desire for focal length and aperture?

Having said all this, I chose the 300 f/2.8 over the 400, but then I already had a 500 f/4 and wanted the wider aperture. I am very impressed at how sharp the 300 f/2.8 lens is, even over the 500 f/4.

Hi, Roger put this on the 300 - 400 thread and I have moved it here for those who do a search on backpacks and to continue this discusion without starting a new thread.

Frankly, some of you must be getting tired of all of my gear questions and wondering where are the images? At least that is the way I feel - perhaps I am projecting! Well, the new gear will not arrive from various locations for about another month, and in the meantime I cannot go out shooting as I am still in rehab from a partial knee replacement. Hopefully, my mobility and the arrival of the new toys will coincide. I do have some older images that I will start to post.

Having said that: carrying gear. Initially, I was going to find a waist pack large enough to carry everything with lenses mounted on the bodies - pretty ridiculous idea - that was when I only had the 100 - 400 and a 70 - 200; and perhaps the 5D2 with my 40D. Now, thanks to all of the helpful suggestions and proddings we have moved to a 1D3 and a 300 f/2.8.

All my gear weighs around 20 lbs (6 for the the tiny 300!).

The airlines keep getting stingier and stingier with their weight limitations.

I am still very concerned about the backpack idea as compared to a waist pack.

Those of you who have done some down and dirty in the field photography, isn't it a concern having to take off your backpack and lay it on the ground each time you need a different lens or an accessory?

I am leaning towards the Vested Interest Khumbu in part because the pockets in the back could be used for food, hydration (appears that I can attach the 2L Camelback), and other none photo stuff similar to a back pack, and the rear pockets are almost large enough for the 300 f/2.8 - I will ask them to specifically make the pockets large enough for the 70-200 and the 300 f/2.8. http://www.vestedinterest.com/khumbu.htm

When going on the plane, my backpack will be in hand - always with stuff to maximum weight limit :D.

For Antarctica to transit from the ship to shore I will have a SealLine waterproof bag large enough to put the loaded vest into for the trip.

Those of you that use fully loaded vests on flights, when you get to your seat, do you put the loose vest into the overhead compartment loose, or do you then put it into a bag? I am thinking that I will always put it into either the SealLine bag or some other bag that I will carry onto the plane in my backpack.

If I purchased this all inclusive vest I am guessing it eliminates any need for a waist bag or other camera bag because everything (bodies, lenses, flash, batteries, filters, etc) is distributed through out the vest so that hopefully it is weight balanced. On any given day what I do not need remains in the hotel room. Yes, it will be heavy; however no heavier and probably lighter than a serious backpack if I was carrying everything on a day long trek. And it will have to be able to go on the outside of my Antarctic layers.

OK, share your positive :) and NEGATIVE :p thoughts/reactions.
Cheers, Jay

[Gail Wessot]

Does anyone have any experience with the Tamarac Adventure series backpack? I need something that will pass the carryon specs for airplane and also hold NIkon D80 and other equipment, maybe 1 or 2 other lenses, battery pack, etc. I would also need a place for tripod on exterior.

Thank you.
"newby" Gail