Need an Inexpensive Laptop Camera Bag!

[SuzyView]

My son in UT is purchasing a new laptop and giving his younger brother his 1 year old one and I am getting the 2nd brother's 4 year old one and my 3rd son is getting my 5 year old one. I am going to fly to UT for a shoot and bringing my son's old laptop back with me, but I already have 2 camera bags going and I can't have more than 2 bags coming back. I don't want to check the laptop or any of my gear. I am looking for a nice bag that can carry a 15.1 inch laptop and 1 SLR body and 3 lenses for under $200 new and shipped to VA. I will either keep it or sell it again, but for now, I'd like something not too big and heavy because I can't carry too much weight due to a sore back. Thanks in advance for any help. I searched for about 30 minutes and couldn't find a link. If anyone knows which link I can go on for the best bag, please tell me.:oops:

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Computrekker AW ought to do it just dandy. Not heavy, well padded, moderately priced (probably get one for 100 bucks), and comfy as heck with those big fluffy straps on. :lol:

[SuzyView]

I see it for around $159. Should I consider getting the Plus version? The laptop is a 15.4 or 17 inch I think.

[sugarzebra]

Hi Suzie,
Although they are cumbersome, you should think about an equipment bag with wheels and an extendable handle (like the typical airline carry on cases) in order to protect your back. Backpacks should never be used to carry more than about 13% of your body weight (~15-20lbs for most women). If you are already needing two camera bags for your equipment and are adding a laptop, you are likely nearing (or exceeding) the upper limit of what you should be carrying on your back, regardless of how good the bag is.

[DavidEB]

Lowepro stealth reporter either 550 or 650. The 650 is huge.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I see it for around $159. Should I consider getting the Plus version? The laptop is a 15.4 or 17 inch I think.

If it's a 17", then yes, you should. I own the Plus, and it's quite a bag. You will easily fit all your gear, the laptop, and more inside. As I've said before, I have easily fit at one time (just in the main compartment):

2 20D bodies with grips
24-70L
70-200L IS
35L
2 580's
rocket blower
pec pads and eclipse
filter packs
5 extra 20D batteries
dual charger with DC adapter

Oh, and my 17" Inspiron 9300 in the laptop compartment.

Pile of prints and a 20gig flashtrax, along with my treo and a psp in the front compartment.

I think that's it. ;-) Mine cost me $150 when I got it, and that was from Dell.

As for hurting your back, this won't hurt it one bit. The straps are over 1" thick, and there's a chest and waist strap to keep it where you want it. Just don't carry it with one shoulder (your neck) or with the straps loose so it hangs down like a kid (lower back). If you keep the straps short, and always use both, you'll hardly notice you're carrying it. I've walked around for hours and hours and never been so comfortable. Heck...my little Kata is harder to carry around than my computrekker plus.

[SuzyView]

I am very concerned also about my back and the weight of all the gear. My son's laptop is 17 inches, he measured. I am not going to carry all my gear in the backpack, though. I am thinking:

laptop
20D with 24-70L attached, hood reversed
85 1.8 with hood
50 1.4 with hood
580EX with bounce
and accessories.

This set-up I can handle. If I need more I am going to have to get one of those wheely ones. Right now I have a regular laptop shoulder bag. I can put that in my luggage, wear my Velocity 9 with all above gear in it. Then have a carry on for the flight and a larger luggage to check. Then on the way back, switch bags with my son so I check one large suitcase with the smaller carry on inside and take the Velocity 9 and the laptop in the shoulder laptop bag. If I do buy a new bag for the laptop and gear, I can decide that later. That Computrekker Plus is what I will get that opens not like a backpack, but like a shoulder bag is the one I am looking at.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

A computrekker plus that opens like a shoulder bag??? I'd like to see that.

[SuzyView]

This one

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A2LA70/ref=pd_kar_gw_3/102-6395663-6092912?%5Fencoding=UTF8

It's not one you need to lay the backpack flat.

[sugarzebra]

As for hurting your back, this won't hurt it one bit.

Not to belabour a point Ronald, but there is a point that the weight you are supporting creates more vertical compression than the spine can effectively support, regardless how wide, or how many, straps there are. This point is at about 13% (some would say 15%) of your body weight, which can easily be met with camera equipment (especialy for women who dont tend to weigh as much as men). To suggest that a certain back "won't hurt it one bit" is poor information, especially to someone who suffers from a bad back. The back pack may be fine in this case, if you know how much load you will be carrying, so its worth the effort to figure it out. Sorry if this sounds a bit like a rant as its not supposed to be;)

[Jon]

Domke F-7AF - it's pretty much the same size as the lamented F-804 Courier satchel I used to carry a laptop, D60, 3 lenses and flash, thermos, meeting notes and in-flight reading. It's lacking the nice back papers pocket (they put a waist belt on in its place).
http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=domke&itemnum=700-70S
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=84390&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

[SuzyView]

Taken as constructive advice. I saw Ron's gear and I'm glad he's young. I would be happy with less gear, and a sandwich or two in the compartments. :)

[SuzyView]

Jon, I've seen your bag and you have been carrying it so long, I think it is attached to you. :) You look very comfortable carrying it and you know just where everything is in that bag. I admire you so much. You saw me with my little Velocity 9 and having no trouble with it because it wasn't full and heavy. But a laptop really is heavy and I may sometime need to have all that gear if I am to go portable. I may even get cords to use printers and such in the van, but that is not right now. The suggestion about the roller bag is a good one, but I'm afraid the gear would be vibrating too much over rough terrain. No one have trouble with the roller models?

[Jon]

You've seen my F-1, not the F-7AF. I've got one of the fold-up luggage carts from Samsonite if I want to roll the bag through buildings - you want pretty big wheels if you're venturing off pavement. For airport-type use I have this (http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/webapp/scs/servlet/SItemDisplay?productId=190647&storeId=10151&langId=-1&pc=C35). For heavy-duty use, I have a Ruxxac cart (http://www.ruxxac.com/Products.asp?DepartmentA=GARDEN+AND+HARDWARE&theProd=RUXXAC+Fold+Flat+Carts).

[SuzyView]

Now that's something I can use without too much trouble. I think I will have to take a look at the smaller one for my museum shoot. That may save my back and I only need one trip from the car. :)