Bought the gear now need a bag???

[Noel_courtney]

I know everyone would have different veiws , tastes etc but here goes anyway.

Shortly I will be buying the following.

Canon - EOS 400D
EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
EF 17 -40mm f/4l USM.
EF 50mm f/1.8 II

Inclusive of the above there would be the normal bits and pieces. fCards,batteries,book,etc.

I would like to buy an all weather styleback back pack style bag which can accomodate the above. provide quick easy acess to DSLR and have room for future lens purchases.

Any favourites that fit the above????l. Estimated costs would also be appreciated.

[SkipD]

A backpack, in my opinion, never provides easy access to your equipment. You have to take the bag off, place it on a suitable surface, and then make darned sure you zip the bag up afterwards before you hoist it onto your back again.

I find a shoulder bag such as the Lowepro Stealth Reporter series much more practical from the standpoint of using my equipment. I use the Stealth Reporter 650 AW because I have large diameter lenses and hoods.

A well-designed backpack would be good for hauling equipment from place to place, but I would not want one for everyday use.

[crn3371]

I have the Tamrac Expedition 5 backpack, and it would certainly accomodate your gear list. I'd also like to echo what Skip has said. While I like the bag, it is not the most practical for quick and easy shooting, and I am currently looking in to something to supplement it for day trips and casual outings. You will soon find that there is no Holy Grail of bags. Most members have several bags, and use them according to how much gear they are carrying, or where they are going.

[Mike K]

As a counter argument I find shoulder bags horrible to carry heavy loads significant distances. If you are going hiking with signifianct gear, a backpack is the way to do it. It is possible to use belt/harness systems with modular pouches and waist packs. It isn't very conentient to lug this stuff in the car, but does work on you body.

You might consider getting a bag larger than you think you need and grow into it as you gradually add more equipment. I started witha Lowepro Nature Trekker then got an even bigger bag for multiple camera systems. Then you might find a second bag for travelling light will fit all the other situations where a big backback would be too awkward. For this application I use a Lowepro Slingshot 200. A moderate size shoulder bag might work out fine for this purpose too if one were not going on a longer hike.
Mike K

[Jon]

If you're hiking, take a backpack. But if you're going out to photograph get a shoulder bag. My F1x weighs 30+ lb. loaded, but I'll carry it around all day, and I can work from it, which I couldn't with a backpack. No stopping to take it off because I need to change lenses - I ca nkeep moving and be ready for the shot when I get tehre. The Domke F802 and the F230 insert would be a good combo for what you've got coming.

[Bob_A]

How about a Lowepro Slingshot? It looks like the best of both worlds (backpack or shoulder):

http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Sling_Bags/Designed_for_Digital/SlingShot_200_AW.aspx

I've been considering one of these. I have a Microtrekker, which is a great small backpack, but is annoying for short outings because of having to constantly take it off.

[Xpri]

I'm a fan of beltpacks, this should easily accomadate your gear. Allows easy access when hiking and can also be used as a shoulder bag.

http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Beltpacks/allWeather/Orion_AW.aspx

Not so good if you plan on carrying a tripod.

[Billginthekeys]

i highly reccomend the lowepro mini trekker AW (all weather) if you want a good backpack for hiking. but i also would like to reccomend like others, that a shoulder bag is MUCH more practical for day to day shooting and much easier for changing lenses. the mini trekker is great on those long hikes though. If you decide on a shoulder bag, the one im probably going to order is from the lowepro stealth reporter series. just find one that fits your needs.

[lakiluno]

I have both a backpack and a shoulder bag. If I want to take all my equipment (eg on holiday) I take the backpack. If I want to take some of it (eg 3 lenses and my flash) then I take the shoulder bag (Ben's Pizza XL)

[Lightstream]

Fully agreed on the backpack vs messenger bag comments. While my preferences tend very strongly to my Domke F802 for on-the-go shooting, I've discovered there is a maximum loading for the Domke where it becomes very uncomfortable and causes me to lean severely to one side. This is even with my modified Domke - by that I mean I removed the standard strap and replaced it with an Op/Tech bag strap. Imagine POTN strap, now in a convenient bag size. Usually I hit this limit when carrying a big telezoom (300/4 or 70-200/2.8), 17-40, 24-105, 5D, and all the misc. junk in the pockets that I carry.

For anything heavier than that I strongly prefer my Computrekker AW (MiniTrekker is the same, except the Compu version has a laptop slot - though I conscientiously work to leave the laptop behind whenever possible). Carried above combo + 350D attached to 300/4 today, hardly felt it. Shoulders are very happy with it. The bag is much slower to work from though. The price we pay, I guess.

For EXTREMELY high speed events, I carry just one lens, on a Lowepro S&F light belt in a LC2. They say I should carry a 2nd body - yeah I should think about that. Will probably carry them in the same setup though, using the LC2 as a lens/camera holster.

[ClickClick]

I have had various backpacks, velocity's, slingshots, and gear bag. I have not found a single one of these to be both comfortable and accessible.

As pointed out the backpacks have to be taken off and set down.

The slingshots are going to wreck your clothes twisting them around and after a couple of hours hurt your one shoulder.

What I have done now is actually bought a gear bag that is the CANON brand. Big ol' clunky thing. I put my gear and laptop in it when I travel (airlines) and when I get to the site, I change bags.

I went to an army surplus supply store and bought an old WW1 Medic/Mail bag that soldiers used to carry across their chests on their opposite hips to carry medical supplies, mail or documents in. It is a cloth/canvas bag but I had plenty of padded inserts left over from my previous bag try-outs. Which is great because I can pad both the left side and right side individually and leave the center section not padded so the bag bends/dents/folds over sort of like a " ^ " shape against my hip. Not exactly that much of an angle but enough to conform to the shape of my hip without the bag jutting out to the front and back but instead it folds over against my body. In one side, I can carry my XT/grip (face down) with Tamron 28-75 attached. In the other side I can carry 430EX flash (in case) 50mm 1.8 AND Kenko extension tubes OR 430EX and Sigma DG APO 75-300 OR another XT body (no grip) with Sigma 10-20 attached. The wee bit of space for the center piece is used for dumping memory cards, street maps, cleaning cloth, etc.. into.

I have found that although I carry all my gear to locations with me (vacations, etc..) I don't necessarily need to have it all on me everytime I venture out. So I use the big bag to haul it around, smaller bag to mix it up when I walk out.

[Dorman]

I started with a really uncomfortable lowepro shoulder bag (the one that comes in the Canon accessory kit). It's a smallish bag that gets jampacked pretty quickly, and since you can't logically put your gear in (cram cram cram!) it's no longer easily accessible. It also used to hurt my shoulder after a short while.

I then moved to a Lowepro Orion Trekker II backpack. This is a great bag for hauling all my gear, it's on my back out of the way, great for hiking/travel, but a real pain in the field. My style and setup has led to me changing lenses more often than I used to now and taking that bag off my back, swapping, rezipping, and putting it back on is tedius and impractical.

So, what did I do the other day? I bought a new shoulder bag through work (yay employee purchases), it's Sony's bag for the Alpha. While I don't dig having my canon in a sony bag I'll cover over the logo and nobody will be the wiser. The shoulder strap is very wide and comfortable and the bag actually holds MORE than my backpack. In the top compartment I keep my 350D w/ 17-40 attached, my 430EX in case, and my Macro lens. I can squeeze the huge hood for the 17-40 in there too and it's out of the way. (Now for the part that sold me on the bag), on each end there's a pocket, but wait... what's this, one pocket unzips and it's two tunnels for additional lenses, my 70-300 and 50mm live in there w/ room for more. All my other stuff fits in in various places around. I'm quite pleased with it, it'll be perfect once I get a patch to cover the Sony logo. :)

I had been considering the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home but it's rather pricey. Another viable option is the Lowepro Slingshot series, lots of people seem to like them. For me, I need both a backpack and shoulder bag for different situations, chances are you'll find out the same thing. Welcome to the forum, you're starting off with a great kit. Enjoy.

[steved110]

First thing to realise is - no one bacg can do it all. while you don't have too much gear, I'd suggest a shoulder bag like the stealth reporter - a D400Aw will give you room to grow.
a small backpack like the mini trekker AW isd a good option too, and makes hiking around with a lot of gear much easier.
I also have a Slingshot 200 - and I have almost the same gear as you and can tell you now, i find it too small to carry the 17-40 AND the 70-200 f/4. The slingshot does not like to be over stuffed.

What I tend to do is use my minitrekker to store ALL the gear, and use either my slingshot or a generic daysack to carry what I think I am going to use. I rarely want to have everything with me, usually it's camera body with 17-40L and maybe the flash.

I'm quite keen to get the Lowepro D400AW having read some good reviews - I like the look of the stealth reporter series. If Iuse my slingshot now,it has just the camera with 17-40 attached, possibly the 50 1.8 and flash, spare batteries and CF cards and remote release (Adidt) and that's it. That way it still has room for cell phone, wallet and keys. there is not enough room for the 70-200 without overcramming IMO - but I have seen a thread with an impressive amount of gear in a slingshot, I feel they don't like too much inside of them!

But to go back to my main point I think most people need different bags on different days, at the beginning it is important to get one that you can grow into without seeming over the top - and I'd vote for the mini trekker.

[SuzyView]

I know my needs well, but never know what size bag I need. I have 5 bags I actually use now and the Velocity 9 is my favorite of the bags for carrying around all day. It is a sling bag, but it can carry all your gear and you can get to it. It doesn't feel too heavy on my shoulder and I can swing it forward to get my gear out without having to take it off. I've gone all over DC and NYC with it and never have a problem. It's not as colorful as the Crumpler I have and not as small and inconspicuous as the Domke bags, but it really is comfortable.

[Bob_A]

Suzie, how does the Velocity 9 compare to the Lowepro Slingshot? I'd like to get a sligshot type bag but know nothing about them.

[SuzyView]

I think they are very similar. The best thing to do is actually put them on at a good camera store. There are a few around me, so I actually saw what the bags looked like and tried them before deciding. I think one of the people here in the forum recommended the Velocity bag because of the equipment I needed to put in it. I didn't want a shoulder bag because I find it uncomfortable to wear it on the left shoulder, across my chest for security (living in a densely populated area it's not as safe as just a shoulder bag). Once I saw there were Kata bags, Lowepro bags, Tamrac bags, etc., I knew I had to ask. The Velocity 9's padding on the cross shoulder strap is very comfortable. The gear is easy to get to and I don't drop anything. If I am in a crowd, I can even swing the bag in front of me and hold onto it.

[Bob_A]

Thanks Susie. Hopefully both bags are available locally so I can check em out.

[SuzyView]

The local Ritz here had the Velocity 6, but not the 9. The strap for the 9 is significantly better, so don't think the little bag is the same width.