What bag do you use?

[dakota367]

What bag do you use and how does it hold up, how do you like it? Is it comfy to carry or where?

[Skip Souza]

How do you want to use your bag? How I use my bag means nothing if it does not correspond with how you use your bag.

[Jim G]

Boy, is that a broad question.

For urban work or small, unobtrusive gig work I use a sand-coloured Domke F-803 shoulder satchel. Fits 20D+24-70L, 50mm 1.4, 135L, 580EX and accessories which is all I need for that sort of work.

For large gig work or when I am carting all my gear somewhere to use in a studio or such I use a Lowepro Stealth Reporter D400AW which holds 20D+grip, 24-70L, 135L, 50mm 1.4, 17-40L, one or two 580EX's and assorted acessories.

For work where I'm in crowds a lot or doing light bushwalking I use a Crumpler Whickey and Cox which holds all my gear and is VERY comfortable to use. I use Crumpler there because it has the back-opening system; the main compartment of the bag cannot be accessed while it's on my back so all those people jostling me don't worry me a bit.

For biking, hiking and travel I use a Mei Voyageur backpack.. whilst biking it mostly has my CF tripod in it and the padded insert from the Crumpler for the camera gear along with water bottles and whatnot.


If you're wanting to store just the 40D and a 28-135mm none of that information is going to be that helpful to you :p

Check out cambags.com or the "Show us your camera bag" thread or whatever it's called for a lot of info....

...and all of my bags hold up fantastically and are very comfortable for what I use them for.

[basroil]

i've got two (real, third is just a bag i can stuff an xt in with a 70-200), 7million dollar home and kata 103 rucksack. the 7MDH is the bread and butter of my photojournalism, lets me carry the lenses i need and fits everything in a small, discrete manner. it doesn't scream out CAMERA BAG! like the domke's i've seen. the kata 103 is there for long haul and has enough space for the same equipment as the 7MDH (i can fit everything in either bag), but also has a place for a laptop. that bag is built like a piece of military hardware and makes me feel comfortable about carrying it where things might go flying. both are faa regulation for under the seat

[dakota367]

How do you want to use your bag? How I use my bag means nothing if it does not correspond with how you use your bag.

Well right now I'm just borrowing a bag from my uncle, and I'm looking to buy my own so I wanted to see what everyone else used.

[ed rader]

Well right now I'm just borrowing a bag from my uncle, and I'm looking to buy my own so I wanted to see what everyone else used.


i use the domke f-1x and the domke f-802. a good bag that you may never outgrow is the domke f2 :D.

ed rader

[Riff Raff]

Stealth Reporter D400AW for a shooting bag in my normal usage at theatres. It's heavy fully loaded (body+three zooms+two primes+speedlite), but I'm mostly stationary so it doesn't matter much. It's easy to shoot out of sitting next to me, so I like it. Stealth Reporter D200AW if I want to travel somewhat lighter and am not carrying the 70-200mm lens with me (it's too tall for that bag). Lowepro Toploader 75AW if I just need body+one lens (which can be the 70-200mm). Each of these three bags may have a Lowepro Lens Case strapped to the side, if I need room for "just one more lens". Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home collects dust on shelf, waiting for me to try selling it.

My primary desire now is for the ThinkTank modular belt system, to make shooting events easier. I think it could also be useful for hiking, with one of the Digital Holsters on the belt.

[Perry Ge]

Wow that's a big question.

I use a Tamrac Adventure 9 right now, but it's gonna be replaced by a Lowepro Vertex 200 or 300 AW. This is my hiking bag, flying bag, and bring-everything backpack. It's very nice, but is getting a bit small, hence the need for a replacement.

I also use a Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home for carrying a bit of gear when I go out on a light shoot where I don't need much, or when I'm just out for non-shooting purposes. I absolutely adore this bag. Supremely comfortable, light, and superbly built.

[Glenn NK]

I like it, it carries all my present gear, and it's quite durable, and comfortable.

But my gear isn't likely the same as anyone else's gear, and if I change or add gear it won't likely work.

And my bag has been modified.

[gkuenning]

I'm a pack rat; I hate missing a shot because I left something at home. I'm also over 50, so I can't carry a bag on just one shoulder without feeling it.

Tamrac Cyberpack 8, logo blacked out as best I could with a marker. With the waist strap, I've carried it on a 2-hour mountain hike fully loaded. For flying, it also holds my laptop (the laptop has to come out on small commuter planes, but that's only a minor nuisance).

Dislikes: I really wish it had a side pocket for a water bottle. I have to carry water in the back, which means taking it off or asking somebody to hand me my water. It also has "normal" access, so I have to lock it if I'm in nervous-Nellie territory.

[mzivtins]

I use two:

Lowepro Orion 3 trekker AW. This is ok, but is not big enough for a 5d with and L fitted, but great and comfy.

Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, this thing is the daddy! with easy flip round access weather proofing and the ability to carry 6 L's of normal zoom ranges and a lense the size of the 70-200 whilst on the body! also has a little polishing pad for the lcd screen and purpose made pockets for wipes, memory cards etc etc. this one is the better of the two but it more bulky, but allows for great comfort taking picture whilst sat on a motorbike :)

Both bags have been 'tested' fully loaded at around 160mph and both survivied (as did the contents) although whilst slowing down sharply from that speed the slingshot goes weightless so it feels for a second like you have lost the bag! :confused:

[squiggly]

I use the Lowepro slingshot 200aw for trips and for more serious gigs i use my Lowepro computrekker aw. but when i have to take everything? i just dump everything in the back of my suv!:)

[Hektor]

Canon 200EG backpack. It's simple and works fine for my needs!

[artyboy]

Lowepro Toploader 70W for 1DM3 + 24-105 with hood for those "always with me" weekends. when flying/on vacation its the Lowepro CompuTrekker AW with my Dell notebook. the CompuTrekker is undeniably bulky (fat) so it stays as a travelling carry-on luggage when flying. when out and about, i rather carry my main setup in the Toploader with the flash/extra lenses in my (slimmer) Targus backpack. incidentally, the fully-loaded CompuTrekker reminds me of DisneyDork's avatar :lol:

[samnz]

My Tamrac Expedition 5 seems to cater for most occasions, whilst the Nova 4AW fills in for my small 1 off jobs.

I won a Crumpler 7MD but only used it two or three times before I got rid of it. Was bright red and stood out like a 'dogs proverbials'. Loads of room though but gave my shoulder a good work out once fully laden.

The Orion Trekker was good for 1 x body, 2 lenses, flash and a jacket in the top. Not the easiest to get in and out of but comfortable enough for a day walk.

[deadpass]

Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home for around town, Crumpler Karachi Outpost for hiking, and Lowepro Computrekker Plus for traveling if I want something with wheels.

[ICee]

I never know what I might need so everything is packed in a lowepro computrekker AW, it's now about 5 years old and has done a lot of work but is still fine.

[stewartlittle]

For now I use a soft sided lunch box I got from Sams Club.
Its got 3 compartments,

Main Compartment I have my:
300D with 18-200OS Sigma attached
380EX Flash
4 CFcard Holder
2 GND Cokin Filters

Top Compartment:
2X Tele converter
25 Tele extender
Canon 50mm 1.8 Lens
10-20mm Sigma Lens
Cokin Holder and Rings
1 77mm CP Filter,1 72mm CP Filter,72-77 step-up ring.

Front Compartment:
2 Spare BP-511 Batteries
4 Spare AA Rechargable Batteries
Cleaning Brushes in a slot in the front.

Thats what I mainly use,I do have a small backpack that dont hold as much if I'm gonna do alot of walking,but dont use it much.

Make fun of it if you want,but it serves my pupose just fine.

[René Damkot]

Billingham 335 and Billingham 445.
The 335 is from when I still used to shoot film with a Nikon ;)
Best bags I've ever come across.
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/Billingham335.jpg
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/POTN/Billingham445.jpg

There's a "show me your camerabag thread" (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36952) you might want to look at ;)

[Grimm75]

Canon 200EG backpack. It's simple and works fine for my needs!

+1.

[Pete-eos]

LowePro Mini Trekker AW.

Holds everything in my signature (just! after getting the 40D), can cram in all the chargers etc if needed. Its not instant easy access, especially when my Velbon 250R tripod is strapped on, really like it though.

[r300f28]

I use the Tamrac Pro 12. Holds my 1D Mark II N, 14mm f2.8L 24-70mm f2.8L & 70-200 f2.8 L or I can swap it out for the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L. Also in the bag goes the 580EX II, a various assortment of Ridata Compact flash cards,, filters & other such nonsense.
Works well & fills all my needs

[ooo]

6mdh when i need all my gear and a cheap Nike bag when I go for a quick walk.

[John E]

Just bought the Lowerpro Nova 4 aw from a seller on this forum and it is the perfect size for walking around. It holds my 30d + grip with lens, 580 ex, and 2 extra lenses. Not too big. Not too small. Just right.

[Kennymc]

Three main bags, the one I use depends on what I'm covering...
Main bag... Lowepro Magnum AW for when I need a lot of gear... Loaded it's heavy, but comfortable, and seems hard wearing... It gets slug about all over, and is always covered in mud in the winter months...
Quickie bag... Lowepro Stealth Reporter D200AW for when I don't need much gear but need to move about quickly... The zip in the top allows for quick and easy access without opening the bag lid...
Walking bag... Tamrac Expedition 4 backpack for when there is a lot of walking over rough terrain and both hands might be needed...

[fillet1970]

Lowepro Steath Reporter 300 AW. It fits my body, 3 lenses and my speedlite...it works for me. Definitely love the zipper on top!!!

For some reason, every time I walk into the camera store, I'm always drawn to the bags and always have that need to see whats new :)

[r1ch]

Sometimes you find stuff cheap, and well built. I found a promaster 2020 rolling backpack. http://www.hoopercamerasales.com/product.aspx?pf_id=64526

It is well built, carrys 3 camera bodys, 8 lenses including a 400 2.8 IS and 70-200 2.8. as well as 2x 1.4x TC. Two flashesin their own cases in the outer pocket . All my filters, batteries, battery chargers, light meter, off camera flash bracket, cables, reflectors and defuser, cf cards and accesories. Most importantly it carries my 17" HP desktop replacement laptop (two hard drives on that baby) withough squishing it or putting presure that could eventually cause malfuntion. It is well padded. The paded inside sleave allows you to remove all the lenses at one time and set them on a table, then slide the sleave back in. I looked at Lowpro, Temba and a few others but none had the room for my stuff. The best thing about this bag is it is $119. It is a backpack (you won't be climbing MT Everest with it but I have taken it on short hikes in the mountains) and rollers to drag it around on a floor or carpet, It is well built and has held up to some punishment. It is kinda ugly and reminds me of grandpa's old plad pants but it does not scream "camera bag please steal me."

I use it when I am going to another state to shoot and am not sure what I may need. I have gotten it thought the airport once even though it is too big for carry on after telling them I could not ship it and items were to expensive to check in. I bring a secondary case in the car in case they won't let me through.

http://www.mxphotos.net/bag/bag1.jpg
http://www.mxphotos.net/bag/bag2.jpg

I have a Lowepro MiniTreker AW for backpacking in which I use a lot.

When I have smaller needs I will take the 2 below. When I am riding the dirtbike say in moab, I take the Lowepro on the left and hang it around my neck, and hope I don't fall, it has protected my D70 and kit lens when I hit the ground once and fell on the camera. But that is what a disposable DSLR is for. (And why you should not get rid of your old cameras, use them for when condidions could ruin your good ones.
http://www.mxphotos.net/bag/bag3.jpg

[mzivtins]

dude, is that a nikon body? but i dont see any nikon lens?

[eigga]

Pelican 1610 Holds everything in my sig except the white lightnings. They are in a Pelican 1600.

Crumpler 7 Million also as needed.

[r1ch]

dude, is that a nikon body? but i dont see any nikon lens?

Yes, it is Nikon, I shoot both. The 70-200 2.8 VR is lying down next to the 400 2.8 I have tried several 70-200 2.8 and f4 IS version in Canon and though they are great lenses, they do not compare to the Nikon IMHO in sharpness, focus speed, and I like the bokeh better on the Nikon so I just could not give it up and would not even consider a trade for the same Canon lens. The two sigmas are nikon mount as well. I have some other nikon lenses. I am trying to trade some of my Sigma/Nikon lenses on craigslist locally for sigma/Canon mount. http://denver.craigslist.org/pho/609275489.html

I am really happy with the sigma 24-70 2.8 and the fisheye on my Nikon and would like to get the Canon equivalent through trade instead of taking a beating selling them. The reason for this is I will be purchasing the new 5d and these lenses would work better on a FF camera.

I am also getting ready to purchase a Nikon wide angle lenses, AF-S 17-35mm f/2.8 D IF-ED IMHO it is superior to anything Canon has in this range along with the 85L from Canon. I will be looking for something even wider, but have not researched or played with any lenses yet to figure out which is better, Canon or Nikon.

[gool]

I assume you have seen these threads?

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36952
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=207946

[r1ch]

Pelican 1610 Holds everything in my sig except the white lightnings. They are in a Pelican 1600.

Crumpler 7 Million also as needed.

I like the look of the Pelican 1510, looks strong and durable, reasonably priced too. I will have to check them out for airport use. I wish someone had one localy so I could look at one and see if my stuff fits. The internal dimentions look good, but I see no where to put a laptop in it though.

[Rudy M.]

Every day going light with 40D, no grip, Sigma 18-200 OS and 5880EX and a few batteries for both--an X-mart insulated cooler soft lunch bag. It's padded, insulated against hot and cold wx, flash on top, camera on bottem (a Fong LS2PJ and dowe also fit). For just the above camera and body while I do other stuff, like work, or hunt, I'll carry just the body and lens in my CC Filson medium field bag with a towel for padding--I have the stuff to make some nice inserts, just haven't gotten a round tuit yet (Domke inserts were too thick). For walking a motocross track, Lowepro F&S system with a Toploader 75 AW as the main case in the back on the Delux padded belt with the shoulder straps attached to the 75. Lots of accessory lens pouches and a hydro pack on the back. For carrying a bunch of stuff from the house to car to hotel and short trips--Lowepro Slinshot 300AW. I tried skiing with it and it is nice if you don't load it up. The Toploader 75AW also comes with a chest harness and works well skiing, but with a gripped 40D and 70-200 f/2.8--you know you have something in front of you! I have a smaller, older Tamrac bag similar to the 75AW that works with the chest harness and is wonderful for skiing with the non-gripped 40D and 18-200 OS, hood deployed. For day long back pack trips I have a Lowepro Rover AW Plus. It carries your hunting stuff up top, and camera stuff down below, plus makes a pretty nice pack with the camera padding removed. I have not used this in a while and actually bought it to carry portable ham radio equipment. I'd like to sell this pack--it's like new. What do I use the most? My CC Filson medium field bag with just my 40D and Sigma 18-200 OS or a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Go light and simple and get the shot--leave all the bling at home. I found that carrying tonage doesn't get me lots of nice photos--it gets me really tired and causes me to miss some shots because I wonder if I should be changing a lens for one that is packed away, instead of thinking of the shot and being ready with what I have. No camera system is perfect, but the one in your hand, or readily accessable, is the one that gets the shot! Oh--and there is no one perfect bag--and I now know I need a few more!

[HighLife]

just got a Crumpler 6MDH...love it so far...great look, great size...great color..

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6765/img0378largedy6.jpg

[gravity]

3 for different situations

Lowepro Nova 4AW for countryside trip
Lowepro FastPack 350 for trekking - or anywhere involving extra long walk
Crumpler 7M $ Home for walking around town (looks more discreet)

[fishfoto]

You can read about most of my bags, in detail, with photos, on my blog for flying photogs, Flying With Fish, at http://www.flyingwithfish.com

There are quite a few bags on there with descriptions of use, capacity, design and function.

[mzivtins]

just got a Crumpler 6MDH...love it so far...great look, great size...great color..

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6765/img0378largedy6.jpg

haha i should have gone with these instead of lowepro... would have suited my dreadlocks more haha!

[ben_r_]

Pelican 1624 at home to hold everything, and for now a Lowepro Fastpack 350 on outings.

[snails]

Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW - hiking
Holds: Body, 5 small-medium sized lenses, or 3 lenses and a flash, some accessories.

Lowepro CompuRover AW - travel
Holds: Laptops up to 17" or so, body, 5-6 medium-long lenses, flash, all accessories, full sized noise-cancelling headphones and a book. OR My Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW, plus some.

I get to reuse this picture:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/2347174658_692b5927ef.jpg

[HighLife]

haha i should have gone with these instead of lowepro... would have suited my dreadlocks more haha!

Indeed, lowepro look horrible in comparison to a crumpler or a Domke =)

[_aravena]

I assume you have seen these threads?

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36952
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=207946

I can only assume that's a negative. It's what this thread is slowly turning into. Man, only if those threads were easy to find on the main page always...

[danieltr]

I have 2 bags:

1 Lowepro Nova 5 AW with my XTI and Bigma attached plus charger and battery.

1 Lowepro Stealth Reporter 550AW with 30D + Tamron 28-75, Canon 18-55 ef-s, Tamron 17-35mm, Cables, charger, battery, Lowepro filter holder and more.