best small bag to work out of with primes, flash, etc

[Bucster]

I'm looking for a bag that I can work out of at weddings and general assignments. I would love to go to the local shop and look all day. Unfortunately, the local shop doesn't have a wide selection of bags.

When I go to weddings I bring a large camera backpack for secondary gear, large lenses, extra flashes, and the kitchen sink. While I'm mobile I want something smaller yet "boy scout" complete.

Here's what I'm looking to accomplish.
I want to keep my gripped 5DII with 24-105 attached, a 580exII, 28 1.8, 50 1.4, 85 1.8. I would like to have lens hoods on in the normal position (not reversed). I want to sling the bag over my shoulder and not have it scream "gigantic camera bag".

I have a Crumpler 5MDH and it just isn't large enough.

Online, I looked at the Tamrac Ultra pro 7, Crumpler 7MDH, and Domke F3

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[Sven-EOS]

Have you looked at the Lowepro Classified series? Maybe the 160 or 200? Definitely does not look like a camera bag.

[jonwhite]

Lowepro Stealth Reporter series are nice bags, I have a D650 AW which is probably a little bit bigger than you need but they do lots of different sizes.

For me it carries the following.
1 x 5D MKII + 24-70 L
1 x 40D + 70-200 f2.8 IS
1 x 50mm f1.4
1 x 15mm Fisheye
1 x 100mm Macro
3 x Pocket Wizards
1 x 580EX
1 x 430EX
Large collapsible 5 in 1 reflector/diffuser
Small Monopod.
Towel
Bits and Bobs: Rocket Blower, STE-2, Remote camera release, memory cards, ton of batteries, snacks etc.

The front pockets are large enough to take a camera body with no lens attached and I used to carry 3 bodies with me but these days I keep my backup body in the car along with the other gear and keep lots of batteries in the front pocket.

I don't consider it my perfect bag yet but its as close as I have been able to find and I have been to some specialist camera shops along the way that supply just bags whilst looking for this bag and also searched at the the big photography shows where there are always extensive ranges of bags on display.

Shoulder bags are better than rucksacks for using on wedding days imo, I can change lenses with the bag on my shoulder and don't have to keep undoing and redoing it back up and putting it down like you do a rucksack type bag.

[Jim G]

Check my signature for reviews of the F3 and 6MDH... May help guide you.

I work out of a Pelican case and a 6MDH and I find that the combination suits my needs very well. The spot the camera takes up in the bag is used for lenses with hoods in place while the camera is in use - I don't tend to put the camera back in for most of the day once it's out.

[Peacefield]

Well, I suppose I'm not helping answer your question, but I don't think I'd want to shoot with a bag of lenses hanging off of me. Like you, I have a large (very large) back pack for most everything. But I obviously put that down somewhere and then take two bodies with different lenses (sometimes a pair of primes, sometimes a pair of zooms), and then I'm off. Having a second camera hang off of me is obnoxious enough, I can't imagine working with a second camera and a gadget bag hanging off of me at the same time. For me and the way I like to work, I need too much mobility to do that.

[jonwhite]

Well, I suppose I'm not helping answer your question, but I don't think I'd want to shoot with a bag of lenses hanging off of me. Like you, I have a large (very large) back pack for most everything. But I obviously put that down somewhere and then take two bodies with different lenses (sometimes a pair of primes, sometimes a pair of zooms), and then I'm off. Having a second camera hang off of me is obnoxious enough, I can't imagine working with a second camera and a gadget bag hanging off of me at the same time. For me and the way I like to work, I need too much mobility to do that.

Just because its a shoulder bag it doesn't mean it has to stay on your shoulder all the time, mine spends lots of time on the ground when I am in one location just the same as you describe working.

The main advantage I find with a shoulder bag is that I can change lenses whilst walking from one location to another (e.g. car to church or different locations at a venue) which is quite hard to do with a rucksack type bag, my shooting partner shoots with a rucksack type bag and watching him struggle when we are moving around always makes me chuckle, until I end up carrying one of his bodies cos he cant put it away as easy as I can mine!

[Bucster]

Check my signature for reviews of the F3 and 6MDH... May help guide you.

I work out of a Pelican case and a 6MDH and I find that the combination suits my needs very well. The spot the camera takes up in the bag is used for lenses with hoods in place while the camera is in use - I don't tend to put the camera back in for most of the day once it's out.

that was a great review of the bags. I have a 5MDH and I think it's great. It just isn't quite big enough for my gear. I think I may go the route of the 6MDH if my gear fits.

[bigarchi]

that was a great review of the bags. I have a 5MDH and I think it's great. It just isn't quite big enough for my gear. I think I may go the route of the 6MDH if my gear fits.

it probably won't, just my guess. i have the 7mdh and would be able to work with that list though. is the 5dII and 24-105 your primary camera? Meaning will it actually be in the bag during the events? because if its your second camera and is in the bag, it'll make it a lot harder to get at your lenses etc. but if its pulled out, you would have good access to everything and the spot that the 24-105 was (in the middle of the 7mdh) makes for a great transitional space when swapping lenses, etc.. just my 2 cents from my experience