30d and extra battery grip in a bag??

[mirosh]

I just found this forum and would like to say hi to everyone, for my first thread i have a bag question.

I just upgraded to a 30d with battery grip, and i am having trouble finding a bag deep enough to fit the body in without it being hard to zip. I also will have a canon 17-55mm f/2.8 on it with flower lens hood. I saw the sticky about bags and it was great but i still can't figure out whats out there for camera's with a battery grip. A little more preference on back packs but not sold, i may be ok with a shoulder bag if it fits my camera better.

thanks guys,
andrew

[Jon]

What else (besides a 30D, grip and 17-55 IS) are you planning on putting into the bag?

[Jim G]

www.cambags.com may be of some assistance - check out the photos of people's gear there, quite a few have grips.

[mirosh]

Thanks for the input. I will have just a few other things inside. A pouch that holds my filters(hoya) and charger, lens caps, and a few mem cards. Basically i am just looking to see if anyone knows a deep bag that can hold a 30d with battery grip and zip up ok and be well protected.

[Jon]

Domke F-3X is a nice bag - doesn't zip but has velcro and snap on solid flap closure. I haven't had any problems with my Domkes in around 30 years. They're time-tested, I'd say.

[davidm_86]

I picked up a ThinkTank Glass Taxi. Love it. Small, but deep enough to put my 30D w/ grip. I also can fit my 24-70, 70-200f2.8L IS, 430ex flash, couple filters, rocket blower, battery charger, extra 30D battery, tiny p&s case full of spare AA's.

I really like the ThinkTank stuff because there are so many accessories for them. I got another tiny bag that fits on the Glass Taxi where I store more memory cards, camera remote shutter, and sometimes sunscreen

Link:
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_GlssTxi.php

Very well protected. I'm not afraid to throw the bag around a little bit. You can tuck the shoulder straps away and use a single strap to make it sortta like a shoulder bag. I just keep it like a backback style. They come with the rain cover thingies too just in case it starts to pour, you have an extra layer of rain protection.

[mirosh]

thanks david ^^^ that looks like a great bag. As long as it is deep enough. I really just don't want to have to play the whole squeeze both sides of zipper together to get it to zip. Plus it makes it not as protected when it is pressed against the bag like that.

[davidm_86]

Alright, well here are some pics with mine. (Very quick snapshots with my S3 IS and no PP except resizing and making crappy quality JPEGs. Didnt' even bother sharpening :P)

Now, the top of the body (the build in flash) does actually stick out above the bag about... 1/4th of an inch or so. However the bag closes with NO issues whatsoever. There is lots of room. In the first pic you can see how it sits with my 70-200 attached. Where that big rocket blower is, under that is my 24-70.

The only part I would worry about if you dropped the bag down the stairs is the very top front right above the logo (where the top of the camera body would be). I guess if you hit it really really hard the bag won't provide much in the way of protection. I guess if you're really paranoid about that one spot, either put something soft on top (won't cause any issues closing the bag, trust me) or just arrange the velcro inside so you put your body elsewhere. Either way the 30D's are strong. I dropped mine about 6 feet with no lens facefirst into a gravel pathway. Couple scratches on the body and grip, thats it. (Well, fell off my 70-200 when I had it slung over my shoulder on the monopod... must have hit the lens release on a shoulder strap or something.) Anyways what I'm trying to say is I wouldn't worry about it

The bulge you see in the second picture with it closed is NOT the camera body. That is the rain cover and some other crap I stuffed in the netting on the inside of the bag. Even with that bulge it has NO problem closing, it's very easy actually. The zippers on these ThinkTanks are really great. You can also see the extra bag I attached to the Glass Taxi.

(And yes, that IS a cowboy hat in the background next to my 16oz boxing gloves. I'm in Calgary and the Stampede is getting close! They were giving out free hats today. Hat cuz you just have to have a cowboy hat here and the gloves to help keep the guys away from my girl )

[mirosh]

thanks again. I checked out the link you sent and i am a fan. The 360 bag is quite the bag. If i wanted to put $$$$ in my bag instead of a new zoom lens i may get that one. But i don't think that is the case (no pun intended). I shall order the bag as soon as they are in stock. Thanks again for the pics, that was mucho help. By the way i like the hat. cowboy up bra

[tdodd]

Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW works well. See my posts here....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...54&postcount=4
and here....
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...9&postcount=13

Yesterday I trotted off to the zoo and, with camera and 17-55 in hand, I was able to store my 100-400 and 70-200 f/2.8 in the bag, with the flash and bits and pieces in the top compartment and outside pocket. Obviously when I wanted either of the big lenses on the camera it was no problem to pop the 17-55 into the vacated space.

[mirosh]

i like the design of the slingshot, the side flip on the top of the bag is unique but it just makes me concered about where camera sits in the bag. I always worry about the lcd screen not having enough padding.

[BasherXt]

i have a lowepro mini trekker aw i like it alot (it's a backpack type) and holds loads of stuff for me. i was able to find them on ebay cheaper than from local stores around town
i bought 1 of my 2 from canoga cameras

[Familiaphoto]

What style bag do you like? I'm a messenger bag fan myself so I went with the Crumpler 7MDH and love it. Might be too big for your needs though. Take a look at the 6MDH or maybe even the 5MDH.

Good luck.

[tdodd]

Originally Posted by mirosh

i like the design of the slingshot, the side flip on the top of the bag is unique but it just makes me concered about where camera sits in the bag. I always worry about the lcd screen not having enough padding.

If you look at the picture in the first link I posted, with the camera stored this way round, there is a pocket, designed to take memory cards, on the inside of the flap. With the added material of the pocket itself, plus its own little flap, there is actually quite a lot of protection offered on that side of the bag and the pocket would cover the LCD screen. I don't have my calipers but at a guess I'd say there is about 2cm of protective foam and memory cards at that part of the bag.

The way I now have things, in the picture in my second link, there is certainly less potection for the LCD screen but there is still some padding. For me the bag is primarily a convenient way to carry my kit and, if it rains, pull out the rain cover and keep it all dry. I take great care of my stuff and I think the protection that is afforded by the padding is quite adequate for my needs.

Better yet, here's a picture of what I'm talking about....

[hngu7721]

I second the Crumpler suggestion. Have a 6 MDH myself and was able to accomodate my 20D w/grip, 17-50 mounted, 70-200 f/4, 10-22, 85 1.8, and 50 1.4.

Lightrules has a real informative review on his site about the bag. Just google pbase and lightrules to find it.