Is there any reason not to put a camera into a bag upside down?

The "normal" way to put a camera into a camera bag is landscape orientation, with a small number of bags using lens-straight-down orientation. Is there a real mechanical reason for that, or are we just used to feeling things need to be "right side up"?

In my current bag, my SLR camera rides around in landscape position. However, this means I extract it from the bag by grabbing the prism housing which, due to my having large fingers and being unable to fit them well between the housing and the lens, is really dodgy and makes me worry I'm going to drop the camera some day. If I flipped the camera completely upside down and set it in the bag directly on the prism housing (obviously the bag is padded), then it becomes easy to grab the portrait grip and pull it out with a sure hold. Alternately, putting it in the bag in portrait orientation allows me to grab the main grip, which is again more secure feeling.

Is there any reason not to put it in the bag either completely upside down or in portrait orientation?

You'll be fine. The prism housing is study enough to support the weight of the camera and the attached lens.

williaty wrote in post #18412211
In my current bag, my SLR camera rides around in landscape position. However, this means I extract it from the bag by grabbing the prism housing which, due to my having large fingers and being unable to fit them well between the housing and the lens, is really dodgy and makes me worry I'm going to drop the camera some day.

Why not rotate it 90-degrees so that the 'normal' handle is up?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #18412223
Why not rotate it 90-degrees so that the 'normal' handle is up?

I think you mean why not put it in the bag in portrait orientation. The camera is slightly taller than it is wide. There's just enough difference that, rightside up/upside down pulls out of the camera bag without resistance but portrait orientation bulges the back just enough to cause enough friction that I can lift the bag off the table when I try to pull the camera out.

I usually either grab my camera by the lens barrel when pulling it from the bag, or use the neck strap. I've been doing it that way, with a variety of hard and soft cases for as long as I can remember.

The only exception would be if the camera was in the bag with the camera stood on the lens pointing down.

Alan

you're over-thinking it all...you can grab the camera any which way you want, and it will still work fine...do a handstand and pick it up...still works...pick it up left-handed, doesn't matter...portrait, landscape...who cares?

I've never given it any thought, and currently mine goes in the camera bag upside-down because it simply fits better that way. My strap (SunSniper, a BlackRapid competitor) is semi-permanently attached to the mounting threads on the bottom, and it's easier to put the camera in then fold the strap on top of the camera, than vice-versa.

Mines a Lowepro urban reporter 350 messenger bag, and it goes in flat, with lens down and LCD up. Strap goes on top.