Bag Recommendation

Okay, I already have a Domke J-1 and a Lowepro Mini-Trekker, along with several others, so maybe this is a longshot.

I'm looking for a bag carry the following:
5D gripped with 24-70 f/2.8 attached (hood reversed)
40D gripped with 70-200 f/2.8 Non-IS (hood reversed)
16-40mm
50mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
580 flash
filters, CF cards, cleaning equipment and some other stuff.

As it stands, I pack all this in the Domke but the 16-40 goes in one of the outside pockets because of the weird size and shape of the hood. Is there a bag that would allow me to place it on the interior where I can feel a bit more comfortable knowing it better protected?

I looked at the replacement insert but it doesn't look any different from what I already have.

Thanks.

Try the Lowepro Nature Trekker if not go larger.

The Tamrac Expedition 8 should be able to fit them all in too.

http://www.tamrac.com/​5578.htm

I would just go up one size of the Domke series bags. I love the look of the F-1, so big, but heavy. I have the Domke F802 already and that I can fit almost everything you have listed in it, but it's too small for your needs. If the F-2 doesn't fit it, I'd be surprised. Ask Jon when he returns to the forum this weekend. But if you want a backpack type bag, the Kata bags are amazing.

Thanks for the suggestions CTM and SuzyView.

If at all possible I'd like to stay away from backpacks; there aren't the most accessible bags to use. From the dimension listed on the B&H site it looks like the Domke F-1 is the way to go; although it isn't as deep as the J-1.

Or maybe I should just thin out my stuff and carry only what i "need" and not what I think I may want to use.

or your next option is two bags. Your current and maybe a smaller unit.

When Jon comes with me to do some shooting, but we don't know what the conditions are, he brings his F-1 and a huge tripod and usually he has a wheelly thing too. But the F-1 carries about 50% of what I own, so it's huge. Just think for me, the smaller bags work and I do split up the equipment when I am doing a pro shoot. I can't seem to carry it all in one trip anyway.

Is that a 16-40, or a 17-40? If the former, I'm not familiar with it.

What insert(s) are you using with the J-1? I'm using a 720-230 3-compartment and a 720-280 in my F-1 and F-7. You might find the 720-211 is big enough to hold your UWA lens.

As Suzie said, I usually carry an F-1x or F-7 Double AF when I don't know what I'll be needing. Most of the time it's on a shoulder, or with a backpack strap arrangement, either Donke's or Tenba's. I do have a very small luggage cart if I know I'll be on level floors with elevators and escalators everywhere. Either will hold all you've listed easily. They're a couple of inches longer than the J-1, which is in turn a couple of inches longer than the F-2/J-2.

Hi Jon, thanks for responding.

My mistake; its the 17-40 f/4 L lens.

I purchased the bag used so I don't know exactly which inserts are in it; but they are three equal sized "squarish" compartments. The middle compartment is divided in two. Looking at the pics; its not the 720-2JM...that's the only insert I see on the B&H site specifically for the J-series bags. Right now I carry a camera in each of the outer two compartments and two lens in the middle.

Jon wrote in post #6697928
Is that a 16-40, or a 17-40? If the former, I'm not familiar with it.

What insert(s) are you using with the J-1? I'm using a 720-230 3-compartment and a 720-280 in my F-1 and F-7. You might find the 720-211 is big enough to hold your UWA lens.

As Suzie said, I usually carry an F-1x or F-7 Double AF when I don't know what I'll be needing. Most of the time it's on a shoulder, or with a backpack strap arrangement, either Donke's or Tenba's. I do have a very small luggage cart if I know I'll be on level floors with elevators and escalators everywhere. Either will hold all you've listed easily. They're a couple of inches longer than the J-1, which is in turn a couple of inches longer than the F-2/J-2.

I had a look at bags recently that would hold all my kit, which is different to yours, but probably a bit bigger. I ended up with a Mountainsmith Odyssey which I'm not terribly happy with, and I wish I'd gone for a top-end Tamrac, as the Tamrac suspension system is way better than my bag, and IMHO is also better than the system employed by top-end Lowepros, such as the Phototrekker, that you'd need to carry all that. As it is, I carry the following in my Mountainsmith, and it's moderately comfortable:

30Dw/24-105L, 30Dw/10-20, 17-40, 100-400, 100/2.8 Macro, 430EX Flash, 50/1.8, 28/2.8, and a manfrotto PROB055-sized tripod. And it's BLOODY HEAVY! I can very easily fit the 100-400 mounted in the bag, but not easily if I had a lens on the other 30D. I could check if the 30D with a 17-40 will fit end to end with a 30D and a 100-400 if you like, as the 100-400 is around the size of your 70-200.

Anyhow, my suggestion is, take ALL your gear to a camera shop, load it into the bag, and wear it in the shop for about 45 minutes while playing with lenses or something like that.