Suitcase + CarryOn and/or Camera Bag?

Hi2all

I have a Lowepro Slingbag 200 AW and a Kata 3in1-33. I bought both of these because I like the "sling" concept (and the latter can take a Notebook).

I'm taking a trip to Japan in the Spring wit the main intent to soak in the culture with my six senses (...the sixth being of course my camera gear ). The trip starts with a 2-week "tour" of the Country and I will end it with a solo week in Tokyo All travel within Japan will be by train / bus, no planes.

After some consideration, I've decided that the Kata's too big. All I will take with me is my 50D, EF 24-105 F/4, EF 70-200 F/4, 580EX, the typical misc. (& maybe a small WA if I buy one in time). Secondly, there will be days on the tour where they will send my main suitcase ahead and we will overnight without said luggage. So I will need something resembling a carry-on for overnighters (shirt, socks, underwear, toiletries, Netbook, maps, AC adapters ...).

Given the above, I came up with only two possible solutions to the problem:
1. Main suitcase, standard "overnighter" carry-on and collapsible camera bag which I can stuff in my main suitcase.
2. Main suitcase and a camera bag/backpack that can double as a carry-on.

Keep in mind that I will only travel with one camera bag/pack and I will be wearing it roughly 12hrs/day, almost every day!

So far the best solution that I came up with is option 1 with a collapsable bag like the Thinktank Shapeshifter, reviewed here by agphotography. I would toss this bag in my suitcase, my camera gear Netbook & VIP stuff in my carry-on, board the plane to Japan. In Japan, toss the camera gear & Netbook in the Shapeshifter, leaving the rest in the Hotel. On the overnighters, give them my suitcase and use my carry-on for clothes, adpaters & toiletries and the Shapeshifter for the gear.

So what do you guys think about that? Is there any other bag similar to the Shapeshifter you would recommend in place? Netbook is a plus, but not essential for the camera bag, unless said bag will double as carry-on (i.e. I want to have the Netbook with me in the cabin area of the plane.

Thanks for any tips / suggestions, much appreciated

Well so far I haven't come across anything better than the Shapeshifter but I thought I might ask around once again...

I just got a Lowepro Passport, which is completely collapsible. It can take my 5D2 with 24-70 attached, hood reversed in the main camera compartment, and a flash with a 70-200 2.8 Is in the non-padded part. It's big enough and yet can fit in your main suitcase when you don't need it. It's a sling bag that my sons and husband don't mind carrying for me. But if I were you, I'd consider a large carry on for your must have personal items and clothes and an extra camera bag as your personal item for the times you can't check anything in.

SuzyView wrote in post #11789907
I just got a Lowepro Passport, which is completely collapsible. It can take my 5D2 with 24-70 attached, hood reversed in the main camera compartment, and a flash with a 70-200 2.8 Is in the non-padded part. It's big enough...

Thanks for the tip, Suzy! I actually just had a look at your review and could imagine it as an option.

Style-wise, it's just fine. I live in Vienna and would use it in Japan, two areas where the term "unisex" is less disconcerting as it is for some others... lol. My concern however is the size. I believe you when you say that you can get your gear in there, but it does look like a tight fit. I do want to take a few filters with me as well as a small folding diffuser (Lumiquest) and I guess this will all fit if I take advantage of the extra 30%. However, i'll need to chuck most of my accessories in one section of the bag and I'm not big on that. Conversely, the Shape Shifter can organize it all and more, including a Note/Netbook.

But thanks again for the suggestion and I will certainly take the time to have a look at one in person

FWIW, I had the chance to look at the Shape Shifter today. While doing so, the Urban Disguise 35 caught my eye. You could look at it as a "skinny" messenger bag but of course it doesn't have the flexibility to curve around your body like a typical messenger (or Suzy's Passport - see above).

The Shape Shifter's awesome to be sure and the neoprene "containers" are a first afaik and a great idea which contributes to it's flexibility. However, I had two problems with it; the first is that you can't carry a mounted body+lens in it and when expanded, it's pretty much as big as the next backpack. Secondly, when it's compressed, it's overkill for what it can carry - a Notebook and some "stuff" (like an AC adapter, maps, Cell-phone, etc.). If you have a 17" maybe it's still the way to go, but for my 11.6" Netbook, major overkill.

So how's the UD35 fit into my scheme (see OP)? Well it's small enough to fit in my Samsonite suitcase so in that sense the problem's solved

Measuring 10.5x13.5x6" (26.4x34.5x15cm), I'll be able to fit in my 50D+24-105 f/4, my 70-200 f/4, my 580EX and even my Lumiquest diffuser, a few odds & ends as well as my Netbook. There won't be room for much else (i.e. no lunch / Notebook AC adapter or otherwise), but that's ok for my needs.

One aspect of the UD35 which is not immediately apparent is that if you're using a grip,you can fold back the top of the camera/Netbook divider and voila, you now have the extra depth necessary for the grip! If you have a true (10") Netbook you can even stuff that in along with grip-body but you can't have both a 13.3" and grip.

As far as comfort goes, well, it certainly won't be in the same league as the Shape Shifter or any other well-padded backpack but hopefully it will do the job for my daily rounds, especially if I have the 50D+24-105 hanging from my Sun-Sniper anyways

I haven't come across a review here, but Ben Jacobsen's got a decent review of the UD30 which is the 35 w/o Notbook compartment.

can I ask why you are doing a tour rather than going the whole 3 weeks solo? tours take you to the same spots everyone sees, and yes while some are great there are sometimes better things you can find off the beaten path too...

Anyway, I went to Mongolia and to Cambodia, both for 2+ weeks, and used a Lowepro Flipside 400 (I think it was the 400....) and it was great...light, all weather, and easy to accommodate gear (2 bodies 4 lenses and a flash) and other misc too. I went 3 days w/o needing my main suitcase at one point

Recently I travelled and had gotten a non-photo rolling international sized carry-on. I put a camera bag into it and had space left over, which in my case was filled with electronics. It could easily have been clothes and the camera bag could easily have been an intermediate sized one to make the space fifty-fifty. For that matter, a smaller camera bag can also consist of one of those standalone camera inserts to occupy even less interior space. Example: it can be a Tenba insert or one of the ones with a zip top. (~$20.00)Then, the rolling carry-on can hold an optional Lowepro Exchange Messenger (~$18.00 online), which flattens completely, in the event your other stuff hasn't arrived and you want to go out and shoot. The Exchange Messenger has been reviewed here by Headshotz and people like the bag. Practically no padding, but it works for the careful walk-around.

I use the TT Airport International because I like the size, durability, and the locks. However, I only have it half populated with dividers, the other half is totally open. When traveling, I put my loaded shoulder bag (walk-around) in the large open space. The divider sections contain alternate lenses, chargers, P&S, spare body, electronics, etc.

You could do the same thing as mentioned above with a standard (and cheaper) roller carry-on bag and some inserts. I like that it keeps everything together while appearing inconspicuous in the airport (looks just like everyone else's bag).

-howard

LostInInaka wrote in post #11799402
can I ask why you are doing a tour rather than going the whole 3 weeks solo?...

Sure. For a guy that hates to get out of bed before 9 and is not a "team player", a tour is usually the last thing that crosses my mind and in fact, this will be a first for me. However, it's a "flexi-package", an un-clear term that basically means I get a short lecture from a tour guide, I get handed train tickets and then sent on my merry way in the town we happen to be in. In the 14 days of the "tour", there are only like five "progam" days.

I speak French, German and English [relatively] fluently and I'm comfortable with Spanish & Italian so even places like N. Africa or S. America are relatively easy to get around. But my Nihongo consists of a dozen sentences and zero Hiragana / Kanji (maybe I can manage Hoteru in Katakana, lol). So I can't even make out the Shinjuku subway station on Google Maps, sigh... . Long story short, by the time I get to Tokyo I should be quite comfortable getting around

LostInInaka wrote in post #11799402
...used a Lowepro Flipside 400 ... I went 3 days w/o needing my main suitcase at one point

Come again? Not a whole lot of space in a Flipside 400 for 3-days' worth of underwear...

Savas K wrote in post #11800408
Recently I travelled and had gotten a non-photo rolling international sized carry-on. I put a camera bag into it and had space left over...

hfgarris wrote in post #11803217
... When traveling, I put my loaded shoulder bag (walk-around) in the large open space.

@Savas & Howard - A good idea, that! Unfortunately the UD35 I picked up yesterday would be the minimum size bag for the gear I want to carry and I doubt that the UD35 would fir in my carry on. However, I plan to do that with my normal suitcase (i.e. I will toss the UD35 in the suitcase for the actual flight). Of course I will keep my gear with me in my (non photo-specialized) carry-on and transfer it to the UD35 when I arrive.

Had I not needed an "overnight" solution, I would have taken my Kata 3n1-33 as a carry-on. That sling/backpack is big enough to carry all my photographic & electronic gear as well as a few toiletries for the flight and airport transfer time... but it's simply no overnighter...

Travelller wrote in post #11804148
@Savas & Howard - A good idea, that! Unfortunately the UD35 I picked up yesterday would be the minimum size bag for the gear I want to carry and I doubt that the UD35 would fit in my carry on...

Looks like I was wrong, the UD35 fits perfectly in the bottom 2/3 of my "Int'l" carry-on

This works out very nicely as I can take my gear on the plane along with a few other necessary articles and get to use the carry-on later on for the overnighters

Travelller wrote in post #11804148
Sure. For a guy that hates to get out of bed before 9 and is not a "team player", a tour is usually the last thing that crosses my mind and in fact, this will be a first for me. However, it's a "flexi-package", an un-clear term that basically means I get a short lecture from a tour guide, I get handed train tickets and then sent on my merry way in the town we happen to be in. In the 14 days of the "tour", there are only like five "progam" days.

I speak French, German and English [relatively] fluently and I'm comfortable with Spanish & Italian so even places like N. Africa or S. America are relatively easy to get around. But my Nihongo consists of a dozen sentences and zero Hiragana / Kanji (maybe I can manage Hoteru in Katakana, lol). So I can't even make out the Shinjuku subway station on Google Maps, sigh... . Long story short, by the time I get to Tokyo I should be quite comfortable getting around

Come again? Not a whole lot of space in a Flipside 400 for 3-days' worth of underwear...

I see...well that’s good they will give you lots of free time on your own!

Honestly, you woud do just find, even baring J-skills....hell I've been here for almost 8 years, my Japanese still sucks and I get by just fine in rural Japan Luckily for you most things are also written in Roman script (menus, signs, etc)...so long as you don't get to far off the tracks

As for the flipside....well it was a tight fit....but even i was amazed how much it expanded to hold everything

Anyway, hope you have a great trip and make sure you try some of the more exotic foods

LostInInaka wrote in post #11925825
I see...well that’s good they will give you lots of free time on your own!

Honestly, you woud do just find, even baring J-skills....hell I've been here for almost 8 years, my Japanese still sucks and I get by just fine in rural Japan Luckily for you most things are also written in Roman script (menus, signs, etc)...so long as you don't get to far off the tracks

As for the flipside....well it was a tight fit....but even i was amazed how much it expanded to hold everything

Anyway, hope you have a great trip and make sure you try some of the more exotic foods

How are things in your local region? I wasn't planning on doing any Photojournalism...

I heard about an earthquake in Japan. Watch out while travelling.

Savas K wrote in post #12004416
I heard about an earthquake in Japan...

...
He's located less than 200K North-East of the epicenter of an 8.9 quake, not to mention the potential fallout from the Fukushima Nuclear reactor(s)...