Camera bag

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson

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Hmmm,

Having a problem in deciding what camera bag to buy.

Have obviously got one or two in house, but they are Either old or too small.

Unsure whether to buy a bag big enough for all of the gear, or just have a day bag for what is expected for that mission.

Carry all, and its a big hit if thieves are around, and also loads of gear carried around using energy and space.

But sods law says when you have an opportunity to use lens, it is not in the bag!!!

I have two still cameras (Canon sx260 & Olympus epl5) iaanda video, and two lens's that could be useful at any time.

went down the compact camera route for several years, easy carry, reasonable quality but in the end just nor flexible enough.

Mj

Lowepro have a good selection, existing bag is about 230*150*180.

Thoughts on how much gear to carry around!!
 
A bag that's too big for your current kit is a far better bet for one that can't take it. You don't have to carry all the kit every time, use the empty slots for food, drink, spare clothes or even fresh air to save weight if you want to! I prefer backpacks to shoulder bags and I prefer the LowePro range although there are several other manufacturers who make good kit.
 
 
I'm beginning to think, that it doesn't matter because it's an elusive search for "the one". Too big, too small, too long, too short, too heavy, too light, too stiff, too floppy, too dear, too cheap etc. etc .
Have a pile of them and never had one that suits, whatever it is that I was looking for.
"Lowepro Urban Reporter 250" en route to me at the minute. This could be "the one". :D
 
The elusive 'perfect' camera bag... oh how I have searched for it.

The trouble with getting bags too big for your gear is you start working out which bits of expensive new stuff would fit nicely in the gaps...

I had a very nice Lowepro Vertex 300 I think, which was excellent, but my gear outgrew it.

I currently have a Kata something or other which is half camera bag half... bag, the idea being i could take it on hikes for landscape type trips. It isn't comfortable it turns out. I do like the idea of a brightly coloured interior though, easier to find stuff in. I also have a GuraGear Kiboko 30L, one of the earlier versions and it is bloody fantastic to hump all my gear out on airshows and when I am off out looking for wildlife.

Now, I find myself pondering something more compact and less conspicuous to take into london with me to fit a lens or two and am again, pouring over the internet for reviews, searching high and low, reading forums... so I might end up with a third bag, possibly a Thinktank Retrospective 20.

I wish you well on your quest, weary traveller, and hope you find your holy grail. Farewell!
 
It all depends on how much gear you want to lug around all day.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a Canon SX260,compact camera, and a Sony HD Video. For several years they both fitted into a small handy over shoulder bag, easy to travel by air, looks good even at formal doo's.

Alas I flipped back to having a DSLR, and with came several lenses, eyepieces, separate flash's and on and on. All because I wanted a camera that could photo stars. Thus bags are getting bigger, and more inconvenient kit.

Shot myself in the foot really!!!

Mj
 
I use the Tamrac Evolution 8 (5788) and its the best of all my many bags but not huge. However I can carry my 7D mkii fitted with 100-400mm Canon USM, Bino's and a couple of lens's, filters, monopod, couple notebooks and all my small bits with comfort.
If I wanted to carry two cameras and loads of lens's etc you can't beat the Lowepro Pro Trekker 450 AW.
 
Like you and many others, I've had my fair share of bags too, currently I'm very happy with my F-Stop Loka, the beauty about these bags is the ICU's, they come in different sizes so you can carry as much or little as you like. Personally as a rule of thumb, you can't carry it all, it's just not practical depending on what you shoot.
 
I have 2 bags a one to hold pretty much everything and one I carry what I think I may need at the time. I use the lowepro nova 160 (i think) and nikon shoulder bag I used to have a larger bag but found I tried to take everything with me and the weight becomes an issue after a while
 
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I've tried loads of bags from Canon, Acme, Lowepro, Manfrotto. Though I always wanted a Billingham Hadley, though it was what I felt, too much for a "mere bag", though after getting one, it's my all time favourite bag! I had the Hadley Pro & the Hadley small, I loved the Pro, though returned it as it was far bigger than my needs and kept the small. It fits everything that I own (Mu43 kit) and the padded case is removable so I use it on normal days too.

The reason I like the Billinghams, is that they are generally quite discreet (apart from the tan colours obviously!) They don't really look like camera bags and the branding is minimal, and even then, most regular people don't know Billingham anyway.
 
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