New camera bag - preferably shoulder bag

Astraeus

Astraeus

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Ciaran
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I have been 'using' a Lowepro Fastpack 200 for the past year or so (although in reality it has been on my back less than a handful of times during this period) but now I'm looking at changing. My oft-used back is a small Lowepro Apex 120 which I bought on here and which has been my mainstay for this time.

However, I've now got too many lenses and accessories for the Apex 120 to handle and so I'm thinking of flogging the Apex and the Fastpack in favour of a more universal and suitable solution.

I have never used the top section of the Fastpack rucksack and so I'm now thinking I should just save the space and get a dedicated camera bag - omitting the space for other items such as lunches etc. If I've needed this space, I've taken a separate rucksack and pushed the Apex onto my hip.

The bag will need to accommodate my D40 (though I'd appreciate it being future-proof for the D90s successor), a Tokina 11-16mm, Nikon 55-200mm VR, either a Nikon 35mm or 50mm and possibly the 18-55mm kit lens, although not all at the same time (unless there is a real 'tardis' solution!). I also have a Jessops 360AFD flash which I'd like in the bag on occasion (usually with the prime or the 18-55mm) and several memory cards, a lens pen, rocket blower and cleaning cloth.

Using Lowepro's Bag Finder tool, they've recommended the following:

- Stealth Reporter 200AW
- Photo Runner 100
- Rezo 180AW
- Nova 180AW
- Magnum 200AW
- Classified 200AW

Realistically, the bag will see one of the following configurations, always with the camera present:

- prime and flash
- wide angle and telephoto (w/o flash)
- wide angle and telephoto and kit (if it's at all feasible)

Based on either your own experiences or the above recommendations, what would people suggest for me? :shrug:
 
Have a look at the Kata DC445.

I use this to carry a D90, SB800 flash, 18-200VR attached, 50mm with room to spare for at least another lens (i used to have a 10-20 in there too).
 
I have a tamrac velocity (9 I think) and I've been really happy with it. For the times I wanna take all my kit I got a pro series but they are both great bags.
 
those stealth reporters are pro bags, heavy and too much for consumer gear in my opinion, you will probably find the bag is heavier than the kit.

the Nova's are good value for money for an AW bag, I had one last year and had 2 bodies and 4 lenses + bits n bobs with room to spare..

the larger Currys and PCWorlds hold a decent stock of Lowepro, worth a check to see what you think, prices are stupidly high though but a good place to check them out and then buy off Amazon :D

EDIT, just checked the Stealth R is 1.37kg so not as heavy as I thought but probably heavy for equvalent size.
 
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Looking at the kit you say you want to carry I'd also look at the Rezo 160AW.

The 160 will easily carry a couple of short lenses and a D90 type body. I have one with an 18-200VR and a Sigma 10-20; just use the one divider down the middle so a D80 body (with OpTeck Pro strap) can be on either lens. It'll just take a 70-300VR, but in this case the body has to be on the other lens. If you need more space you can always add a lens case or similar using the sliplock connector on the side. I normally just carry a rocket blower in a jacket pocket, though you might have space -- there are plenty of places in the bag for things like lens pens, etc.

The 180 is a fair bit bigger and will take a D700 type body edge on. You'd have room for a body with 2.8 mid range, 70-300, flash, a couple of small (AFD size) primes, etc. -- the larger AFS primes might be a squeeze with everything else. Fully loaded you'd probably want to get hold of the replacement shoulder strap with extra padding.

The trick with all of these is working out where to put the dividers ...and not over packing them, or you'll always be juggling things. Oh, and if you do carry a lot of kit in a larger bag, get the camera out as much as possible -- that makes a huge difference on how long you can comfortably carry the larger bags.

Everyone is different but for a walk-about shoulder bag I think the 160 is the sweet spot, though you do need to be more selective on what you pack. Another thing to consider is that some places don't like you going round with a 180 size bag, but I've never had the 160 questioned.
 
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acs said:
Looking at the kit you say you want to carry I'd also look at the Rezo 160AW.

The 160 will easily carry a couple of short lenses and a D90 type body. I have one with an 18-200VR and a Sigma 10-20; just use the one divider down the middle so a D80 body (with OpTeck Pro strap) can be on either lens. It'll just take a 70-300VR, but in this case the body has to be on the other lens. If you need more space you can always add a lens case or similar using the sliplock connector on the side. I normally just carry a rocket blower in a jacket pocket, though you might have space -- there are plenty of places in the bag for things like lens pens, etc.

The 180 is a fair bit bigger and will take a D700 type body edge on. You'd have room for a body with 2.8 mid range, 70-300, flash, a couple of small (AFD size) primes, etc. -- the larger AFS primes might be a squeeze with everything else. Fully loaded you'd probably want to get hold of the replacement shoulder strap with extra padding.

The trick with all of these is working out where to put the dividers ...and not over packing them, or you'll always be juggling things. Oh, and if you do carry a lot of kit in a larger bag, get the camera out as much as possible -- that makes a huge difference on how long you can comfortably carry the larger bags.

Everyone is different but for a walk-about shoulder bag I think the 160 is the sweet spot, though you do need to be more selective on what you pack. Another thing to consider is that some places don't like you going round with a 180 size bag, but I've never had the 160 questioned.
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Thanks, some helpful pointers there! It would be very handy to have an all-in-one superstore with lots of different bags to try so that I could get my perfect fit.

I'm now swaying back towards getting a rucksack as I'm thinking the weight distribution will enable me to carry more than a shoulder-strap bag would as well as still being reasonably easy to access the camera - although I didn't find my Fastpack 200 as easy to 'slide' across my shoulder as it'd have had me believe! :bang:
 
if your lookign at a back pack how about the lowpro primus aw, shoule be able to get what you need in (and the d90 fits)..i just happen to be selling one aswell haha
 
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