Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Bob_B on October 03, 2012, 09:16:43 am
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I'm looking to replace my 30+ year old soft woven nylon (I guess) with velcro camera bag with a new one. It needs to hold my 7D body and have room for 3 lenses (70-200mm zoom is the largest) plus filters and other accessories (batteries, charger, usb card adapter, intervelometer, etc), and straps or something to hold a tripod. I would like a light-weight, water resistant bag with adequate cushioning that has a comfortable shoulder strap. If you have a minute, please offer suggestions, and thank you for your time.
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I have a backpack that i like from Lowe. it is soft with some compartments you can adjust
what i like about it
1 there is one zipper upfront so i can put it on a table open is and take all i want.
2 I like to carry ( heavy) things on my back- but you can also handle it like a normal bag.
The zipper is the weakest link so you need a good quality zipper..backpack.
Lowe is not the only good provider of these backpacks but certainly one of them.
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I'm a big fan of the Domke canvas bags, lightly cushioned and nice and flexy when broken in. They are not to everyone's taste though.
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I carry everything in a backpack now. I've carried uneven weight on one shoulder for years and I'm done with it. A few years ago I was having a suit tailored and found that one shoulder is longer and lower than the other. There's a price to pay for uneven loads although you might not see it for a long time.
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Domkes are very good
I like Tenba because they invariably have an access hatch right in the top for rapid deployment
Look at the "messenger Bag series. Well constructed and great straps.
Domke has the best straps however. Stick to any coat
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Hi Bob
My advice would be to go to various camera bag websites, such as Lowepro, Tamrac, Kata websites etc, and then use their 'Bag Finder' application. Then you can see what type of bag you want, as the results are displayed with various photos demonstrating what can be packed and how it can be packed plus the internal dimensions. So, you can actually work out which bag would best suit your needs.
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I have two Lowe rollers and am very satisfied with both. Fairly light for their size, good material and build quality, and innovative. Both mine have a back-pack type bag inside the roller, so I can remove the whole kit and use as a backpack if desired. The smaller one takes my 5D3, 2 lenses, extra batts and cards, a few filters, etc. I'd recommend them. I suggest you go to their website and take a look.
Good luck and ahppy shooting.
z
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I would not recommend a shoulder bag to transport your equipment for the same reason that Colorado David has mentioned.
Other than that, it depends on the intended use. Personally, I like rollers most as they are easy on your body and do not require you to take them off to get to stuff. They can, however, be a pain if the terrain is rough, if you are planning to climb lots of stairs or get on/off buses. For those cases, a backpack is much better.
In terms of brands, there are prenty of good ones out there. Personally, I like ThinkTank, but LowePro are great, Tenba is making good stuff. I have also heard good stuff about f-stop backpacks.
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FWIW, I decided to buy a Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW. Reasons: 1. Held my 70-200mm 2.8 on body 2. Has (more than) sufficient compartments for my lenses and gear 3. The modified backback design was comfortable in-store, and I think will work well for landscape work, my principal style 4. Price 5. Tripod holder (This seemed like a good thing, but after putting my manfretto in it, I have doubts. We'll see.)
Thanks for the input!
Bob
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Bob:
I think you made a good choice. That's the one I use (two bodies + five lenses).\
However I do appreciate what a previous poster said about loading one shoulder, so I've modified mine as shown below.
I bought a LowPro belt/buckle assembly from my local dealer, and had it sewn onto the bag as shown.
Although it takes a few extra seconds to buckle/unbuckle the extra shoulder strap, it distributes the weight onto both shoulders. Having said that, one should put as much weight as possible on the waist strap, not the shoulder straps.
Glenn
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Thanks for the tip about adding a second shoulder strap!
I gave the slingshot a try yesterday on a 5 hour hike through the Hilton area of Patapsco River Park near Baltimore (Maryland USA). The autumn leaves are really starting to reach peak color, so I didn't want to lose the moment. The area is hilly and the footing at times can be a bit dicey, especially with fallen leaves. I fully loaded the bag with everything I own, and it ended up being pretty heavy, maybe 25 lbs (plus?) Anyway, the first thing I noticed was that the hip straps are the key to getting the slingshot comfortable on one's shoulder. Once I cinched them tight around my waist, the pack was comfortable and secure. I felt stable on rubble-rock footing and when hopping around the banks of streams and over slippery rocks. With tripod attached, it is not all that easy to get the camera out of the bag when it is on your shoulder, but I pretty much keep my camera in hand, so this is a major problem for now. I ended up with some nice shots, and I am especially happy I brought along my tripod, which was a major selling point about the 302. All in all, I think I made a good choice in this bag.
Cheers,
Bob