Still looking for the perfect solution for the trekking/climbing photographer. When involved in those activities, camera gear represents at most 20-30% of what you need to carry with you.
Hope Andy gives a thought on that one too.
cheers,
Bernard
I have a different, but analogous problem. I travel a lot, but usually, not specifically to do photography. When I travel, I need to take a laptop (always), plus all the bits and pieces that go with a Mac, like the oversized power supply; and notebooks, some paper files, pens, glasses (extra prescription, and sun), prescription medicine, cell phone, earphones, electrical adapters outside North America, and still have space for a couple of magazines, a paperback, a newspaper, etc. I recently made two trips to California, and both times, wanted to take either a D3 and three lenses (the f2.8 zooms) or a Leica M8 and five lenses, and both times I wound up with a P&S because when you shove all that camera stuff in an office pack, it's just too damn heavy. But a P&S really doesn't do it for me, and so even though I had time, I didn't do any shooting.
Also, I hate big photo backpacks because sometimes, on the small regional airlines, they talk about "weight balancing" and they won't let you take the backpack on-board with you, even though it technically fits the carry-on specs.
Now I've bought a Victorinox ("Swiss Army") roll-aboard designed to carry all your road-warrior stuff, plus a couple pieces of clothing or other stuff. It looks like a very large briefcase, rather than one of those large-size carry-ons (it's smaller than a carry-on that pushes the size limits). I can get everything I need in it, plus the full Nikon kit, no problem, and best of all, I don't have to carry it, I can roll it. It also fits on top of my checked bag, in which I will carry a small Think Tank shoulder bag for day shooting. I can stack the Victorinox on top of the checked bag, and roll the whole works at once.
http://www.worldtraveler.com/Detail.asp?ProductID=28283(I have no connection with Victorinox or the website above -- I actually bought mine at Macy's.)
This is not a solution for people who will be off sidewalks in the dirt (though the Victorinox has a shoulder strap) but if you're traveling from Minneapolis to LA, it's great; no more running a half-mile to the gate with fifty pounds on your back. If you're traveling for off-road photography, you probably just leave the office at home.
--JC