Camera Bags

[will]

This will probably raise a few questions - here we go

What type of camera bag do like like to use?

I find if I have easy access to the car, I like to use a small square bag, top opening with enough room for a camera and 3 lenses and a flash.

If I have to lug the stuff around, I like to use either a backpack type or a sling back type of bag.

I just picked up a digital underwater camera, I purchased a small camera bag, enough room for the camera, a spare battery, and 2 extra memory cards.

I have a separate bag for the laptop,

[jch79]

I like Domke bags - most are made in USA too.

I've always liked Tenba bags as well, although I don't own one.

People love LowePro - I imagine because they make just about every combination you can think of.

john

[will]

People love LowePro - I imagine because they make just about every combination you can think of.

john

I have mostly LowePro bags, the exception being one Tenba bag.

As part of all this - do you carry the battery chargers and cables with the camera? I tend to leave that stuff at home or in the hotel if I am traveling.

[jch79]

Yup, I leave chargers at home, in the car, or at the hotel room. I have spare batteries and cards.

Of course, if I'm at home, I shoot tethered to the computer with a longer USB cable, which I love to do!

[mendhammarsh]

I spent quite a bit of time looking for a camera bag that would suit my needs. I have many different bags and accessories from thinktank photo. My favorite bag is the change up because of the chest pack option. Good luck with your search.

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/

[smokinbasser]

I just bought a lowepro bag to put the Canon Rebel T1i 500D and two IS lens I bought at the same time. I have only had point and shoots up to this morning and they will fit dang near anyplace.

[D.B.]

The bag I use depends on what I'm doing. I have about 5 different style/sized bags to choose from depending on how much or how little I want to carry with me.

[ElectronGuru]

For storage and big travel, I love my LowePro Off Road:

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Off-Road,1979,7.htm

Converts between 3/4/5 lens capacity. Hand strap, shoulder strap, and belt strap. Top can be quick clasped closed and/or zippered for a long term seal. Then of course the basics: heavy nylon, adjustable dividers, lots'o'padding. For hiking, the removable 4/5 lens pockets also hold water bottles. The only single piece of gear I've had longer is my tripod.


For lean/mean travel, I drop a ready setup in one of these

http://www.optechusa.com/product/det...&CATEGORY_ID=5

[nekomane]

I mainly use a Domke J2.
In goes 2 full size bodies, 70-200, 24-70, 20, 2xSB 800, x1.4TC, spare batteries/CF cards, chargers, wireless trigger, misc items.

Unlike most camera bags which have too much padding to hold all this gear without getting bulky, the Domkes have minimum fluff and easy access.

Depending on the work, equipment is repacked into daypacks, Newswear chest vests and belt pouches.
http://www.newswear.com/

ThinkTank cases are well thought out, but I have gone back to Pelican cases and improvised using padding/Velcro to put cushioning where it is only necessary. This saves a lot of space.

The zipper feature on the LowPro bags is nice though. Having an opening on the top instead of fumbling and flipping the lid off a Domke is faster.

[Coop]

Naneu Pro bags are excellent value for money, I have one of their snout bags and a big bag that can pretty much hold all by gear.

When I dont want to lug around all my gear, but do want to take my DSLR + flash + extra lens, I use a National Geographic bag (NG2345 IIRC), which I got for free with a NG subscription.

[Nitroz]

The bag I have is by Quantaray and is a U60. I can no longer find this under the Quantaray brand, but this is what is looks like. It's an excellent bag!

[Nitroz]

Naneu Pro bags are excellent value for money, I have one of their snout bags and a big bag that can pretty much hold all by gear.

Just noticed in small print that my U60 is by Naneu Pro. This is a great bag!

[Rexlion]

Whatever bag my camera and accessories will fit in is the one I use. It's a little hard for me to find ones that fit my odd-sized, overly long stereoscopic cameras. Brand doesn't matter to me a bit.

[will]

Whatever bag my camera and accessories will fit in is the one I use. It's a little hard for me to find ones that fit my odd-sized, overly long stereoscopic cameras. Brand doesn't matter to me a bit.

Are these the 3D cameras? I bought a Nimslo 3D camera a few years back ( ebay ) I was not able to find any company that would process the film into 3D pictures.

[greenlight]

I have a waterproof cigarette case for my little pocket camera. It fits perfectly.

Don't forget to vacuum your camera bags to get any dust or grit out that might be collecting in there!

[Saaby]

I have a LowePro slingshot bag. The middle-sized one. Holds my camera, 3 extra lenses, and other miscellaneous accessories just fine. Great bag and I like it a lot.

[nfetterly]

Use multiple bags, depending on occasion. Typically keep cameras / lenses in pelican cases with desiccant.

Bags I've sold
Lowepro bags sold
Crumpler 6 mdh sold (it was that riiiiip of the velcro that got me)
Billingham 550 sold (too heavy empty, too long to open)

Bags I use (not all for cameras, but camera bags)
Billingham 445 & Reporter (? the one that has laptop sleeve) kept and in use.

CCS Heritage main bag in use now - British bag very well designed, gable top opening, very nice. Believe no longer in production.

For larger backpack I use a lightware unit - although not for cameras. Has laptop sleeve & LOTS of pockets. Very well designed, white inside makes items easier to find (what an idea!!)

Several Kata bags, small backpack, waist belt, slingshot. Nice products

[brucec]

I use Lowepro if I need to carry more than one lens (rarely these days) and Crumpler for light travel. The velcro rip of the Crumpler can be disabled by using the built in silencer flaps.

[nfetterly]

The velcro rip of the Crumpler can be disabled by using the built in silencer flaps.

Don't recall this on the 6 mdh I had (about 3 years old now I would think - I know it's not their latest). It's gone now anyway & I'm down to 2 pelican cases & ~4 bags I use.

[nitesky]

My usual bag is a modified Jansport fanny pack. I added some padding inside. It holds SLR's with a 75-300mm lense. I won't say it is totally drop proof, but it has provided protection thus far. It slings over the shoulder very well, holds the camera nicely, and does not look like a camera bag. Extra lense holders slip over the belt as needed.

I have a couple of Lowepro bags but have have yet to find one I really like. There appear to be some good suggestions in this thread so I might start looking around again.

[StarHalo]

My father was a semi-pro photographer who had and carried loads of camera equipment whenever we'd go to events; as a kid who was getting into photography myself, I got a lot of experience carrying at least one rather large camera bag, either with SLR/lenses or my own camcorder (circa late 80's, when camcorders were a lot to carry). As I got older I found carrying so much equipment was really a hindrance; anywhere you went with your giant bag(s), you spent so much time and effort carrying equipment/setting up that rather than participating in and enjoying where you were, you simply became the photographer. So over time I focused on how I could get the best quality images while carrying as little as possible.

Sony's Cybershot series of digital cameras are your typical compact point-and-shoot units, but what a lot of people don't know is that the top-of-the-line model has full SLR manual abilities. A full manual mode, settable ISO/F-stop/aperture/shutter/etc - a pocket SLR (with just the one general use lens). Add to that how small camcorders have gotten, and now you've got one very tiny but versatile camera bag:



This bag contains my camera AND my camcorder AND a pair of blank tapes AND a spare battery AND a spare memory stick for either the camera or the camcorder, all weighing in at right around one pound. Throw on the shoulder strap and presto, it's completely out of the way. I can enjoy whatever's going on, and when needed, only then become the photographer/videographer..

[LEDobsession]

I like some of the LowePro slings but I use a Kata Sling. Fits my D90 with vertical grip, battery charger and all other cables, 3 lenses, memory cards, remote shutter release, filters, and my ipod or flash.

[DoctaDink]

I am still using the original canvas Domke bag, but have had to attach flash pouches to the D-rings with carabiners.
I would really like some of the Think Tank bags (Roller bags for travel, Belt system for events, and perhaps a backpack thrown in for good measure )
When I traveled to remote Africa, I used a homemade backpack system for airline travel, and wore a photo vest on location. Worked pretty well, though the ThinkTank stuff would have been better.

[hurricane]

Of the brands I know, LowePRO has the best designs, but their quality is absolutely nothing special. I've always been underwhelmed by the camera bags out there ... considering how important they are. I've only used LowePRO. They've worked thus far in pretty horrific conditions at times. I have a top load zoom which I chest mount.

[Andy80F]

I have a beautiful Billingham 335 bag but rarely use it in favour of a Kata Bag which is smaller and lighter. An old Lowepro is used to cary flashes should I need them. On the go and needing just camera and lens a Crumpler messenger style bag is used. It's a bit like torches, no one bag does it all, I would like a good photo rucksack though.

Andy

[will]

Of the brands I know, LowePRO has the best designs, but their quality is absolutely nothing special....

I have a number of LowePro bags, everything from a single point and shoot bag the size of my fist, to a huge backpack. The only problem I ever had was a broken plastic snap connector that I received that way from an EBAY purchase. I sent an email to LowePro and they sent me 2 replacements. I could have sent them the entire bag and they would have fixed it free of charge. ( shipping would have been a few dollars ) It took me just a few minutes to replace it.

Other than that, no quality issues of any sort. The bags I have all have nice and straight stitching, no rips or tears, zippers that work effortlessly..