Camera bag, what are you using???

Hello,

While this is a matter of personal tastes I'll ask, what are you using to carry your gears on the field and why?

I have a Nikon camera bag which I think is fairly well made but now that I am shooting more and more at night I found myself using my casual hiking backpack (an Osprey Scarab) just to carry the tripod. I can't complain about my backpack but it's just plain too big for that job.

Now I hesitate betwen a dedicated camera backpack (something like say, a Lowepro Dryzone) and a "tripod bag" (not too sure how to call that but you know what i mean).

I don't want to be told what to get. I am just seeking for your personal experience.

regards

Seb

Seb,

It all depends on your needs. I had a photo backpack for years, and it served me fine. When biking it would keep the tripod and gear all balanced nicely along my spine. Now that I shoot for the paper and I need to have quick access to gear, I picked up a small shoulder bag. The backpack was just too cumbersome and took too long to find what I needed. If just going out for fun, I sometimes don't even bring a bag, just a camera and cards. They make bags for every occassion, and charge an arma nd a leg for them. Figure out what you NEED, and see if there are bags that meet those needs and also leave growing room for the future.

Most good bags have space for mounting a tripod.

People are going to laugh but I use a waist pack made for a "Game Boy Advanced" and it's related stuff. I travel light mostly for street work and the pack holds my range finder camera (with smaller lens attached) plus an additional 2 lenses, a few rolls of film, a filter or two and maybe a small lens shade. It is made with tough nylon the same used in camera bags and is fully padded with a main pocket with a divider and a pocket in front. The flap has zippered pockets. I couldn't have designed a better bag at any price. All for $19. I used black marker to cover the game boy logo.

and I use them all. I have a DryZone 200 for skiing/snowboarding, kayaking, hiking, etc. I have a Lowe Toploader for when I am shooting sports and will only be using my 70-200. I also have a Lowe Magnum and am not really sure it will be a keeper. I usually like to have everything I own along for the ride to make up for my lack of experience in knowing what I really need. I find the Magnum is not laid out well for my gear. I pulled out the dividers and feel like I need an engineering degree to get them back together. My plan is to use it for a while longer and bring all of my gear to B&H next time I am in the city and see if the big Tamrac is more to my liking.

I just use a cheapo camera backpack..cost like $30. I'm about to buy my second body, and one more lens..so I guess I could ask in this thread:

Tamrac 608 Pro System 8 Shoulder Bag
or
Lowepro Stealth Reporter 650 AW Shoulder Bag

I like the idea of being able to store my laptop with my cameras in the Lowepro, but I want whichever bag protects my gear better from the elements. If anyone uses either of these, speak up!

I use a Clive bag (www.clivebags.com) with a metal case holding my body, primary lens & 550EX. there are pockets on the sides for my extra lens & flash along with batteries and everything else I carry (even fits my laptop if i take out the extras!).

It kinda looks like this one http://www.clivebags.com/11509.html but a little wider.

Right now I'm 100% Lowepro, except for this used Austrian Army canvas bag I got at an Army-Navy Store(use it when I go into neighborhoods I shouldn't be going in to). I've never had a quality issue with Lowepro, so I've stuck with them.

And I'm not kidding! I have the deluxe Holga camera bag, with a nifty, modern gray racing stripe. It's great - it can fit 2 Holgas and the Holga flash, with my changing bag on top. the roomy frint pocket has enough space for my black darkroom tape, a sharpie and other assorted small sundries. 2 pockets on either side fit 4 rolls of 120 film.

However, when I am on a paid shoot and using 35mm, I actually just use a folded towel in my backpack. In NYC, you don't really want to advertise the fact that you've got a camera.

Megan

Crumpler

I have the Harry Palmer Device, which they no longer make. I went with Crumpler because I wanted something that didn't scream camera bag, and I liked the design. You also don't have to go with their dedicated camera bags - they make camera inserts for their regular shoulder bags and messenger bags. I had origially wanted a Domke F-803, but decided it wasn't big enough.

Danielle

Pelican 1550 Case

Domke Photogs Vest

I went through several bags from Crumpler before I ended up with this one. It is very roomy and can fit my 10D w/70-200 f4L attached, my 17-40 f4L, my 50 f1.8, battery charger, cables, extra CF cards cleaning equipment and in the tripod holding straps on the front my Gitzo 1228. It has the ability to slide onto the handle of rolling luggage so it is a breeze to travel with. The strap is great and does very well at balancing the load without putting undo stress on your shoulder.

Most of the time it's a Domke F2. Being canvas and having a top that clips into place (no zipper) I used to be afraid of it around water or on rainy days. Got caught in a downpour last year and had no problems - completely dry. It holds an incredible amount of gear for it's size (too much, sometimes) and is pretty low-key for a camera bag.

I also have a LowePro Photo Trekker which is great for carrying more gear for a distance and holds a tripod very well. I've got too many others too, but those are the main ones.

I did not expected so much answer to that one! Thanks a lot to everyone for sharing all this with me.

At that point, I rather think that I will stick to my current camera pack and use a dedicated tripod bag/strap/holder or whatever it's called. Fast access to my gears is the ultimate key point for me now.

Then again, thanks to all of you.

Seb