Slingbags are not for me....

**Buddha Jones** · 07-10-2009, 03:43 PM

After a week in Manhattan, NY, it has become painfully obvious that slingbags, as cool and convenient as they are, are just not going to work for me and my back. I like the long slender profile of the sling and was thinking of getting aht Lowepro Flipside as a replacement, any suggestions or comments on that bag or others like it?

ftpaddict · 07-10-2009, 04:18 PM

I don't know, Buddha. I'm pretty happy with my Pentax slingie. It's a little bothersome while on my bike, because it keeps sliding forwards, but aside from that I'm really happy with it.

markdesmarais · 07-10-2009, 04:29 PM

I got very close to the Kata 3N1 line. . . Video bags camera bags Kata - Manufacturer of camera bags

Can be worn as a sling, or switched to a backpack . . .

Rico · 07-10-2009, 05:28 PM

Buddha the Kata 3N1's all the way. Best of both worlds. Well made. Quality materials.

*Blue* · 07-10-2009, 05:35 PM

If I were to move from the sling bag, I'd go with the Kata 3n1 because it can be used as a back-pack, sling bag and is carryon compatible with the airlines. The latter is going to become more and more of an issue because of the nannies in congress.

Russell-Evans · 07-10-2009, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Buddha Jones

After a week in Manhattan, NY, it has become painfully obvious that slingbags, as cool and convenient as they are, are just not going to work for me and my back. I like the long slender profile of the sling and was thinking of getting aht Lowepro Flipside as a replacement, any suggestions or comments on that bag or others like it?

How about the Fastpack? It gives you the comfort of a backpack, with the ease of the sling?

Tamrac has the Aero series

And of coarse the Kata 3n1 bags

Thank you
Russell

Venturi · 07-10-2009, 08:46 PM

+1 for the Kata 3n1. I have the "20" and it's just about perfect.

dafiryde · 07-10-2009, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Buddha Jones

After a week in Manhattan, NY, it has become painfully obvious that slingbags, as cool and convenient as they are, are just not going to work for me and my back. I like the long slender profile of the sling and was thinking of getting aht Lowepro Flipside as a replacement, any suggestions or comments on that bag or others like it?

i too can vouch the sling bag is the most uncomfortable thing i have ever bought
for comfort and what's the most important thing required in a bag i.e accessability, i still have not come across any bag better that the traditional shoulder bag

Dave

*ivoire* · 07-10-2009, 09:58 PM

If you want light and simple, try one of these

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_DgtlHlstr.php

I have the Think Tank holster 30. The 70-200mm with the hood attached and mounted on the K7 fits into the bag, ready to be quickly removed, pop the cap and fire away. I also carry the DA40mm in the side pocket and a 1.5xTC in my pants pocket. This gives me quite a bit of flexibility. For those that go biking, this bag offers protection when carried in panniers and is still very accessible. Another lens fit combo is the DA 12-24mm at the bottom of the bag, the f*300mm mounted on the camera inserted above it (no hood extended) and the DA40mm in the side pocket plus an xtra battery.

*GLXLR* · 07-11-2009, 01:51 PM

After a few weeks with the 3N1-20, I can just say it is one of the most convenient bag I have ever seen or used. There are a few caveats such as not enough side pockets or a water bottle pocket (there is the top compartment however), but I would still rate it a 4.9/5. When I am on the run and shooting track or in the town square, it is awesome to be able to just sling the bag forward, but when I was hiking a few months ago (used a 3N1-30), It was a 10-15 second process of changing the bag from sling to back pack form. The back side of the 3N1 is also very nicely designed, as the gaps between the plates offer a "circle" of cooling and it doesn't feel nearly as hot on your back pack.

One note- If you have more than 4 lenses (a 50-135mm, 2 small (or 100mm macro) primes, flash, and telephoto lens, I would suggest looking at the 3N1-30. Although it all fits well into the main compartment, there is absolutely no room for anything else such as chargers+ batteries which I have to put in the top compartment (which I usually put my lunch).
There is also a rebate going around ($25 off for a $95+ bag) Fortunately the 3n1-20 is around $99-$100. Here is the link.
http://www.adorama.com/pdfs/rebates/KA3N1_083109.pdf

gavinhw · 07-12-2009, 01:24 AM

I have both the Lowepro Flipside 300 and the 400.

300/400 pros:
Both comfortable (your mileage may vary depending on your height/size).
Safe from pickpockets.

300/400 cons:
-Takes a while to access the main compartment to change lenses, etc.
-When accessing the main compartment, puts you in a vulnerable situation when in a seedy neighborhood.

400 con:
It has what I feel is a MAJOR design flaw. The waist belt is attached to the back flap/door rather than to the sides of the bag (like for the 300). As a result, when unzipping and accessing the bag, the bag dips to an angle below being parallel to the ground. This also makes it awkward to zip up the bag because you have to lift the weight of the bag toward you. The 300 does not have this issue.

-Gavin

*ChrisPlatt* · 07-12-2009, 04:36 AM

Conventional shoulder bags are far easier to work from for street shooting.
Leave the excess gear at home and get yourself a nice Domke!

Chris

*PeterAM* · 07-18-2009, 04:10 PM

I shot for years with 35mm equipment and shoulder bags (that's also pretty much all that was around for a long time). About the time that I started using digital equipment, I also discovered that there were now other types of bags out there. Tried a backpack and a sling and didn't like either one. Having been using several different size shoulder bags depending on what camera I'm using. I find shoulder bags to be more comfortable and accessible, but I also don't carry a lot. One small bag holds a DS with lens mounted and another 1/2 lenses (size driven);my other bag will hold a K10D with a larger lens mounted, another lens or two and sometimes an Epson P-2000 in a pocket. For any more equipment than that, I'm working from the car and keep the rest in the backpack that I stopped using. The problems with bags is that once you find what you like, you need a few different sizes of same.

My next challenge is to find the smallest padded bag that will hold a Mamiya 645, two lenses, film and a meter. This is like packing a brick..

*Ratmagiclady* · 07-18-2009, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by PeterAM

My next challenge is to find the smallest padded bag that will hold a Mamiya 645, two lenses, film and a meter. This is like packing a brick..

I've used an older Lowepro Nova 3 to do just that: worked pretty nice. With a smaller hood on there, (I like the big rubber one, usually, ) , I could get my bridge camera in there, too.

*PeterAM* · 07-19-2009, 08:56 AM

Thanks for the tip Ratmagiclady. Just looked at the dimensions on the Nova 3; I think the Nova 4 might be better for me. Now comes the challenge of finding a store with one and trying it out with the camera. Bags are about the only thing that I need to see/handle (the other exception is a camera body) before buying. When I get the right one, it generally lasts a long time.

If you think schlepping a 645 around is bad, try a Mamiya RZ67. I was playing around with my daughter's RZ the other day and discovered that it beats a trip to the gym.

If you are not familiar with it already, take a look at APUG web site- film heaven (or overload).