[sifun]

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Billingham Hadley pro

So good

[RioRico]

I don't carry a camera bag. I use my large Ameribag. I got it after having my pocket picked in Antigua Guatemala. At least the thief only got my wallet, not my camera. Whew! The Ameribag is quite defensible, especially after running a steel cable through the strap and body. That's a trick I learned from an Old Guatemala Hand. Anyway, it doesn't look like a camera bag, which is just fine with me.

I do have a Tamrac pack and a Domke shoulder bag, acquired cheap. They're usually loaded with extra gear; i.e. I don't use them as carry-bags. They stay in the car or room.

I use a pelican case that was given to me for free

Wait a second, that sounds like something RioRico would say!

Yeah, well, I have a couple inherited bags too. I don't carry them either -- too big and well-padded.

[Jason 407]

I have a Lowepro Rezo 160 (or is it 170?) that I pretty much loathe. I bought local, cheap, and available when I got my camera and I shouldn't have. It works fine and holds most of what I want it to, but it's bulky, boxy, and ugly. I can fit the camera, the 16-50 and one or maybe two very small primes. Add in some extra junk like a battery, lens pen, etc., and it's full. If I take just my primes, I could probably carry the camera with 3-4 small ones.

I actually happen to own at the moment, though, a Domke f-5xb. It's still brand new with the tags and is in my car waiting to be returned to the store. I'm doing a little shopping around to find stuff to add to my holiday wishlist for my wife and kids, and I just couldn't tell if the bag would meet my needs or not. I can comfortably stuff the K10d, 43 ltd, my vivitar 28/2, and my K55/1.8 in there with room to spare for another lens or two. I was even able to put the 16-50 in there with the hood removed along with the 3 primes. I could have easily added a second battery, spare SD cards, a lens pen, and some other odds and ends (my front pocket wallet and iPhone fit in the main compartment outside the padding) and still carry it comfortably for a day. Should I ever scrape up the cash to upgrade my body to a K-5, it should fit even better. I think I've found my light kit bag, once I return it to the store and ask for it for it for a gift.

[eddie1960]

Lot's of good suggestions here. I would tend to agree with most that there is no one perfect bag (I have 6)
The lowpro series are excellent (I have a great AW from them I found sitting virtually unused on top of a trash can one day)
I have a huge Crumpler that is a great bag but just too big for walkabout but my go to when i am travelling as it holds everything i want including my laptop

but my go to is self made. I used spare parts from the crumpler and retrofitted a Topshop messenger bag. Very stealth, holds my body and 3 lenses (and usually my ebook glasses etc) it's what I carry every day, and it comes with the crumpler on vacation for the daily bag.
I'm sure if I went back to the crumpler store i could just get one of the smaller messenger bags to do the same thing but no need

[LFLee]

I currently have the following camera bags, to give you some more options to think about:

1. Crumpler 7 million dollar home; - Messenger bag type
2. Crumpler Sinking barrage; - Camera + Laptop type
3. Lowpro photo sports 200AW; - Camera + hiking type

I am planning to get a "Crumpler Haven Large" camera 'insert' for its portability and you can convert any non-camera bag into a camera bag.

Crumpler bag design and material are what attract me, and when I got them, they are relatively unknown. Now people pretty much aware of them as camera bag, so carrying a Crumpler bag you cannot hide the fact you are carrying camera as it used to be. I didn't like any of those Lowepro camera bags until the recent Photo Sport series.

Lee

[langone_peter]

I purchased the Lowepro Flipside 300 Backpack (Red) from Amazon for around $75. I really like the security that it offers. It's impossible for anyone to open or mess with your equipment while you're wearing it. I'm not sure how much I will need that option, but it's there. Also I am able to just flip the bag around to my stomach and hang it off my hip, being able to open the bag without having to find a place to set it down somewhere. It was the perfect bag until I just picked up the 100mm 2.8L. Now I have the 100mm 2.8L, 50mm 1.8, 50-250mm IS, 18-135mm IS, 430 EX II, LX 5, Giottos Medium Rocket Air Blaster and extra battery/ charger/ misc. accessories. It's full to the brim right now, I am looking for something bigger. I guess I need to go to a camera store and see what will work for me. I don't want to end up having to leave lenses at home and end up missing a moment. What would you guys recommend based on your experience?
I have logged in several hours and hours reading reviews and watching youtube videos on several bags. Please do not accuse me of being lazy asking others to do my work for me. I work night shift 6-7 days a week right now while going to med school during the day. I have not had much of a chance to go into different camera shops to try on several bags. I would like to see what others are using and how the bags have served them for.
Regards,
Peter Langone

[dmort]

Kata 3n1. Its a really great bag! Stupidly I sold it because I thought... I don't know what I thought, sigh. Now I have a domke f6 ruggedwear. It is a great walk around bag. I also have a big mountain Smith bag which they don't make anymore which I use for hauling everything on airplanes. For hiking I use a deuter pack with the mountain Smith cube insert. I store stuff and canoe with a pelican case. Many carrying options for many carrying needs.

I like lowepro and I think they make great products, but I think they are so ubiquitous that a lot of photographers don't even consider other brands simply because they don't have the shelf space at stores.

[Arjay Bee]

A bag for each purpose and situation:-
Hiking with other gear: Naneu Pro K3L - great frame webbing and back support and large tripod support and laptop pouch - just fits within airline baggage carry-on dimensions but I have to look nonchalant as I heft 10Kgs plus on my back when fully loaded at the airline counter (no tripod).
Travelling lighter: Lowepro AW 200 sling
Working the sidelines at a sports meet: dedicated semi rigid shoulder bag with partitions for each lens to allow lens changes while standing
Daily walk around: No name messenger bag with camera and couple of lenses - but lenses rub against one another (lens bags slow down changes even further) and a bit too small to carry tablet notebook or netbook as well, soooo
New daily walk around is a larger messenger bag with insert. - just purchased and yet to arrive but looking forward to the change up.
Have also just purchased one of those neoprene sock like camera pouches so when travelling vey light I can just throw the body with a 28 or 35mm lens fitted in any bag and maintain some protection - less than $5.00 from China.

[noahpurdy]

ThinkTank Streetwalker II. Best bag I've ever bought.

[bergerak]

I am also in the process of getting my first camera bag. I do like the Kata 3n1 or the Dolica k30. they both seem like amazing bags with all the options and the latter being half price. My on;y concern is the size of the bags. They seem huge for the weekend trek. they seem appropriate for the long vacation. I am also looking at the rucksack style as they seem to be less obvious at being a camera bag. the Kata 467i and this model here seems to provide a nice National Geographic look and feel. Also inexpensive as it is made in China

[wasser]

the Kata 467i and this model here seems to provide a nice National Geographic look and feel. Also inexpensive as it is made in China

That "Courser" model from China looks like a great value. If you end up getting one, please be sure to post your impressions.

[samtr87]

I use this Amazon Basics bag. It's cheap, holds a lot of stuff, and it's inconspicuous. Amazon.com: AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR Cameras and Accessories (Black): Camera & Photo

[littledrawe]

I do have a Tamrac pack and a Domke shoulder bag, acquired cheap. They're usually loaded with extra gear; i.e. I don't use them as carry-bags. They stay in the car or room.


Originally posted by littledrawe
Originally posted by yeatzee:
I use a pelican case that was given to me for free
Wait a second, that sounds like something RioRico would say!
Yeah, well, I have a couple inherited bags too. I don't carry them either -- too big and well-padded.
__________________

This just sounds like another one of your finds RioRico, something with a $150.00 ish price tag for free.

[IanS]

I purchased a Lowepro Slingshot 202 AW for a 2 week trip to Thailand (have just returned), my impressions are, don't fill it up! I have a K200D, 17-70, 18-200, M50 f1.7 some spare batteries and cords, cards and a couple of filters, I found it to be little too heavy on the right shoulder to wear it for long periods if the camera is in the bag. However I use a Sun Sniper sling and with the camera on the sling over the left shoulder and the bag on the right shoulder it was very well balanced and comfortable to wear. The bag worked well and I was pleased with the amount of room in the "camera compartment", I am able to drop the camera in without having to remove the Sunsniper strap (it's fairly bulky). It also has a tripod attachment which I haven't used yet, as someone said earlier there is no perfect bag, you just have to find the one that works best for you, and it will take a couple of tries before you get it right, happy hunting.
Ian

[dmort]

I used the kata 3n1 medium sized model on my honeymoon in Alaska and I was extremely pleased with it. The only things I didn't li,e was the lack of a spot for a water bottle and the smallish top compartment. Access to camera gear in and out was amazing. Additionally, sometimes I configured the bag such that it could accomadate my dslr, medium sized zoom and an attached external flash, I've seen few other bags that can do this. Also, the 3n1 is great if you are left handed since it will work as a sling either way. In Alaska I did a ton of hiking plenty of air travel and I never worried about my gear.

I too have been eyeing the digital Ruck sack series.... I am also interested in the vanguard backpacks as they seem like they have some of the features from the 3n1 which I appreciated as well as addressing some of the short comings.