[tvfd911]

I'm going on a trip to Tanzania and need to find a camera backpack with plenty storage space to live out of for 1-2 weeks at a time, so the "extras" portion needs plenty of space. I'm sure I will have to pack light to live out of the upper portion of any bag, but I can live lightly

What I've been looking into:
1. Lowepro Fastpack 350- the only of my choices I've been able to actually see. I'm not a huge fan of this bag for this trip. Seems like the "extras" area is too small for my needs and has quite the camera bag look.
2. Kata KT D-3N-1 30.
3. Lowepro Primus. From the pictures, it seems like there is a fair amount "extras" space. No one around here carries this bag.
4. Tamrac Adventure series. Probably a size 10.

What I will/have with for photog gear:
K10d
Sigma 70-200
DA18-55
a couple TC's
FA50
flash
possibly a couple extra lenses that I decide to take with
rocket blower and other maintenance gear
a small p&s for backup

Does anyone have experience with these bags or the brands in general? I like the Lowepro bag I have, but its simply not suited for this application.

Are there any other suggestions?

[Russell-Evans]

I'm going on a trip to Tanzania and need to find a camera backpack with plenty storage space to live out of for 1-2 weeks at a time, so the "extras" portion needs plenty of space.

I think you should go with a tradition pack that will carry what you will need and then find room in that pack for your other gear. An internal frame backpack is going to carry more than any fully padded camera backpack. You can pad the individual items or stuff a smaller padded case into the larger if you aren't expecting to have the backpack with you at all times.

I would be tempted to stuff a LowePro DryZone bag into a backpack to see if that is workable.

Thank you
Russell

[i83N]

Have you checked National Geographic Earth Explorer large backpack (NG5737)?
It's a back to live out for a long time, has allot of storage space, allot of small pockets and different connecting points.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

[ixian]

Lowepro Primus is a brilliant pack - but the camera compartment is not very big and doesn't have a lot of dividers. You won't be able to fit all your stuff in there. K10D with Sigma 70-200 mounted, kit lens, TC, some smaller bits, that's it, I think.
Very nice for 1-2 days, top compartment big enough to take a *small* sleeping bag and change of clothes, very comfortable harness (for a photo backpack...), can be used with hydration bladder, but way too small for what you want to do.

Tamrac is bigger but harness is crap.

If you want something for 2 week trip - I don't think *any* photo bag is good.
Get a proper trekking backpack, top-load holster, a couple of lens cases and padded pouches for your flash and other stuff.
It will be more expensive but it will work

[Ben_Edict]

I'm going on a trip to Tanzania and need to find a camera backpack with plenty storage space to live out of for 1-2 weeks at a time, so the "extras" portion needs plenty of space. I'm sure I will have to pack light to live out of the upper portion of any bag, but I can live lightly
...
Does anyone have experience with these bags or the brands in general? I like the Lowepro bag I have, but its simply not suited for this application.

Are there any other suggestions?

Forget any dedicated camera pack. They are all unsuitable for your purpose. Buy a high quality trekking backpack (Gregory, Macpac, Lowe, Berghaus whatever) and pack your camera gear in two parts: The things you don't need immediately come into the real backpack, stored in the lens bags or other protective sleeves. The gear you need at hand comes in a smaller bag, which you can carry on the waist belt of the big pack or with a separate belt over it (you need to try that beforehand). That is the way, I usually travel. For the small camera bags I either use a LowePro Nova 4,. which would be big enough to easily swallow the gear you listed, completely, or you use separate bags for the camera + attached lens and the other lenses/flash gun. I prefer the old CCS system for that purpose, but LowePro makes these separate smaller lens bags and pouches as well.

To be honest: With the small amount of photo gear you want to take with you (which is sensible, by the way), I would try to have everything at hand and wouldn't pack any part of it into the main backpack.

Ben

[tvfd911]

Thanks for the input everyone

i83N- I did see a description of the Nat Geo bags a while back and they look very capable. To me, they also looked like they would draw excess attention to me.

Everyone seems to be confirming my suspicions about a dedicated camera bag after I saw what the Fastpack had to offer for my needs. I was hoping maybe one of the others were different enough to work. I do quite a bit of hunting trips, so I know how gear fills up with stuff faster than expected. I'll have to see if I can make/add on to my elk hunting pack to get it to work. Otherwise, off to the store to see what will work best.

I'm just trying to get everything together before summer is in full swing so I can test what I intend to take to TZ on some weekend camping trips, get everythign broken in and verify it works as I want it to.

Thanks,
Eric

[HermanLee]

I have the Kata 3N1-30 that I just bought last month.

Great bag and it will hold all your equipment.
I can put K20D + FA*80-200/2.8 + DA*16-50mm + AF540 Flash +FA 50 macro + FA 43 Ltd + F 50/1.4 + Tamron 1.4x TC all on bottom part.
Actually if I want, I can put another extra body on the bottom part without moving any of the gears listed above.
On the top part, I can put a 10" Acer Aspire One netbook with 6 cell battery attached OR several more primes or Flash or another body.

It's a great bag especially with the flexible strap from regular backpack to sling bag or cross.
The material is high quality not like what I read from some reviewer who said that the strap is cheap.
Also it has a lifetime warranty.
Highly recommended bag.

But I don't think you can carry a lot of personal belonging on top part.
Maybe some small stuffs like toiletry.
I still can put one cardigan on top part but not a full size jacket.
So if you need to live outdoor for 1-2 weeks. I suggest you carry another regular backpack.
Or do what others here had recommended.

Hope this helps.

[Entropy]

I agree. Go for the hiking/trekking backpack.

I put all of my photo gear into a Kelty Redwing. It'll be a bit small for your purposes though. Go for a larger pack.

You can get special harness straps that let you clip your camera to your backpack's shoulder straps. I forget where I got mine from at the moment. There's a place that specializes in all sorts of nifty camera harnesses.

Edit: I remember now! Kinesis Photo Gear (www.kgear.com)

[SOldBear]

You can get special harness straps that let you clip your camera to your backpack's shoulder straps. I forget where I got mine from at the moment.

I use Op/Tech System Connector #10 Reporter/Backpack

[Entropy]

Yup, those are pretty similar to the Kinesis units I have.

The nice thing is that Kinesis gives you the option to buy connectors that are compatible with other systems - All of my harnesses are Op/Tech compatible.

Argh, forgot to order an Op/Tech neckstrap with the rest of my Adorama order AGAIN.

[reeftool]

I will join in with the others who recommend a regular backpack and storing your camera gear in a handy place you can get to it or lashed to the backpack in smaller bags. For a 2 week trip in a remote part of the world like you mention you will need a large backpack and lots of stuff.

[tvfd911]

My mind is set on going with a holster/top load setup on an internal frame pack. My external frame hunting pack is just too huge for my needs here.

I took a look at Lowepro's Topload 70 AW, but it seems pretty bulky and even my 70-200 would have lots of room to flop around. From what I've read, the Kinesis system is supposed to be less bulky and more configurable. I only wish they were more available so I could check them out before purchasing.

Right now, I'm thinking the Kinesis C580, which should hold my camera with 70-200 + TC attached and then a lens carrier deep enough to hold either the 70-200 when a short lens is on (with the other lens and TC down in the snout of the holster) or the FA50 + 18-55 + TC stacked in the lens carrier (throw some padding in around them to keep em from rattling too much) and the 70-200 on the camera in the holster.

Keep the lenspen and whatever I want really handy in the accesory pouch of the holster and the rest of the stuff and the ME Super backup camera in the frame pack. Off to REI and Scheels tomorrow to check out frame packs. I have a pretty good handle on how much volume I need for the non-photo gear.

thanks for everyone's input so far

[Russell-Evans]

My mind is set on going with a holster/top load setup on an internal frame pack.

I think the expandable bottom is a pretty nice idea on the ThinkTank holsters.

The Digital Holster 30 would be the one, I think. My assumption is that for those times you have the shorter lens on, you can just drop the bottom to get the room need to drop the 70-200mm down far enough for the camera and shorter lens to be stacked on top. Maybe you just carry everything that way?

You probably can carry the holster on the hip belt of your backpack.

The unit does comes with a rain cover, so it might not need to be in the bag for weather protection.

The side pocket is kind of nice as well.

Thank you
Russell

[tvfd911]

Russell,

cool feature. I was looking at the Think Tank holsters but didn't stumble on that expandable bottom feature. Think Tank is back on the short list.

Your plan for attaching it to the pack's belt is how I planned on getting the job done. At some point for mountain biking uses, I'll have the option of a harness to center the holster on my back if I decide I want to bring the 70-200 instead of the original biking plan. My current bag is a Lowepro Inverse 100 which is a boxy deal on an integrated belt. Seemed like the way to go because the belt tucks away neatly when not needed to carry with a shoulder strap, but no possible way to even fit the 70-200 in there. My intentions when I got it was to purchase the 55-300. With the 18-55 and 55-300 it would've been the perfect (except speed) ultralight kit for biking and covering the main range. Some day I'll have the 55-300 to finish off the biking/snowmobiling kit due to the 70-200's bulk. Gearing up for the TZ trip just trumps that this year.


Thanks again Russell for exposing me to the Think Tank expansion system

[Entropy]

Kinesis also sells some straps that allow you to chest-harness a holster like that with most hiking backpacks.