[bilabong32]

Hello I have finally outgrown my current bag (I don't like it much anyways) and I am looking for something that will hold a 50-135mm and either a 50mm prime or 18-55 AL II at any given time. I would also prefer something that doesn't exactly draw attention to itself as a camera bag if possible.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[MrApollinax]

Check out one of the Million Dollar Home bags. I have a 6 Million Dollar Home and I chose it because it looks like a regular bag to me, not the prototypical camera bag. My current kit resides in the bag: K100DS is a mounted lens, my two other lenses, one 540 Flash and one 280 flash. Also I have an extra set of 4 Eneloops, lens cleaning supplies and other misc stuff.

[bilabong32]

Thank you very much, I have been looking at those bags but couldn't figure out the storage capacity from just the dimensions. Glad I could get a first hand account of the storage.

[MrApollinax]

I previously had a 4 million dollar home which held my camera with the kit lens and a 50mm prime pretty easily. I needed to upgrade once I got my 105mm and flashes.

Also in my current bag I also have 3 wireless reciever and 1 wireless trigger in addition to the other stuff. I forgot to add these in my previous post since they are a new addition to my kit.

[bilabong32]

I am at a toss up for the 4 or 5 million. I found that ebags has a bing 20%cash back so it is either 53 for the 3 million or 64 for the 5 million. I am not at the stage where I utilize flashes or receivers/triggers so I may just jump on the 4 million.

[MrApollinax]

For a small kit it is a very good bag. I do think that as long as you take good care of the bag you would be able to find a buyer for it down the road on craigslist or here even. I was able to sell my 4 Million Dollar Home fairly easily, less than what I paid for obviously, but at a fair price.

[Ratmagiclady]

It's not, apparently, a hard size of kit to accommodate in plenty of bags: as for stealth purposes, I'd suggest that you look at your own style of dress and where you go. If I were to carry a 'sporty'-looking bag, for instance, it'd stand out like a sore thumb on me, as would, very likely, most of the time, something 'executive-looking' like these newer Lowepro... what's-their faces, ...they look like a pretty common thing urbanite office-workers might carry stuff in. I'm blanking on the name of the line. Black ones with kind of a glossier stripe on them. Classy, but not *too* classy. (They actually look like great bags, too: it'd be nice for me if they made some look more like 'what artsy chicks carry.' )

The big thing that'll make a camera bag stand out is if it doesn't *fit* on you in one way or another: A lot of where tourists and hobbyists go wrong is actually that their bag doesn't look like it belongs on *them.* Or in the place.

A 'basic black pro bag' might stand out if everyone's wearing backpacks with colorful trim, and one of those bags in turn may stand out if you don't look like you've ever owned athletic shoes in your life, and *very* often, in any case, photo bags look too pristine for how someone's otherwise attired.

People looking for ripoff targets or to lift something will also tend to assume "new bag=new camera." People who don't seem used to carrying what they're carrying will probably seem more-easily separated from them. (I like to try and 'break things in' appropriately asap. Get to know your bag by using as pillow. Unless you normally wear brand-new things. )

So, try not to treat the bag as a 'separate object'....consider it a place on your person to put cameras. Choose something that may 'fit' on you. If it really looks like it belongs there, it actually will be the least-likely thing to draw unwanted attention.

Also, try to have it be physically-comfortable on you. Thieves read body-language. If you're not comfortable with the bag or treating it as too precious, someone may pick up on that. If you carry all the time, you'll blend in a lot better. Mostly they won't stop and examine every object they see: they'll sort of scan for what looks out of place, then size things up. So the more comfortable you are, (not careless, comfortable) the more likely it is they'll never even ping you in the first place.

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Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 04-16-2010 at 08:18 AM.

[bdery]

I use a messenger bag NOT designed for cameras (it's a bag I used at the university). Pretty standard format. I placed inside an insert purchased on eBay for 15$. Tenba makes one for around 20$, and I would have bought that one had I known. It holds my K20D with Sigma 17-70 mounted, a 50, a 100-300, a flash, multiple accessories, and it could hold another small prime (the 21 that's on the mail) if I wanted.

Fits your requirements, I think. The fact that it doesn't look like a camera bag is pricelsss indeed.

for hiking, my solution is similar : I bought a great hiking backpack, and a Domke SLR insert for 35$, and I'm a happy camper. Search the forum for "perfect solution" and you'll see pics.

[bilabong32]

I use a messenger bag NOT designed for cameras (it's a bag I used at the university). Pretty standard format. I placed inside an insert purchased on eBay for 15$. Tenba makes one for around 20$, and I would have bought that one had I known. It holds my K20D with Sigma 17-70 mounted, a 50, a 100-300, a flash, multiple accessories, and it could hold another small prime (the 21 that's on the mail) if I wanted.

Fits your requirements, I think. The fact that it doesn't look like a camera bag is pricelsss indeed.

for hiking, my solution is similar : I bought a great hiking backpack, and a Domke SLR insert for 35$, and I'm a happy camper. Search the forum for "perfect solution" and you'll see pics.

Thanks for the insight bdery, I have considered inserts as well and when I go places I generally either have a backpack or a messenger type bag with me so I think that the insert solution will work the best for me.

[bdery]

I think that the insert solution will work the best for me.

It allows you to select the bag without limiting yorself to the offers from camera bag makers. In particular for hiking, having more choices is extremely useful.

[MSM]

I am at a toss up for the 4 or 5 million. I found that ebags has a bing 20%cash back so it is either 53 for the 3 million or 64 for the 5 million. I am not at the stage where I utilize flashes or receivers/triggers so I may just jump on the 4 million.

I would go for the 5 million or greater. I have the 4 million which I love, but I really doubt that the 50-135 will fit attached to the body. I took all the inserts out of mine just to get my k10d with a 77mm and and extra small prime lens. Adding the grip makes it very tight.

[Canada_Rockies]

I used a Sling Shot 100 AW by LowePro for two years, and managed to fit a K10D with D-BG2 grip, DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, DA 12-24 and M 100 Macro in there. With difficulty. The fit was so tight that I had dead batteries a couple of times because of the way things had to be fitted in there.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a 300 AW, figuring that the 200 AW might do the trick for a while, but then I would hit the same problem again. I can now fit into the main case the K10D with D-BG2 fitted with the Pentax leather hand strap and with the F 1.7X AF converter and DA* 50-135 without any stretching or difficulty.

Only you can tell if the LowePro Sling Shot bag will work for you. Try one out first. I can say that I checked out a similar sized bag from Tamrac, and it was not as flexible to get things in and out of.

The AW in LowePro refers to a rain poncho thing that is fitted into the bottom of the bag, and will cover everything with a rain proof cover when needed.

The SlingShot bags have two compartments. The main compartment comes with snap stops to prevent the cover from opening all the way and dropping lenses. The second compartment, at the top of the bag, is just right for a sandwich and an apple. There are a couple of loops built into the outside of the bag. My Gorilla Pod is stuck through one of them. In the main compartment cover there is a special pocket for SD cards (or CF - the slots are big enough). There is an outside pocket that holds polarizers and such. Even the 100 AW took a 77mm "Moose" Circular Polarizer easily, with room to squeeze in the blower brush. The 300 AW has about twice the volume in it as the 100.

So far so good. More reports later if requested.