DSLR Photography Forum

I've currently got a small shoulder style bag (Jenova I think...) that holds my SLR and one extra lens OR flash. The size is nice, but I think in terms of practicality, I probably want something a tad bigger so that I can carry maybe my flash and 2 extra lenses.

I'm wondering carrying system everyone uses? Shoulder bags? Backpacks? How much do you carry with you on a typical outing?

The lowepro slingshot 100 looks good - a backpack style bag that swings around to the front for easy access...

Hi

goosh is been sometime i have not been around....

i use a lowepro backbag (big) to store most of my stuff and small belt pouches to move around with some of my equipment. ussually a camera and two lenses and a flash.

regards

christian

I like the sling style bag; I have a small non-camera bag that I love. It'll hold a spare lens in a drybag and small Pelican case (watertight for my tiny flash, cell phone, and cards) with room to spare. If I need to, I can even stuff my camera in it. This is my standard day-bag when I need to carry extra stuff, and it's amazingly convenient for changing lenses. Because the zipper is on top, nothing will fall out if it's left open. It's a very nice style of bag, but try the slingshot on to see how it feels and fits first.

The slingshot in particular does look good in the photos. I'd need to see it in person, but now I'll be looking for it. And, they have great taste in cameras.

I use a small backpack when I need more stuff, like a back-up camera. It's annoying unless I'm using a tripod, which shares a backpack's forced a stop-and-start rhythm.

I'm looking at one of the bigger Crumpler shoulder bags to carry my whole 'kit' of two spare lenses and a mid-size flash. (When I own the other lens and the flash, I'll definitely buy the bag.) I'm not a fan of camera bags that look like they have cameras in them.

I'm using a Canon Gadget Bag, it holds 2 bodies (film and digital), 2x telecomverter, mini-tripod, bulb blower, cleaning materials, memory, battery, 4 rolls of film, 18-55, 28-80, 50mm and 70-300 lenses with room for maybe one more 100mm lens or so.

I have smaller bag good for 2 lenses and 1 body but never use it.

I use a crumpler bag for my gear - it doesn't scream camera and is well padded.

The only problem is that it is starting to overflow with gear - I either will have to upgrade the bag or sell some gear (I think the bag option will be the one )

It carries the following:

5D with 24-70 2.8L attached (lens hood and lightsphere up ended over the lens), 20D body, 70-200 2.8 EX Sigma with hood, 85 1.8 with hood, 10-22 3.5-4.5 EFS, 1.4 teleconverter Sigma, extension ring, 580 EX flash, 420 EX flash, Cf cards, filters, spare bateries, cables, lens pen, business cards.

I have run out of room for my chargers and a few other things I like to carry.

Would like to get a 50 1.4, a 17-40 4 L or a 16-35 2.8 L. Will have to wait until the bag is upgraded. Still looking to trade my 10-22 on a 17-40 or a 16-35 if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

Chris

I hate carrying bags over one shoulder because it bothers my back, plus an over the shoulder bag won't carry all my gear at once. So, I dropped about $160 on a KATA R-103 rucksack because a back pack fits my style a little better. I love it and the thing is practically bullet proof as well as weather proof. It's is very adjustable and is the only backpack I have tried that fits a larger frame like mine. I'm about 6'2" and 230 lbs. and all the other backpacks I tried including packs like the 'Micro-trekker', Crumpler, Canon, etc. just didn't cut it for me. Also, it will accomodate a laptop when I get one someday (Santa are you listening... I've tried to be good this year )

my everyday bag is now my crumpler - five million dollar home. very happy with it, and find the quality of their products very good. I also have a lowepro for traveling with

I can't remember what brand my bag is - lowerpro perhaps?
Its a backpack and is the permanent home for all of my equiptment, excluding the tripod which has a bag of its own. Plus hubbys camcorder, with extra mini-dvds, the manual for the camera and the camcorder, plus some cords for both of them, plus all my odds and ends. I love it, because I can move around the compartments as my kit grows and to fit different shapes in and have everything padded and accessible. I even fit in my camera with the speedlight and 50mm lens attached and was able to zip it up so I could just grab it out at a moments notice. I'll have to actually get up and go look so I can tell you what the name of it is

I also use Kata bags (although I use the R-102. My review of the bag appears here on Shuttertalk:

http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/katar102/index.php

I only need the simplest of bags. The trouble is my bags are all too complicated. I don't need anything but the camera and batteries. I am looking for a minimalist bag. What I really want is an "Ever-ready Case." Does anyone remember those?

jbman Wrote:my everyday bag is now my crumpler - five million dollar home.

I was looking at the Six or Seven, because I'm not sure if if the Five would be big enough. My camera isn't large, but I'm worried about the lack of additional pockets for Stuff. Flash, batteries, memory cards, cell phone, iPod; that kind of Stuff. Do you have any success with that?

I was looking at the crumplers too, but the six and sevens are getting into major $$$$ territory... I don't think I can justify the cash for the sake of trendiness, although I admit they look pretty darn good.

Hey J: I also have a Crmpler laptop bag - want me to do another review?

Ooo yeah! You know the drill!

matthew Wrote:I was looking at the Six or Seven, because I'm not sure if if the Five would be big enough. My camera isn't large, but I'm worried about the lack of additional pockets for Stuff. Flash, batteries, memory cards, cell phone, iPod; that kind of Stuff. Do you have any success with that?

well i have my 300d with the tamron 28-75 attached, a sigma 500dg super flas plus room for my 80-200 canon lens as well. I have other little bits and bobs in it as well but its more than big enough to cover most of the stuff I use it for. best of all its very well made and doesn't look like a camera bag.

fire away any more questions if need be.

cheer

Well Russel Crows (aka Rob) :-) excellent review pushed me to get the Kata r-103 and i also got Kata t-212 (dont use it to often though)

Also got a Tamrac velocity 9 (sling bag)


/P.L

my crumpler talle (?) is the padded 'official' camera bag with my slr gear and lenses.

but when i want to travel light, slr with one lens or rangefinder, i use a domke 802, love the huge pockets and it doesn't look anything like a camera bag.

jb, it sounds like the Five is bigger than I thought.

I first saw these bags at a local camera store; I was initially put off by the price and the "I don't want to carry a purse" reaction. Since then, I've looked at what kind of bags other people carry, and decided that my MEC Carryall isn't quite as trendy as I thought it was.

I may not be stylish enough for a Crumpler bag... yet. I'm certainly going to take another look at them (I don't remember/didn't pay attention to the models available) and maybe the Slingshot 100/200 as well.

Just take your gear in there and start hunting through the bags. I was in Singapore at the time on a holiday and i stumbled into the store. I grabbed my gear and came back the next day and tried out various bags. I did find another which was even smaller, but I don't think it would have held my flash and my camera with lens fitted very nicely so I went for the 5 million. Most of the time its actually got more room than I need, but its not bulky so there is no issue there.

I like the fact it has both clip and velcro on the front so I can just push it down while shooting and clip it when on the move.

jbman:

so true - that is how I pick bags - bring in all my gear and try it on for size. Well said.

Actually, now that you mention it, the 5 million dollar home looks quite good... I found some other stores online, and it's not as expensive as I originally thought...

But good advice regarding the buying process. Will do that...

I was at my store today, and they sell the Crumpler Five, Six, and Seven Million, as well as the Lowepro slingshot 200.

The slingshot isn't for me. Lowepro has a certain 'look' to it that I don't care for. (That's a friendly way of saying "ugly".) It looks like a box on a strap. The design may be brilliant, but I didn't even take it off the shelf.

The Five Million is a nice snug bag for two spare somethings (lens/lens or lens/flash) and a mid-sized camera body. It does have a front pocket that I hadn't noticed, giving plenty of room for extra Stuff. It might be a little tight, but it'll fit what I want it to fit.

The Six is quite a lot bigger. This could easily hold two cameras with a good assortment of accessories. Not quite a pro photo safari, but close. Unlike the Five, it'll hold my 40-150 with the hood extended: 18cm long, although I didn't try it mounted on the camera.

The Seven is massive. Buying this bag would justify thousands and thousands of dollars of lenses. (That's not about to happen.)

...my problem is that I want two different things. I want a small cam-and-two-lens bag, which would be the Five. I also want a bag to replace my commuting carryall that will protect my camera, since I bring it to work every day. That would be the Seven. (I also carry a themos lunch bag and a litre-bottle of water.)

So, I bought this. It's an upgrade of my old carryall, with a padded back, bottom, and sides. For the cost of the Seven, I have padded, well-designed and indestructible bag that meets my day-to-day requirements, and enough change left over to buy the Five.

...and I will buy the Five Million Dollar Home, probably in the new year.

Quote:5 million dollar home looks quite good... I found some other stores online, and it's not as expensive as I originally thought...

Hey ST what sort of AU$ have you found on the bag if you dont mind.

thanks

Hey Russt...

I think crumpler.com.au has the 5MDH for $110 including shipping... I also found around $90-95 but without shipping at centre.net.au and digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au...

I think I was checking out the links on the right hand side and came across those stores..

mine cost me S$99 when I was over there earlier in the year. so around $100 sounds about the going price