Camera Bag

[Steve's Girl]

The slings did not fit me well either. I tried the Kata backpack mentioned and while very comfortable, it did not fit my monster 70-200 VR lens. So, I just got this bag:

http://www.amazon.com/Kata-KT-D-3N1...6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1222447286&sr=8-6

So far, I like it. It can be worn as a back pack or a sling bag. It is the same size as the Lowpro fastpack 250, but holds more camera gear and is much more comfortable to carry (at least for me. I found the fastpack series a little to rigid.)

 

[Cdash]

Well, I just picked up a 200 Sling.

The good comments above convinced me, and since the negative comments seemed to come from smaller people, I shouldn't have anything to worry about. Costco near me had if for $67, really cheap compared to online. Everything fits with a LOT of room to spare. I guess I'll have to buy more lenses to fill it up!!

Now I need to figure out when we are going to Disneyworld to try it out: In December in a resort with free dining, or January or February in Fort Wilderness Campground........

 

[Experiment_626]

Clearly, I need a new bag, because building a robot assistant to carry and prepare all my equipment is, sadly, beyond my capabilities!

I think one of the Slingshot bags sounds like it might be best for me, but I'm not sure which size to get. I know there are official recommendations, but i was curious what those of you who already have them might think.

My current bag is ... well, I'm not sure what it is called, but it is fine for storage and for transporting my equipment on trips -- but for actually carrying my stuff around for use, not so much. As a result, I've actually been using a Kermit The Frog backpack designed for children (I got it at Target really cheap) to carry the essentials around in the parks. It works and is much more comfortable, but there's essentially no protection for the equipment. Obviously, this won't do for the future. If the camera is in the bag, I sometimes miss photos because I either can't get to the camera fast enough or I don't want to bother -- I don't like the camera strap around my neck for long periods, especially when I'm sweating in the Florida heat.

My current equipment load is a Nikon D80 with the 18-135 kit lens and a 50mm f1.8 Nikkor, along with an SB-600 Speedlight. Added to that, I'd like it if I could carry my homemade flash diffuser, which stores flat and measures approximately 9 inches by 12 inches. My kit also includes an iPod (used for downloading in the field, various cables and connectors, a polarizing filter, the lens hood for the 18-135, a few memory cards, a microfiber cloth, my battery charger, the camera user's manual, and possibly a few other assorted small odds and ends.

In the near future, I'd like to sell the kit lens and buy the 18-200 VR lens, and add one of the wide-angle zooms such as the Sigma 10-20 -- and whatever bag I get, I want it to have room for these as well.

I presume the Slingshot bags don't have the ability to attach the camera to the straps as opposed to hanging the camera around my neck. I like that idea, but I guess you can't drive a tank and a Ferrari at the same time.

So which size of the Slingshot bags sounds right for me? I'm 6'2", so I don't think the problems some had due their size will be an issue in my case.

SSB

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My current equipment load is a Nikon D80

I've actually been using a Kermit The Frog backpack designed for children

I guess you don't have to worry too much about it getting stolen then.

 

[Master Mason]

Update,

I got the 6million dollar home, it is an incredibly nice bag, however with what I want to put into it, it was maxed to the gills, so I sent it back for the 7M home. If that doesn't work out, then it is back to the drawing board I guess.

 

[Master Mason]

I have been using a slingshot 200 for about a year now, with the set up I have, my stuff fits, but it is sort of a pain to get in and out of. So I currently have a $7million home on order, I am hoping that it will work better for me.

I don't like the back packs because they are a pain to get into and out of, and also, I tended to fill mine up, and it was just too heavy to carry around all the time.

 

[handicap18]

So which size of the Slingshot bags sounds right for me? I'm 6'2", so I don't think the problems some had due their size will be an issue in my case.

SSB

I'm 6' and the 200 fits nice for me. I can get my D300 w/battery grip and 18-135mm lens attached and 2 or 3 lenses or 2 lenses and SB-600 flash. The Gary Fong diffuser fits in the small compartment on top and I can also get a few CF cards, extra battery and a few other small things. I've also gotten a small jacket in the small compartment on top.

 

[Experiment_626]

I'm 6' and the 200 fits nice for me. I can get my D300 w/battery grip and 18-135mm lens attached and 2 or 3 lenses or 2 lenses and SB-600 flash. The Gary Fong diffuser fits in the small compartment on top and I can also get a few CF cards, extra battery and a few other small things. I've also gotten a small jacket in the small compartment on top.

Okay; the 200 was the one I was leaning toward.

And to the other poster -- yes, one thing the Kermit backpack doesn't do is scream "camera inside!"

SSB

 

[pxlbarrel]

I'd like to see a photo of you and Kermit.

Regarding your comment about the camera around your neck in the heat of Florida. It was the one thing I really detested. I did keep my camera out a lot because I found that if I put it back into my backpack, I was getting too lazy to get it out. Not because it was in a backpack and I had to take it off to get it out. On the contrary, because it was so hot, any chance to take the backpack off to cool my back and shoulders was welcome. No, it started to be a luxury not to have a camera in my hands. I noticed this on the first day at the parks...and from then on, the camera had to come out when we approached security for the bag check to make the bag check easier AND so the camera was ready for photos as soon as we walked in.

Don't get me wrong, I love my camera and I love taking photos but man, in that heat...with all that's going on around you, you sometimes just want to walk around with nothing in your hands...

For those considering a DSLR....remember this post. LOL Sometimes I wistfully think back to the days when I had a digital elph. LOL

Oh...and to combat the neck strap around my profusely sweating neck, I carried around a towel around my neck so the strap would sometimes rest on it. The towel came in very useful during the day.

 

[woj68]

The 7 MDH should suit your needs. That bag will get heavy quick with all that heavy artillery stuffed in it.

Let us know how you like it.

 

[npackard11]

We are having a family portrait session done in Dec at Poly,,, this is also our 1st trip. Does anyone have pic's from their family shoot

 

[kldmom2000]

You should go peek on the Disney Resorts board... there's a subcategory of Resort Photos-tons of photopass shoots to be had including ours from the BC in August! Good luck!

 

[JABEAR]

We have pre-ordered our photopass cd and have reserved a time at the Beach Club for a photopass session. What will we need to do to get the photopass session for 1/2 off? Does anyone know how to get it for the original price of $50 as compared to the now $150?

Thanks

 

[chrisblank]

I was looking to book ours the other day and was told to print the receipt for the pre-paid photopass cd and bring it to the session. If my feeble memory remember correctly the cm at the session will need this to give the 50% off. The photopass CD and session was going to cost about $200 total.

If my memory is wrong somone correct me.

 

[ScrappinGran]

Photopass question

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi everyone. I used a fellow Dis'er's tip and pre-ordered the Disney Photopass cd. 3 families are splitting the cost. I successfully entered in all of everyone's Photopass cards and have had a lot of fun editing and enhancing pictures with the borders. After finishing all my editing and enhancing to the Photopass pictures, I uploaded pix from my camera, hoping to enhance these also. After the sucessful upload, I noticed that the borders are not the same borders offered for the Photopass pictures. How disappointing. Is there anyway to use the Photopass borders for my own pictures? I tried to put my own pix in the MK album but it wouldn't let me. I am bummed, and won't bother adding in pix from the other 2 families if I can only use the limited and kind of ugly generic borders. I especially wanted to use the Star Wars borders on some of my own pix, as both grandkids got picked for Jedi Academy, and my shots are better than the Photopass guys. Any way to do this?

 

[Mckymousefn]

I would like to know this as well... since i pre-ordered and will be going in Nov.

 

[jfulcer]

You get full rights to the pictures that are sent to you on CD. I'm not sure if that extends to using the Disney borders, but it wouldn't be too difficult to use a photo editing program once you have the CD to apply a border from one of those pictures to any other pictures you have at home.

Of course you still can't make the Magic Kingdom album on their site with your own pictures - just have to scrap those yourself.

 

[sherry7]

Can anyone give me some suggestions for a camera bag please? I'm currently using an old camcorder bag, and that's definitely not cutting it.

I have a Sony A350. I have a Tamron 28-300 lens, which I plan to leave on the camera most of the time. I also have the stock kit lens...not too sure if I'll even carry that around the parks though. The depth of the camera with the attached 28-300 lens is 6 1/2 inches.

From looking at different choices on Amazon, I am considering one of these: Tamrac Express 6, http://www.amazon.com/Tamrac-3536-Express-Camera-Khaki/dp/B000KLHDZO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1223690544&sr=1-2, or perhaps the Lowepro SlingShot 100, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BAX50G/ref=pd_luc_mri?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance, or maybe the Tamrac Velocity 6, http://www.amazon.com/Tamrac-Velocity-Compact-Sling-Black/dp/B000P41DZM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223697702&sr=8-4

I'm not too sure about these choices. I'm concerned that the Tamrac Express 6 bag (shoulder bag) will hurt my shoulder and back after carrying it all day. I think the Lowepro SlingShot bag and/or Tamrac Velocity 6 (sling bags) might be more comfortable, but I'm concerned that it might be too bulky, and I'd be constantly hitting things with it.

Does anyone have these bags? If so, your thoughts are appreciated. Also, I'd appreciate suggestions of other suitable bags that I might be overlooking.

Oh, and I don't want to spend a fortune. $70 or so is pretty much my outer limit.

Thanks for your help.

 

[oogieboogieman]

I have the Tamrac Velocity 7 sling pack. This is what I carry in it... Alpha 100, KM 70-210, Tamron 28-75 and either a flash or KM 50mm lens, without any problem. Most of the time I don't carry across my back just out of preference but just on my right shoulder. I have the Lowepro Slingshot 200 basically for storing my camera gear but do use it on occassion at the parks. Hope this helps.

 

[WillCAD]

Forget picking a bag to carry all day! Just carry the camera itself, on a comfortable strap of some kind, and leave the bag in your room.

The only thing a camera can take pics of when it's in a bag is the inside of the bag. And while the inside of a camera bag may be a fine place, I have no burning desire to start a collection of pics of them. But I do have a burning desire to take pics of my vacation experiences, which is why my camera stays out and ready at all times when I'm touring - turned on, lense hood in place, lens cap off. I do have it set to go into sleep mode after about 3 minutes, to save battery power.

Your 28-300 lens is an excellent walkaround lens for the parks. And since the only other lens you have is a kit lens anyway, you won't need a camera bag to lug around with spare lenses (I use a Sigma 18-125 as my walkaround lens). You will need a spare battery and some spare memory cards, but these are small items that you can easily fit in your pockets or a small waist bag, rather than lug around a huge camera bag. I even carry a pocket-size tripod for those night shots when I need stability - it works great on tables, trash cans, railings - but I carry it in a belt holster and not in a bag.

So get yourself a nice bag for travelling that will protect your gear through airports and on planes, but don't look for something to carry in the parks.

Go bagless.