Camera Bag

[Spectro is #1]

Here are two PhotoPass photographers working their craft near the entrance to Epcot. I talked with them for awhile, both seemed like fairly experienced photographers and interested in the HDRs I was taking.

boBQ,
what focal length is this shot?

 

[boBQuincy]

boBQ,
what focal length is this shot?

That is 10mm (Canon 10-22). I quietly said "everyone stand still for three exposures" but they ignored me!

 

[Spectro is #1]

That is 10mm (Canon 10-22). I quietly said "everyone stand still for three exposures" but they ignored me!

"Oh no you didn't say please?"
no wonder they kept moving
thanks!

 

[smatterchu]

Here are a few from Hollywood...

-wearin' the hat....

not-so-hidden-mickeys...

so scary!!!

 

[taterules]

I'd like to get a camera bag that will hold a DSLR with lens, plus a few spare lenses, and a 15" laptop computer. The Lowepro - Fastpak 250 looks good but is expensive. Does anyone have experience with this bag or any other recommendations? Should I be worried about the possibility of pickpockets at the airport with a backpack-style bag, or are they too hard to get into?

 

[spinetnglr]

I have the Kata DR-467 which also has the laptop sleeve feature. Its a very comfortable pack and has the strap designed to attach an optional trolley to make a rolling pack for the airport. I carried this bag all day on mother's day at the Philly zoo and it was very comfortable and my back never got tired. I had all my lenses (4 total) plus my D40 body and a few other personal items. the D300 was around my neck all day. Its also a few dollars less than the Lowepro you are considering. The Kata 467 can be ordered from amazon.com for about $80. Might be another one for you to consider.

 

[tripodjw]

I have a fastpack 350 and really like it.

It is perfect airline carry on size so is great for carrying everything in one place.

I haven't worried about pickpockets taking stuff out o fthe bag, the camera section is a zipped pocket that has a snapshut flap over the top of it - you can put the zips for the camera section under the flap and a thief would struggle to get at your camera stuff.

The 350 model is very comfortable to wear - even with camera, laptop, 4 lenses, chargers and various accessories.

I chose the 350 because it fitted everything i wanted to carry, had good padded straps, and had a decent size non-camera section for keeping "stuff" in. You know stuff, as in, snacks, drink bottle, tissues, handwipes, sunscreen, poncho.

The only downside i have for the 350 is that it not very waterproof out of the store. You either need to spray on an extra layer of waterproofing or get one of those turtle shell like waterproof covers. I had a cover from a daysack rucksack i bought form a camping store and so i carry taht rolled up in my fastpack "stuff" section.

Obviously, don't spend more than you can afford, but remember it may be worth spending a bit on a bag as a cheap bag is false economy. It needs to be comfortable to wear for a long time, carry everything you want it to, and adequately store and protect your very valuable equipment.

If you're looking for a bag to carry your laptop i'd also recommend trying your laptop out in a store in different bags and sizes. A 15" laptop of one brand is a different size to a 15" laptop of a different brand - the 15" only refers to screen size - not how thick the laptop is or how big around the screen it is.

I found i tried one bag that should have fit my 17" laptop - the label on the bag said it would hold a 17" laptop, but i couldn't fit the laptop in the laptop slot by a good inch.

 

[lap3]

I'm not familiar with the Fastpak 250 but I like using my Lowepro CompuTrekker. It's big enough to hold 2 bodies and 3 lenses. In addition, my 15" MBP fits well, too. The MSRP is like $200 but I got for right around $100.

 

[RangerPooh]

If I'm taking my laptop with me I use my school bag. It's by Osprey and has a thick enough siding that it can take a licking and still protect what is inside. Plus it has a sectioned area that protects the laptop. Here's a picture:

Mine's an older version but is still in great shape. They retail for ~$90+ depending on size. I have taken mine with me on numerous photo outings and have never had a probelm. It's inside while not sectioned of for gear (other than the laptop) is specious enough that I can put a few lenses and camera body without any issues.

It is a messenger bad, so it has a wide padded shoulder starp and waist belt.

 

[cpbjgc]

I have this bag and have used it at Disney. What I really liked about this bag is that it was one of the few that can store my camera with a 70-200 mm F2.8 lens on the body, which was very convenient at Animal Kingdom on our trip last August. It also has lots of storage for snacks, first aid kit, sunscreen, ponchoes, etc. It has external pockets I used for water bottles and an umbrella. As you may have guessed, I am the pack horse for our family, and I found this bag worked really well. I also used a waterproof shell for it I bought at a camping store (Florida in August is WET!) and it worked great.

If you can, you should pop into the store and actually try on some of the bags, as I found a big difference in comfort from one brand to the next.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[WillCAD]

I've been through this same dilema myself and found no good solutions, so I made one.

I wanted a wheeled bag, with a shoulder strap, and easy-access to the laptop so I could get it out for security at the airport. But all of the combo SLR/laptop bags I've seen have been either wheeled pilot cases or backpacks; I couldn't even find a wheeled backpack. The wheels are important to me because with all my camera gear and laptop gear in it, the bag gets too heavy to lug around the airport on my shoulders.

Since I couldn't find one that met my needs and didn't cost $200-$300, I decided to make one of my own. I started with a sub-$40 American Tourister wheeled carry-on case from Walmart. The case has the standard zip front, two external zip compartments, and a laptop compartment that's accesible from the outside via a zipped flap on the side. It also comes with a removable laptop sleeve, though I don't use that - my 15" laptop doesn't fit in it.

I then purchased a 4" slab furniture-grade foam rubber from a local foam store, and cut out custom compartments for my camera gear. This filled the main compartment of the bag perfectly. An additional 1" slab of foam went into the back of the bag, between the lining and the retractable handle, to protect the laptop from hitting the handle. I finished up with a pair of 1" U-bolts, drilled through the top of the back to create snap points for a shoulder strap.

When finished, the bags layers are like so:

4" slab of foam with camera gear
1" empty space where teh laptop slides in from the side compartment
Bottom nylon lining of the bag
1" foam slab
Retractable handle

I took some pics of the bag as I was assembling it, but I lost them when I reformatted the memory card before downloading. But I'll take a few some time in the future.

The overall effect is something like a poor man's Pelican. The total cost of the bag and materials was less than $50, but I think it will hold up as well as a $200 bag, and it has all of the features that I wanted in a bag. It's also easy to re-configure - all I have to do is buy another slab of 4" foam and cut new compartments in it, and I'll have a completely different bag.

 

[zackiedawg]

I'll be a second to the Kata suggestion, though I have a different model of backpack - the R-series. The R103 will handle 3-5 lenses and body plus all accessories, has a slot for the laptop along the bottom for protection against your back, and it's practically bulletproof strong (funny, Kata does make bullet proof vests!). It's unbelievably comfortable - the strap design and weight distribution is marvelous, and the main opening cover for the backpack has a smaller zip opening in the middle that allows you to open only the center compartment where the camera and mounted lens are stored - so you can quickly grab the camera without dumping other gear out. I bought it in particular because I needed a bag that could handle a 200-500mm lens mounted on-body...but it's a great bag even if you don't have a big lens, and the interior can be reconfigured as you wish.

 

[YesDear]

I also use the Lowepro Comutrekker, but mine is the plus because I have a 17" Mac laptop. I never carrry it around in the parks but it is invaluable in taking it with me! and all my stuff!

 

[handicap18]

My carry it all bag is the Tamrac Adventure 9. I can get my laptop along with camera body with lens attached, 4 or 5 other lenses (depending on which ones) and my flash. It will also hold my battery charger and cord, plenty of batteries, filters and memory cards along with the laptop cords and portable external hard drive. Once time I even threw in the video camera and its cords. When fully loaded it is heavy, but there is a lot of stuff in there.

I don't cart all that stuff around the parks, but it is great for putting all my stuff in one place all together. Once I get to my final destination I either use a smaller bag or belt pouches for the 1 or 2 extra lenses that I'll need that day.

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

I have a fastpack 250 and love it. I keep D90, 18-105, 70-300, 30 and SB-600 in the camera compartment and could probably squeeze another lens in there (I can see a 10-20 in my future). The reason that I got it was for the extra room in the top section to haul stuff when going to the parks. It really isn't large enough for a large jacket or sweatshirt but easily holds a lot of stuff. It has lots of little compartment for miscellaneous things like cards, batteries, pens and blowers. I have yet to fly with mine but have taken on a couple of road trips with my laptop (15"). The laptop fits very snug in the back and once I arrive at my destination I take it out. Then you can put other things in that compartment like trash bags and towels. I spent 3 days at Disneyland with it on and it is very comfortable, carrying most of the weight on your lower back instead of your shoulders. The other great feature is that like a sling bag, you can take off the right arm strap and swing the camera compartment in front of you to remove your camera. I have even changed lens with it in that position. We are going to WDW in August this year and I am worried that it may be too warm on my back but I don't plan on taking everything with me everyday.

 

[Quicklabs]

Oh, I'm liking this little beauty already. It's on its way with me to San Antonio for the week of Memorial Day!

 

[Steve's Girl]

Sounds great, but we could see how great it was if you posted photos (ahem, this is a photography board....hint)

 

[Angrypenguin]

Post photos! I want to see how big it is. That's what she said.

(sorry, I couldn't resist!)

 

[jfinke]

Congrats, I have the 6MDH. I love it.

 

[Quicklabs]

OK, OK! LOL - 7 MDH as modeled by my lovely "SpokesLab". (Spokeslab was not feeling much in a modeling mood!) This is a fairly small Spokeslab, about 60 lbs, so you can get an idea of the relative size of the bag.
It's just the right size for me. I will be carrying the D80, a few lenses, cards, blah, blah "purse type stuff"--wallet, sunglasses, keys, and of course a water bottle. It has a nice loop for my Gorillapod on the ourside. I actually thought it would be wider across, and was a little surprised by the depth dimension. The pockets are great. The heavily padded strap should make it comfortable to carry. I think everything will be nice and secure.
Because the color is being discontinued, it was $99 at Adorama; the same bag in a different color is $140 at B&H.
The lighting is terrible, but it's a very dark and stormy evening here (and I didn't want to use flash)