# Need recommendations for a bag to hold my camera/accessories



## Taemobig (Jan 13, 2012)

Hi everyone, I just got the 5d mkII from the B&H bundle from christmas, upgraded from 50d. My previous bag was a Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW. It fit my speedlite, 2 lenses and my 50d, albeit very snugly. I'm still gonna keep my old lowepro slingshot and also the smaller bag that came from the bundle when I want to carry less stuff. 

Now I got 2 more lenses as a gift from a friend photographer who upgraded to the L versions of 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.2, so he gave me his non-L versions.

Needless to say, I need more room. Here's a list of my stuff:

5d mkII
50d with BG-E2N grip
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8 IS mkII
50mm 1.4
85mm 1.8
580 ex
and other stuff such as lens pen cleaner, blackrapid strap, stofen diffuser, memory cards, extra batteries for 50D and 5D mkII.

And I usually use another bag to carry a laptop but if you guys can recommend a bag that has a slot for a 15 inch laptop, that would be great.

Links and prices would be greatly appreciated ;D


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## Kernuak (Jan 13, 2012)

You could have a look at the Lowepro Naturetrekker AW II as a starter, that's what I'm currently using, with a 7D (with 300mm f/2.8+1.4x attached), a 5d MkII (no lens attached) and a choice of 2-3 other lens combinations. With your smaller lenses (the 300 takes up a lot of space), you could probably fit your gear in, although you may need to do a few calculations. The Digitial Picture have a review, comparing it sizewise to other bags.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Lowepro-Nature-Trekker-II-AW-Backpack-Review.aspx

What isn't obvious from the pictures in the review, it comes with a detachable daysack, in which you can fit your lunch a flask, binoculars and a few other things. There are also internal pockets for accessories, such as memory cards, batteries and lens cloths.


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## nebugeater (Jan 13, 2012)

I can help. YOu can send me what doesn't fit and I will put it in my bag!  That would be the perfect bag for your gear!


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## PaperTiger (Jan 13, 2012)

I've got a Lowepro Computrekker Plus AW and a Lowepro Slingshot AW. Believe it or not, the slingshot will fit:

5D II
7D
24-70L
50 1.4
28 1.8
580 EXII
430 EX

It's tight, but it all fits pretty nicely. It'd be a stretch to get the 70-200L in there. I know it'd fit, but with not too much else. It's a great bag for run and gun shooting though. You can get your camera out without taking the bag off of your shoulder.

The CompuTrekker Plus is great. Very good straps and support (routinely do big long hikes with ridiculous amounts of gear) and built-in rain cover. I've had mine for over 6 years and as far as I can tell it's more or less indestructible. Fits in carryon baggage too (just barely).


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## DavidRiesenberg (Jan 13, 2012)

I am partial to Kata bags. Their Bumblebee model is particularly nice. Fits a ton of gear and has a laptop compartment. Build quality is top notch.


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## wickidwombat (Jan 13, 2012)

if you want to stick with the sling style i use this
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Classified-Sling%20220%20AW,2141.htm
its ok but has some drawbacks, when its full its heavy and the sling style feels heavier than backpack styles when they are really heavy I usually fit in this bag
1dmk3
5dmk2
70-200 f2.8is
300 f4L
16-35 f2.8
50 f1.4
sigma 85 f1.4
teleconverter 
filters nd accessories chargers etc and a 580ex2
and it has a padded spot for a 15" laptop

i've been considering one of the gura gear backpacks though


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## gj64mad1989 (Jan 13, 2012)

555 or 550 from Billingham are my two favourite bags and carry a lot of equipment.


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## shinyknights (Jan 13, 2012)

I would personally get a bag that just fits your travel necessities. The camera body + lens and 2 other lenses at most. Add flash, batteries, filters and charger. It would keep your bag light and if it does get stolen, you wouldn't lose your entire camera collection!

So get two bags. One for your outdoor/travel bag and a pelican or hprc hard case for the rest of your gear.


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## TexPhoto (Jan 14, 2012)

Personally I love LowPro bags, and have 4 right now. Some Lowepro bags have a laptop slot so look for those. But as for type and size, it's all personal preference. I recommend you visit a big camera store and try some out.


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## AG (Jan 14, 2012)

shinyknights said:


> I would personally get a bag that just fits your travel necessities. The camera body + lens and 2 other lenses at most. Add flash, batteries, filters and charger. It would keep your bag light and if it does get stolen, you wouldn't lose your entire camera collection!
> 
> So get two bags. One for your outdoor/travel bag and a pelican or hprc hard case for the rest of your gear.



I have to agree with this.

If you were looking for cheap bag that wasn't too bulky or overly expensive there are some good ones on ebay (china direct) that actually fit a fair bit of gear in them.

i bought this one...






...just before xmas and it fits Gripped 60D, Gripped 5D2, Tokina 11-16, 50mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 24-105, z finder, lens gears, Rode video mic, LED light panel, Gorilla pod SLR Zoom, Zoom H4n 8 Spare LPe6 batteries, SD and CF Cards, iPhone and random bits and pieces (intervalometer, AA + AAA batteries, Markers etc)

AND a 13" Macbook Pro. (in its own 3rd party sleeve/cover)

Weighs a ton but its convenient having everything that i need in an easy to get too location while on a shoot.

Heres a few links to a couple of styles they do. (ignore the capacity ratings they give as they are way under estimated)

Satchel
Backpack
Girly ;D

Before i used these bags i was a Crumpler user but as great as they are i can not justify the expense of them anymore.


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## Ronaldbyram (Jan 14, 2012)

Check out Think Tank Products www.thinktankphoto.com
I got a Retrospective 30 They have a Hugle selection of Products


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## rmblack (Jan 14, 2012)

Get something that lasts yo. Go with a Loka f-stop bag, that's what I will be getting. Although it is a little pricey, shell + 1 ICU is $340 haha. :'(


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## D.Sim (Jan 14, 2012)

gj64mad1989 said:


> 555 or 550 from Billingham are my two favourite bags and carry a lot of equipment.



Billingham bags are lovely... Pity they cost so much, but you do get what you pay for...

Would you be after a sling or a backpack? 

If you were after a sling I'd go for the Crumpler 8 Million Dollar home... or if you have it, the Brazillion Dollar Home. Backpacks (which should fit your laptop in a far more comfortable way than a sling bag)... The Karachi Outpost (Large) should be nice, or the bigger C LIst Celebrity (Large) ... or if you still want the sling bag, a cashmere blazer maybe 

Yes, I'm a massive fan of Crumpler bags... They don't look like a camera bag for one... 

Check out their website, sizing, reviews... all there


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## P_R (Jan 14, 2012)

gj64mad1989 said:


> 555 or 550 from Billingham are my two favourite bags and carry a lot of equipment.



Agree with that.

When I travel (air) I carry one large bag with all of the gear I want to carry for the trip, a Tamrac Pro12. Second smaller bag is in the planes hold empty, with all the extra bits you need, like clothes.  

That way the larger bag will stay in the hotel, while the smaller bag has what I need for that day's shoot. Allows me to have a smaller day bag.


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## P_R (Jan 14, 2012)

AG said:


> shinyknights said:
> 
> 
> > So get two bags. One for your outdoor/travel bag and a pelican or hprc hard case for the rest of your gear.
> ...


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## bigblue1ca (Jan 14, 2012)

rmblack said:


> Get something that lasts yo. Go with a Loka f-stop bag, that's what I will be getting. Although it is a little pricey, shell + 1 ICU is $340 haha. :'(



I have the big brother/sister to the F-Stop Loka, the Tilopa BC (Backcountry) and it's excellent. I find it's very comfortable, durable, well designed and thought out for photographers. You can get different sized ICU's depending on how much gear you want to carry on a given day, from small the XL.


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## mreco99 (Jan 14, 2012)

Im pretty happy with my Tamrac's Aero Speed 85 backpack, very cumfy, and has the space i need, No pack is perfect though.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-tamrac-aerospeed-85-black-rucksack/p1030178
like the laptop slot which i use for anything but a laptop.
happily holds my 5Dmk2 +70-200mk2+ 2 other lense and bits


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## jai5w4 (Jan 14, 2012)

Check out Clik Elite's stuff. I have two from them and really like the form and function. They seem to get it.


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## heavybarrel (Jan 14, 2012)

I would recommend ThinkTank bags too...
I've tried Kata, LowePro and Crumpler bags and actually I've liked them all. Just switched brands when I got more stuff. 
I have a 5D2, 24-70, 70-200 f/28 II, 85 1.2, 580EXII, and Flip video camera and they all fit into my ThinkTank Streetwalker. The Streetwalker Pro is a bit larger and has a sleeve for your laptop as well. They are made to last forever. 

If you live in the SF area, there's a store in Palo Alto called Bear images that has a whole line. It's really convenient to bring your crap with you and try it all out. Great prices and service too... just a mom and pop kind of place with piles of stuff everywhere.


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## Cornershot (Jan 15, 2012)

I have Think Tank and Tamrac bags and packs. All great stuff. Don't be tempted to buy a cheap no-name bag. Cheap no-name bags may feel sturdy but they take shortcuts on hardware like zippers, buckles. That's where they fail and will leave you in a lurch when carrying your gear. You may pay more for the brand bags like Kata, Domke and Think Tank but they'll last a lot longer, work a lot better.


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## revup67 (Jan 25, 2012)

I got a Lowepro Flipside 400AW off Ebay for a mere $99 through an authorized reseller (canadian). The bag is fantastic. custom configurable and was the only bag I could find that held a Canon camera body and a 400mm together. It's a back pack type, breathes well, holds two water containers. YOu can swing it around and it unzip from the the rear (inner) part of the back pack, not the outer. When you swing it around your waste and flip it forward it acts like a table top. Very sturdy as well. 

The ebay reseller name was prodigitial2000 exactly like this one here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lowepro-Flipside-400-AW-Backpack-Pine-Green-/190625737040?pt=US_Camera_Cases_Bags&hash=item2c622de950

there are youtube videos demonstrating the bag as well which I recommend reviewing especially this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXCAMU2A2ws

Revup67


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## neuroanatomist (Jan 25, 2012)

revup67 said:


> I got a Lowepro Flipside 400AW



I have one, really like it! Holds a gripped body, can fit two big white zooms (70-200/2.8, 100-400) and 3 other lenses, or one big zoom and 5 other lenses, plus a flash, filters, etc. Tripod attachment. Rain cover. Don't have to set it down in the mud to change lenses. Also like the extra security of the main compartment opening against my back.


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## jwong (Jan 25, 2012)

The issue I have are the lens hoods. Do people mount them reversed on each lens or try to nest them and dedicate a section of the bag specifically for the hoods? I wish they made the backpacks wider to accommodate the hoods easier...


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## Crapking (Jan 25, 2012)

Ronaldbyram said:


> Check out Think Tank Products www.thinktankphoto.com
> I got a Retrospective 30 They have a Hugle selection of Products



+1 
It holds both a 1DIV and 7D gripped, 16-35/24-70/135 (or 70-200)/35 + flash and doesn't look like a camera bag and stays upright when you put it behind car seat/in trunk or on the ground. 
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/shoulder-bags/retrospective.aspx

If carry-on roller bag is more your style, look at the Airport security. I have the International and just a little too small for 2 bodies and the laptop. 
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/rolling-camera-bags/airport-series.aspx


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## traveller (Jan 25, 2012)

I also have a Flipside 400AW! 

Good bag, comfy, well built (like all Lowepros) and not too expensive; I can't give you a link because I don't know what country you're in, but all good camera stores should stock it (but not necessarily your small high street franchise outlets). 

It should fit all the gear that you've listed comfortably but you won't have much room for personal kit (perhaps a jacket or fleece, some water/snacks and maps etc), it certainly wont accomodate a full laptop. You will notice how much bigger and bulkier it is than a sling bag, but it is also far more comfortable to carry for long periods. Like most rucksacks, you'll have to take it off to access your kit especially because of the 'flap-to-back' design but as Neuro states, this does increase security (not that it's an ideal bag for street shooting). 

Hope this helps.


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## vlim (Jan 25, 2012)

The bags from F-stop are terrific with some space dedicated to your personal equipment and gear. i'll order one Loka as soon as possible


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## neuroanatomist (Jan 25, 2012)

jwong said:


> The issue I have are the lens hoods. Do people mount them reversed on each lens or try to nest them and dedicate a section of the bag specifically for the hoods? I wish they made the backpacks wider to accommodate the hoods easier...



For most lenses, I do store them in the bags with the hood reversed. The exceptions to that are two lenses with very shallow, very large diameter hoods - the 16-35L II and TS-E 24L II; those I store separate from the lens. Putting them all in the bag is kind of like a jigsaw puzzle - for example, the 70-200 II with hood reversed is substantially wider at the Front of the lens then near the mount, so I place a short, fat lens like the 85L II with hood reversed vertically alongside the exposed part of the 70-200's barrel.


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## canon816 (Jan 25, 2012)

I'm a huge fan of Tamrac Bags. I have three.
Biggest bag: Expedition 8x. Holds two camera bodies, f/2.8 300mm, 70-200, 17-40 and 24-105 along with 2 T.C's and there is still room left over. 

My Expedition 6x holds: two bodies, 70-200, 17-40, 24-105, 2 T.C's and a 580 speedlight.

Both bags have a laptop pocket and plenty of additional pockets for filters, batteries, cards, wimberly sidekick, rain gear etc.... You can strap a tripod on as well. 

I won't use anything other then Tamrac after loving mine for 2+ years.


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## jwong (Jan 25, 2012)

canon816 said:


> I'm a huge fan of Tamrac Bags. I have three.
> Biggest bag: Expedition 8x. Holds two camera bodies, f/2.8 300mm, 70-200, 17-40 and 24-105 along with 2 T.C's and there is still room left over.
> 
> My Expedition 6x holds: two bodies, 70-200, 17-40, 24-105, 2 T.C's and a 580 speedlight.
> ...



Are you able to keeps all the hoods on the lenses? I have an Adventure75 and it has the same width at 11". I'm finding it impossible to fit three lenses across the width with hoods attached...


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## jwong (Jan 25, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> jwong said:
> 
> 
> > The issue I have are the lens hoods. Do people mount them reversed on each lens or try to nest them and dedicate a section of the bag specifically for the hoods? I wish they made the backpacks wider to accommodate the hoods easier...
> ...



Thanks for the input. I prefer storing the hoods with the lenses. I just picked up an additional lens, and no amount of rejiggering will get all the gear to fit with the hoods. I'm now looking to get a larger bag, and it looks like the LowePro Trekker 600AW might be a good choice because it has 14.6" interior width whereas most Tamracs (currently use) and others tend to top out at 11-12" wide...


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## revup67 (Jan 25, 2012)

Like most rucksacks, you'll have to take it off to access your kit especially because of the 'flap-to-back' design

Hi Traveller..not sure what you mean by take it off to access the kit. I just slip off the shoulder straps and swing it around the front while keep the entire pack attached to my waist having it act like a table top though I am sure you are ware of this. I unzip the camera compartment and have access to everything without removing the bag. In either case glad to see you and Neuro have acquired this bag - I am most impressed with mine especially that I can hang a water bottle off one side and a rechargeable Air Zound can off the other (used to frighten off threatening wildlife vs. a weapon).


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## Penn Jennings (Jan 26, 2012)

I got the Lowepro Classified 250 AW on Amazon recently for $99:

http://www.amazon.com/Lowepro-Classified-250-AW-Black/dp/B001H33VW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327608373&sr=8-1
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Classified-250%20AW,2123.htm


I carry:

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 135mm f/2.0 L
Canon 85mm f/1.8
Tamron 24-70mm
Tamron 70-300mm
Canon 580 Ex II
PocketWizard Flex TT5 (x2)
16' USB Cable
15 MacBook Pro
12 Extra AA batteries and smal misc gear.


Overal it does well. The padding is decent. The camera seems well protected. The laptop protection could be a little better. However, the center of the bag is the most protected area and camera goes there. Sooo, the laptop is placed on the side against your body, which would seem to be the next best area. 
Minolta Light Meter IV.

I tried the Lowepro DSLR Video Fastpack 350 AW but I just keep thinking that one day my 5D2 and 135L would slide out of the side. 

http://products.lowepro.com/product/DSLR-Video-Fastpack-350-AW,2283,16.htm


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## bycostello (Jan 27, 2012)

depends what you are using the kit for.... I've got a ton of bags travel i'd use my think tank shape shifter, wedding I'd use a double sunsnipper type strap with a think tank retrospective, model shoots out doors a lowpro magnum 400 and if traveling on assignment my lowpro wheely suitcase...

what i have noticed is that i try and carry less and less on each job... ok, the back up kit is always on hand, but what i am actually physically carrying is reduced to the essentials.


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