Camera Bag Questions

[kidkaprie]

I know that there have been tons of threads about camera bags, but I figured I would post my specific equipment and ask what people recommend. Iam looking to carry:
-nikon d80
-18-135 lens
-sb-800 speedlight
-possibly a small lens (10.5 mm or so)
-other various little things for day trips (pens, gum, etc.)

i am looking at the tamrac velocity 7x. Is this going to be too small? I am going to be using this bag as a secondary bag for day trips and such, and have a much bigger bag for transporting more equipment.

thanks for the advice

 

[juanster]

i just bought a lowepro nova 3, i think this bag will fit your needs maybe even a nova 4? they r pretty neat bag you should take a look at them and very well priced IMO as well.

 

[fluidedge]

always get one thats slightly bigger then you think you'll need. I like the Crumpler bags personally. Nice quality product.

 

[kidkaprie]

i guess i should mention that im leaning more towards a backpack / slingback type thing....the style of the velocity is what im ideally looking to go with.

im not a fan of the bag nova's bag type.

 

[theblueone]

I haven't used the Tamrac, but I've played with it in stores a little. From the description you gave + what you said your needs were, it sounds about right. If you needed something just a little bigger, the Lowepro Slingshot 200 or 300 might be worth looking into. I like my 200 a lot.

 

[Westside guy]

As I've posted in similar threads I have the Tamrac Velocity 8x and like it a lot.

If you're buying one on eBay, be a little careful. The previous version - the same names but without the "x" - had the "lid" open towards you rather than away from you. Since it's a sling bag that is less than optimal. The "x" line all open away from you, which works quite well.

Take a look at the Tamrac site (assuming you decide to go with Tamrac) and look at the descriptions. I bought the 8x because, at some point, I'll probably have a long lens like the 80-400. With the 8x I'll be able to keep the lens on the camera while it's in the bag. As it is, with the 18-200 lens I've got about 3 inches of spare room below it - but the bag comes with lots of dividers, so I just store my filter gear at the bottom and put a padded divider on top of that (and then the lens is above that). But you can probably get away with a 7x or maybe even a 6x, depending on your requirements.

 

[alembic]

Think Tank Photo

I have a Think Tank Speed Racer and I'm very happy with it. Excellent build quality and thoughtful functionality. Your needs are probably served better with the smaller version, Speed Demon. Here's a small review with some interior shots as it's being loaded with gear.

 

[rogersmj]

I just got the Velocity 7x and love it so far. As a secondary bag for you I think it would be great. The 8x and 9x of course would work too if you think you might need a bit more room.

 

[RaceTripper]

Domke F-2 is the classic canvas bag. It's an awesome bag to carry, Very comfortable and form fitting, versatile, and virtually indestructible.

I use it to carry a Nikon D200 with battery grip, 70-200/2.8 VR, 17-55/2.8, SB800, and spare batteries, memory etc. I have the postal carrier shoulder pad and carry this bag around with my gear all day at endurance (10-12 hour) sports car races.

It looks cool too. I have the olive color, but it also comes in sand, black, and blue.

 

[theenigmat]

I haven't used the Tamrac, but I've played with it in stores a little. From the description you gave + what you said your needs were, it sounds about right. If you needed something just a little bigger, the Lowepro Slingshot 200 or 300 might be worth looking into. I like my 200 a lot.

See how the 200 works for you. I have a 300 and it was kind of a pain to carry around with me for a month in Australia. The straps are thick, but the weight distribution, especially with the camera and main lens out of the bag is a little odd. It would also start to hurt my right shoulder after about two hours (though you can take it off, and put it over your left shoulder like a shoulder bag which alleviates some of the discomfort)

 

[jbernie]

Although I might be in the market shortly for a new bag, my only piece of advice is to, if at all possible get to a few stores and see what the bags are really like. There are plenty of bags out there that look interesting but until I can see how they fit and how they are setup I won't be buying.

 

[ferchu in mex]

kata

just get a Kata........ I have taken my bag to extreme conditions.. witn my brand new D300 inside.. and my sigma wide angle.. a flash.. and many more stuff.. everyone loves it.... !

 

[OreoCookie]

I have a Loewe Pro bag: very nicely built and even without the built-in raincoat water proof. They look like traditional camera bags, though -- because they are

 

[Hmac]

When I travel with my camera, I need my laptop too. On airlines, you mostly only get to take one carryon - they often make you gate-check a second bag and the toss it down that chute that you see on the side of most jetways. I never wanted to make the decision of whether to put my camera or my laptop in the hands of airline baggage handlers. My solution was a LowePro Computrekker backpack. Great bag, comfortable to carry. I've flown with it, hiked with it, worn it on my back while snowmobiling, lashed it to the sissy bar of my motorcycle, and had it on the deck of a Zodiac boat in 5 foot seas. It's always performed well. Only drawback, it can get heavy if it's loaded down with all the stuff.