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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
The Official Favorite Camera Bag Thread
Derek Montgomery, Photographer
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Duluth | MN | USA | Posted: 10:42 AM on 06.25.09 |
| ->> OK, so I have looked over the archives and gotten a small idea about which camera bags people like, but I wanted to ask the question directly and see what you guys are using today and why. I have a Thinktank system with the belt, but when carrying more than a few extra flashes, lenses and more, it can get cumbersome, so I'd like to know what you guys are using and why you like it. Thanks! |
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Jim Slosiarek, Photographer
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Cedar Rapids | IA | USA | Posted: 11:09 AM on 06.25.09 |
->> Yesterday was one of the first times in years that I actually used a camera bag while shooting. Normally, they're just for storage. I'm partial to my Newswear Chestvest for covering football games and other assignments where I need more gear than just my normal one camera over each shoulder and a notebook stuck in my back pocket.
Domkes still are solid bags. Minimal padding so you can cram in a ton of gear if you need to. The canvas bags conform to the hip so not much bouncing when you walk or run. A true shooter's bag.
I haven't tried one of the ballistic nylon bags but they maybe more durable than the canvas. I always thought the canvas Domke's created more "dust" that needed to be blown off your gear when you took it out of the bag.
Although a well aged canvas Domke has a certain coolness factor. |
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Tim Snow, Photographer
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Montreal | Qc | Canada | Posted: 11:10 AM on 06.25.09 |
->> Think Tank Skin: Holds everything where I need it, doesn't hurt my back, can use it all day with little problems. Modular, so I can add or remove pouches as needed. Used for news, sports, concerts, weddings, anything where you have to move quickly and have everything at your fingertips.
Think Tank Airport International: Holds my whole kit, used for transport and storage. I get home and unpack my kit from the skin and put it into the AI, which is then locked using a Master coil lock to a steel bar which I installed into the closet in my office. You can never be too safe! I also use this bag for travel assignments, portrait shoots, editorial fashion, anything where speed is not an issue.
Domke pouches: I have a few of 'em, they will go onto my belt when I want to work really light and when I don't want to stand out too much. Great for street shooting, throw one camera over the shoulder, and throw extra cards, batteries and maybe another small lens in a pouch, and you feel really liberated.
Lowepro Rover AW: Used when I am hiking and want to bring my gear. Holds one body, a 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200. Attach the tripod to the pack, throw in some cards and memory, a few filters and you're good to go. The nice part is half this pack is a daypack, so you can still easily tote along your "10 essentials" (small just-in-case hiking safety/emergency kit), rain jacket and a bit of food.
North Face Surge: Day to day, when not shooting, it's always on me. packed with a 5dMkII with a 24-70, I never leave home without it.
As you can see, there is no one solution that will do everything for you. It's all about finding the right tools that will help you do specific jobs, while not emptying your bank account and estranging your partner ("Another f***ing bag?!"). Good luck in your search. |
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Tom Story, Photographer
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Tempe | AZ | USA | Posted: 11:15 AM on 06.25.09 |
->> Like Bert, it's sort of become "a bag for every job". But having carried way too much gear for way too long with shoulder bags (I have the surgeries to go along with it)
I try to do with only what I need.
I mostly use the Newswear Chestvest for my walking around kit with a camera on each shoulder. I can get in and out of vehicles with it. The size limits me as to what I carry and the weight is spread over both shoulders and back.
I sometimes pair the Chestvest with the Thinktank Shapeshifter for laptop and support gear.
For big hauls, it's a roller or Airport Addicted. Occasionally I use a Mountainsmith Tour pack or my old Domke AF 4 bag. |
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Max Gersh, Photographer
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St. Louis | MO | USA | Posted: 11:48 AM on 06.25.09 |
->> Like everyone else, I have different bags for different needs.
My main bags are: Think Tank Urban Disguise 50, LowePro Photo Trekker Classic, Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home
Provided I don't have to carry all my gear, I hands down prefer my Crumpler. It is an awesome bag. It fits my 70-200, 24-70 attached to 1D (lens down with hood extended) 50, 15, flash, battery pack, cards, batteries,... a bunch of other stuff.
I love that it is discrete but still has some style. It is also very comfortable (as far as shoulder bags go) once you break it in. |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 1:10 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> I use a Domke classic bag in ballistic nylon, but I replaced the stock strap system. Years ago I had one of the PLASTIC(!) strap loops break on me in cold weather, dumping the kit out onto the ground. I replaced the stock strap with a Portabrace heavy duty shoulder strap. It's attached to the bag using a couple of carabiners. Much, much easier on the shoulder, and it's not going to break apart.
I've tried other bags, but the modified Domke just works better. In the main pouch I have it set up to hold one body with a small zoom attached (24-70 with the hood reversed) plus two other lenses (14-24 and a 70-200 with the hood reversed). One side pouch holds a second body (no lens), the other side pouch holds one or two "guest" lenses (usually a mix of a favorite prime or two, a TC, and/or a fisheye). One front pouch for a strobe, the other front pouch for batteries. The rear pouch holds a notepad and a card holder, the zipper pouch in the lid holds a lens brush, cleaning cloth, and a folded up garbage bag for weather. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 1:49 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> If I'm shooting something where I'm in one or two places for a long while (a concert) or I need lots of different stuff (i.e. remotes, flashes, magic arms, etc.) I have a old, beat up Domke F4AF, which I bought off of Tom Story, and it's become my remote gear/quick access bag and I love it.
For most news assignments, sports and everything else, I have the ThinkTank Speed Demon with a bunch of side pouches. Quick access and comfortable.
Vests, not my thing, but they're cool too. |
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Robert Caplin, Photographer
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 2:14 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> Run an search through the Mighty Sports Shooter Newsletter Archives for "In The Bag".
'Nuff Said! |
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Andrew Nelles, Photographer
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Chicago | Ill. | usa | Posted: 2:32 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> I've been rotating through my bag collection lately. I've been using a Domke Ballistic F-6 for most assignments, sometimes a J-3, sometimes a brown canvas F-5XB to carry just a spare lens and strobe.
For sports I've partial to a Think Tank skin belt with the strobe pouch and skin 75.
Just picked up a think tank shape shift also, love it so far. |
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Michael Ip, Student/Intern, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 2:33 PM on 06.25.09 |
| ->> I absolutely love my Crumpler 7 million dollar home. The only problem is, a lot of times I need to keep my laptop on me. So the only solution is to carry another back (usually a backpack) or ditch the crumpler and use my Lowepro Slingshot 350 AW. The 350 AW is *ok* but when I really load it down, it kills my right shoulder. |
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Marc F. Henning, Photographer
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Bentonville | AR | USA | Posted: 3:46 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> never thought i would find a better bag than my Mountainsmith, and then along came Think Tank. love my Think Tank Speed Demon with a pair of Lens Changers attached. love it!
marc |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 10:11 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> Common bag configurations:
- Think Tank Speed Racer (the big one) configured as shoulder bag. Two pro bodies (one solo, one w/80-200 att), flash, couple more lenses, and it even holds my netbook too. Basketball and baseball.
- Think Tank Speed Demon (the little one), Whip-It-Out, Lens Drop-In configured as belt. Football, soccer, lax.
- Think Tank Airport Ultralight. Long trips.
- Crumpler Horseman. Inside, I slide a Think Tank digital holster 40 so I can "go photog" without the whole bag when I need to. The holster is enough for pro body with 18-200 (inside the Crumpler, holster has to be "zipped up"), SB-900 attached to one side of strap and Sigma lens case attached to other side holding (typically) 11-16 or 10-24. Besides up to 17" notebook in padded sleeve, the Horseman can hold gels, batteries, gaffer tape, cables, etc. Has a LowePro Edit 100 attached to one side holding my Edirol R-09, batteries, charger, and mini-tripod. Used in my day job as a corporate flak. |
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William Maner, Photographer
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Biloxi | MS | USA | Posted: 11:13 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> I'm a cheapie.. I'm using a 16 inch Husky large mouth tool bag from Home Depot.. It's roomy and it's made of a heavy material.. has heavy duty zippers and a bunch of storage pouches. It cost about $25..
Granted I don't have a fancy divider inside the bag, but I wrap all my stuff in towels and secure with velcro ties.
The bag can get heavy, so I use an inexpensive fold-up hand truck to move my gear around..
It doesn't have the same visual appeal as a $350+ Think Tank Airport Security roller bag, but it gets the job done for less than $50-$60.. |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 11:37 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> William,
I like your style. :) For years I carried my light stands, umbrellas, etc., around in the cardboard box my tripod came in (it had one of those plastic handles on it). When it literally fell apart, I commandeered my daughter's unused tennis bag for the same purpose.
But I still feel safer with the expensive gear inside a padded case.
Chuck |
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William Maner, Photographer
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Biloxi | MS | USA | Posted: 11:57 PM on 06.25.09 |
->> Chuck Steenburgh..
Thanks for the compliment!! ;-)
The money savings made the purchase of a Canon 300/4 lens a lot less painful for my pocketbook last summer.
I do agree with getting the best you can afford if you travel a lot or spend a lot of hours out in the field.. I don't get out much, so my needs aren't as demanding.
I bought a fancy Tenba bag from another member here about two years ago...I've never used it, as the four-section divider is quite small and won't allow me to configure the bag as I'd like.
The problem I have is that I live in an area that doesn't have a lot of camera shops within 100 miles.. The few stores that are withing the 100 mile radius don't carry a lot of bags, so it's hard to get a feel for the suitability of various bags. |
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Joshua Sy, Student/Intern
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 2:59 AM on 06.26.09 |
->> I go back-and-forth between 4 bags/systems, all but one by Think Tank Photo
- A medium-size, nylon shoulder bag by a Japanese outdoor company called Mont-Bell that's big enough to hold my D700, flash, 50 and 17-35. It's not a camera bag and has ZERO padding, but it's extremely flexible and really blends in for street shooting. When my camera's not on my shoulder, nobody can tell that I'm a photographer.
- Urban Disguise 40, what I use when I have to look "normal", don't have to shoot for more than 3 hours or so, and carry a 70-200 while doing it. It holds a crapload of stuff - way more than you can have comfortably hanging off your shoulder. I can fit everything I own - 2 bodies, 3 lenses, flashes, grip and a Yashicamat - into this thing, which has an extremely small profile for the amount of stuff it can carry. It's also extremely easy to get stuff in or out of it when it's unzipped - just plop the lens into a divider slot and pull out the one you need.
- Shape Shifter + Modulus Belt, what I use when I'm traveling, or when I don't need to blend in because I'm the official photographer or shooting something loud and rowdy. Easiest to use and most comfortable (Change Up and LC75 are the ones that are always on my belt) but has the unfortunate downside of making you look like you're a terrorist. Also a bit of a pain when proning (lying down) for a shot as you have to slide the belt pouches out of your way or risk crushing your gear.
The Shape Shifter is much more convenient than my old system of simply tossing the Modulus pouches into a hiking backpack, which led to the whole load lumping onto the bottom and looking and feeling funny. It's really comfy, and the compression feature is extremely handy. There are a myriad of pouches and places to store stuff, and it holds way more than you'd think it would. You can even stick a light stand on the back. Like any backpack, though, I wouldn't want to have to grab lenses or stuff out of it constantly, which is why I pair it with the Modulus belt. |
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