What kind of bag is best?

I need a new bag to accommodate my gear. I have a Canon 30D, a 24-70 f/2.8L, an 18-55mm kit, and a

75-300. I also will in the future be purchasing a speed light and possibly a 70-200 f/4. I currently have

a Tamrac adventure series small bag. I was thinking either the large version or the Aero 80 bag. Why is

the Aero 80 like $60 less than the large adventure series? I like Tamrac for function design and styling but

I'd be willing to go with another brand if it would give me either a better bag or more bang for my buck,

so to speak. Hope you can help.

 

~Andrew

I'm most familiar with and recommend the Lowepro Stealth Reporter bags, whose larger sizes (D550 is the one I have) hold 4-5 big zooms vertically plus the flash. The camera stays attached to one lens and is easy to pull out quickly. I like this approach because everything is directly accessible; you don't need to dig underneath a stored item to find something else. The lens dividers can be adjusted, but it's helpful if they are all roughly the same size so that any one slot can accommodate any of the lenses. It's best to bring your gear to a well-stocked store and try it out.

Andrew,

 

It really depends on what you want in a bag as to what will be best for you. Some people like bags that have a lot of padding while some people like bigs with out much padding.

 

I shoot out of two different bags. I have a Domke F6 for my medium format bag and a Domke Little Bit Bigger bag that I have my canon kit in it fits 3 bodies, and depending on what lenses I pack up to 9 lenses. I like the Domke because its easy to get at my lenses and is pretty light and has alot of pockets and its water repellent.

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/

 

Great designs, high quality.

Hi

 

What was said above, it depends what you do with your gear. I have a Pelican hard case and a Lowepro backpack style bag. Neither were cheap but both offer very good protection for all kinds of knocks and weather. I use the hard case for when I'm travelling by car, it's indestructable and internally well padded. You design the insides yourself and it can be rearranged with a bit of trouble. The Lowepro is good for air travel where it can be carried by handle or on the back and fits into overhead lockers easily. The Lowepro holds my 400D, 100-400, 70-200 2.8, 85 1.8, 50 1.8, and kit zoom as well as battery chargers, batteries, CF cards, notebooks and other things like travel documents. If you were to only get one bag this would be it. I think mine is a Mini Treker (I've lost the tag). Like I said, not cheap, but very good quality, versatile and gives you peace of mind.

 

Neill Farmer

You might scroll through the 60 plus pages listed <a href="http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?s=9d542f1ac2a51d7cbc094b3c99c7212d&t=36952">here</a>. But at the end of the day, it's too personal a question for anybody to answer. I like my Domke.<br>

<br>

 

Dave

I'm using a Lowepro Slingshot 300AW

*On the left - my XT body + grip & my 24-70 f/2.8L

*In the midle - my 40D + grip + my 70-200 f/2.8L IS

*On the right - in the middle my 430EX Speelite - my battery chargers are placed on top of small plastic ziplock containers (they're light and strong, good to support the the weight of the cameras and lenses when I'm wearing the packpack)

 

*The top compartment is where I keep my 24-70 hood and my WD 160gb external hardrive.

This backpack cannot hold a laptop, I think this is the only disadvantage. I normally hide my laptop in the car anyways, all the pictures are backed up into my WD 160GB hardrive, and they stay with me!

 

I usually carry and store my kit like shown in the above images, when wide angle shots are needed I go with the XT and 24-70 combo (this is when I don't take my lens case)

 

If I know I'll be using my 24-70 more than my 70-200, but don't know if I'm gonna need the 70-200. I'll keep the 70-200 in the len case and have the 24-70 on my 40D (my primary body) at all time. I don't want to remove the 70-200 and put the 24-70 on, then remove the 24-70 and put the 70-200 back on when I'm done shooting. When I need two bodies, the 24-70 goes on the XT and the 70-200 goes on the 40D.

 

If I know for sure that I'll be using just 1 lens, I take the 40D and the one lens that I need. I just leave the XT and the other lens at home to save weight.

 

 

http://lowepro.com/Products/Sling_Bags/Designed_for_Digital/SlingShot_300_AW.aspx

I have a Lowepro Orion Trekker and a Godspeed (http://godspeed.en.alibaba.com/product/50397747/51342189/Camera_Bag/camera_bag.html) - both backpack-style. I like them because the camera is in a lower separate compartment and it's not obvious that I'm carrying camera gear. This is a key factor for me (safety/discretion) because of where I am and where I travel to. It's also much easier for me to carry my stuff in a backpack when I fly. Oh, and either of them can certainly carry all the gear you currently have in just the lower compartment...

I have Lowepro and Domke bags for my three EOS bodies and four lenses and Speedlite. I think those two brands are among the best you can get.

 

I also use a separate nondescript, cheap backpack when hiking or mountain biking when a subset of the gear is all that's needed.

I think I'm going to get the Lowepro Slingshot 300AW. I like the quick access to the camera.

 

~Andrew

Andrew, you say that you intend to buy a Slingshot 300 AW, and I have to say that you've made the right choice. It's an excellent bag, quite comfortable on the back, and easy to make a quick draw. This bag can also hold an awful lot. To give you a summary of what mine is holding, in the main compartment is my 20D with battery grip with the 24-70 f/2.8 L mounted, lens hood fitted. On the left side, is a 70-200 f/2.8 IS L with hood reversed. On the right is a 50 f/1.8, an EF 2x TC, a 100 f/2.8 macro with hood reversed, and there is still room for a few small accessories like my intervalometer and ST-E2 transmitter. Six CF cards sit in a pouch inside the main compartment lid.

 

In the top compartment I have a 430 EX and 580 EX flash, with an omni-bounce diffuser for each, two spare batteries for the camera, and 8 spare AA batteries for the flashes. Front compartment has various small accessories and cleaning gear.

 

All fits well, separately padded, and nothing falls out or fouls the camera when I quick draw it out of the side. What I'm carrying weighs 8.5kg/19lbs which is pushing the comfortable limit for using this pack . But this is 90% of all my kit in one bag.

 

I can't fit my 400 f/5.6 L in with the other kit, and nor will it stow fitted to the camera (shrug, that'd be a ridiculous demand anyway), but my 70-200 fits in the main compartment on the 20D with hood reversed, and so would the f/4 you are considering. For reference, the two L series 70-200 minus hood, are the same length as your 24-70 f/2.8 with hood fitted.

Also have a look at Thinktankphoto Urban Disguise Series bags. There are several sizes. Its top loading and of very high quality. Prices are liitle bit high. I have Urban Disguise 30 bag and quite satisfied with it.