backpack question for 5d

<p>Sorry if this is in the wrong section, i couldnt find the right place but it pertains to my 5d so i went for it. Anyway i am buying a backpack to carry my 5dII with 70-200LIS and canon 16-35 2.8, canon 24-70 2.8, and my canon 1002,8 macro and a 580flash. And of course few misc small things. My wife is going to be the one carrying the bag and i have narrowed it down to two bags. The kata 3n1-20 and the think tank streetwalker. We wanted as small a pack as possible to carry all that stuff. A couple things that would be nice is to access the camera without taking off pack and to be able to store camera with 70-200 on the body... I know thats alot to ask. I know for a fact the Think tank will fit the gear but no side access. I know the kata will also fit gear but i dont know if it will fit with 70-200 attached. Does anyone have any experience with that bag or have any suggestions?</p>

 

<p>I think the Kata 3n1-20 would be too small for your gear. When I was trying to buy a backpack I ordered the Kata, but found it too small and returned it. My 40d with the 70-200mm f/4 attached would fit, but it was very tight. There is a larger Kata bag in the series, but I didn't try that and ended up going with a Lowpro fastpack instead. If you haven't see it already, there is a website where people post reviews of camera bags with photos of the bags filled with gear.<br>

<a href="http://www.cambags.com/">http://www.cambags.com/</a></p>

<p>I believe you would need the kata 3n1 30 especially if you plan to attach the 70-200. </p>

<p>shayne,</p>

 

<p>With something like a pack, I don’t think one could

overemphasize the importance of hauling all your gear to a store

and trying out several. Some time ago took all my stuff to the

local REI. I picked out a few packs that I thought might do the

job and loaded them up. The one I was originally sure would be my

pick was obviously unsuitable when I loaded it up, and I fell in

love with the one I first was sure would be a dud (but grabbed

anyway because it was at least about the right size).</p>

 

<p>That leads to my second point. Don’t limit yourself to

bags sold specifically as camera gear. With a bunch of Domke

wraps, anything can become a camera bag. And something that looks

like a cheap student knapsack is much less likely to gather

undesirable attention than a “steal me” camera bag.

For bonus points, drag the bag through the mud a couple times.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

<p>"My wife is going to be the one carrying the bag"</p>

<p>My wife occasionally volunteers to carry my photo backpack (with less gear then you have), and is very happy to return it to me after about a half hour!</p>

<p>FWIW, I recently bought a Think Tank Streetwalker Pro. First test was three weeks in Asia. Load was 1Ds3, 50D, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/4, 35/1.4, 17-40/4, 580EXII, spare batteries for 1Ds3/50D, battery chargers for 1Ds3/50D, CF card wallet, cleaning kit, and assorted cables. The bag seems much bigger inside than it's external dimensions suggest. It was much more comfortable to carry than the LowePro Vertex 200 I previously used for similar loads. Build quality and attention to detail are very good. <br>

That said, I agree with Ben. Take your anticipated load to the store and load the bag. </p>

<p>I can sometimes get my wife to carry a tripod. But your wife must be amazingly buff if able to tote a 5dII, 70-200LIS, 16-35 2.8, canon 24-70 2.8, 1002,8 macro and 580 flash. Hopefully she won't tip over backwards...</p>

<p>Thanks guys for the great suggestions, i forgot to mention i live in alaska. So needless to say i cant go try out the bags. We have one store here that carrys that stuff and i did go try out what they had. They had the streetwalker and the tamrac bags and a couple lowepro. I am much more interested in a bag that does not look like a camera bag, that said i dont care who makes it i just want a god sturdy compact bag.<br>

I did not see the bag review area, thanks for that i will check it out. I was already leaning towards the streetwalker because i did see it in person and put the showroom lenses in there and they did fit, i just would not have the luxury of side access.</p>

 

My wife will hold a camera if I need to zip a bag up, but getting her to carry that lot? - respect.

<p>FWIW #2... The Think Tank bags are all black and pretty non-desrcript. They don't look like camera bags and seem pretty bullet proof. IMHO, luxury is load carrying comfort, not extra zippers... 8~)</p>

<p>I am with Steve on thintank, I have many of their bags and all are great. I am not a big fan of the 3 in 1 bags. Gear can easily fall out very easily, my friend dropped his 16-35 out of that bag.<br>

<br /> Thinktank makes some nice belt packs/shoulder bags. you may want to look at these too. I just got a wired up 10 and its nice because it has a built in belt that can hold additional bags for accessories or lenses. The Urban disguise 35 is another of my favs since it fits a 70-200 2.8 mounted on the camera plus additional lenses, you can also get a backpack attachment for this. I got great bags, I just need to travel more :-}</p>

<p>The kata 3N1-20 is probably too small. I do however have the 3N1-30. You can store the 5D with the 70-200 F4 attached. In fact I had that configuration today on my normal weekend walk. I currently have the original 5D with 24-105, 70-200, 17-40, 100-400, and a Sigma 50 1.4. Generally I have no problem getting the 5D, 50, 70-200, 24-105, and 17-40 in the lower compartment. I cannot carry the 70-200 if I decide to bring the 100-400. The upper compartment can be used to carry other things like your flash, extra battery, and memory cards.</p>

<p>Unfortunately if you are doing any serious hiking or walking there is no room left for 1 quart of water (the minimum I need), food, or anything else. The bag is rather non-descript and only has a 1 square inch Kata lable. Its mostly black and just looks like a slightly large, fancy backpack. Most people would probably not recognize it as camera backpack.</p>

<p>Generally I don't use it as a sling back if it is fully loaded. It doesn't sling easily when it is that heavy. Latches around the zippers make it unlikely for a zipper to open up and anything to fall out (I have not dropped any lenses from it. It does carry well as a backpack fully loaded.</p>

 

<p>Thanks Steve F for the review, would you say that a 5ft 6in 125lb woman would have a problem with that pack? it is a few inches bigger than the think tank.<br>

And also i will mention that normally i am tasked with carrying anything heavy which would include everything. She normally doesnt carry anything but her own water and i carry the pack doesnt matter if its a 100lbs, but now that she is going to be out of town and out of country she doesnt have her usual pack mule(me). So we want her to have a light pack because all the lenses/body/flas is over ten lbs. So anything to help keep the load as light as possible is a benefit.</p>

<p>You might have a look at a Lowepro long-lens chest harness for you, maybe with a belt-mounted lens case. Backpacking is all about being ready, and there is little more frustrating than having a wildlife opportunity that disappears while you are fiddling for the camera. Wearing a camera around your neck, suspended from the camera strap, is a recipe for a sore neck. If your really are backpacking, you will have lots of gear to carry besides camera gear, and it's problematic to change lenses on the fly. The Chest harness is great for protecting your camera, and my chest harness is fine even with my 70-200 2.8. However that beast stays home for extended backpacking adventure. You'll likely get more action from the short lenses, especially that 16-35, and if you save weight from losing the longer glass you might have room for a small tripod. In the past, when I had a sherpa to carry non-camera gear, I would use a Lowepro drybag 300 and the above chest harness.</p>

<p>I hope this doesn't show up twice, but my first try disappeared.<br>

I had about the same amount of equipment as you, and probably a bit more and a 5dII body. That includes a 100-400. and three other L-series lenses.<br>

I found a backpack that provided great protection for the equipment and pulled. But the wheels were so small, they'd only work in airports and weren't terribly good on sidewalks. I searched for weeks for a bag with bigger wheels. I even went to Toys R Us and priced wagons and was that close to buying one.<br>

In an outdoor sporting goods store, I found a canoe carrier, one of those kind you strap to one end of a canoe and pull the other end to the water. I disassembled it and left only the basic fram and wheels, about 14 inches. I used duct tape and bungee cords to secure the bag. My monopod fits in the laptop compartment and that big, heavy tank of a tripod (I find heavier tripods sturdier than the composites) sits on the top secured by two more cords.<br>

That contraption goes anywhere I go, including effortlessly into woods and hills where I shoot landscapes and flowers. when I have to fly, I can easily remove it from the frame and it's back to its whimpy self.<br>

The key is when you get tired of hauling around all that metal and glass, you'll improvise.<br>

h</p>

<p>One tip I can give you is don't get the sling-shot type bags, single shoulder types, as after a while you'll get a crock neck, even trapped nerves and I got a bad knee and hip. I am a big strapping and fit Welshman and it happened to me. I have now got a smaller, conventional 2 shoulder back pack and found I can carry more, for longer and with no body problems.</p>

<p>I have that exact set up, only I have the 17-40 rather than the 16-35, Lol. I use this bag on trips to carry my gear around.<br /> http://www.tamrac.com/5549.htm<br /> It's large but it fits everything.. If you want the 70-200 attached there is also this one.. its a bit larger. http://www.tamrac.com/5550.htm<br /> Like I said, I carry that exact set up. I find the first bag works perfectly.</p>

<p>I just want to know where I can find a wife like that.</p>

 

<p>Just a few short observations from my time selling cameras at Ritz.<br>

<br>

More bags were returned than any other camera gear, I think.<br>

<br>

By far the main reason bags were returned was, “too small”, even though at the store we constantly advised customers to pick the bag they thought was right and buy one size larger.<br>

<br>

Folks agonize over bags for more than cameras and lenses. Folks would spend 15 minutes asking about $1500 cameras before making a decision to buy, and then would come into the store 3 or 4 times looking at bags for 30 minutes a trip before finally buying. (And then still return them sometimes.)<br>

<br>

One of my friends at the store at least 6 high-end bags she had won from various manufacturers for selling their bags and claimed she did not like any of them – she actually gave me one of the bags discussed above because she never used it (it was one of those side entry types that had only one shoulder strap and she had back trouble that the bag aggravated.)<br>

<br>

I like the side entry sling-around bag because I am often hiking in Florida marsh and swamp land with no dry flat place to put the bag down safely.<br>

</p>

<p>I replaced the hip belt on my large backpack with a Street & Field hip belt from Lowepro. I'm still working on my carrying system, but here are some interesting ideas from a photojournalist. The Think Tank belt system allows the equipment to slide around. If you used a system belt you could carry your camera and long lens, and some accessories. This would provide quick access, and take some of the load off your wife.<br>

http://www.karlgrobl.com/EquipmentReviews/CameraBags.htm</p>

<p>I use the Lowepro Compu Trekker AW and when I carry two bodies with 70-200, 24-70 and 17-40 and collecgtion of filters and flashes it really a weighty pack to carry. I think a smaller rucksack is not advisable and I also think its going to be two heavy for most ladies to carry. If you have two top loading hip fitted bags then you will also find two cameras with lenses is no small load. Then you still need carry batteries filters maybe a few primes. I would advise you to load and test carry the bag first.</p>

<p>Don't forget to check out the Tamrac and Lowepro bags. They are well made and are often less money than some of the other brands. I agree that Kata and ThinkTank are also good. Kata, as you probably know, make bags other than their 3-n-1 series which may be more rugged. I, too, am in awe of your wife's strength and fortitude to be able to carry all of that equipment.</p>

<p>I think you married a horse</p>

<p>I've used crumpler whisky and cox backpack, and very happy with it. You can take a look at their product lines at http://crumpler.com.au</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>David writes, "By far the main reason bags were returned was, “too small”, even though at the store we constantly advised customers to pick the bag they thought was right and buy one size larger."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I don't doubt your experience but most people need at least 2 bags: one big one to carry lots of gear and a small one for a modest walkaround kit. My big bags rarely get used as I have difficulty walking all day fully loaded. I guess they mainly keep dust off my gear when not in use! My Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home is almost always with me and only holds a DSLR/normal zoom and an additional small lens and/or flash. </p>