Camera bag for street photography (in India)

[gogol_startrek]

Hi,

I know this a slightly banal question, but what would you guys recommend as a

good street/urban photography camera bag. I currently have to stuff in the

following:

Canon Rebel body, Canon 70-200mm f/4L, Canon EF-S 10-22mm, Canon 50mm and

probably the old kit 18-55mm too. Plus batteries et al. I'm pretty much done

with the lenses but I might end up getting a 5D before leaving for the trip -

which would make it two bodies.

I was thinking of the Lowepro Mini Trekker and the Slingshot bags (both around

the same price). The Mini trekker seems to be able to accomodate all my stuff,

but the main problem might be having to put it down on the road or somewhere

everytime I need to open it. On the other the Slingshot seems to accomodate

one body only. I'm not sure whether it can accomodate the 70-200mm easily or

not.

What do you guys recommend? I'm also worried about the safety of using the

Slingshot - in case the equipments fall out when you sling it up front.

Thanks,

GS

[michael j hoffman]

I carry my gear in an Eastsport back pack ($15, Walmart). Its sufficiently rugged. It doesn't scream "Steal me. I'm full of expensive photo gear.". It gets the job done nicely, and it has plenty of room for whatever else you may want to keep with you.

 

Michael J Hoffman

[dan_mcclain]

I had similar concerns before I went to Italy, although with less gear. I decided against a backpack because of the difficulty of access for the wearer and the ease of access for pickpockets. I decided on a tan Domke canvas shoulder bag, and it worked great. It was easy to keep my arm over the flap, so nobody could sneak my big Mamiya out without moving my arm, and I could always keep it swung forward against my chest on crowded trains. It also crumpled up nice and small when I didn't have it packed full. No matter how long it rained my gear always stayed dry too.

[jacob_brown]

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_UrbnDsgs.php

[sidney_shah1]

Have you seen the The Crumpler by Whickey and Cox? It does not look like a camera bag at all, and has great reviews.

The advantages of the swingshots are that they dont look like a camera bag either, but you can rotate it over and access your equipment, something you can not do with a backpack.

Good luck and just be sure to protect your gear.

[bloosqr]

I have been obsessing about bags the last few weeks and I think I am going to have to go

to b&h and try various things. .. I think there are two bags one needs one for transporting

long distance and one for daily use .. for international travel the two i really like are the

crumpler bag series .. whiskey and cox, karachi outpost etc and the naneu military ops

series. The main feature that I like about both of these bags is the backpack opens from

the backside (so no one can open up the bag and snag your stuff) and none of them look

like camera bags. That said, opening them up from the inside makes them not particularly

useful for 'day usage'.

 

So the other option is taking something like the velocity series or the crumpler million

dollar bag series (or one of naneu messenger bag series) and stuffing those in a normal

backpack. This is what I do now, (w/ a velocity 7). This is the best of both worlds as a

normal backpack tends to have more useful compartments (laptop etc) and is easy to carry

as a carry on and still carries your gear and gives you a small camera bag to carry around

w/ you that is easy to use.

 

Currently I am leaning toward buying the velocity 9, stuffing that in a normal backpack but

I am not positive. I am looking forward to this thread to see what other options people

have.

[savas_kyprianides]

Forget if it looks like a camera bag or not. Once you withdraw your camera, the subterfuge is

all over as far as any onlookers are concerned. Get yourself a small Domke to carry some

lenses and carry that camera out in the open for some fresh air and photography. When you

are at the ready, you'll obtain more shots. Urban and street to me means one body and lens

combo; wide to mid range tele, that is fast to use and subtle in appearance.

[andrew_luke2]

I'd rec. against the 70-200. big and white screams steal me. Looking like a camera bag or not, as soon as that thing comes out, the secret's all over.

[amol]

"On the other the Slingshot seems to accomodate one body only. I'm not sure whether it can accomodate the 70-200mm easily or not."

 

Which Slingshot are you looking at? Lowepro makes 3 different "Slingshot".

 

Slingshot 100AW,

Slingshot 200AW, the largest one is the Slingshot 300AW.

 

The Slingshot 300 will probably hold the 70-200. Take a look at these reviews and pics.

 

Slingshot 300: http://www.cambags.com/canon/300d_10_20d/slingshot/lowepro_slingshot_300AW_frames.htm

 

Slingshot 200: http://www.cambags.com/canon/350d/slingshot/lowepro_slingshot_200_frames.htm

 

 

I have the Rebel XT, and find the Slingshot 200 has plenty of room; for the XT, with a Sigma 18-125 lens attached, and a 70-300, 28-105, 50mm, and 430EX flash. All this fits in the padded section. Batteries can go in the top, or front zipper section. Cards can go anywhere in the bag. Depending on how big your 70-200 is, the 300 version might be better, though, it is bulkier and more expensive.

 

I changed the padding around in the 200, as one of the reviews in the links above suggests.

 

 

Amol

[jeff mein smith]

Like Sidney, I'd recommend Crumpler. I have the Whickey & Cox and the 5 Million Dollar Home, which I used in India, but that was for a discreet, one body two lens set-up (24 & 135). The W & C is brilliant cos its zip is against your back (think 'pickpockets')and it can go face down in the (copious amounts of) dirt.

The little bag was against my stomach for easy access and security reasons.

The worst problem in India is dust.

[luckystokes]

I second the nomination of a small Domke and a couple, or three, lenses.

[ernest_ferraro]

Not exactly stealth but the Lowepro Off Trail 2 sits on your waist right in front of your body. Pretty easy to protect in that spot and no need to put down the bag to access gear.

[gogol_startrek]

And while we're at it, have any of you used the 70-300mm for urban/street photography? The size and the color (especially!) makes me slightly hesitant to use it on the streets of Calcutta. So what lens do you guys use/recommend for candids in a crowded city?

[hjoseph7]

"So what lens do you guys use/recommend for candids in a crowded city?"

 

50mm 1.8/1.4/1.2 and a 35mm 1.8/1.4. A 85mm would be nice, if it can fit in your bag.

 

I'm thinking about getting a Slingshot by the way, but when it comes to camera bags you can't just order them online, you have to buy them in person.

 

Currently I use a $12.95 Cooler type lunch-case I bought from Walmart. I think it's water proof, or 'semi-water proof'. It can fit 1 Camera and maybe 3 small lenses, or 1 small telephoto.

[savas_kyprianides]

Canon sells the EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.

 

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-70-300mm-f-4.5-5.6-DO-IS-USM-

Lens-Review.aspx

 

Couple that with a fast wide and normal lens and you have a lightweight three lens kit.

[savas_kyprianides]

My link failed to work. I had linked to The-Digital-Picture.com's review of this lens.

[michael_v.]

Hi!

 

I've the Slingshoot 200AW with 5D + BP, attached 24-70 2.8, 17-35, 430EX, 70-300 IS and three extension tubes. I'm quite happy with that, as the "slinging" doesn't let you think about taking camera out or not: you just sling, pull the slipper, turn the lenshood and shoot.

 

But I'm not so sure that you are realy willing, even with the 300AW, to carry a 70-200 and two bodies + other stuff over one shoulder all the time.

 

As I'm thinking of getting a 70-200 2.8 my current idea is to put this in a tubular hanging an my waistbelt. Not tested yet...

 

hope it helps

 

Michael