I, like so many others, have specifics wants and needs from a camera bag

[sean_proctor]

<p>And I, like so many others, am going to post here and hope for enlightenment on the issue.<br /> I am photojournalism college student, which means I spend a lot of time going to class. I'm trying to find a bag that I can carry my kit with me (Nikon D300, 80-200, 50mm & 35mm f/1.8, and 24mm f/2.8 lenses, obviously besides the telephoto, all small primes...And I don't even have to carry them all with me. Maybe just the telephoto and one or two...who knows), and also carry with me my laptop (15.4" macbook pro) and notebooks for class (normal, letter sized notebooks), as well as any various cords, crap, food, change of clothes, etc. However, in the quest to look ever so chic and stylish on a college campus, I don't want it to be overly gigantic (my problem with most camera bags) and not to look like a camera bag, which I'm sure you all know what that means.</p>

<p>Now, the Nat Geo bags would be pretty cool if they didn't yell "Frak yeah, Safari!" What about the Nat Geo Rucksacks?</p>

<p>And any options you have. Thanks a lot.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Crumpler makes some packs that could be just what you need. I use their Karachi Outpost when I want to carry a body w/grip, 70-200, speedlight, three other lenses, a laptop, and a bunch of other odds and ends. The change of clothes part could be a little trick, depending on what you mean by that. Regardless, that pack sure doesn't <em>look</em> like a camera bag, though it's made for just that purpose.</p>

[tonmestrom]

<p>you also might want to have a look at <a href="http://www.billingham.co.uk/pages/index.php">Billingham</a> .<br>

Not cheap but very durable and given your description it looks like it's perfect for your needs.</p>

[scot]

<p>Sounds like your needs are pretty similar to mine. I've found that there's no point in trying to find the perfect bag, as my needs change daily. So I have a bunch of bags, some of which came from Fleabay, some of which were given to me, some of which just appeared in my closet, apparently as a result of spontaneous generation.Depending on what I'm doing, I grab the smallest bag that holds the stuff I'm going to need that day. This approach has the advantage of costing very little.<br>

Holiday Cheers!<br>

--Scot</p>

[sean_proctor]

<p>Oh, I should mention I'm a backpack person, not a shoulder bag person. And Scot, you might just be right. Blast...Maybe I'll find the perfect bag when Nikon and Canon both release a 10-400 f/1.4 VR the size and weight of a typical kit lens....</p>

<p>Oh to dream.</p>

[joshuamck]

<p>Suggestions:</p>

<ul>

<li>Kata DR467</li>

<li>Lowepro fastpack 250/350 (may scream camera bag?)</li>

<li>Tamrac Adventure 9</li>

<li>Crumpler Customary Barge / Sinking Barge</li>

</ul>

<p>Thus far these seem to be the ones I've found that do hybrid backpack / laptop / camera pack well. I have the Lowepro only so can't offer any comparison.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Equipment for me has always been minimal (a 120 camera and a few lenses, possibly a 35mm RF and same, or a digital "35") and the bag need not win any beauty prizes. I usually insert a modest but well-padded older camera bag and contained equipment into an army type sack or another inoccuous bag, as my objective is not to parade equipment but to pass relatively unobserved, whether photographing people or places. When secure carriage between sessions is important, the camera stuff goes into a Pelican case that neatly fits into a cheap and lightweight shoulder stapped valise or clothes baggage.</p>

[majid]

<p>The LowePro Mini Trekker and Compu Trekker are excellent, but quite distinctively camera bags. I used to carry mine in an inexpensive Timbuk2 "Underground" backpack:<br>

[parv]

I have Lowepro 250 Fastpack (backpack). It can swallow small lunch bag, all the lenses listed along with the camera. My ~14" screen (4:3 aspect ratio) Lenovo T61 laptop easily fits; a 15.4" screen laptop would be too long to fit. The vertical laptop pocket can additionally accommodate a *skinny* notebook or two. After loading all that, but not clothes as there would be no place for them, it would be one darn heavy bag.

 

Sean P, if you consider this design, should try the larger 350 Fastpack bag instead for your carrying needs.

 

Having the "Lowepro" logos covered with black tape, my bag does not look like a camera bag AFAICT ... well, not until someones *sees* me pulling out the camera from the bottom pocket. Needless to say, that applies to any other bag too.

[photo_galleries]

<p>Get a large Eddie Bauer backpack with a laptop sleeve, then use smaller camera cases and lens bags to carry around all your camera gear. Or look at a Kinesis gear backpack to do the same thing. With either backpack yoiu'd just look like another student lugging around a stack of books.</p>

[mizore]

<p>Kelty Redwings (large day packs in various sizes for different torso lengths) work very well as camera backpacks. Wrap the cameras and lenses in Tamrac wraps, or use smaller camera bags inside. Someone also does adaptations of Kelty Redwings and fits them with camera padding and stuff (I've seen the ads on this site). Mine can carry a Hasselblad in a small Domke belt/shoulder bag, a DSLR with lens, extra lenses, and trim. </p>

<p>My other bag is a largish belt bag, the ThinkTank Speed Freak, which is the middle size of the Speed Demon (small), Speed Freak (middle), and Speed Racer (bigger) series. You can get various add-ons to this and adapt for the load and occasion.</p>

<p>The waist belt bags are much easier to work out of than the backpacks, almost as easy as the shoulder bags but without the pain of carrying lots of weight on one side of the body all the time.</p>

[sean_proctor]

<p>Hi y'all.</p>

<p>So I'm currently looking at the National Geographic Medium Rucksack and the Tamrac Adventure 9.</p>

<p>Thoughts? Ideas?</p>