camera bag - crumpler 7mdh

[long_tin_lo]

<p>i currently own a camera bag, a free gift from buying my camera.<br>

however, i find it quite annoying to take off straps and unzip before reaching the compartment. what's more, i cant even mount the grip onto my camera when placed in the bag.<br>

i know about the crumpler 7mdh bag. on their website, i have seen some sample photos, but i dont know if it will really work.<br>

in the camera bag, i would like to fit in my gripped D300s, Sigma 24-70 HSM, Nikon 70-200, 2 primes, a flash, a gary fong diffuser, a blower, and some other small stuff (caps, cloth)<br>

will the crumpler be able to fit all these stuff? or do i need the 8mdh?</p>

<p>please help! any suggestions welcome!<br>

ps. i don't really want lowepro bags because they look too much like a camera bag. i like crumpler because of their casual look, not really standing out..</p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>I owned the 7MDH and the Brazillion $ Bag (looks like it may be discontinued but it was the largest bag @ the time). The 7MDH was OK for <em>some</em> equipment, but not for what you have listed so I am not so sure the 8MDH will hold that much more. The Brazillion held a lot but then it really wasn't useful as a shoulder bag, a roller is much better. My recommendation would be the THinkTank UB60:</p>

<p>http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/urban-disguise-60-shoulder-computer-bag.aspx</p>

<p> </p>

[carl_becker2]

<p>I had to go the local camera store with the gear I wanted to carry to find THE bag that would make me happy. It was the fourth or fifth bag I had purchased.</p>

[long_tin_lo]

<p>thx John and Carl for your reponse.<br />just to add to what i have said, i do not need space for laptops.<br />to what i would prefer, i would like a camera bag that will be able to hold my gripped camera mounted with the 70-200 lens.</p>

[joseph_brown7]

<p>Long, my rule of thumb is to buy a bag 1 size larger than think you need. This gives you flexibility to reconfigure your gear if you need to carry more stuff. I am not sure if the 7mdh is able to handle 2 bodies with lens attached but that is a make or break in my book. My advise would be to get the 8mdh and have a little space if you ever purchase a 2nd body or another lens ect.</p>

[maxime_gousse]

<p>I personally looooove Kata bags. I own two: the 3N1-20 and the DR467i. Highly recommended.</p>

[travishoover]

<p>I have the $7M from Crumpler, and it is a pretty good bag, but I don't think it will fit the gripped d300s with the 70-200 mounted. I am not entirely in love with the crumpler bag, so I went to the camera store, and found a Think Tank Retrospective 10 bag. very similar in size to the crumpler, but more functional pockets, etc. I think the 10 would still be too small, and the retrospective 20 states that it will fit a pro DSLR with a 70-200 mounted.</p>

[carl_becker2]

<p>I found that a ThinkTank Change-it meets my needs but I don't think it will fit yours. Each of us is different and I really think you will be better off taking your gear to a store and see what works for you. It is possible to buy on line and return but that takes time and return postage.</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>i'd check on the think tank urban disguise series. you don't have to use the laptop compartment for a laptop. they can take your flash unit(s), extra batteries, extra cards, cables, etc. </p>

<p>i also find the think tank bags more functional in my kind of shooting and carrying my gear. i am fortunate to have a local think tank dealer here in the bay area (california) with generous inventory. i can just walk in and try out stuff for fit.</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>Long time ago i bought myself a Domke F2 bag, its simple and sturdy, but does not have a thick layer of padding... , it does also not look like a "Photo-bag"....<br>

After that I bought a small Naneu bag ( lima i think) a bigger nanue bag ( sahara), a lowe rucksack, a Nikon "the IT", and some other bags i do not even remember anymore, and guess what : my mostly used bag is still the good old Domke F2 bag, although it now has been "Cross bread" with the inserts of other bags for padding....</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>for messenger-style bags, i would look at the kata photo reporter and the tenba shootout.these are pro-spec bags, while the crumpler is a bit more casual--it's basically a timbuk 2 bag with padding and inserts. doesnt look like it can hold an attached 70-200, either.</p>

<p>the large photo reporter would probably be the best bet for a gripped body w/70-200. there's a review of it here: http://alatest.com/apps/reviews/21247294/-1/?ref=http%3A%2F%2Falatest.com%2Freviews%2Fdigital-compact-camera-reviews%2Fkata-pr-460%2Fpo3-75634688%2C147%2F</p>

<p>another review is here: http://alatest.com/apps/reviews/21248563/-1/?ref=http%3A%2F%2Falatest.com%2Freviews%2Fdigital-compact-camera-reviews%2Fkata-pr-460%2Fpo3-75634688%2C147%2F</p>

<p>here's a link for the tenba shootout shoulder bag in large: http://www.tenba.com/products/Shootout-Large-Shoulder-Bag.aspx</p>

<p>the thing to keep in mind about shoulder bags is, <em>the more gear you pack in them x the longer you walk around = the more pain your back and neck will feel</em>. they are convenient for on-the-go shooting but much less balanced than a backpack in terms of weight distribution if you will be wearing them for more than an hour or two at a time.</p>

<p> </p>

[kiatchun_sin]

<p>There is a review of Crumpler 7 MDH here...<br>

http://www.pbase.com/mikench/crumpler</p>

[long_tin_lo]

<p>thx for your suggestions everyone.</p>

<p>after having done some research and reading, the following bags seem just right for my needs:<br>

-kata photo reporter<br>

-tenba shootout large shoulder bag<br>

-crumpler 8mdh</p>

<p>i especially like the kata photo reporter zipper design at the top of the bag which gives instant access to inside compartment without opening the main compartment. however, the tenba holds so much more!<br>

all of these bags are of similar price. the main thing i am concerned is that by fitting my flash diffuser <a href="http://shashinki.com/shop/images/LBC.jpg">(link</a>) inside the bag, will i loose too much space? will these bags still be able to hold the gear i have said above?</p>

<p>thank you</p>

[joel_p]

<p>I have the 7MDH and like it. It will hold the equipment you have but not much more. I have my 24-70 mounted on my 5D - my 70-200mm is too long. If you stay with Crumpler, better get the next size up.</p>

<p> </p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>long, your main concern is the gripped d300 w/70-200, right? apart from that, you have one other big zoom lens, 2 small primes, a flash, a blower and a fong diffuser.you dont say what model fong you own, or whether its collapable, but the kata pr 460, tenba lg sb, and 8mdh are all built for carrying two bodies + lenses+accessories. so i would think any of those will comfortably hold the fong.</p>

<p>now that we've established that each bag is capable, it really comes down to aesthetics. i am personally a fan of kata's durability, workmanship, functionality and ergonomics, but the tenbas are also pro-spec bags with crazy capacity--probably more than you need--while the crumpler is at least reconfigurable and the least camera-baglike. so there's something to like about each of these. me personally, i would get the kata--did i mention they make body armor for israeli special forces?--but that's just me.</p>

<p> </p>

[long_tin_lo]

<p>thx again for your response everyone.</p>

<p>in the previous post, i have given a link on the type of the flash diffuser i have. it's not collapsable, so that's the problem!<br>

anyway, my decisions have now come down to either the 8mdh or the kata photo reporter. but here are some hesitations i have:<br>

-there is a top zipper on the kata bag. it's very accessible for me, but is it also accessible for others to steal?<br>

-the kata bag seems bulky. does it get in the way when walking through crowds? is the 8mdh a bit more slim?<br>

-the shoulder pad on the kata bag looks comfortable, but some said that it leaves red blisters on the skin after a long day. so is the 8mdh shoulder pad a bit better?<br>

-and lastly, in the outer pocket of the 8mdh, can it fit a flash? seems there is a lot of space there..</p>

<p>hope u guys can help!</p>