The best photo bag for mirrorless travel kit

[dominique_r]

<p>For my large DSLR gear, I've been using a large Kiboko by GuraGear. It's great, it's light, it keeps safe two pro bodies and my coollection of bulky and heavy lenses, including a Nikkor 200-400/4.<br>

<br />However, that it is... well, heavy and big. Last year, I acquired a mirrorless Fuji X Pro 1 which I now use with 4 lenses: 14/2.8 (the 18/2 I now leave behind), 35/1.4, 56/1/2 and 55-200 zoom. I won't discuss the gear's merits as this is not the place (it's a great alternative to DSLRs, though), but the thing is, I have been looking around in vain for a good photo bag for that light, not very bulky kit. Unsuccessfully. Until recently.<br>

It's not a Billingham, but a Billingham did help.<br>

<br />Last month, after an unfortunate short stint with a small Kiboko (Bataflae they call them now, rather ridiculously I think), and convinced by the amount of praise Billinghams get on the internet, I decided to buy the Hadley Pro. Gorgeous and beautifully made, down to the smallest detail. Everything people say on the subject is true. y wife had told me, though, after years of female purse experience, that carrying on a shoulder isn't the most comfortable option --and she was right. The Billingham was less comfortable than a backpack of equivalent weight would have been. It was also difficult to open and close, and although it contained my Fuji kit and my Sekonic 758 (and a Kindle in the back pocket), it didn't have much space for anything else: no small bottle of water, no windbreaker, no nothing. Having put it to the test during two weekend trips, I decided to put it back into the closet, awaiting its fate. Gorgeous piece, though.<br>

The Billingham adventure made me go back to basics. I needed a bag that did not, if possible, look too much like a photo bag, therefore no Lowepro, no Crumpler, no ThinkTank. I wanted my Fuji gear to be stored and easily accessible, but with additional space if needed. It had to be a backpack, too. I went on thinking... and then one of the kids walked in and threw his battered Eastpak in a corner.<br>

The proverbial lightbulb lit inside my head. Eastpak? I bought one, but as I'm a bit of a snob, I got a leather Padded Pak'r, in light brown ("Antique Brown", they call it, I think). It's great quality, looks good, very soft and supple, smells like the interior of a new car, doesn't scream "photo bag, steal me!". Lots of room inside (24 liter capacity), even space for a 15" notebook, can be worn on the back but also on a shoulder and even on the tummy for super-easy access to anything that's inside. OK, it's not padded... but haven't I got those great soft leather pouches from China, that come in all sorts of sizes? The lenses will be snug as bugs in a rug inside those, and quite well protected except maybe if the bag falls from a table or something... I'll just have to be a little careful, and I think I can manage that.<br>

All in all, for some 180 euros (about the price of thge Hafdley Pro, and much less than the Bataflae), I have a roomy, well-constructed, good-looking photo bag that will also accommodate my sandwich lunch if need be. I'm taking it to Turkey for 3 weeks, so we'll see how it behaves in real life. But right now, it looks very convincingly like a winning proposition...</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>You can use whatever bag pleases you, but the thought that a fancy leather backpack will not be seen by thieves to be carrying something expensive is silly. Could you be carrying the latest Mac Air, perhaps? Or a wallet so stuffed with credit cards and cash that it isn't comfortable in your pocket? And unless you cut a hole in the lovely leather bag, your camera and lenses will only remain hidden as long as you don't use them.</p>

<p>Enjoy the bag, the snob appeal you hope it conveys, and the camera and lenses, but please don't assume the bag will keep you safe. The safest thing is to relate to those around you in a way that makes them want to take good care of you.</p>

[dominique_r]

<p>Thank you for your kind comment, which I'm sure will be seen as having a lot of added value in spite of what could easily pass for a demonstration in obviousness. Because, surely, what you so aptly underline applies to just any bag, right? I.e., the moment the camera is out of it, it is seen. Well, that's cleverly deduced, and let me reassure you, I did not think my little Eastpak would double as an invisibility cloak. However, as long as the camera is inside, it certainly draws a lot less attention that a classic camera bag.<br>

And as regards the snob aspect of things, I'm afraid you didn't catch it, really, but that's all right. It bears being explained if it has to. You see, the thing is, the bag will not be babied at all, it will be treated just like any basic bag, therefore it will soon acquire that nice patina that well lived-in houses or Weston loafers or tweed jackets can exhibit, and in a year or so maybe, it will be virtually indistinguishable from its less privileged siblings.<br>

We'll see how it fares in Turkey, but I have high hopes. And of course, regardless of the bag's material, my findings remain the same and I share them for what they're worth, as my personal experience.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I was tempted by the Billinghams several years ago but the listed weight of the bags alone was a turnoff. Same with some very nice custom leather bags. Even the new 7 Series Billinghams made of FiberNyte rather than canvas seem heavier than I'd like for that type of bag.</p>

<p>My compromise for a lightweight but functional camera bag that didn't look particularly like a camera bag was the Beseler Lifestyle bag, available during the 1990s. They were made of polished cotton canvas, with leather straps and brass pins like the Billinghams, a drawstring inner bag and, thankfully, no noisy Velcro. The hinged lids could be operated with one hand, yet fit snugly enough to feel secure. Really well designed and affordable. Naturally they were discontinued.</p>

<p>For travel I'd probably consider a <a href="http://www.pacsafe.com/">Pacsafe</a> theft resistant bag. Their hobo bag looks like a good all purpose travel bag, and a padded insert would do the trick for some camera gear. I already use a couple of non-camera type hobo and sling bags around my home town and it's a handy design for day trips where I might pick up a few groceries on the way home. Unlike most camera bags the hobo and sling types aren't excessively padded so they "shrink" when lightly loaded yet expand to accommodate a lot of stuff when needed.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

ThinkTANK Photo Retrospective 7.

[monika_epsefass]

<p>Ellis, he wrote that a shoulder bag is not an option, and that's what the Retrospective is...</p>

<p>Dominique, I've looked around for a while, having the same problem. I finally ended up with a nice little backpack from Olympus (yeah right, buy a Fuji and schlepp it around in an Olympus bag... :-))) ). It's not at all expensive, and I use it with an X-T1, 4 lenses, two flashes and some smaller items, if necessary, and still have room for other things. On the sides, it has bags where a Gorillapod or small tripod or monopod will fit in. If you worry about your pocketbook or portable phone, there's a pouch accessible from both sides on the back side of the bag, so nobody can access your things while standing behind you on a bus.</p>

<p>It may be that you'll need to do a bit of search for it - due to the high demand, Olympus say they're currently out of stock. But maybe somewhere on the internet...</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>I'm going through the same search, in my case a Leica kit. I like ThinkTank products, and there are several worth consideration. I don't intend to carry a laptop with the camera, except in a separate case. The idea is to travel light.</p>

<p>I ordered a Sub-Urban Disguise 20, which is the right size for the kit you describe (and mine). It is very light weight and reasonably sturdy. The lid opens away from your body, so it's easy to use without setting it down. However it uses entirely too much Velcro, which is noisy and fairly short-lived. I'm sending it back.</p>

<p>The one I intend to get is a is the smallest Speed bag, the Demon V2. It is much heavier construction than the Sub-Urban Disguise, has zipper closures on all pockets, and like the Disguise, opens outward. It has a wide belt, which tucks away when not used. That helps a lot when going up and down stairs or inclines. It also works as a shoulder bag (or in combination). The weight is 2 pounds plus your gear. It is half the weight of my LowePro Pro Mag 1, with nearly the same capacity. I want something with more padding (and the security of zippers) for travel.</p>

<p>For run and gun, the Hubba Hubba Hiney (HHH) is a very slick design. The construction is very sturdy, but it is a true minimalist bag for a spare lens or two or a mirrorless kit. I may get one of those too, for areas where you can't take a bag (museums, etc). It too is a belt pack, shoulder bag or both. The HHH is a favorite among ThinkTank employees, for all the right reasons.</p>

<p>The Retrospecive, mention above by Ellis, has it's appeal too. It's not for me because I prefer a zipper top instead of a full length flap. The Retrospective is made like a digital Domke - soft and casual. It doesn't look like a camera bag (nor does the HHH).</p>

[dominique_r]

<p>Hello Edward,<br>

<br />I had a look at your Speed Demon V2, and from my point of view:<br>

<br />(1) It looks unmistakably like a photo bag<br>

(2) Its default carrying mode appears to be over the shoulder, and if so I'd rather have the Billingham, which is a lot more elegant<br>

(3) The "around-the-waist" carrying mode looks quite ridiculous, IMHO<br>

(4) There doesn't seem to be any real additional space available in the bag once the gear is stowed<br>

<br />I have been shooting in Turkey for three weeks now, both in easy and rather difficult conditions, using my leather Eastpak (which begins to look nicely worn and "lived-in" by now) and I'm absolutely happy with my choice. I carry it over the shoulders, or over just one shoulder, either towards my back or towards my front for easier access to what's inside. There is space for one or two small bottles of water (indispensable here), Kindle, road map, guidebook, tickets, it seems to be able to hold whatever I throw at it, the limit being, of course, the weight I am willing to carry.<br>

I've had no incident with the lenses nor the Sekonic meter, all snugly carried within their individual soft leather pouches, and if needed the body goes into its separate front pocket (it also fits easily inside the main pocket, even with any lens attached, and with lots of room to spare).</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>I apologize if I misunderstood the original post. The OP is telling us which bag is "best". That, of course, depends on the user's needs at the moment. My needs change continually, so I have a closet full of bags, like many others on Photo.net.</p>

<p>Camera bags tend to look the part because they share a common functionality - among them are size, method of carry, accessibility and protection. I'm not sure any disguise their purpose any better than wrapping a paper bag tightly around the neck of an open beer bottle. I have a better plan. If I suspect trouble, I stay away. If I see trouble, I walk away. If I can do neither, I become the trouble ;)</p>