Topic: Noob Needs Camera Bag Recommendations

[stevetoney]

Hey gang.  Getting some new gear pretty soon.  Need a bag.  Probably backpack style, but open to shoulder pack too.  $100 budget.  Open to used if anyone has something that fits the bill and has something sitting around.

Following is a list of what I'll be toting. 

40D body
Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens
Canon 28-135 IS USM Lens
Canon 400mm IS USM Lens
Extra battery for 40D
Extra CF Cards
Epson 40gb CF card reader and image viewer
Miscellaneous accessories...caps, cleaners, tape, tripod mounts, whatever.

Once I have the cash, I'll also have the following to add:

Either a 430 or 580 speedlite
A wider angle lens than the 28mm, either as zoom or fixed focal length

Finally, what would be kinda cool is having just a bit of extra space to throw my audio gear in...a 660, cables, pair of AKG mics, and mounts. 

The last item might be wishful thinking though.  I don't really want such a big bag right now that my current stuff is swimming around loose inside.

TIA for any suggestions!

Steve

[Sanjay]

Wow that's alot of stuff.

I have a Domke F-3x that was given to me by a press photographer and he swears by it.  I Think it would fit all your gear, but not your recording gear.  To do so you'd have to leave a lens attached to the camera, whichever is smallest.

Not alot of padding on this bag so tread lightly, however that makes it much less bulky, less weight, and more discrete.

[stevetoney]

Wow that's alot of stuff.

I have a Domke F-3x that was given to me by a press photographer and he swears by it.  I Think it would fit all your gear, but not your recording gear.  To do so you'd have to leave a lens attached to the camera, whichever is smallest.

Not alot of padding on this bag so tread lightly, however that makes it much less bulky, less weight, and more discrete.

Thanks for the response Sanjay.  Yeah, I kinda wanted to start big in order that I'd have someplace to store it all, and then work backwards from there for a gig type of carry bag or backpack as the next investment.  I mean, I learned from many moons ago that it's usually unnecessary to have all gear with you at all times...not to mention spreading the risk in case it's stolen, rained on, or whatever disaster might be lurking. 

Thanks for the tip...I'll check the web for the Domke.

[Datfly]

I use the Think Tank system for all my needs.

I have the Airport Security for my main travel bag
and then the belt system while out in the field.

They also make great back packs & what not. Check them out.
I swear by them.

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_ArprtScrty2.php

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

Here's the Airport International version. May be a better option for you !

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_ArprtInl2.php


OK REVISE: I see your budget. Here is a cool back pack that is only slightly over the budget.

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

[gearscout]

IMHO, you probably don't want to be shopping for a "bag" to hold all that gear.  It isn't really practical...

     • 1-2 lenses will suffice when you define what's required of each individual shoot
     • Flash, mics, recorder will only be needed on select shoots

If I truly have to haul 'the whole kit' including shotgun mic, wireless, video etc., I use a Domke FX-1 'little bit bigger' bag.  But much more often, I'm using the smaller, better padded J-3 from Domke.  It holds my 14-24, 18-200 and a couple primes along with a flash, if I need it. 

I'm not familiar with the size of your recorder, but it would fit in the big Domke.

What you may want to hold all this gear is a Pelican hard shell you can use for long-term storage and airline flights.  They make one that is FAA approved for carry-on.

[rastasean]

I would recommend hauling all your shit to a camera store and try fitting it into the bags there. If you find one you like, buy it there or shop online. I made the mistake by buying a Tamrac Velocity 6X bag for my Nikon Coolpix Camera. There's no way the camera can fit into the bag. I kept the bag anyway and use it to haul some recording stuff in. I was debating between the 6x and 7x but the 7x was just slightly larger and would not have worked either. You have A LOT of stuff on that that list and for $100, I think you may lack quality or/and padding if you want to safely carry that stuff around.

Good luck!