Large Camera Bag - Help!

jarboedoggart

While looking online I don't see a big selection of bags made to hold at least a few lenses and accessories. Here is what I need and facts:

1. Company focuses on wedding photography, so sexy/comfortable/backpack/fashionable bag is not necessary, all business. Black. Square. Carry stuff.

2. Room for body, a few lenses, flash, and accessories/batteries

3. Needs to be reasonably priced. I am pretty cheap/bargain shopper and not interested in anything $100+

So question is, what are you using, what are you scoping for your next bag, any suggestions?

perroneford

I was with you until #3. When I am packed out for a gig, I have between $10k and $30k in my camera bag. My primary interest is in protecting that gear, not trying to save a couple bucks. I don't know anything I'd put my gear in for $100. I'd never trust it. When I was doing photojournalism, I used a Domke J2. Maybe you can find one of those used for cheap. They are indestructable. I still have mine from YEARS ago, but I am not parting with it.

Best of luck.

Art Scott

perroneford wrote: »

I was with you until #3. When I am packed out for a gig, I have between $10k and $30k in my camera bag. My primary interest is in protecting that gear, not trying to save a couple bucks. I don't know anything I'd put my gear in for $100. I'd never trust it. When I was doing photojournalism, I used a Domke J2. Maybe you can find one of those used for cheap. They are indestructable. I still have mine from YEARS ago, but I am not parting with it.

Best of luck.

I completely agree here ... ... I could careless if my bags are stylish, I want my gear protected...my back pack is a LowePro Photo Pro AW (when I purchased it, it was the largest Airline carry on I could get) is over 10 yrs old and still I could drop it off my roof with cameras in it and they would survive.....If my primary was just weddings / portraits I would be using strictly Pelican Cases...with Wheels ... Protection... protection... protection is my way of thinking ... ... i could not touch the LowePro Photo Pro for under 275 locally but a little internet searching and I found it on sale for under150.... but still I would recommend a Pelican or Storm case..... with a hardcase like the Pelican or storm....I would not get pick and pluck foam I would get dividers....much more versatile ... ...

Good Luck

jarboedoggart

#3 is certainly not a huge priority, and if i see value in something more expensive, i would certainly consider it....but seriously. I am not flying, not carrying it around everywhere. camera bag typically goes from home to car, from car to venue and reverse. dont need it to survive a giant cotastrophe.

Art Scott

jarboedoggart wrote: »

#3 is certainly not a huge priority, and if i see value in something more expensive, i would certainly consider it....but seriously. I am not flying, not carrying it around everywhere. camera bag typically goes from home to car, from car to venue and reverse. dont need it to survive a giant cotastrophe.

Really...not trying to be funny....but weddings are disasters waiting to happen...going from home to the venue...car wreck, gear gets jolted, turn in on insurance (I presume you have Professional Business insurance), they ask to see bag it was in...they determine it was not sufficiently protected...no insurance... You need to be protected IN CASE....that is what Protection is all about...the maybes and just in cases...

I was set up in the foyer of a venue that was on a 4th floor... as I was packing up my gear one of my lights and stands went over the railing due to a kid running and playing....4 floors and it landed upright the stand was gone the light still works 30 yrs later.....a camera case was also hit and sent down the stairs...the camera and lens was destroyed...it was in an inexpensive but decent bag....at the time I was not familiar with pelican or cases like it but there was a surplus store here that I went to and bought some Military cases, added foam and made my own...I have also made cases from 1950's hard suitcases... ... Like I said I don't worry about looks so much ... ... ... then I found my LowePro backpack...I have never regretted it.....also if this is a business it is a tax deduction.....and it is one of the cheapest forms of insurance you can have....Remember it is insurance...and insurance is for the could happens, just in cases and maybes....do you drive with out insurance, do you have only what your state requires a minimum...if what happened if you hit a Porsche, Mercedes, Lamborghini...or any car for that matter or if the other person has hundreds of thousands in hospital bills...Insurance can save you and the lack there of can destroy you....are you doing weddings with only one body and flash.....I carry 4 and one is a film camera...

ziggy53

People think I'm crazy but I use an Adorama Pro Slinger Bag, Single Strap Backpack / Shoulder Bag, which costs $70USD, and it's my primary bag.

http://www.adorama.com/GBSLPBK.html

I've added an additional Op/Tech strap which allows me to use the bag as a shoulder bag, in addition to the sling and grip capabilities.

It safely holds:

A FF body (5D MKII) plus attached 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L USM,
As well as 3 other lenses (currently a 50mm, f1.4, 90mm, f2.8 macro and 135mm, f2L),
2 - 580EX flashes plus a high-voltage power supply,
An additional Sigma 530 DG Super flash,
A couple of close focus diopters,
A Canon 1.4x teleconverter,
And a passel of AA batteries, and various and sundry other items.

I often pair that bag with a holster bag with an attached lens pouch. That combination holds an additional camera/lens, in the holster bag, plus another lens (commonly a 70-200mm, f4L IS USM) "or" an additional flash.

jarboedoggart

Art Scott wrote: »

Really...not trying to be funny....but weddings are disasters waiting to happen...going from home to the venue...car wreck, gear gets jolted, turn in on insurance (I presume you have Professional Business insurance), they ask to see bag it was in...they determine it was not sufficiently protected...no insurance... You need to be protected IN CASE....that is what Protection is all about...the maybes and just in cases...

I was set up in the foyer of a venue that was on a 4th floor... as I was packing up my gear one of my lights and stands went over the railing due to a kid running and playing....4 floors and it landed upright the stand was gone the light still works 30 yrs later.....a camera case was also hit and sent down the stairs...the camera and lens was destroyed...it was in an inexpensive but decent bag....at the time I was not familiar with pelican or cases like it but there was a surplus store here that I went to and bought some Military cases, added foam and made my own...I have also made cases from 1950's hard suitcases... ... Like I said I don't worry about looks so much ... ... ... then I found my LowePro backpack...I have never regretted it.....also if this is a business it is a tax deduction.....and it is one of the cheapest forms of insurance you can have....Remember it is insurance...and insurance is for the could happens, just in cases and maybes....do you drive with out insurance, do you have only what your state requires a minimum...if what happened if you hit a Porsche, Mercedes, Lamborghini...or any car for that matter or if the other person has hundreds of thousands in hospital bills...Insurance can save you and the lack there of can destroy you....are you doing weddings with only one body and flash.....I carry 4 and one is a film camera...

yes... i hear you... for the second time. i do not believe that brand name products are always better just because the have a logo on them. its a bag/case, not rocket science. a noname bag/case will be just fine.

jarboedoggart

ziggy53 wrote: »

People think I'm crazy but I use an Adorama Pro Slinger Bag, Single Strap Backpack / Shoulder Bag, which costs $70USD, and it's my primary bag.

http://www.adorama.com/GBSLPBK.html

I've added an additional Op/Tech strap which allows me to use the bag as a shoulder bag, in addition to the sling and grip capabilities.

It safely holds:

A FF body (5D MKII) plus attached 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L USM,
As well as 3 other lenses (currently a 50mm, f1.4, 90mm, f2.8 macro and 135mm, f2L),
2 - 580EX flashes plus a high-voltage power supply,
An additional Sigma 530 DG Super flash,
A couple of close focus diopters,
A Canon 1.4x teleconverter,
And a passel of AA batteries, and various and sundry other items.

I often pair that bag with a holster bag with an attached lens pouch. That combination holds an additional camera/lens, in the holster bag, plus another lens (commonly a 70-200mm, f4L IS USM) "or" an additional flash.

thanks for the recomendation, does it have dividers so you can stand the lenses up?

divamum

Probably not "the best" out there, but a decent bag at a very reasonable price. http://www.cameta.com/Aktiv-Pak-AP400-Digital-SLR-Camera-Backpack-Case-Black-38215.cfm

jarboedoggart

divamum wrote: »

Probably not "the best" out there, but a decent bag at a very reasonable price. http://www.cameta.com/Aktiv-Pak-AP400-Digital-SLR-Camera-Backpack-Case-Black-38215.cfm

Wasnt thinking that cheap or looking for a backpack, but it certainly has the right storage for me, thanks for the suggestion!

ziggy53

jarboedoggart wrote: »

thanks for the recomendation, does it have dividers so you can stand the lenses up?

Correct. It has 2 - full-sized dividers to partition the main compartment of the bag into 3 - sections. Then it has (at least*) 2 - shorter dividers that I use to partition the sides to make separate spaces for the lenses and 2-flashes.

(So the internal compartment is partitioned by me into 5 sections; a center section with camera/lens pointed down, and then 4 outer sections to hold the 3-lenses and 2-flashes.)

The 50mm lens and 90mm lens are stacked, and the 135mm and telextender are also stacked. (Sometimes I substitute a 70-200mm, f2.8L for the 135mm.)

The front zippered pocket holds filters and diopters, etc., plus an additional flash.

I have added extra cushion to the bottom of the main compartment, but I do that with any soft bag.

I have also added a closed-cell, semi-rigid-foam support for the camera/lens, so that the weight of the camera doesn't sit on the lens. I'll try to provide a picture later to show how that works.

Sometimes, I bring lenses with large hoods, and those hoods don't fit well in the bag. I use an external lanyard, attached to the top grip/handle, to hold those external to the bag. It's not pretty but it works in keeping everything together and accessible.

The strap that I added, to use the bag as a shoulder bag, is the Op/Tech S.O.S. strap, attached via "quick links" to the top handle/grip.
http://www.adorama.com/OTSOSBK.html

Current configuration is around 20 lbs.

*(I seem to recall that there was a third, short divider, but I can't find it just now. I've had the bag for a while and I can't be sure.)