Best carry on Backpack/bag?
- Thread starter JoeJITSU
- Start date
True North
Well-known member
I have always been amazed at how cheap the CanonDeluxe Backpack 200 EG is. $40! You could get two at that price.
Someone else posted a link to a store or company that sold a Velcro Devider kit to retrofit into existing carry-on luggage but I can't find it right now.
Someone else posted a link to a store or company that sold a Velcro Devider kit to retrofit into existing carry-on luggage but I can't find it right now.
Bern Caughey
Veteran
ThinkTank's "International" roller is top quality & very popular on these forums. Ours have been around the world & all of them perform just as good as new. I don't believe there is a better roller for travel.
Their "Takeoff" roller is also sized for international flights, & has backpack straps which are fine for short hikes, but I wouldn't use them for trekking. Due to the recessed straps the "Takeoff" has a bit less interior space compared to the "International".
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/rolling-camera-bags/airport-series.aspx
Their "Takeoff" roller is also sized for international flights, & has backpack straps which are fine for short hikes, but I wouldn't use them for trekking. Due to the recessed straps the "Takeoff" has a bit less interior space compared to the "International".
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/rolling-camera-bags/airport-series.aspx
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Im looking for something similar, i need to carry all of my kit and my Kata bag just died, multiple zippers broken and its too small now. I was looking at a couple of options.
Firstly i want somehting that i can carry a tripod and possibly a slider on the outside. Maybe even two sets of sticks if possible. That with my d600, grip, a few lenses, a flash, possibly my laptop and audio gear. (shotgun mic, zoom h1, lav, cans).
The other thing i was hoping to accomplish was find a bag that didn't scream "Im full of expensive things, steal me!" because i tend to shoot at night or very very early in the AM in areas that aren't always the nicest.
here were my options
http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/calumet_bp1500_large_backpack/rm2184 Huge so I have no worries about carrying all that i need in it. A bit expensive and does have that camera bag look.
Option 2
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HFTG3I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A14FJL5O9CH7QK
This one is smaller and looks more covert but i would have to keep my gear light and I'm not sure how easily it could hold my tripod since i use sticks larger than the ones pictures.
Option 3
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/316876-REG/Kata_KT_BP_502_BP_502_Camcorder_Backpack.html
This one is the biggest and cheap but it has nowhere to attach sticks and really really screams camera bag to me.
I'm looking to keep the bag under the $200 mark ideally
Anybody have any other options for me to look at?
Thanks for the help
Firstly i want somehting that i can carry a tripod and possibly a slider on the outside. Maybe even two sets of sticks if possible. That with my d600, grip, a few lenses, a flash, possibly my laptop and audio gear. (shotgun mic, zoom h1, lav, cans).
The other thing i was hoping to accomplish was find a bag that didn't scream "Im full of expensive things, steal me!" because i tend to shoot at night or very very early in the AM in areas that aren't always the nicest.
here were my options
http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/calumet_bp1500_large_backpack/rm2184 Huge so I have no worries about carrying all that i need in it. A bit expensive and does have that camera bag look.
Option 2
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HFTG3I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A14FJL5O9CH7QK
This one is smaller and looks more covert but i would have to keep my gear light and I'm not sure how easily it could hold my tripod since i use sticks larger than the ones pictures.
Option 3
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/316876-REG/Kata_KT_BP_502_BP_502_Camcorder_Backpack.html
This one is the biggest and cheap but it has nowhere to attach sticks and really really screams camera bag to me.
I'm looking to keep the bag under the $200 mark ideally
Anybody have any other options for me to look at?
Thanks for the help
+1 for the ThinkTank stuff... added bonus, you can walk around the airport with $12k worth of stuff and it just looks like any other roll-aboard suitcase.
JoeJITSU
Veteran
Hey, Thanks for these. I am trying to decide on the last 2 options since they are within my budget at the moment. I wish I can afford the Thinktank stuff, but I can't.
Well i read a lot of reviews of the two and i decided on the Amazon canvas one. It will be here this thursday so i will let you know more when its here. The reason i chose it over the Kata bag was because the Kata i knew wouldn't fit in a lot of airplanes and was HUGE if you checked out the measurements. It was really meant for a largish prosumer camcorder like the sony Z1u and the like.
So i just got the bag in today. Its not huge but its definitely large. Right now i have it basically filled with the following
Camera compartment came with 2 large dividers, 2 small ones, and a medium one. I am using one large and both small to hold the following:
nikon d600 with grip
nikon 50mm 1.8 (attached to camera)
nikon 35mm f/2
nikon 105mm f/2
nikon 24-85 kit lens
Tamron 28-105 f/2.8
century optics 1.33x anamorphic adapter
Edit: Dont have any more room after adding my tamron
top pouch
2 flashes
4 pocket wizard flex ttl
Gary Fong Light Sphere
about 8 cokin filters (3"x3") and other filters
other pouches
about 12 set up/set down rings, cokin P adapters
cokin P filter holder with hood extension
2 extra batteries for d600 and charger
random cables
memory cards
card reader
light meter
14" laptop and charger
Battery breakout plate like this ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/NP-F970-F55...904?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a1f5aadf8 )
view finder
magic arm
the laptop fits in the pocket nicely and if you really try you can pull it out through the side port in the bag.
it comes with a rain cover but unlike a lot of bags it is not attached at the bottom but instead just loose in a pocket. I have not tested it yet but it seems like it will fit comfortably. It has two straps are on the bottom but they can be moved to either side or the top. they are to hold a tripod on the side. You could easily add more of these. I think i will comfortably be able to strap a set of sticks on one side and a light stand or two on the other if needed. I'm not talking about small tripods either but larger kits like my 701 set up ( http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-701HDV-055XV-Includes-Aluminum/dp/B001F0RNHW )
The straps and back pads are great. The straps even have the adjustment on the top to allow you to adjust the top of the strap. I'm not sure what to call it but its the same thing most quality hiking bags have. Loaded down i feel like i could carry this bag easily for a few miles.
It has two water bottle pockets that you can pull out on each side. They would also hold the base of a small tripod. Larger sticks will need to sit below the bottom of this holder however These can easily pack out of the way and not be noticed.
GRANTED
with all of this crap in my bag its pretty damn big and a bit heavy. You look like a bit of a nerd in my opinion but that's because no matter what the bag, when you carry as much gear as i do you need to face it. You're a nerd.
Oh yeah and it came with a small cable tie. Its in there too...
I obviously have this far more loaded down then i normally would. I just started putting things in it from my assorted gear bags until it got full and this is how far i got.
Camera compartment came with 2 large dividers, 2 small ones, and a medium one. I am using one large and both small to hold the following:
nikon d600 with grip
nikon 50mm 1.8 (attached to camera)
nikon 35mm f/2
nikon 105mm f/2
nikon 24-85 kit lens
Tamron 28-105 f/2.8
century optics 1.33x anamorphic adapter
Edit: Dont have any more room after adding my tamron
top pouch
2 flashes
4 pocket wizard flex ttl
Gary Fong Light Sphere
about 8 cokin filters (3"x3") and other filters
other pouches
about 12 set up/set down rings, cokin P adapters
cokin P filter holder with hood extension
2 extra batteries for d600 and charger
random cables
memory cards
card reader
light meter
14" laptop and charger
Battery breakout plate like this ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/NP-F970-F55...904?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a1f5aadf8 )
view finder
magic arm
the laptop fits in the pocket nicely and if you really try you can pull it out through the side port in the bag.
it comes with a rain cover but unlike a lot of bags it is not attached at the bottom but instead just loose in a pocket. I have not tested it yet but it seems like it will fit comfortably. It has two straps are on the bottom but they can be moved to either side or the top. they are to hold a tripod on the side. You could easily add more of these. I think i will comfortably be able to strap a set of sticks on one side and a light stand or two on the other if needed. I'm not talking about small tripods either but larger kits like my 701 set up ( http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-701HDV-055XV-Includes-Aluminum/dp/B001F0RNHW )
The straps and back pads are great. The straps even have the adjustment on the top to allow you to adjust the top of the strap. I'm not sure what to call it but its the same thing most quality hiking bags have. Loaded down i feel like i could carry this bag easily for a few miles.
It has two water bottle pockets that you can pull out on each side. They would also hold the base of a small tripod. Larger sticks will need to sit below the bottom of this holder however These can easily pack out of the way and not be noticed.
GRANTED
with all of this crap in my bag its pretty damn big and a bit heavy. You look like a bit of a nerd in my opinion but that's because no matter what the bag, when you carry as much gear as i do you need to face it. You're a nerd.
Oh yeah and it came with a small cable tie. Its in there too...
I obviously have this far more loaded down then i normally would. I just started putting things in it from my assorted gear bags until it got full and this is how far i got.
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It took me awhile to learn that it's always better to take less than what you think. Not only is it easier to haul, you spend less time thinking about the pluses and minuses of various lenses and other equipment and more time shooting and being creative. Cover your bases, for sure, but if you're going on a plane, you have to leave some of the kiddies at home.
I completely agree. I know i am bad about bringing extra gear on a shoot. This current load in the bag is just to illustrate its size.