Bag Problem

Teabag_Terry2

Teabag_Terry2

Teabag_Terry2

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Joined
18 Aug 2014
Posts
208
Hi guys,

I have been struggling with a problem for ~2 months now. I hoping someone will pop up with a quick answer. REALLY hoping hard.

When I go out for a shoot, I tend to go for a hiking kind of shoot, and never know where I may end up. Could be in the back room of a pub with a fire and a dog, or out in the wilderness taking shots of birds of prey, I especially love wildlife. Or maybe a long exposure by the side of the road at night or on an overpass. So I carry a lot of different stuff.

So I have to carry my amazon basics extra large holdall bag, which I love. This can take a couple of primes and my 70-300, camera body, extra batteries etc etc.

Plus I have to carry my 150-600 in its own heavily padded shoulder bag, and a small backpack for lunch etc.

Plus my tripod over my shoulder.

I have to carry way too much ****.

The way I see it there are two options:

1. Get a "proper" massive camera bag that can hold a body, a few primes, a 70-300, a 150-600 (the problem) plus some extra bits and bobs. Manfrotto, Lowepro something like that, all in one bag. Prepared to spend a bit on something good. Must be everything in one bag. Prefer the tripod on the inside - is this possible?

2.The other option: get a proper "normal" rucksack like The North Face or Berghaus, (about 60-70litres) and put everything into that as it is, in it's nice padded bags already, which to be honest are good. The Amazon basics holdall is great and would love to keep using it, but want a rucksack that is front loading as well as top loading so I don't have to keep getting everything out to get to the stuff at the bottom. More than happy to put my rucksack on the ground to get the right kit out, but do NOT want to have to get everything out in sequence via the top opening of you see what I mean. This option seems far more viable but I just cannot find a front loading rucksack.

I used one by Deuter in 2007 when I travelled around Thailand and it was a godsend but can't find them now.

What on Earth is the best choice? I am literally tearing my hair out over this. My budget is about £200 before anyone asks.

I want one rucksack. It must be able to carry all my stuff and be front loading. It appears that there is no such thing, or the guy in my local Jessops seems to think so, but he was about 20 years younger than me. Jessops seem useless. Great small bags fro bridge cameras etc but a big 600mm lens and a full frame DSLR and they can't help!

HELP!

Here's a quick pic:

http://imgur.com/oWANnes

Free Haribos going out to anyone who actually recommends a product that I buy!!!!
 
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Streetwalker harddrive looks best so far, amazing, but too small, remember the lens I will have on most of the time is 600mm for wildlife. It only looks like 40l, almost there, but too small, which is a shame because it looks amazing, really low key and basic looking but nice inside.

F stop bags look amazing, but which would I choose one for:

Nikon D610 + D3300
Nikon 50mm 1.4
Nikon 35mm 1.8
Nikon 24mm 2.8
Sigma 15mm Fisheye
*coming soon - Nikon 24-70 (a beast of a lens)*
Tamron 70-300
Tamron 150-600
Tamron macro lens 90mm
my very solid Pro Video II tripod which is amazing.
Spare batteries, lens cloth water bottle etc

Any ideas? The wesbite doesn't give enough info!

Why is this so hard? I am tearing my hair out just buying a bloody bag. I would be so annoyed at buying a £200 bag only to find that I need to carry my 600mm len in its shoulder bag *as well* which would do my head in.

Is there a solution for this much gear? Most of my lenses are really really small. The 24mm nikon is smaller than half a coke can.

By the way, I weigh over 16 stone so not too fussed about weight.
 
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Does anyone here actually use an F-Stop Bag?

I really can't wait 6-8 weeks for it. £400 seems a lot but if it lasts then I can stretch to that much. Are they really worth it? Is there A UK distributor with stock on hand?

Regards friends.
 
Quite right - I won't carry everything, everytime I go out, obviously.

But a big trip abroad, and I would like to take the lot. And I can't go without my tripod - taken too many great shots with it to leave it at home.

But I would like ONE bag that can take the lot, if possible. That's my point.

Edit: and yes, a lot of my primes with be going to friends and fsmily members.
 
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Thank you guys. A lot of useful advice, very helpful. And one unhelpful person. TY CHEERS GUYS.

Think I will order the bag and wait however long it takes if they are really that good! Seems a long time to wait but guess I have no choice.

Thanks to all.
 
Slight problem is that you have to buy the internal camera padding as an extra. A tilopa bag is looking at $400+ and a 6 week wait.

Therefore I am looking at lowepro bags instead. A lowepro flipside 500 looks like it might do the job well, and costs just over a hundred quid. If I order now, Amazon prime will have it here tomorrow. Problem is that no where near me has one I can go and see. Might just take a gamble on it and sell on eBay if it doesn't suit.

Any opinions on Lowepro bags?
 
Bought a lowepro photo classic 300. Stunned at how good it is for £80.

Holds a full frame Nikon DSLR with 150-600mm zoom (attached), a 300mm zoom, 4 primes, a macro 90mm and loads of extra bits and bobs. Plus it looks amazing in olive green.

Well Chuffed with it, everything held firmly in place, and is so well designed you can hardly feel it on your back. An amazing bag all round. The comfiest bag I have ever held on my back.

Would have preferred an F-Stop obviously, but I have the bag in my hand right now and I have saved £300. A no-brainer. If I was making my living from photography on the other hand.......

I might just have gone for an F stop Tilopa with XL ICU, but not worth it for me (for now...)
 
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Amp34 said:
Be interesting to see how you get on with it while hiking. It doesn't look comfy at all for day hikes (for example the waist strap looks almost pointless for redistributing the weight to your hips).

Can you fit your hiking stuff in there as well, or are you planning on carrying a second bag as well?
Click to expand...

Totally filled, it feels as light as feather to me strapped around the waist. I just weighed myself, I'm 16 stone so this might be why (oh dear).

My longest photo hike ever is about 4 hours, so think this suits me just fine. Any issues, I will eBay it and buy an F-Stop but am very surprised that you can get a bag like this for so little money. I paid £80 and it can take my D610 with 150-600, plus a stack of other lenses, I even have a nice space left for another!

http://imgur.com/ctpzXxY

In the picture above, you will see my (£80) bag taking a D610 body, spare battery, a few spare memory cards, a tamron 150-600, a tamron 70-300, a tamron 90mm macro, a nikon 24mm prime, a nikon 50mm F1.4 prime and loads of stuff I have missed, but as yiou can see, there's load of room. I have a whole empty section that would take another 70-300.

This bag can carry a load of stuff and has a waterproof cover built in. Obviously if you are a pro, spend more.
 
Thanks for the info on Paramo - might just go and have a look. ;)

Got a Lowepro photo classic 300 in the end which I think looks amazing in olive green, and holds all my gear except the tripod. Takes my D610 with 150-600 in the main section easy peasy, even several inches to spare to be honest.
 
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