Does anyone use an Osprey or similar backpack with a camera insert added in, for carrying their underwater rig? If so, what size are you using, and can you share some photos?

Not a technical pack but shares some of the features like a waist belt and a sternum strap, I use the think tank Streetwalker harddrive pack, which meets carry-on dimensions but perhaps not the weight once it is loaded up.

In the pack I've got Left to right:

• EM-1 MkII housing, spare batteries

• Macro port for 60mm macro, INON Z-240 x 2, Zen 170mm dome

• Zen 100mm dome for fisheye, Panasonic 8mm Fisheye, 60mm macro,Olympus 12-40, Panasonic 7-14

I also used to take my OM-1 housing, 140mm port/extension/n85-N120, macro port, 8-15 fisheye 60mm macro, 12-40 lens and strobes to PNG last year.

Weight as shown is about 10-12 kg, it has a laptop sleeve under neath as well. I've had it at least 15 years now and still going strong.

Thanks! My previous MFT system was super compact - Nautical housing, 2x Inon Z240s and a 4.33" fisheye port. I used to fit that into a very small Lowepro backpack that no one ever bothered to check.

For the APS-C rig, I am using the same bag I use to carry my wildlife gear - a Think Tank Airport Accelerator, which weighed in at 14kg as shown below. Just camera gear and batteries, and nothing else - and that too, a single port. While it is quite small and I casually sling it on one shoulder while checking in (while wincing on the inside), i am trying to find a way to shave a couple of kg off it, along with separating some of the items into 2 bags.

Yes it seems significantly heavier than my setup, the backpacks are a similar size and weight mine being 65mm narrower. Mine is lasted at 2 kg empty so not a lot of weight that could be saved. I pack mine with camera/lenses/housings/ports and batteries only. Other bits and pieces including strobe arms etc go in the checked bag.

My OM-1 + housing is 2.6 kg while the R7 is 2.85, a bit heavier but not that much. I think you had the Supe zD-pro strobes, they are double the weight of my Z240s, but I seem to be carrying more lenses and ports than you do.

10 hours ago, vkalia said:

While it is quite small and I casually sling it on one shoulder while checking in (while wincing on the inside), i am trying to find a way to shave a couple of kg off it, along with separating some of the items into 2 bags.

I feel your pain. I suppose the trick is to act nonchalant while your shoulder screams.

Is the concern functionality, weight, or disguise?

If it’s the first category, then there are many great choices. I have a Shimoda Explore v2 for hiking, and a convertible backackpack/roller LowePro Protactic 450 for travel. Both are excellent and carry my full m4/3 system but a little heavy.

If it’s weight, have a look at Case Logic camera backpacks. They are very light, perhaps not so durable, and don’t look much like expensive camera gear.

If it’s disguise, then check out the Shimoda inserts. They’re very good and come in a wide range to fit most any backpack.

9 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

Yes it seems significantly heavier than my setup, the backpacks are a similar size and weight mine being 65mm narrower. Mine is lasted at 2 kg empty so not a lot of weight that could be saved. I pack mine with camera/lenses/housings/ports and batteries only. Other bits and pieces including strobe arms etc go in the checked bag.

My OM-1 + housing is 2.6 kg while the R7 is 2.85, a bit heavier but not that much. I think you had the Supe zD-pro strobes, they are double the weight of my Z240s, but I seem to be carrying more lenses and ports than you do.

The TT is 2.5kg with all the inserts, so yeah, not much of a savings to be had compared to your bag. The Supes do indeed add a massive amount of weight. But the massive battery life and the need to charge only once a week make them worth it (I am not a high volume shooter but even then, the Inons would last a day, tops).

What I am thinking of is moving either the strobes or the main housing to something else (a smaller "personal item" bag for the latter, or a couple of lens cases for the former) and sticking the batteries, etc into a pair of cargo pockets. Or do the full Dress of Shame and wear a photographer's vest and stick lenses, etc into it.

If I can get the main bag down to 9-10kg, and have the rest go in a small inconspicuous bag, that solves the issue. Need to drag my carcass over to a shop with a lot of camera bags and check out some options, I guess.

1 hour ago, Troporobo said:

Is the concern functionality, weight, or disguise?

Weight, mainly - and also distribution across multiple bags

Edited April 21Apr 21 by vkalia

1 hour ago, vkalia said:

Weight, mainly - and also distribution across multiple bags

I've carried my rig (housing on a tray with port, camera and lens inside, no arms or strobes) on a shoulder strap as my 'small item' in addition to carry-on. This removed a significant amount of weight from the aforementioned carry-on, and didn't cause any issues.