Photo backpacks are great

Just passing on good experience...

After trying to figure out how to carry the compact digital camera, camera housing, video camera, video housing, to avoid the dreaded Pelican theft, AND the reg, I found that my photo backpack swallowed it all up.

I was able to put all the camera gear, camera housing as well as the octo into the photo backpack, while the video housing fit compactly in it's own little pack. That made two carry-ons out of 4, and I keep the video housing with me. Necessitating lugging the thing, but eh, we're divers.

This Pelican theft thing is tough to trust. It would be much easier to let them schlep it, but I can't see losing the thing I've worked so hard to bring.

YMMV

Anybody out there who uses a backpack for Phenom + Z1?

Peter

Hi all,

Lowpro do a superb range of bags and backpacks for stills and video..

I am going to try the Rover AW 11 for my A1 and accessories. The housings another matter.

For the Z1 and housing I'd try the Army surplus store. One of those monster packs the Royal Marines carry should do it...As well as room for your wife and kids

Dive safe

DeanB

Do you have any pics of this setup? I can't image carrying a heavy metal housing for my A1U in a backpack with my delicate camcorder, lights etc etc-

Steve

This works for my gear but won't for everyone due to it's size as pointed out. My point was just that it holds more than you might think.

In the main storage area of the photo backpack, I have an Olympus 5060 camera, the Olympus housing for it, a Sony HC1 video camera, the battery chargers for both, C & AA batteries for my dive lights, miscellaneous other little stuff, plus camera manuals, dive log, ten video tapes, etc. Cameras are in their own individual bag. In the outer storage area of the backpack, the octo with computer, two regs and first stage fits no problem. Octo is wrapped in thick plastic bag on the way home.

In a separate backpack, I rubber banded a couple foam blocks to the OI video housing and set it by itself into the backpack, lense straight up. In the outer pocket, I put ten more Mini DV tapes. The idea here is to make it small as possible to carry on US flights.

That's it. One backpack with small second backpack.

I don't have strobes or video lights or monster Z1. :-) I also don't carry a laptop. Vacations are to get AWAY from that thing.

You could "Pelican" the lights. But I think getting the housing there successfully is the main part with lights being gravy. You can still shoot without lights but not without housing.

Sounds good!

Your gear is similar to mine, whick backpack are you using?

thanks,

Jim

I believe it is the LowePro Mini Trekker AW.

I don't need the all weather capability, but I don't know whether there any differences to the "Classic".

The only thing important is the roomy storage area on the main storage area "door". The storage area is where the octopus is stored.

I was tired of having so many bags, laptop bag here, camera bag there, I got the LowePro CompuTrekker Plus AW.

I can pack my laptop in the side pouch, Canon 1dM2, canon digital rebel, 17-40L, 14mm Fisheye, 100-400L, 70-200L, 580ex flash, two ds-125, Aquatica A300, Dome port. and that's all on the backpack. Dive computer as well. It weights 28kg! The rest goes into another duffle bag, with tshirts and socks as padding.

Checkin is the rest of the dive gear. Extra batteries, charger, extra cables, tools goes there.

Well I highly recommend the LowePro CompuTrekker Plus AW. Just have a strong back!

Curtis

I was tired of having so many bags, laptop bag here, camera bag there, I got the LowePro CompuTrekker Plus AW.

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I use this same backpack, I highly recommend it!

Shasta

the specs show that the exterior is about 12x12.5x16 and the internal is 11x5x14.5

is this due to the front pocket?

thanks

Jim

Guys,

Eagle Creek has a line of very sturdy back packs (1/2 the cost of lowepro) that work excellently for hauling around housings and not drawing any attention at the gate. I have had good success with my pack carrying a full FX1 housing, with camcorder inside, lights, batterpacks, monitor, arms, cords and chargers. Weighs over 20 kilos but if you try really hard, you can control the veins from bursting on your neck as you smile for the gate agent. All i have done is line it with foam padding and wala...camcorder bag.

Yes, that middle "depth" number apparently reflects the expansion of the front pocket. I only added about 3-4 inches max when I put the octo in there. You almost could not tell it was in there.

If you click on the zoom picture of the backpack on their website, you can see the second set of zippers just above the logo on the upper part of the backpack. That opens the front pocket which runs the entire "height" of the backpack from top to bottom.

When I travel, I like to use a waistpack. On land, to/from the boat I carry a lot of things in this pack. It's padded and holds more than it looks it can.

On the plane, I put the waistback inside a backpack. My camcorder, lenses, and anything fragile goes in the waistpack. The backpack still has plenty of room for my dive computer, regulator, jacket, magazines, etc..

It functions kind of like the Lowepro Rover series.

ShawnH and others,

What particular backpack will fit the Phenom and FX1 camera with lights, AND will be of an approved size for carryon?

I am working on buying an HDR FX1 and Phenom w/lights for a May trip to Puerto Galera P.I.

Dave,

I have devised a system for carrying my entire fx1 set up (camcorder, housing, lights, light arms, battery packs and lens). So far it hasn't gained any notice but who knows when it will. I have fitted an Eagle Creek Voyage 65L Backpack with foam (http://www.eaglecreek.com/adventure_travel_packs.html ). It just fits all just barely. If you want a little more room, you could go with the Maiden Voyage 70L...but this increases your risk of getting noticed. Good thing about the set up is it is much cheaper than most "camera" bags, it is durable and it doesn't turn too many heads..."just a back pack". Also, it comes with a zip off external pack for the little stuff. Finally, it fits great in the overhead storage. I does qualify as approved size but is far over the weight limits (20+ kilos). I have tried a lot of solutions and this one has really stood up to tests (5 countries, 2nd TSA screening, etc). Fingers crossed that it keeps working given the weight excess.

Shawn

Ah shawn...but have you gone to Hong Kong or Australia, who are very keen on sizewise boxes. I think you tried my method and got a little worried about your acrylic coated lens. But I say let them see it's an expensive piece of machinery and they won't bug you as much. You can carry the other stuff in the backpack. A de-o-ringed housing with protected lens works well since you then are elevated to professional status and they allow you to carry that carry on plus laptop on the side.

Great point Drew. And for sure my method will fail in Austrailia...i have never seen a country so regimented about carry on weight. I have not experienced the hong kong situation yet. The pack is a free adaption of your method for making the burden lighter. I suppose you could just take it out of the pack when you went to the gate. The rest of the haul, you could carry in the pack.

Hi,

I use a lowepro dryzone 200, im pretty sure the Gates an LMI Fx1 housings would fit in it, anybe the lights too.... It doesnt look that special, and i always took it on my internal flights in French Polynesia with 20kgs of still gear inside, they have them in most camera shops, samys in LA will let you try them out in the shop...

If not, i may be i the Puerta Gallera in May, try mine then...

shawnh,

How big is your housing? Do you think a Sea & Sea VX-2100 Pro housing will fit the Voyage 65L? The dimensions are 13.5 x 9.5 x 16.

Mike

I've noticed that more airlines are weighing carry-on baggage at the check-in. I think Emirates did this to me at Manchester last year and were super-strict about 5kg (or was it 7kg?). At that point you're buggered unless you can convince them that you'll give it all to your mate before you fly.

Also BA can sometimes be total b'stards about carry-on weight.

But from a theft and handling point of view I think it's probably still better to at least attempt to carry the housing and camera on. If they rumble you at the gate then all they normally do is tell you that it will have to go in the hold, at which point you remove the camera, laptop etc themselves from the bag and carry just those on. When I failed in trying to carry my Pelican case on I avoided an excess baggage charge for it (it was 20kg) and I got to carry it to the aircraft myself, thereby avoiding having the thing tumbling down conveyor belts etc..

Nick