Looking for Camera/Laptop Bag

I'm looking for a new camera bag that will hold 4-6 lenses, 2 bodies and a 17" laptop with assorted accessories. Ideally it would have a small pocket/area to hold a lightweight coat, paperback, iPhone, headset, etc. for the plane. I'll take my housing and ports on board in a roller hardcase. I have a D300/D80 and several lenses.

I've been looking at the LowePro series as I have a slingshot 200AW that's a great day bag for shooting. Looked at the older model Computrekker 200 and the newer Vertex 250AW, both around $190-230. The issues I see is the lack of space for other items than the camera and laptop, and overall weight,; they weigh 6-7 pounds empty.

Any other good quality bags I should look at? What do others use.?

Thanks,

Jack

Jack,

Be sure to check out thinkTank. http://www.thinktankphoto.com/

Wonderful equipment. Not sure which bag would fit your needs, but I bet they make one. Take a look at the Shapeshifter

Have fun,

Steve

This brings up a question I wanted to ask. I picked up a Thinktank Airport Accerleration V2.0 which has a laptop sleeve pullout, it is a very nice bag that is carry on legal. I have used a Porter Case for a long time for housing and cameras etc. and am wondering if I can get both on board. Porter Case as "carry on" and Thinktank V 2.0 as "personal item" since it is a "backpack"? Always had a hefty "school" style backpack when traveling and so far so good. At times in smaller planes they gate check the PorterCase but it is at the door when I get out.

Anyway the Thinktank V 2.0 has been recommended on other threads here and is tough and unassuming.

I'm looking for a new camera bag that will hold 4-6 lenses, 2 bodies and a 17" laptop with assorted accessories. Ideally it would have a small pocket/area to hold a lightweight coat, paperback, iPhone, headset, etc. for the plane. I'll take my housing and ports on board in a roller hardcase. I have a D300/D80 and several lenses.

 

I've been looking at the LowePro series as I have a slingshot 200AW that's a great day bag for shooting. Looked at the older model Computrekker 200 and the newer Vertex 250AW, both around $190-230. The issues I see is the lack of space for other items than the camera and laptop, and overall weight,; they weigh 6-7 pounds empty.

 

Any other good quality bags I should look at? What do others use.?

 

Thanks,

Jack

I love my Think Tank Urban Disguise 60 and can't recommend it enough. I think it will fit a 17" but you should check. I just took it to Florida along with my Lowepro Pro Roller 1. The Lowepro holds the housing, with body inside, macro port, two DS-125 strobes, arms, sync cords, 60 macro lens, and assorted other odds and ends. The Think Tank holds laptop, one camera body but can hold two, topside strobe, 100-400, dome port, 16-35mm, Canon G10, and assorted items. It can hold more but I try not to over pack it. The two work great in combo. The roller goes in the overhead and the Think Tank under the seat. I love it for its ability to hold a ton of gear for little real estate and it looks just like a brief case.

Correction I have a 15" laptop. I'm liking some of these ideas....

Jack

Hey Jack ,

Check these out. Studio Back Pack.

Been using one of these for the last 4 or 4 years. It has a separate slider area for the laptop and your magazines.

I have packed 2 x D3X Bodies & Chargers , 4 lenses , 4 portable drives , 17" notebook and charger , telephone & charger plus all travel doc's and book. ( it nearly brakes you back but is never looked at )

The best part is they are made for a life on the road and are fully padded with sorbethane type linings and ultra heavy duty YKK Zippers.

I've got the LowePro Vertex 300AW, and have been able to carry it on every flight so far without fail (mostly US domestic), BUT without a laptop in the sleeve. With the main compartment packed pretty full (housing excluding tray, 2 bodies, 3 lenses, small dome port, two Ike DS-50s with arm and clamp components, misc. filters/CF cards/batteries/chargers) a 15.4" HP laptop (dv6 chassis) felt like it was being 'flexed' too much when slipped into the appropriate compartment, plus that kicked the bag height over the allowable for a carryon. Otherwise, the bag's been great.

Didn't see they now had a 250AW, presumably between the size of the 200 (which was clearly not large enough when I was shopping) and 300 which is right at the 'limit'.

I have gotten the laptop into the compartment when the bag is packed just for photo purposes, not U/W (2 bodies, 4-5 lenses, batteries/chargers/cards,etc) and again have had no trouble carrying it on for domestic US flights.

Andy Morrison: I'm kind of liking this direction of a shoulder bag, I saw that they have an Urban Disguise 70, but apparently there's no laptop pocket? Do you find it too heavy to sling over your shoulder when full? Are the outer pockets roomy enough for a paperback, light coat, etc.? I think this approach would work well with the Seahorse hard roller case I'm getting (SE920F) for most of the UW rig. It would also work with the slingshot backpack I already have. I really like that it's only 2-3 pounds by itself.

rtrski; thanks for the feedback/review. kinda of confirms my feelings about the Lowepros; ie a bit bulky.

Thanks gang, this is a useful thread!

Jack

Hi all,

I've copied others (!) and got a Think Tank Airport acceleration and an Urban disguise 60. I've used this combination for lots of travel now, and found that it works really well.

I have a Subal ND2 and a D2Xs, these are both pretty big and bulky. I get the housing, dome, ports etc in the backpack, and the camera, lenses, laptop, strobes and lots more in the shoulder bag. My laptop is currently a fairly bulky 15" - I don't think you will get a 17" in it though....! Sounds like that won't be a problem.

Have a look at this thread here. It has lots of info too

Adam

Jack, the TTP Airport Acceleration, or the new roller version, the Airport Takeoff would be your best bet.

Andy Morrison: I'm kind of liking this direction of a shoulder bag, I saw that they have an Urban Disguise 70, but apparently there's no laptop pocket? Do you find it too heavy to sling over your shoulder when full? Are the outer pockets roomy enough for a paperback, light coat, etc.? I think this approach would work well with the Seahorse hard roller case I'm getting (SE920F) for most of the UW rig. It would also work with the slingshot backpack I already have. I really like that it's only 2-3 pounds by itself.

 

rtrski; thanks for the feedback/review. kinda of confirms my feelings about the Lowepros; ie a bit bulky.

 

Thanks gang, this is a useful thread!

 

Jack

Jack, it can get very heavy and wide if you over pack it. It does have a very nice, thick padded carrying strap and you can buy a backpack harness for it. I like that it's is somewhat expandable in design. I try to pack it more vertically if that makes any sense. It's a deep bag and I stack the shorter lenses. I also carry a light weight North Face softshell pullover that packs very small if I need it. I also like that even if it gets heavy, when used with a roller it slips over the roller handle so you can roll it through the airport and just carry it on and off the plane. It doesn't look big enough to get weighed either. And it's pretty easy for the TSA guys to search through quickly. Anytime I'm traveling with my UW gear I get pulled aside and searched so it's nice that both the roller and Urban Disguise are quick to search.

Another reason I like to travel with the roller and shoulder bag instead of a backpack is because my main luggage bag, a North Face duffle, is a backpack design. It's been around the world with me and I won't give it up for anything. Since it rides on my bag to and fro it's nice to have a shoulder bag that sits on my roller for getting into and out of the airport, hotels, etc.

I think this is a great bag and I've bought and used many. You can pack it how you need for just about any occassion. I just don't think there is ONE bag out there that will hold everything the UW photographer needs AND fit in the overhead or under the seat. To me, this kind of combo is the best of both worlds.

Jack, I use the urban disguise 60 sometimes, but it gets heavy quick, and the weight distribution is not that great...so for packing all that you want to, I definitely recommend a full backpack style.

For something a bit different, check out the Brazillion bag from Crumpler. This was my 2nd bag whenever I travelled, instead of bringing along YET another camera bag to put the cameras in for topside shooting. It'd carried 2 1D series bodies and 5-6 lenses +converters/extension tubes and filters etc.

And it's pretty cool lookin' too. I switched to the 8 million recently because of the smaller profile.

I'll chime in about the Thinktank. I got 2 of them before my Safari in early 2007 and wrote an article here about them as they were brand new back then.

I would recommend the Acceleration if you have a 17" laptop but the smaller Antidote may work if you have a 15" laptop w/ the added bonus that it will fit in the overhead bin on Regional Jets.

I recommend a backpack, as w/ the equipment you listed, you will look like Quasimodo if you try using a shoulder bag ;-)

Cheers

James

I recommend a backpack, as w/ the equipment you listed, you will look like Quasimodo if you try using a shoulder bag ;-)

 

Cheers

James

I look like Quasimoto _without_ the bag! ;-)

I'll check 'em out.

Jack

Good cop and Bad Cop interviewing a gypsy woman after a disruption near the cathedral.

Good cop: "Were you acquainted with anyone there at the cathedral?"

Bad cop:"Yeah, does 'Quasimodo' ring a bell?"

<pause>

Bad cop: "Why the he** are you laughing??"