Camera bag suggestions for travel/parks

[jagron11]

I’m not a photo pro, but do it as a hobby. Like many of you here, though, travel and with large family in tow. Any recommendations for a good multi purpose photo travel bag? Or better yet, what do you use like/dislikes?

Here’s what I carry and use:
Canon 5d (preferably with battery grip)
Flash
2-3 lenses
Go pro
Go pro floating handle
Mbpro 15
iPad 9.7 size
Like to have space for a light weight jacket

Note: this is how it’s packed down to travel, not for the parks each day, if at WDW.

Currently use a Peak Design Everyday 20L. And it’s just a tad too snug. Regretting not getting the 30L. But now that I likely need to upgrade looking at other options.

Thanks in advance.

 

[KVH]

Ha. Camera bags are like t-shirts or even potato chips. Ya can't have just one. I would strongly suggest a Lowepro Fastpack xxx AW II. Either the 150 or the 250. $70-100. They should carry everything in your list and then some. The nice thing is they are AW units. Meaning they have an attached rain cover that works really well. Pocket for laptops, etc.

 

[jagron11]

Yeah, well...that was already camera bag #4 or so. But the 5d is new so that changed the size paradigm. She’s not buying it. But thanks for recommendation I’ll check that one out.

 

[jimim]

My bag for travel is a kata packpack. The cushioning and protection on thier bags is awesome.

My park bags are domke cause they make very light bags. Not as much protection though.

 

[Cabalumni86]

What I have been using these past 5 years and I fine that it has saved me a lot of time and it allows me to even pack the kitchen sink. It's a 12 bottle wine limo called Bellino Bottle wine case. It's list on ebay for around $75.00 to $86.00, I know that may be some what high for a camera bag. But if you go to ebay and look at it you will fine that you can change the pockets around and all of the compartments around the bag works for storing every thing you will need and more.
Last year I up graded and found hard cases at Sams for $20.00 and a fold able wagon, as I shoot on the football field, I found that I was able to put every thing instated of carrying it all. The wine bag has wheels on it.
Just my thought good luck on you up date

 

[gulliesmom]

This one gets great reviews:

https://brevite.co/products/outdoor-camera-backpack

 

[jec6613]

I use a Crumpler, which aren't really available in the US now, but if I were to change it I'd go with the Think Tank Retrospective series. They're a bit spendy for what they are, but really worth it for construction quality and flexibility. Shoulder bags IME tend to be better in the parks as they're easier to tuck away for rides, and it's flexible enough to carry other things as well. If you carry your 5D mostly on a blackrapid, RRS, or similar cross body strap, it also ends up very balanced with the camera over one shoulder and the bag with lenses and such over the other. I leave my D500 (similar in size to a 5D) on the sling until it's time to get on a ride, which now that I'm using the RRS QD system it comes off the strap basically instantly, and usually leave the strap on me while I'm riding.

If you're a woman BTW, get it from somewhere with a decent return policy - certain levels of endowment combined with body shape on women can mess with certain cross body carrying configurations (these tend to be brand/strap specific).

I would suggest skipping the grip for Disney, by the way. Unless you're primarily going for photography, it really bulks up the camera and on the bigger bodies doesn't add a ton to the handling like a grip does on smaller bodies - even with f/2.8 lenses. It also usually causes problems with stability if you have only a small tripod (Gorillapod or tabletop models), and with a DSLR you don't really need it for battery life extension.

 

[jagron11]

Thanks all for responding. I’m still in search of. Oddly enough I had a crumpled years ago. The big barge or something like that. Had to replace because it sat very far away from my body and I’d take people out as I walked by.

So I am leaning this way with a medium photo cube:
https://www.peakdesign.com/collections/travel-bags/products/travel-backpack

I know it’s big. And likely won’t make it into the parks with me. But I want one good bag for the flights that I can throw all the electronics in. This seems to fit the bill, without going dedicated rollerboard. As I’ve thought more. I also take a ton of chargers and a Bose wireless speaker (and noise canceling headsets for that matter) when I travel. I am NOT a lightweight traveler.

Glad to see people still chiming in. Once I decide I’ll post the final product and my pack job. First trip will be to Aulani and Maui in June. Then WDW likely spring 2020.

 

[jec6613]

If you're set on a backpack, Tamrac and B&H recently brought the Gura Gear Kibokos back on the market: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...gear_gg0530_1945_kiboko_2_0_30l_backpack.html

I use Gura Gear for my traveling electronics bags and they are the absolute best - and I've tried most of the rest. It's a bit smaller but the usable space is a much higher percentage in them. I haven't tried the restarted Gura Gear bags, but the reviews indicate their construction is the same, they're just slightly different in size.

 

[kcp1377]

I use a Crumpler, which aren't really available in the US now, but if I were to change it I'd go with the Think Tank Retrospective series. They're a bit spendy for what they are, but really worth it for construction quality and flexibility. Shoulder bags IME tend to be better in the parks as they're easier to tuck away for rides, and it's flexible enough to carry other things as well. If you carry your 5D mostly on a blackrapid, RRS, or similar cross body strap, it also ends up very balanced with the camera over one shoulder and the bag with lenses and such over the other. I leave my D500 (similar in size to a 5D) on the sling until it's time to get on a ride, which now that I'm using the RRS QD system it comes off the strap basically instantly, and usually leave the strap on me while I'm riding.

If you're a woman BTW, get it from somewhere with a decent return policy - certain levels of endowment combined with body shape on women can mess with certain cross body carrying configurations (these tend to be brand/strap specific).

I would suggest skipping the grip for Disney, by the way. Unless you're primarily going for photography, it really bulks up the camera and on the bigger bodies doesn't add a ton to the handling like a grip does on smaller bodies - even with f/2.8 lenses. It also usually causes problems with stability if you have only a small tripod (Gorillapod or tabletop models), and with a DSLR you don't really need it for battery life extension.

I have a few think tank (one retrospective) and they are fantastic as a whole. It rides closer to my body than my crumpler, but hold just as much.

Thanks all for responding. I’m still in search of. Oddly enough I had a crumpled years ago. The big barge or something like that. Had to replace because it sat very far away from my body and I’d take people out as I walked by.

So I am leaning this way with a medium photo cube:
https://www.peakdesign.com/collections/travel-bags/products/travel-backpack

I know it’s big. And likely won’t make it into the parks with me. But I want one good bag for the flights that I can throw all the electronics in. This seems to fit the bill, without going dedicated rollerboard. As I’ve thought more. I also take a ton of chargers and a Bose wireless speaker (and noise canceling headsets for that matter) when I travel. I am NOT a lightweight traveler.

Glad to see people still chiming in. Once I decide I’ll post the final product and my pack job. First trip will be to Aulani and Maui in June. Then WDW likely spring 2020.

I have an everyday backpack that is really fantastic (peak design does a great job) but also a think tank streetwalker (which is more along the lines of that travel backpack) and it sticks out so far from my back that I end up hitting things with it. I finally ended up with the ED backpack instead a month ago (keeping the streetwalker for work) and it’s much better in that respect. I like that I can reach gear without taking it off too.

 

[havoc315]

I seem to collect camera bags. Currently, I'm loving and hating the Peak Design bags.
Pros: They look great. They have some real functional advantages.
Cons: Very expensive and I'm not sure the build quality is really high enough to justify the pricing.

 

[GregoryF]

Take a look at the Manfrotto Advanced Camera and Laptop Backpack. It's side entry, like the Peak Design, and the top and bottom are separated. I can fit two Sony a6000s with lenses, plus a couple additional lenses and still have the top section for a rolled up jacket. There's also a 15" laptop sleeve for you iPad. APS-C lenses are much smaller than Canon FF, but I think everything in your list will fit. It's shortcoming is lack of extra pockets - Peak Design is better organized. Plus, it just fits under the seat on a plane.

There are some Youtube videos that show how much it will carry.

 

[jec6613]

For traveling, I normally use the Gura Gear Chobe 19-24L shoulder bag. It's expandable, and expanded just meets AA's personal item sizing (which doesn't fit under the seat by the way, but it counts per policy). Not made anymore, but it happily holds my ZBook mobile workstation, 2 bodies, my 17-55, 12-24, 300 f/4, 70-200, and a couple of primes, and room to throw in a compact camera or two, extra batteries and media cards, my backup hard drive, sunglasses, various travel sundries including my 3-1-1 bag, and even my Surface tablet and power banks to watch movies on the plane.

I pack a smaller more nimble bag for use when I actually get there (usually my Crumpler) packed with socks and the like in my normal carry-on, and then select what to take based on the day and event.

 

[bob100]

Take a look at the Manfrotto Advanced Camera and Laptop Backpack. It's side entry, like the Peak Design, and the top and bottom are separated. I can fit two Sony a6000s with lenses, plus a couple additional lenses and still have the top section for a rolled up jacket. There's also a 15" laptop sleeve for you iPad. APS-C lenses are much smaller than Canon FF, but I think everything in your list will fit. It's shortcoming is lack of extra pockets - Peak Design is better organized. Plus, it just fits under the seat on a plane.

There are some Youtube videos that show how much it will carry.

APS-C lenses are smaller and lighter and work well with mirrorless (but not for the OP)
I use a generic messenger bag and and old SLR film pack but traveling with a 150-600 for birds then it gets larger and heavier

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[krr126]

I used a ThinkTank Turnstyle 10 in the parks last week and it worked great! In hindsight, I would have bought the next size up, the 20 just to have a little more storage room, but it felt fine and worked great. I especially loved the built-in rainjacket for Kali RR and Splash Mtn.

 

[ember1205]

I have a Lowepro Flipside 200 that served me well for quite a long time. I really like the fact that the zippers are between the bag and you when it's on your shoulders, so there's zero chance of someone unzipping the bag and removing anything from the main compartment while you're walking around in the crowds.

I have replaced my original camera with a newer one, and have now added a speedlight and a much better sling strap. Since I also want to be able to carry my 12.9" iPad pro to do editing while I'm still ON my trip, I would like a bag that could also tote that for the traveling portion of my trip (not to take it into the parks). So, I'm looking at one of the newer Flipside AWS models that can handle a 15" laptop (since that's basically the size of the iPad) as a replacement.