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How-to's Accessories Reviews

FAQs - What Bag?

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp)


Keywords: bag, faq, non_nikon

Page 3/7 show all pages

Each bag type has a best application. Of course you can get almost any bag to any location, but it will not be the most satisfactory situation; at times the wrong bag at the wrong place may place your equipment and even you in peril.

 

Nikon leather case

 Top Load type bag, Model 5605 Pro 5, for a pro body, by Tamrac®

 

Hard learned experience has shown Nikonians what bag types are best for what main uses as per the table below:

 

  MAIN RECOMMENDED USE
 MAJOR TYPES

Urban

Mountain
Climbing

Wilderness

 Cycling/Skiing 

Transportation

 Holster/TopLoad 

X

 

X

X

 
 Hip/Waist/Fanny    X   X  
 Vest Harness     X    
 Shoulder X        
 Backpacks     X X  
 Strong boxes         X
 Hard cases         X

 

.    
Holsters & Top loaders provide a neat way of carrying a camera with lens and an extra one with relative ease and fast access. If kept clean, they even look good when on a three-piece suit, hanging from your shoulder or neck. Can be taken out of the urban scenario and be comfortable for the wilderness and for transportation, but in mountain climbing they will seldom be the best. However, when with an extra waist/chest strap attached to keep them from dangling, they can perform well for long walks in the wilderness and for cycling or skiing. At right, Nikonian Photophil keeping his F4s handy in a top load bag.  

 

Hip/Waist/Fanny bags, when small, are the most suitable for the main recommended use because they give you all the needed freedom of arms and hands, will not be that heavy and can be worn for long periods. Sorry, they don't look good if you are wearing a suit in the city.

 

Vests/Harnesses: smart photo-hikers love them.

Probably the most comfortable gear carrier as seen at right,  used by Nikonian Photo_Phil

They can be custom fit to your particular gear.

 

The shoulder bag is the most common and more overrated of all bags. Sure, they provide easy access to the contents, however, as you become more and more enthusiastic about photography, you will want to make certain you didn't leave at home anything you might need, so you'll fall for a larger one. Typically, by the time you can afford all of the best, your bones begin to hurt and the heavy load becomes anywhere from uncomfortable to unbearable. That is why -as said before- they end up as bags for storage, especially the biggies. Now, if you are young and strong, you might love them. I did, for quite some time.

 

A "convertible bag" has a wide hidden waist belt. If not too big, you will use them longer as you distribute the weight between shoulder and waist by using both the shoulder strap and the belt. If too big, don't wear them for too long as a fanny pack, it is usually a way to ensure you will need a chiropractic sooner than later. If you use them hanging from a shoulder across your chest and additionally supported by the waist belt, they are very comfortable and will serve you longer.  

 

The backpack on the other hand, is the most comfortable way to carry a load. The armies of the world have made innumerable -and very expensive- studies supporting the idea that infantry can carry more and for longer when close to the body from both shoulders and waist than from one shoulder or from the waist alone. 

 

Try a backpack, you'll love it. The best have a sternum strap, padded harness and a lumbar cushion inside a wide waist belt. Ok, they do look funny in a three-piece suit, but by then you don't care anymore, just as you don't care to wear the most comfortable shoes with shock pads and thick cushioned soles all the time and anywhere. Easy access to the stuff? You have also figured by now that there is no sense in rushing, plus if the situation asks for it, you will have a camera ready at your chest.  

 

Furthermore, a medium or large-sized backpack will let you transport plenty of equipment as carry-on by commercial airplane , still meeting newer regulations and without having to worry about how the gear is doing in and out of the cargo area.

Strongboxes are for transporting even more equipment from location to location in a car or a truck. Somehow not much seen in airports, though.

 

 

 

Hard cases are the safest way to transport equipment, more so if there is danger of equipment getting wet. If large enough to be required into the luggage compartment of an airplane, try to buy one wheeled and make certain you have extra insurance. Most air carriers will not cover the contents unless the case is lost and even then there are limits on replacement cost claims. So,  when flying, use them only if you must carry more than what a carry-on backpack would allow -or a two piece soft camera bag- and cannot forward to your destination by courier. The other option is to get one that complies with carry-on size requirements.

Let's turn into what brands are out there, what characteristics one should be looking for, and how to choose if you cannot see one to try -with your own equipment- at a local store.
 

(10 Votes )
Page 3/7 show all pages

Originally written on May 3, 2010

Last updated on December 19, 2017

J. Ramon Palacios J. Ramon Palacios (jrp)

JRP is one of the two co-founders of Nikonians and has in-depth knowledge in many photographic areas Awarded for his contributions for the Resources

San Pedro Garza García, Mexico
Admin, 46140 posts

4 comments

R.H. Ruskin (swbobcat) on June 18, 2016

My "Camera Bag" is a multi-purpose bag in reality. Not only must it safely store my camera gear, it has to also double as a travel bag that I can carry on a plane and fit in an overhead bin. So not only does it have to hold a Nikon F, a F2 -- one with a 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor - P Non-Ai, and the other a 50mm f/1.4 Ai -- 4 other lens, a Point'n'Shoot digital camera, two flashes (SB-22, SB-26), Flash Bracket, SC-17 cable, a "roll" of about 15 52mm glass filters, several rolls of film, light meter, cleaning supplies, etc., etc., etc., It also has to hold 2-3 bottles of medications, a Nook Color e-Book reader, sweater, cell phone, various chargers, etc., etc., etc. Last November or December I bought a used Lowepro Magnum 400 AW. Remarkably ALL that stuff fits in the bag. Yeah it *is* a bit heavy when fully loaded, even with out the meds, e-book reader, etc., etc, and is filled only with the camera gear, but once I get to where-ever I'm going I unzip my "camera bag" /"travel bag" and set up shop, and draw from the bag only that gear I plan to use -- usually one camera and lens combination, and the Nikon CoolPix L18 Point'n'Shoot Digital camera if I expect to be away from the house. OTOH if I'm home then my camera bag is -- well -- my camera bag that safely stores my gear. A couple of bags of silica gel spread through out the bag keeps the contents dry (though in Desert Southwest, humidity is NOT a problem) and the threat of fungus from setting up shop. If I have a personal self assignment, I simply go to my bag, open it up and pull out the gear I'll need. It is a LARGE roomy bag that will serve the needs of most amateurs who might have up to 5-6 lens, a flash or two, and one or two cameras. It is probably too big and heavy to haul around on a day-to-day, basis, but for the casual shooter who needs a place to stow the gear and keep it protected, but which can be snatched up if need be, this is an EXCELLENT bag!! The Lowepro Magnum 400 AW is a BEAST, but it holds ALL my gear. I am currently considering only one or two more lens purchases: either a Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 Ai/AiS *or* the Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 Ai/AiS -- either will fit into the bag. The other lens I might add is the Nikkor 80-200mm f/4 or f/4.5 zoom. That might be a lens too far for the bag.

Min Chai Liu (mcliu19) on January 20, 2016

Bags and Tripods are dicey.. one is not good enough for all occasion . For each occasion one needs a different set of bag.. like for street photography, I prefer "Think tank urban disguise" or Bestek made with Ruck sack material ... For Nature and wild life , I prefer Lowpro back pack.. A very good article indeed ,and learned few things... Thanks for sharing the knowledge

Animesh Kumar Singh (animeshsingh) on August 14, 2013

It will be a nice touch to associate some bags with each category, with ranks 1 to 5 and I am sure it will be one hell of a review to hang on to :)

User on April 30, 2013

It's really handy to actually go to a real bricks and mortar shop taking a camera and lenses you're likely to carry because some bags look ok online but in reality can be woefully small.

G