Do you use a camera case/bag for your DSLR?

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shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
I have a proper camera bag but its not one of those fancy compartmental kits.
One day when I can afford many lenses and accessories, I'll do that.
 

Lalakai

Golden Member
Nov 30, 1999
1,634
0
76
always start off with the camera in the camera bag (think I spent $70 on it). Stores extra lense and flash, plus gives me additional storage for family stuff. I keep a strap on the camera at all times and often leave the bag in the car or truck once i'm out in the field.

a friend uses this strap and got me started on it, and now I love it. Camera carries well, i'm not banging it into things when I lean over, it pulls up very fast, and with the steel cable I don't have to worry about it being cut and the camera stolen. For the larger rigs it works very well; my D5 with winder and 24 -70 F2.8 turns into a very comfortable carry camera.

http://www.sun-sniper.com/en/sniper-strap-the-pro-steel-bear.html
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
To clarify: I basically want something with a bit of padding so that I can throw it into my backpack without worrying about it too much (kinda like those basic Lowepro bags).

The Think Tank products look really nice, but they're also really expensive.
Yes, I think the Think Tank bags in general are overkill for what you're looking for (as I understand it). The one possible exception might be their modular pouches. They have small padded "pouches" of various sizes and shapes that you can throw in a bigger bag ... or can fasten to your belt. But Lowepro also has a variety of smaller padded bags you can use.

Good luck. If you become serious about photography, you may find the quest for the prefect bag(s) is never-ending.
 

Munky

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2005
9,372
0
76
I would never lug around a backpack full of DSLR gear unless I was making money from it. I usually carry one zoom lens and maybe a fast prime in a waist pack that doesn't scream "expensive camera gear inside!"

More recently though I picked up a Fuji XF1, and it pretty much eliminated the need for a DSLR travel/vacation camera.
 

tracerbullet

Golden Member
Feb 22, 2001
1,661
19
81
I have a couple Lowepro bags I like a lot. Just smaller ones that fit a DSLR with a lens, and have a lens pouch on each side for either addnl lenses or things like a bottle of water / granola bar when hiking. Great for tossing around or addnl protection inside a backpack.

Basically like this: http://www.lowepro.com/toploaderzoom

Not very expensive and lots of places have them. It's something you'll use for a long time, IMO they are worth it. Not just some BS "protection" like a phone screen, they are useful in their own right for carrying.

If you go that route, bring your camera to the store to get the best fit. Not too tight, not too loose. These come in a lot of sizes.
 

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
1
81
My Canon PowerShot SX30IS is a bridge DSLR and I just bought a Canon case to protect it because I always bring it with me almost all the times. Digital camera case is a MUST!
 

slashbinslashbash

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,945
8
81
Oh yeah. Several.

Kata R-103 - very well padded backpack, carries a decent amount of DSLR gear + laptop. My usual bag for trips + travel photos - very secure (would be hard to steal anything out of it without being quite obvious), fits easily in overhead bins. Expensive but worth it; the padding is super thick and it fits a good amount of gear while keeping the overall size down and having decent access to the equipment.

Think Tank Digital Holster 20 + multiple sizes of Modular Lens Changers + Pro Speed Belt = awesome, versatile. If it's just the 5D and one lens, the Holster works on its own with the shoulder strap or attached to a standard pants belt. I can also add one extra lens (usually a smaller lens like the 50mm/1.4) in a small Lens Changer hanging on the shoulder strap. If it's dedicated photo shoot time, then I'll have the belt (with holster) and several extra lenses ready at hand. And I can toss any/all of this into a normal backpack, suitcase, briefcase, etc. and have my gear protected/worry-free even in a non-photo bag. TT stuff is definitely expensive, but it is top-notch and worth it. I love the modular aspect, it allows you to pick and choose what you want to carry. It is great for travel where some days you want just the camera + 1 lens while other days you want to carry a wider array of lenses.

Crumpler 6MDH (and generic $20 knockoff) - This is a great over-the-shoulder bag, I highly recommend the Million Dollar Home series if you want a shoulder bag. A 6MDH is big enough to hold a 5D + quite a few lenses (I think I used to fit all of my lenses, save the 100mm Macro, and a 430EX in the 6MDH). However, the problem with shoulder bags (and the reason why I sold my official Crumpler in lieu of a knockoff) is that they get tiring/sore to carry before too long. Especially if you have a lot of gear.... the problem with ANY bag is that it's easy to buy a big bag and then fall into the trap of having to fill it up each time you go out. So you end up carrying 10 pounds of gear putting all of that weight on one shoulder. It's ok if you just need to transport your gear someplace and can set the bag down somewhere when you get there, but if you're doing a lot of walking/carrying then you will want some kind of backpack or other way of carrying your equipment. The TT belt system above works great, you don't feel the weight at all. The Crumpler bags are certainly very stylish though, and are great for protecting your gear. I use my knockoff every once in a while.

Pelican PCS-247 - This is not a standard hard-sided Pelican case (although those are awesome) but rather it looks like a normal carry-on roller suitcase. The inside has a ton of dividers and organizers for a lot of gear. This is what I usually store my gear in when I'm at home, or use it to transport gear in my car. Plenty of room for ALL of my stuff (minor accessories included) and a good centralized place for all of my camera gear.

Wish/want to buy a sling bag. Probably a small or mid-sized one like the LowePro 100AW or 200AW. Big enough to carry a body and maybe 3 lenses total, plus some other stuff (book, rain jacket or whatnot) but not enough to weigh me down. I do like the sling form factor in theory, but am kind of leery on spending the money on something that I might not end up liking or being comfortable carrying. Especially given that I have so many other nice camera bags already.
 

LostPassword

Member
Dec 2, 2007
197
1
81
I like bags for the padding. Carry extra battery and mem cards and filters. Also I bring a plastic bag in case it rains.

Crumpler 3million for when I'm one lensing it, or for a big compact
Crumpler 4million for when I bring extra lens.
My camera isn't big.
 
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randomrogue

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2011
5,462
0
0
As far as backpacks I'd go to the store with all your gear and start putting stuff in. I agree that you don't need to bring everything but I found that you can fill up the small backpacks really fast OR they simply were too small to have your camera in the bag with your lens on at the same time. Full frame lenses at least like the 70-300, 14-24, or 16-35. If you have a 70-200 that's even worse.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,839
8,304
136
I have a case I got for an old Canon Optura minidv camcorder. I can use it for my Pentax K-x DSLR and maybe a lens or two, but I always just put it in a backpack. Sometimes I use a compartmentalized backpack. I rarely change lenses on the fly, I just take the lens I think I'll need most.
 

mrrman

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2004
8,498
3
0
I am looking for a shoulder case that takes a DSLR camera, canon 70-300 IS lens, 1 wide angle lens and is not that big...I like the more rounded type bags than square ones...any suggestions...
 

randomrogue

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2011
5,462
0
0
Only weighs 3 lbs so that's good. Just ask yourself if you'd be comfortable walking around town in that bag. You might need to have a bullwhip and brown Stetson fedora with you to complement the outfit.
 

Tsaar

Guest
Apr 15, 2010
228
0
76
Only weighs 3 lbs so that's good. Just ask yourself if you'd be comfortable walking around town in that bag. You might need to have a bullwhip and brown Stetson fedora with you to complement the outfit.

Good idea.

I like the look because it looks like you AREN'T carrying $1000s in equipment.

Also, it is apparently a decent quality knock-off of this National Geographic bag:







It is available for $120 from B&H with free shipping: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...eographic.html
 
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Alamat

Senior member
Apr 30, 2003
683
9
81
i have a crumpler 6 mdh

they make other sizes great bags,

I use the same exact one too. Fits my camera with lens, 2 other lenses, charger, flash and batteries. But when I'm out, mostly use my Black Rapid strap when snapping pics and may or may not have the bag on the other side. I kinda try to figure out what kind of stuff I'm taking pics of and take one lens.
 
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