I have a variety of different options to select from, depending on what I want to carry.
I have a small camera bag, just big enough for the body with lens, and either two more lenses or one lens and a flash. A small pocket on the front holds lens cleaners, extra battery, etc.
I have a photo vest similar to that already mentioned. It has loads of pockets into which to put lenses, filters, etc. There is a pocket across the back into which I can put a fold up reflector or two.
I have a daypack that I use when I want to carry items like water bottles, rain poncho, extra pair of socks, and snacks along with some camera gear. For the camera gear, I use a camera wrap to protect each item and put the small stuff in a separate bag.
Finally, I have camera backpacks (plural) when I want to carry just about everything or slightly less than that. I have a couple of different sizes, which allows me to select how much I want to take with me and how much weight I feel like carrying.
There are a lot of options available. One thing you might want to do is figure out how much you want to take with you first. Is your minimum a single body and an attached lens or are additional items also needed? Multiple bodies? Multiple lenses? Adapters? Extra batteries, CF cards, toosls? Once you know how much you are taking with you, it should help narrow down choices of bag to carry it in. If you selection varies by destination, you may end up with a variety of carrying gear like I did.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
My tamron 24-135 is my walkaround lens so too much gear is not an issue, and it's not too heavy. Used to shove it in the diaper bag, but now my youngest is potty trained...
for urban-ish environments it's over my shoulder. For the woods...it stays home. I'm thinking of getting a P&S...no clue on what one though.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I just returned from a three week trip to Bolivia and Peru. The end of the trip was a four day hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. For all of this I used a LowePro pack with the pocket in back for the computer (can't recall the actual LowePro model). Equipment consisted of 1Ds, 24-70, 70-200, 550 flash, spare batts (camera & flash) and battery charger, (I'll have room for the 16-35 II when I get it). Left the computer and batt charger in the hotel for the Inca Trail (no place to plug in out there). There is a decent sized compartment area above the camera compartment for rain gear, extra clothes & socks etc, and a good bungy cord system on the outside for attaching layering type clothes. The only thing I would change next time is to have a good waterproof cover for the pack. The last 2 1/2 days on the trail were all rain, lucky the canon gear is up to the task in that regard. The sholder straps and waist belt system is very adjustable and very comfortable.
Happy hiking, Bruce
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Aloha,
I am an avid hiker and alpine climber. Regardless of the weight I have to carry my photographic equipment with me.
I have a lowepro belt system(forget the name) I also have but no longer use a lowepro all terrain Orion AW. The reason this last bag is no longer used is that I purchased a Mountainsmith Parallax before going to Scotland last year and this sweet little bag as replaced all of the above!
Climbing for many years I was well familiarized with the quality of the mountainsmith brand but had always insisted in traveling light. Now as i reach a more sensible age (29 plus 30 more years we don't talk about) I have decided that all of my camera equipment (well not all) must come along for the ride. Thats when I decided to purchase the Parallax and have never looked back......Relay love the 360deg. swing and the fact that you don't have to take the pack pg to change out lens etc.
Link to pack....Mountainsmith
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
For the hikers out there, wondering what you guys do with your gear (one body and maybe two lenses) while hiking so that it's not swinging off your shoulder banging into trees and kids, etc. We'd like to do some limited hiking this summer, but I don't think I want a full camera backpack.
Without question: The North Face Recon. I've used it for years hiking in Yosemite and similar places.
__________________ Lloyd Chambers, diglloyd.com, Blog, Free articles: Digital Infrared, Consumer Digicams and Diffraction, Firewire and USB Card Readers, Focus Accuracy, PowerMac G5 Internal Drive Kits, MacBook Pro Experience Report, DPP Batch Processing, Lens Mount Misalignment, Color Temperature and Noise, Nikon Capture Noise Reduction/Speed/Stability/Color Aberration Control, Background blur, Depth of Field, In-depth Reviews: Zeiss ZF Lenses, Guide to Digital Infrared, TheSharpestImage, 28mmShiftLenses
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Depends on hike length and type, weather and goals.
When it is liable to be damp a Lowpro drypack or half Lowpro dry pack (forget the name and too lazy to drag it out of the cupboard, this is the one with the hydration pack in the top). If its dry either a Lowpro street and field belt and shoulder harness (very flexible as the backs and small packs on it can be attached based on gear you intend to carry). I use it with the shoulder harness to prevent it slipping and to distribute the load better. I have tried waist type packs but they alway slip down over the hike, are generally too small and, on meduim length hikes, become very uncomfortable and cause me lower back pain.For short hikes I often use a photo vest. To me the pack to use is a question of planning for the day. The biggest issue I have is the camera gear and hydration need balance, I hike a lot i the desert south west so carrying water is a must.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
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