Camera bag for street photography and outdoor shooting

[Jackofknives]

Hi all, I know there is a recent thread about bags but I think my needs are a bit different, so here goes.

I need to fit my Canon 5D Mark II, 50mm f/1.4, 70-200mm f/2.8, 6-35mm f/2.8, a canon 600ex-rt flash, airbender / bouncer, a macbook air 13" in the bag. And it must be able to hold a mid-sized tripod as well.

I've been looking at several bags but none really suits my needs. The lowepro 350 can't support a tripod, lowepro 400 is way too big and bulky.
I like the lowepro back zipper construction though, so that you can open the camera compartment without really taking off the bag.
Manfrotto Unica V seems OK, but I'm not sure if the lower compartment would fit my tripod.

Thanks

Update:
I have a Thule bag already that you can put a laptop in and strap on a tripod. I'm thinking about just getting a Camera compartment insert for now.

 

[Monday]

Honestly that is a lot of gear to be carrying for street photography. I am sure people will post awesome options for outdoor photography which makes sense for that many lenses.

Unless you are ok with back packs the tripod may not be an option. I prefer messenger type bags for on the go as I can easily/stealthy get to gear without having to stop somewhere take off the backpack and open/expose everything in what may be a not safe place. For shooting around San Fran I use two different bags.

My daily Messenger with camera padding inserts:
Custom made small civilian in waxed canvas with laptop sleeve: Messenger
Tenba insert: Amazon.com : Tenba 638-251 Messenger Removable Photo Insert (Gray) : Camera Cases : Camera & Photo

In this I normally carry my d800 with my 50mm or 70-200 2.8 mounted, sb800 flash, h4n sound recorder with mic.

For my carry more bag around the street I use my Domke f2 which I also love:
Amazon.com: Domke 700-02A F-2 Bag (Brown Waxwear Finish): Camera & Photo

This carries my d800, (2) sb800s, 24-70, 70-200. plus lots of little gadgets, light modifiers, filters, you name it.

 

[Jackofknives]

Yea, I like the messenger bag setup, but the thing is I already have a small hiking bag that can house a DSLR body with 70-200mm and 1 extra prime lens +/- a flash. So I'm looking more for a bag that can strap on a tripod AND can house a Macbook air 13".
I'll use this mostly for portrait shoots outdoors.

 

[CAP]

I use a LowPro Bag and love it.

 

[Derrel]

I think a tripod should be transported on a sling. Or left at home. Or left in the trunk of the car. Not strapped or lashed directly to or onto the camera bag. But maybe that's just me. I dunno...I got nothin' for you here except, "Lose the tripod".

 

[spacefuzz]

I use an F-Stop bag and love it, replaced my lowe pro.

 

[Jackofknives]

I think a tripod should be transported on a sling. Or left at home. Or left in the trunk of the car. Not strapped or lashed directly to or onto the camera bag. But maybe that's just me. I dunno...I got nothin' for you here except, "Lose the tripod".

Why wouldn't you strap your tripod on your bag? Because it's very exposed and might get stolen?

 

[Light Guru]

Honestly that is a lot of gear to be carrying for street photography.

Yea that's WAY to much gear to be balling around for street photography. Your going to stick out like a sore thumb and that's the last thing you want when doing street photography.

 

[Light Guru]

I think a tripod should be transported on a sling. Or left at home. Or left in the trunk of the car. Not strapped or lashed directly to or onto the camera bag. But maybe that's just me. I dunno...I got nothin' for you here except, "Lose the tripod".

Why wouldn't you strap your tripod on your bag? Because it's very exposed and might get stolen?

It's also going to draw a lot of attention to you and thus make getting good photos a lot harder.

 

[usayit]

Carrying that much gear would bring a lot of attention anyways....

 

[D-B-J]

For all/most of my gear, I use a Lowepro Vertex 200AW, and for other/less-gear situations I use a Domke F2.

My lowepro fits D7000 Gripped, 80-200 2.8, 11-16 2.8, 17-50 2.8, 85 1.8, 50 1.8, extension tubes, Black-Rapid strap, extra batteries, wires, remotes, and a million other accessories, many filters, etc. And you can carry a tripod on the back.


Cheers!
Jake

 

[Derrel]

I think a tripod should be transported on a sling. Or left at home. Or left in the trunk of the car. Not strapped or lashed directly to or onto the camera bag. But maybe that's just me. I dunno...I got nothin' for you here except, "Lose the tripod".

Why wouldn't you strap your tripod on your bag? Because it's very exposed and might get stolen?

Because it's a huge PITA. I prefer my tripod carried on a sling. I prefer that my tripod and my bag or backpack be ENTIRELY separated. Sometimes separated by miles and miles.

 

[Monday]

I think a tripod should be transported on a sling. Or left at home. Or left in the trunk of the car. Not strapped or lashed directly to or onto the camera bag. But maybe that's just me. I dunno...I got nothin' for you here except, "Lose the tripod".

Why wouldn't you strap your tripod on your bag? Because it's very exposed and might get stolen?

It's also going to draw a lot of attention to you and thus make getting good photos a lot harder.

Not to mention if you are doing street photography in shady places make you a huge target for mugging.

 

[hamlet]

I am used to having all my gear with me in my Lowepro SlingShot 302 AW tripod and all when i'm doing street photography and i am as agile as a leopard. When i'm out doing shoots, i am there for 12 hour shoots and i cannot afford to not have all my tools with me even if it exhausts me physically, but it is a good workout.

 

[bratkinson]

It seems to me that the OP is looking for a one-size-fits-all-purposes bag. There isn't any such bags, in my opinion.

My shooting varies from church events other than weddings, to trains which may or may not require 'a hike' to get to a shooting location, or walking around in various downtown areas such as Chicago, or even riding transit such as the El in Chicago and getting shots from various platforms. What I carry varies widely depending on what I am shooting.

For those times that I can safely put my bag with 'the works' in it somewhere within, say, 100 feet of where I am shooting, then everything goes with me. Walking around in downtown areas, one camera with lens mounted, and 2nd lens in a Lowepro lens bag big enough to hold the bigger of the two lenses with me is on my belt. A small filter pouch is also on my belt. Carrying 20+ pounds of equipment for hours on end such as city shooting because I -might- want a different lens than what I have with me isn't practical, in my opinion. Either I failed to bring the 'right' two lenses with me that day or I can always go back another day with the 3rd lens.

In short, what are my 'carrying' requirements vs what can I safely leave somewhere close and access freely are at two ends of my bag needs. Planning ahead makes all the difference. Note that the word 'safely' above indicates free from accidental loss, damage, or theft.