Looking for a camera bag.

[Remi M.]

As of right now I carry my gear in a osprey backpack that was never designed for it. I'm looking for a padded camera bag.
This is what I want to fit in it:

Easy to access slot for a 70-200 f2.8 VR on a body with a battery grip. Thats most important to me, I don't want to take the lens off to put it in the camera bag.

Room for a second body (without battery grip) with a wide angle lens on the body. (although I could live with the lens being separate for this one)

Room for a couple more lenses. One small (50mm) and medium size.

Room for a Speed light

Room for accessories (filters, batteries, flash cards...)

So far the I have looked at my usual camera store and found that to fit what I want I would have to get a backpack (they only had lowepro stuff).
I don't want a backpack. I want a bag that will sit flat. I mostly want it to keep all my gear in a safe place in my car instead of keeping the camera on the passenger seat between locations.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Walk into a camera store and find something in person. Bags online seem bigger than they really are.

Bags are something I won't buy online unless I know EXACTLY what I am getting.

 

[JodieO]

I can't help it, I really like the crumpler bags (and I have a lot of bags! lolol!) www.crumplerbags.com

Basically, look hard at the specs - the size listed and what they show you can fit in there - the extra images.

As far as fitting a 70-200/2.8 on the camera and putting it attached into a bag, that may be tough - look at some backpacks, you may be able to do it with them.

 

[JIP]

Even though I am a Lowepro guy for you I would suggest a Tamrac. The Tmrac bags have their LensBridge system where the lens of your camera goes across the bag so itis easy to store a camera with a larger lens attached. Or how about something like this.....

That seems like easy access if you go to the site they have a pretty goo illustration of how to easy it is to access your gear.

http://www.tamrac.com/frame_velocity.htm

 

[table1349]

Even though I am a Lowepro guy for you I would suggest a Tamrac. The Tmrac bags have their LensBridge system where the lens of your camera goes across the bag so itis easy to store a camera with a larger lens attached. http://www.tamrac.com/frame_velocity.htm

Even though you are a Lowepro guy, I too am going to suggest the OP look at a Tamrac bag. The new lensbridge design is nice. I prefer my Tamrac to my LowePro bag these day.

To the OP.
Do Not buy a bag on line without checking it out in person first. Take your gear with you and load the bag you are interested in with your gear to see if you like it.

 

[Remi M.]

So far I like the Tamrac 614, it has the room for a laptop if I ever decide to get one. Unfortunetly Tamrac does not have a distributor localy. Like I said I took a look in person at the Lowepro stuff, not of it is big enough in the shoulder bag configuration.
Does anyone here have the Tamrac 614 or 5612?

 

[jwkwd]

I have a 5612 and have always liked it. But, as old age set in, I just had to much weight to carry and split up systems. I don't know how you would fit a laptop in it, but I guess that you could somehow. When I was going for bear ( figuratively speaking ) and I knew that I did not have to carry it that far, it was loaded with Nikon F4s w/70-210mm attached, F3hp MD-4 w/ 35-135 attached, 35-70AF, 50mm1.8, 300mm 4.5 ED-IF, SB-25, light meter, Lumiquest 80-20 and Ultrasoft for the SB-25, 55mm micro Nikkor, some filters, cable releases, batteries, other odds and ends and a crapload of film. It would weigh in at approx. 23 pounds, but did have room left over. If I was not going to use the F4, that space was taken up with a Nikon F2 w/MD-2, MB-1 and a 50mm 1.4 attached, which would add another pound or so. Bottom line is these bags hold a whole lot of gear if you can shoulder it. This bag is now collecting dust, but it looks great!

 

[eddiesimages]

For something different you might want to look at Domke bags. I, also have been looking for a new bag and after researching many different bags, I've decided to purchase a Domke.