need a good travel camera bag

[jeso]

i'm looking for a good camera bag for travel that can hold an D90 with a battery grip, a nikon 28-300mm and 10-24mm. as well as my small personals - wallet, keys, etc. i'm heading to Prague in September and i need something compact enough, yet light in weight as i will be doing A LOT of walking.

 

[Formatted]

I use a Retrospective 30 when travelling, I used it in Venice and it worked a dream, it has enough room for my D700, 14-24 and SB-900 that I normally carry, and enough for a spare change of clothes should I be staying with a friend, water bottle and a folded up paper. Think Tank make amazing products so have a look at them. I'd say you could probably get away with a Retrospective 20.

 

[tirediron]

I use a Lowepro AW Trekker II as my 'small' bag. One body, three lenses, flash, and an upper compartment which will hold most of the other stuff you mentioned, plus a built-in rain cover.

 

[Formatted]

When flying I use a Street walker harddrive from @thinkTANKphoto is packed taxi a... on Twitpic

 

[TheOtherBob]

Bags are tricky -- if you have a camera store nearby you might want to just try a few on. It's just one of those things where personal preferences make a ton of difference -- how you wear the bag, what you carry, how you shoot, etc. For example, I've owned several different bags over the years -- I like my Tenba bag, and my Crumpler. But of all the bags I own, the one I like the best isn't really a "camera" bag at all, but rather a Tenba divider insert stuffed into a $10 military surplus shoulder bag. It doesn't look like a camera bag and it lays flat against my side, but it has as much protection as I feel I need. (I've found most camera bags protect very well...but maybe too well, when you've lugged them up to Prague Castle a couple of times. It's a tradeoff -- but I prefer to carry an extra lens rather than have the extra protection.)

I was in Prague over the holidays, by the way -- and I can't say I loved it. (That massive snowstorm might have had something to do with it...or the fact that we had the flu. But it was also a little, well, cheesy.) But if you get a chance to see the Lobkowicz Palace, it was really the highlight of the trip -- and the people there could not have been nicer.

 

[480sparky45 44]

And don't 'try them on' empty. Load 'em up with either your own gear, or take the store's demos and pack it. Don't forget things like filters, extra batteries, memory cards, flash, cords, etc. that you may be packing in there.

Then try walking around with it and see how it works. An empty bag may seem fantastic. A loaded one may feel like an anchor.

 

[Ub3rdoRK]

Think tank belt bags are what Im looking at. They have shoulder support as well. I had the think tank retrospective 30 and I sold it...due to it being cumbersome when its weight is off centered and shoulder aches from carrying it too long with a d700, 70-200 and a flash.

 

[Stutterfly]

^ Depends on what you're doing. I bought a belt pack for a music festival...2 hours in I was running back to my hotel room to swap it for my trusty Lowepro SlingShot. It has the advantage of being able to wear it securely on your back, and with minimal fuss, unclip and sing it around to your front, almost like a belt pack then. Useful if you need a 'surface' on which to change lenses or whatever.

I have two Slingshots now. One smallish one large. The large is capable of holding the D700 with a zoom on, plus another zoom, 50mm, all hoods and personal bits and pieces, and my D90. Best of all you can change the layout of it with the moveable 'wall' bits.

I still often find myself wearing the body... ever since I bought the crumpler strap. Really evens out the weight of a D700 + 70-200.

 

[Ub3rdoRK]

I agree with that...the slingshot is nice but the speed racer/demon etc are supposed to function without removing the shoulder strap and to just swivel around your waist....somewhat act like a changing station. I dont actually own one..but from what i've read its a good bag. I was going to grab a slingshot but 302, but i feel the lack of compartments is what turned me off on it.