[toni-a]

I need a large backpack capable of handling 2 cameras plus 5 lenses

what do you suggest 

what to avoid ?

 

[JJ_SO]

Avoid back-pain. Suggest Sherpa.

[Studor13]

I am somewhat embarrassed to confess that I have many more camera bags than my wife has handbags. (And this is before I threw out about half a dozen of her bags)

 

So, I can give you good advise here.

 

Don't get:

- a big bag

- bag with cheap zips

- until you actually see it in front of you

 

Do get one that has:

- narrow but deep main storage (anything wider than your shoulders and you are asking for trouble)

- YKK zips (I will never again buy Lowepro for this reason)

- enough length to store body+70-200mm with lens hood attached

- pull out tripod flap if possible

 

There are a whole host of dos and don'ts but it's too early in the morning to think.

 

If you want "pro" looking bags then check out Think Tank and F-stop. Think Tank are better value but F-Stop have a better mountain range.

 

Actually, I have a Think Tank Sling-o-matic 100 (somewhere) to sell for 100€, plus postage. In excellent condition.

[JJ_SO]

Andrew, if Toni-A is not interested in your Sling-O-Matic 10 (not 100, but early in the morning...), I am as they are no longer in sale. Less depth than the 20, which serves me as main bag the last 4 years, will come handy for the Fuji with 100-400.

 

Then I have about 8 ThinkTank bags (sounds familiar, Studor13?). I'm sometimes also looking at others, but it appears I found my brand. I found them a bit steep in price until I had the chance to look at them and wear it. The are just worth it. Never looked back to Lowe since. Only disadvantage: the rain covers are not made for bag and attached tripod.

 

Toni-A, please don't think just about lenses and bodies. Food, drink, something to wear against the weather also need space.

 

I still have a Lowe flipside 400 which you could have. It's not too bad, but the flap is on the backside of it, so you always need to turn it around you and find a spot to open it. Sometimes I found that dangerous on small, steep paths.

[Studor13]

JoJu, it looks like we could just about open an EU ThinkTank store between us. Love their bags.

 

I bought the Sling-O-Matic 10 specifically for my D800 with grip + 70-200mm + TC14E and hood attached.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't quite fit. Without grip is OK, however.

 

So, I virtually never used it but please be aware of the known issue above if you or Toni are thinking about it.

[Guest]

It really depends on what cameras/lenses you're talking about. 2 Fuji mirrorless + primes is a different proposition than 2 Nikon D4s with birding lenses.

 

Also, what are you using it for? Mountaineering or just travel/walking around?

 

I bought an ultra-light F-Stop bag for mountaineering, and it's not a great bag for the purpose. Unlike real mountaineering backpacks, the F-Stop doesn't lift any weight off your shoulders and skimped on the waist belt anyway, so the benefits of their modular system are lost. I only use it for travel, never for any serious hiking.

 

Unfortunately I haven't found anything better, and I won't buy LowePro bags because all the ones I own have design flaws that bother me.

[chrismiller]

you might be better off with putting a normal camera bay inside a proper hiking rucksack, especially if you already own a rucksack. I personally prefer to use my x100t with just a leather case or a small crumpler shoulder bag with accessories. Having walked up hills with a 5d before I can recommend a smaller camera.

[toni-a]

I already have a very good Canon bag which is very good and not bad at all for hiking. I want a large one that can handle 2 cameras plus 4-5 lenses plus flash...

[Rover]

This question has been killing me lately as well. For daily use, I'm wearing a Newswear.com chestvest, mostly in "shoulder bag" mode - it has 4 slots so I can carry the camera + 3 lenses or the camera + 2 lenses + a pocketful of miscellanious stuff (voice recorder / notepad / pens / extra batteries...) For the last 10 years I've been using, on and off, a Lowepro Orion Trekker 2 backpack - and it's in a pretty bad shape by now, all tattered and torn. I swore off using backpacks for field use - after a few cases of dropped lenses and one case of camera + lens being stolen in the crowd - but it's invaluable for travelling where I mostly use it to carry stuff (like clothes and first aid kit), at least since I got the chestvest. It has been with me on every voyage since 2006. Why use a photo backpack for this you ask? Because of these convenient compartments - their limiters can be shifted around on velcro patches so it's very comfortable. If only the Orion Trekker 2 could've stored a laptop, I would've just used it indefinitely but alas, it can't.

Now, I've tried a bunch of backpacks and nothing really looked right to me. Besides, I'm on the fence regarding my operational habits that may need to be changed. If I'm ever out in the field where I would need the laptop with me (it's not a particularly big variety - just 14 inch, so many backpacks provide storage for that), would I need to stop using the chestvest or just use them together? And if I'm travelling by air with a laptop, would I need to transfer all my gear into the backpack and carry it into the cabin (duh... the laptops are not allowed in checked in luggage - because of the battery - anyway, even if I had wanted to do a stupid thing like this).

I'm inclined to find a good tourist backpack instead - maybe one of these has a laptop compartment - but then I'd end up having problems whenever I'm flying (mind you, I'm not taking the laptop with me very often - the cellphone is enough for casual stuff like navigation and downloading photos from the camera). I wonder what advice you people would have in this case?

 

P.S. If I ever get down to buying a photo backpack, it has to store: a 14 inch laptop, a Canon 1D series body (preferably two as sometimes I loan a second camera for important trips), a 70-200/2.8 IS lens and two (preferably three) other lenses. Oh, and all the misc stuff as well like the laptop power adapted, camera charger, first aid kit...

[toni-a]

just ordered lowepro fastpack 350, should be here in 2 weeks