Another Bag Thread

To cut what would probably be a long and interesting ramble short, I've decided I need something bigger than my Crumpler Muffin Top 4000 (tiny, carries two normal size lenses and the DA35 Limited at a stretch) but smaller than my Lowepro Stealth Reporter D400AW (enormous, holds everything, weighs more than the moon). Can anyone suggest something to hold my intended 'walkaround kit'?:

(*)Sigma 10-20
(*)DA35 Limited
(*)DFA50 Macro
(*)DFA100 Macro non-WR (in Samsung guise)

I've been thinking of the Crumpler Messenger Boy range, but have absolutely no idea which of the sizes would be best suited to what I actually want to carry. Help would be greatly appreciated!

PS: Having a small amount of leftover space is OK: if this 'primes + 10-20' walkaround malarkey works out then the money I was going to spend on a 17-70 might go on something like a DA70 instead.

PPS: Almost forgot, whatever I end up with will be a messenger-type bag. I'm aware of the pros and cons of backpacks (etc.) but I just prefer messengers.

You could try one of these for size without costing too much link Saw one yesterday, seemed to be about the same size as a Lowepro 2 AW.

Certainly not as cheap as that but I'm using my Tamrac Rally bag [ Messenger type ] and finding it's simply great.

Chris at SRS was exceedingly helpful as I asked them for help re sizing , and then settled on the Rally 6.

It was first used at the Glasgow Meet and then I had it in Dublin for the week there .

It holds the K-x with the Tamron 18-250 on it and there's room under that for spare batteries or a pancake lens , one interior side holds my 35mm with masses of room on top of that and the other bit will hold the Metz Flash. I would say [ haven't tried it ] that where I have the 35mm would also take the 18-55 if I needed it as well.

The front pocket is surprisingly roomy - takes spare batteries , cards , lens cloth , my wallet , my purse , 2 pens , a notebook , batteries for my hearing aids etc etc. When I went to Dublin that was my 'carry on ' bag [ Aer Arann limits are much lower than normal sizewise ]

The strap is plenty big enough for cross body use [ and I'm not slender ]

Since coming back I've used it walking round Glasgow - I have the brown one and it doesn't attract attention and scream CAMERA and I'm stunned just how comfortable it is in use.

I'm off to France soon and it will be with me then instead of a bigger bag [ not Tamrac ] that I do have. That one also takes all my gear but is much bulkier and heavy in use.

We're still big fans of the Billingham Hadley Pro. Worn slung across the body, it's quite narrow so it doesn't stick out from the body. Big enough to hold K-5, lens hoods, 12-24mm, 35mm, 55-300mm, 18-55mm lens on camera but unlike many bags you can re-bag the camera even with the longest lens on. Lots of nooks and crannies for maps, documents, etc. plus plenty of space for torches, cards, batteries and other accessories.

And yet not too bulky. All the interior space is well padded but uses the full space efficiently. Very well made. Very rapid access.
[IMG]http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff250/johnriley1uk/036-Hadley-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff250/johnriley1uk/037-Hadley-2.jpg[/IMG]

I see from the second photo that the 12-24 has a 77mm filter thread. Since my widest lens (the Sigma 10-20) has the same, it looks as if the Hadley Pro would be useful. My only concern (aside from the cost ) is that the description on Billingham's website mentions the "waterproofed back pocket", suggesting that the rest of the bag isn't. Bit of a problem in the land of sudden downpours!

The bag is waterproof all over. Waterproofed back pocket refers to there being a small flap that protects the zip and prevents that being a weak point.

Billingham bags are specially treated canvas with waterproof membrane. They do survive the worst weather with no problem.

In the secong picture you can see I've added an extra insert (also from Billingham) that means the lens is held, there's room for another lens hood and the camera nestles softly against the insert. The camera pointing downwards also means any interior dust will settle downwards as well, away from the mirror and sensor.

I always liked Billinghams too, When I used to cover the Motorbike Road races in N.I. I used to run a couple of 445's, for the mass of Nikon Kit I then had, great big and Great bags...
The Slim Hadley Pro's are lovely and kind of mould to you when you carry them, very comfortable...

Something also quite nice?
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/retrospective-10-pinestone-shoulder-bag.a...
Several others in the range but that one has caught my eye, and they seem to get good reviews too...
OR...
http://www.tenba.com/Categories/Messenger-Bags.aspx
These are well thought of too, Teamwork Photo has them for around £70ish for the "Small" one on ebay and their store in London I think...

The Retrospective's rain cover is even more of a faff than the one on my Lowepro - by the time I opened the bag and took it out the gear would need to be WR . The Tenbas do look nice, but put me into the same dilemma over size as the Crumplers.

http://www.artisanandartist.com/bags/index.htm

http://www.tiffen.com/results.html?search_type_no=431&tablename=domke

I like
http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=domke&itemnum=701-83A

http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=domke&itemnum=700-53A

I'm coming round to the view that the best option (for my use anyway) would be a smaller Lowepro Stealth Reporter: most of the other bags I've looked at have some flaw or other. My dilemma is between the 200 and 300 sizes. Any ideas as to which would best suit? I'm pretty strongly leaning towards the 200, but don't want it to turn up and be just too small.

PS: I should add that a Crumpler Cupcake 5500 has been and gone (or it will be when the courier turns up tomorrow to get it): it turned out to be an inch shorter in length and depth than it was supposed to be.

Devils Advocate, 300 which from memory isn't that much bigger really and because you'll sometime want that extra little bit of space. I've been there with loads of bags that I end up flogging because I buy something that extra that I just hate leaving behind. It's what makes bags end up in the back of the wardrobe...

200 is big enough for a k10D with grip, ef-500, 50-200 and I can't remember what else I stuffed in there - I suspect at least one more lens. I liked mine for the fact I could drop it into my overnight bag for European trips and I had most of the stuff I wanted with.
Now I'm looking at a passport sling because I want to be able to add other bits in, too, and I could throw a lens case into that.

A 200 with lens cases is also an option, I'm sure, as there should be Sliplock attachment points on the outside....

Bret

I thought it would be a useful footnote to this thread to say that my 200AW is here, and it's perfect. It comfortably holds everything on my list, plus my Metz 48 flash, with sufficient space left over that a Limited could be fitted in easily, and something bigger probably could with a bit of cramming. I'm chuffed enough with this setup though, that I'm now on LBA hiatus and will get to know my newly-portable kit much better before I even consider adding another lens. As a bonus, it is light enough (in relative terms) that I can see myself taking it out more often - and that really is the key!

I love my pro runner 300. Plenty of room for everything in it.

I love my Kata 3n1 Doublesling bag, it would carry all your kit plus a waterproof coat and drink bottle,and when swung round in front it is great for lens changing.On your back with both slings in use the weight is shared out between shoulders and waist.