Looking for a good camera bag.

April 28, 2007 3:28 PM

Looking for a good camera bag.

I recently purchased a Nikon D80, and I'm looking for a good camera bag that can hold the body and up to 3 lenses that is...

1) Stylish : Black=boring.

2) Element friendly : Water resistant. Comfortable in the heat. Can take a beating.

3) Whatever you use and like : What camera bag do you own/have you owned and wondered how you ever lived without it?

4) Won't break the bank : Self explanitory.

posted by bamassippi to Shopping (16 answers total)

crumpler. crumpler. crumpler.
posted by irregardless at 3:46 PM on April 28, 2007

I cannot say enough about the durability and thoughtfulness in terms of design of the Portabrace line of cases. Most of their products are for video equipment, however I think you'd be able to find something suitable for your camera.

(The subcategories on their website look a little fucked, though. You should request a catalog.)
posted by phaedon at 3:50 PM on April 28, 2007

Crumpler +1
posted by voidcontext at 3:53 PM on April 28, 2007

I've had one of these forever. Great bag, plenty of room and plenty of add-ons.
posted by PugAchev at 4:06 PM on April 28, 2007

I have no personal experience with this bag but other recommendations from this site have been good.
posted by frieze at 4:12 PM on April 28, 2007

I don't know why Crumpler isn't advertising on MeFi. Every question asked about bags nets them dozens of mentions. Personally, I have not been impressed with their products. Their styling reminds me of tupperware and NURBS curves. Their construction is just average, when compared to bag manufacturers like Blackhawk, Chrome, and others.

You need to know about cambags.com. They have hundreds of reviews of every conceivable type of bag, and they do it by camera model, type, etc. They have real pictures of people using the bags, so you're not stuck with some misleading 100x100pixel productganda.

Go there and pick your D80, and see what options are out there.
posted by fake at 4:22 PM on April 28, 2007

I'm a fan of Kata Bags. I'm not sure how they stack up to other solutions because (aside from a LowePro point-and-shoot bag) I've only ever really used Kata gear, but I really like my torso pack. You can wear it over your chest or behind your back -- it wears sort of like a messenger bag -- and it'll hold a body+lens and two additional lenses. I've also used their video bags, and I presume their backpacks are alright. Styling is definitely a bit "edgy." I often get complements/comments when I wear the thing hiking.
posted by Alterscape at 4:48 PM on April 28, 2007

It depends what you do. I like to walk about, so a bag that can go by my side and let me change lens while standing up is handy. The LowePro SlingShot is great for this, because you wear it like a rucksack, so no killer shoulder pain, but it slides round for use on the move. It isn't stylish, sadly.

However, since you're now allowed only one carry-on bag on flights, I need a bag that can also hold a laptop (which this in no way can), so I guess I'm back on the market.
posted by bonaldi at 5:11 PM on April 28, 2007

I should mention that I rolled down a hill wearing it on my back, after I fell off a toboggan going fast. I must have rolled about 20 times, and I'm not light, but nothing inside was even dented.
posted by bonaldi at 5:12 PM on April 28, 2007

If we are going for durability I recommend the following combination:

Lowepro Nova 2 AW
which you put inside the main compartment of any backcountry ski bag, and use the blade of any avy shovel to protect the camera bag.

A few years ago a friend backslapped the landing of a 25ft cliff with this setup. His camera escaped unscathed.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 6:51 PM on April 28, 2007

Crumpler 7 million! I love that bag and it was worth every penny. It's uber sturdy, stylish and PERFECT for a body and three lenses [also has nice pouches for extra batteries, cables etc.]

I searched a ton to get the cheapest price and this is it. They are 20/30$ cheaper than other sites and they ship fast. Ironically black is their most popular seller and they are always out of stock [but they usually have plenty of other colors which is great for you]
posted by special-k at 8:19 PM on April 28, 2007

PS: Enter the promo code (@SALE) to get the discount. I don't know why fake hates Crumpler. The site he recommends (cambags) has a great review of the Crumpler bag I mentioned.

A pic with Body + 3 lenses here.
posted by special-k at 8:24 PM on April 28, 2007

Sorry, correct this is the correct link for the picture.
posted by special-k at 8:27 PM on April 28, 2007

Note re the Slingpro: it's not the most comfortable bag if you're a woman (one of the straps usually hits a breast unless you push it up, making it painful to wear) or have long hair (sliding the bag around to bring the compartment to the front will inevitably and painfully snag your hair).
posted by longdaysjourney at 9:52 PM on April 28, 2007

I, myself, just bought a D80 and have decided to buy a Timbuk2 messenger bag and Domke inserts and build my own. The benefits of the TImbuk2 bags are that you can get a few different sizes and can customize the colors.

I already have a medium sized one and am getting another (probably large) to use as a camera bag. You can get a premade one at ebags.com for like $70-80 or build your own for $110-120. Depending on the inserts you need, you'll spend maybe $50.

The cool thing, also, is that this solution is customizable and you can potentially use the inserts in other bags, use different configurations of inserts or take them out and use the bag for an entirely different purpose.

Here is another person that did the same thing.
posted by SoulOnIce at 6:05 AM on April 29, 2007

The LowePro Stealth Reporter D650 AW is just incredible (though not as much fun to say as "Crumpler."

It is black and maybe a little small, but I recommend the line, and the orange and grey highlights make it subtly slick.
posted by asuprenant at 10:20 PM on June 25, 2007