Good smallish houlder bag recommendations

[Feanor]

I'm looking for a shoulder bag that will take my 5DII, 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f2.8L (in original case), 2x Extender II, 580EXII and other minor accessories. Ideally it will have room for future lens purchases - over the coming years I have my eyes on a 100mm macro and some sort of large telephoto lens (if I win the lottery I'd get the 500 f4L which wouldn't fit anyway but realistically I guess either the 100-400 or the 400 f5.6 prime).


Now in the past year I've had a small Lowepro Nova 4 AW shoulder bag for my 400D/XTi that's no longer big enough and an awful Bilora Eurostar rucksack that I've given up trying to add padding to so that it doesn't destroy my back.


I had thought the rucksack would be good for when I'm out and about where I live but I've found though that I don't tend to use camera bags for this - I carry my 5DII on one shoulder and my 70-200 f2.8 in its original case with my original 5DII strap fitted to it across the other (hence why I want a shoulder bag that will take the lens and the case). If I want to change lenses my 24-70 and 70-200 just swap places - the bag for the latter is also perfect for the former with lens hood. Accessories go in my pockets.


I travel a lot by air though and have found that I always need a standard rucksack to carry other accessories such as clothes etc, so lately instead of using my Bilora camera rucksack I've again carried my camera separately, again over my shoulder - getting lots of odd looks in the process - and slung my 70-200 and other bits in the standard rucksack. This isn't ideal.


So I think there are only two solutions: a close-fitting camera-and-lens only case/bag thing so I can sling the camera in a normal rucksack (the only one for the 5D w/24-70 I've seen is the Think Tank one) or a shoulder bag. The main specification of the shoulder bag would be that it can be worn along with a normal rucksack. It's be nice if the bag could take my Feisol 3372 tripod too - I'm not sure if Easyjet would view that as a third piece of hand luggage if carried separately - but I doubt any shoulder bags accept tripods. (Does anyone risk throwing their tripod in their hold luggage?? I've not had my tripod for long and haven't had the courage...)


I've been looking at the Stealth Reporter series - they look ideal and I really really like the luggage strap they provide. But I don't know what size I'd want - the D100 looks too small, the D200 maybe looks about right, or maybe the D300. The D400 looks too big for what I want - although I'm 6'2" / 187cm and fairly fit my back gives me problems if I carry weights lop-sided for a long time, so I don't want a bag that ends up as heavy as my suitcase.


I've also seen the Think Tank bags recommended but I'm totally confused about their range!


Price is no issue, as long as it's a one-off investment - I obviously don't want to spend hundreds trying out loads of different bags.


Any thoughts or any other recommendations?

[Ehcalum]

Are you looking for a backpack or a messenger style bag? The Changeup by think tank can be a messenger style bag and a belt pack. Assuming you dont have a grip for your 5D it will old the 5D+24-70 and the 70-200. You can fit the extender and the flash in side pockets. The belt is able to be tucked away but can also be fitted with either skin pouches (what I use) or mod pouches for additional lenses.


The Urban Disguise series, for you the 35 or higher will work well too.


Another choice is the Glass Taxi which is more of a backpack than a messenger bag style.


http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_UrbnDsgs.php


http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_ChngUp.php


http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_GlssTxi.php


If you go with TT, let me know and I'll pass along a code that gets you a choice of a small modular pouch for free.

[piiooo]

I carry my 5DII on one shoulder and my 70-200 f2.8 in its original case with my original 5DII strap fitted to it across the other (hence why I want a shoulder bag that will take the lens and the case). If I want to change lenses my 24-70 and 70-200 just swap places - the bag for the latter is also perfect for the former with lens hood. Accessories go in my pockets.

I know that you're probably sick and tired of all this, but I thinkyour setup isa verypractical lightsolution and I am going to try it.


As far as shoulder bags, I agree on Stealth Reporter D300 AW, but also check out Tamrac's Zoom Travelers. I am not familiar with other brands.


Good luck

[Feanor]

Are you looking for a backpack or a
messenger style bag? The Changeup by think tank can be a messenger
style bag and a belt pack. Assuming you dont have a grip for your 5D
it will old the 5D+24-70 and the 70-200. You can fit the extender and
the flash in side pockets. The belt is able to be tucked away but can
also be fitted with either skin pouches (what I use) or mod pouches for
additional lenses.


The Urban Disguise series, for you the 35 or higher will work well too.


Another choice is the Glass Taxi which is more of a backpack than a messenger bag style.


If you go with TT, let me know and I'll pass along a code that gets you a choice of a small modular pouch for free.

Thanks, some interesting choices there. The trouble is that I'd like to have the option of adding the battery grip to my 5DII at some point so I'm not too keen on getting a bag that limits me to non pro-sized cameras. Thanks also for the offer of the code - I'll be sure to give you a shout if I end up going this way I'm only looking and thinking at the moment, I'm not sure funds will be available for a month or more yet.

I know that you're probably sick and tired of all this, but I thinkyour setup isa verypractical lightsolution and I am going to try it.


As far as shoulder bags, I agree on Stealth Reporter D300 AW, but also check out Tamrac's Zoom Travelers. I am not familiar with other brands.


Good luck
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I'm definitely not tired of the simple camera &amp; lens bag solution - I love it! But it's only practical when I'm travelling on foot. For the car it doesn't provide adequate protection - it forces me to sit for entire journeys with the camera on my lap, or if I'm driving it has to be wrapped securely somewhere in the back - and it's not good for travelling through airports either. It also tends to attract a lot of attention which is obviously sometimes unwanted (especially when it comes to potential thieves!).


Hmm. I'll have to have a think. I really like the flexibility of the Think Tank solutions but I'm bemused by the choice as I can see myself finding all of them useful. And I guess trying to get a bag that's suitably small yet large enough to take future camera purchases is asking a bit too much. Thanks for the input so far though guys

[Ehcalum]

I personally use their skin belt system. I love it. The larger urban desguise will hold a pro sized dslr.

[Feanor]

I personally use their skin belt system. I love it. The larger urban desguise will hold a pro sized dslr.
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The skin belt pouches look perfect for walking about, but what about when in the car or airport? I guess the individual pouches can be slung in a rucksack easily enough but wouldn't they get thrown about in the back of a car? And although the urban disguise bags look great, what puts me off is that even the biggest one says that a pro-size DSLR has to be put in without a lens attached. I'm not sure how annoying I'd find that.

[Ehcalum]

Ive worn my skin set in the car with up to two pouches. You can lock them to the belt or push them around, which is my preference. They actually make a Belly Dancer which is actually pretty convient for driving. Ive worn mine while sitting backwards on a motorbike shooting cycling events. When travelling, I tuck the pouches under the lenses in a largish backpack that also holds a laptop, change of clothes, and accessories.