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Travel Bag for Tech Camera and Lenses

vjbelle

Well-known member
I'm looking for any suggestions for the perfect lightweight travel bag/s for an Alpa STC and 3 lenses and other stuff. The STC is 6 inches high which makes it impossible to fit into a Lowepro 300AW in its vertical position but if I wrap it in a cloth (naked) I can easily place it flat near the zippers and I have a perfect airport travel bag. This, though, does not work well for traveling around. I would prefer to assemble the camera, back and lens and travel with the assembled camera in a lightweight backpack. Its very tough to find a backpack that meets this goal. A 300AW isn't deep enough and most competitors have bags that are very similar. So far the only backpack I can find that I can use is a Lowepro Orion. I get a large open space in the bottom compartment for the assembled camera and an open space above for lenses and other stuff. Obviously the lenses would have to be wrapped or put into some type of protective leather lens case as the upper compartment is just an open space. I hate shoulder bags..... backpacks are much easier for me. Is this it or is there something else out there..... I looked at the Gura Gear bag but haven't seen it, touched it.... you know what I mean. Any suggestions?

Victor
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
You have my sympathies with this quest. I use a Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW which holds my STC with viewfinder, 3 lenses, plus a 4th lens on the camera body and the back detached. It's the closest I've come to finding something that works. I can fit all the cables, batteries, rocket blower, LCC card & loupe in the same bag too.

I'm still looking for the right bag that will allow me to keep the STC assembled with the back on it, and a 35 or 47 XL digitar on it. The longer glass with spacers really aren't going to work but that's understandable.

I can take a pic and upload later.
 

stephengilbert

Active member
"I looked at the Gura Gear bag but haven't seen it, touched it."

Maybe we need to chip in and buy a Gura Gear bag for Guy. He can do a thorough review, and then when he tires of it, someone can get a good deal on a lightly used bag. :)
 

etrigan63

Active member
Assuming he doesn't take a knife to it like he does all of his other bags. Maybe the bag makers should contract him to design the "Guy Mancuso Edition" of said bags.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
"I looked at the Gura Gear bag but haven't seen it, touched it."

Maybe we need to chip in and buy a Gura Gear bag for Guy. He can do a thorough review, and then when he tires of it, someone can get a good deal on a lightly used bag. :)
No need ... I have a Kiboko bag, as does Wayne Fox and we both use Alpas. :D

I can tell you that for an STC and a couple of lenses it's a huge overkill because it's a big, very flexible bag. I use mine to carry my DF and glass PLUS my Alpa & glass and a couple of MFDBs. Yup, it's THAT big. It is a truly excellent bag though and I've taken mine on Safari to Africa with 2x DSLR's and lenses up to 200-400VR Nikon etc etc.

What I can say is that yes you can partition one side of the Kiboko and fit an STC with back and lens on it, plus a viewfinder on top. You'll have a LOT of free space inside if you've just got a few Alpa lenses and other gear though. But it will work.

I'm sure that Guy would still appreciate the bag though (and the subsequent purchaser too!) :D
 

jlm

Workshop Member
i use a think tank airporter (I bought it from Guy!) holds cambo wrs with lens and back mounted, two more lenses, back extension (for the 120), disto, battery pack (for my H39), meter, misc small stuff, and is nicely padded
 

Terry

New member
"I looked at the Gura Gear bag but haven't seen it, touched it."

Maybe we need to chip in and buy a Gura Gear bag for Guy. He can do a thorough review, and then when he tires of it, someone can get a good deal on a lightly used bag. :)
I have a Gura Gear bag. It is light and wonderful to travel with and HUGE. It was built for big glass. I know Andy Biggs will be launching some new products so I am holding my breath.

edit....whoops I answered before getting to the bottom of the thread.
 

RodK

Active member
You guys should look at a Crumpler bag in the 'Celebrity c-list' series.
The medium is 8-9"deep in the lower part. It easily takes my RM3di with DB installed and lens.
The have a small and large as well. Also the interior is a light bright color which helps finding the odd
small item loose in the bag.
Great bag.
Rod
 
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GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Rod,

I'd love to see a picture of the Crumpler loaded. Their bags can be somewhat snug with little room to stuff away lens, cables etc. It would be interesting to see how you packed the bag and what's included. (Confession: one of my favourite bags is a crumpler rucksack that I've had for probably 10 years although it's a challenge to pack).

Victor,

Here are some shots of the Gura Gear Kiboko with an STC in the bottom compartment. It fits with the back & wide lens combo even with a viewfinder. I normally keep my Phase DF outfit in this bag though.



Alpa TC with 35XL & P40+ & Optical viewfinder:


Alpa STC:


Lowepro Slingshot 300AW with Alpa STC / TC & 4 lenses, back, disto, blower & accessories. I also use the top portion of the bag for LCC cards, loupe, meter etc.




 

vjbelle

Well-known member
Graham,

Thanks for posting the images. The Kiboko looks reallyl big. I do, though, have to be able to keep my STC assembled with my 60 or 100 and also have room for my 150mm. I also have to have some room for a Disto and a light meter and Schneider loupe. Its really surprising how much space those three items take up. I have the Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW and will see how well I can fit my stuff into it. Its amazing how everything unassembled fits into the Pro Runner 300 AW. That bag just doesn't work out for carrying the STC assembled.

Victor
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Victor,

Do you have an optical viewfinder on your STC? That's the challenge with the longer lenses because you can generally fit the body/back and a lens, even an SB lens & spacer, in a bag but it's an awkward shape with the viewfinder on top.

With a wide lens you can fit the camera in the bag sideways which gives you the height to fit it in with the viewfinder on it. With a longer lens you have to orient the camera vertically in the bag and then you need a wide bag to accommodate the body & finder.

The iPhone finder is convenient because you can remove it easily. The optical finder is a pain to put on & off, especially when it's cold.

The Lowepro is the best fit for me ... so far. It's not perfect because I do have to remove the back and you can't leave anything other than a wide lens on it. Also I consider it somewhat over padded really. I'm sure that there's a better fitting bag out there for an assembled technical camera so I'm interested in seeing how other folks have solved this too.
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
Graham,

I have an optical finder but don't use it much..... in fact I'm considering not even taking it along on trips. I use the iPhone app but only hand held. That gets me close enough.... after that I can compose with live view. My lenses (35, 60,100, 150) are all relatively small except for the 150. My 100 is also a SB so the spacer is required for two lenses. I tried the Slingshot but just can't get enough stuff into it. I considered an upstrap for the Alpa in combination with the Slingshot but that really is uncomfortable. I would rather have a small backpack that will accept an assembled STC...... so far very tough to find.

Victor
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Victor,

Well some good news regarding Alpa packing. I just reconfigured my F-Stop large ICU storage unit for my Loka backpack and it's a perfect fit for the STC with back on it, 34mm spacer, and 90mm or 150mm SK lens. This allows for partitions for 3x lenses across the top plus one on the side, in addition I can store all of the other gear such as the distometer, blower, batteries, cables etc. This assumes no viewfinder fitted although that is also possible if you give up some storage up the side. I'll add a pic in the morning to show what I mean.

Unfortunately the downside is that F-Stop gear is arguably harder to get than Leica lenses at the moment although the internal ICU storage bags are currently in stock today other than the extra large.
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
Graham,

This is my Lowepro Pro Runner 300AW with modified inserts - one borrowed from my slingshot and another from an older 300AW. There is room for all of my stuff (Disto, Meter, 35,60,100 and 150 lenses, Schneider Loupe, iPhone and a RRS pano head. The only lens I would not be able to keep attached to the body is the 150.... its just too long. The entire bag weighs 14.85 pounds. The empty space on the lower right is for my 35mm lens which is getting a Top Secret CPU upgrade..... finally, auto focus on an Alpa.

Victor
 
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