OT : Bags, Bags, Bags

[Hitman]

I'm embarassed to admit but I'm beginning to be like a woman who buys bags for the sake of buying

I just bought the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home... it's my 7th camera bag in 4 years!

I started with the Lowepro Orion II when I was using the Fuji S602Z (excellent camera btw), then in 2005, I hopped onto the DSLR wagon with the E-300 and bought the Lowepro Slingshot 100. Served me well for some time, but when I added the 50-200mm, the Slingshot became too small. So I bought the Slingshot 200.

I then upgraded to the E-510, and then my job requires me to travel quite a bit. Having to lug a laptop along, the Slingshot 200 became insufficient, so I added the Lowepro CompuDaypack. Quite okay, but I didn't like the way the camera and lens were 'compressed' at the bottom, so along came the Lowepro Fastpack 350.

I was happy with it for a while, and in the meantime, I added the E-520 and E-420 to my arsenal. Then my job doesn't require me to travel and lug a laptop anymore, so the Fastpack became too big, and at the same time, I got tired of using a backpack, looked around and spotted the Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home. Very happy with it, and it became my main bag until it became too small (again) after I upgraded to the E-3 and sold the rest of the camera bodies.

So I went in search for a new bag, and found the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home (2009 edition) and I'm happy again! The 7 Million Dollar Home can take my E-3 with 12-60 attached, 50-200mm, 50mm macro, flash and still have space for other stuff. It is perfect (for now) for the occassional trip back home, and very good for bringing around town for shoots.

My problem now is.... what am I going to do with all these?

Lowepro CompuDaypack
Lowepro Slingshot 100
Lowepro Slingshot 200
Lowepro Fastpack 350
Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home

Sigh... anyway, I'll probably try to sell them off in Buy/Sell when I return to Singapore next round, BUT all these are no match for my wife's bags collection!! From small to big, white to black, branded to non-branded, you name it, she have it... and don't even get me started with the sheer number of her shoes!! And she is complaining I buy camera bag again!(?)

Man or woman - They will have their own GAS (gear acquisition syndrome)... I just wanted to share this bag story of mine.

[microcosm]

"Women are really from Mars, therefore men are from Venus..."

[adamadam]

Don't sell your bags :P
Each bag serves a different purpose depending on what gear you are bringing out and what sort of outing you are bringing it to.

I like bags, some of my bag-history (specifically camera bags):

Feb 04: Small canon camera bag which I bought with my 300D
Jan 05: Crumpler (Canon edition - promotion of free crumpler bag with lens purchase).
Dec 05: Kata R-103
Nov 06: Crumpler 7mdh
July 08: Domke F-6 and Thinktank Speed racer
Oct 08: Billingham Hadley Large
Dec 08: Lowepro Toploader 70 AW, Lowepro Toploader 75 AW

also some inserts (billingham 9-18 s-flex, domke insert), lens bags (lowepro lens case), pouches (Kata S-312, Kata P-38) etc. which I mix and match with my other bags, again, depending on what gear I'm bringing, what sort of place I'm bringing it to, the shooting condition / style.

I recently gave my first bag to my sister haha...
and just remembered that I sold my 7mdh after a few years because it was so roomy that I would pack it full of gear, then often injure myself carrying it - safety first!

Bags are exciting

[Oly5050]

Is the 7 million dollar bag that good??? I just got the Kata 3N1-20. Very nice sling camera bag. I also got a couple of Tenba bags. I also got a couple of Lowepro sling shot. But the most value for money bag I ever had was the Lowepro waist bag which I use to keep my C5050 for like nearly 3-4 years.

[adamadam]

Originally Posted by Oly5050 Is the 7 million dollar bag that good??? I just got the Kata 3N1-20. Very nice sling camera bag. I also got a couple of Tenba bags. I also got a couple of Lowepro sling shot. But the most value for money bag I ever had was the Lowepro waist bag which I use to keep my C5050 for like nearly 3-4 years.

the 7mdh was great, as it could hold a lot, and looked a bit secretish, but the problem was that it could hold a lot... (probably I'm just weak). I put a lot of gear in there, carry around for a day, then in pain, shoulder and back, every 15 mins change shoulder, wasn't healthy for me.

[VR Man]

Sling bags lead to uneven distribution of weight on your back.

Really bad if you are carrying heavy loads for long durations.

Even worse when your age is catching up on you, sigh... that is true for me

BTW, I also have a big 60cm x 50cm x 100cm toyogo box full of bags, all kind of bags. Camera, sailing, waterproof, outdoor, cycling, etc...

Next thing on the radar for me are hard cases. First the soft bags, now the hard ones

[Hitman]

My full load:

E3 = 885g (incl. battery)
12-60mm = 575g
50-200mm = 920g (without tripod mount)
50mm = 300g
FL-36R = 274g (incl. battery)

Total = 2.9kg

plus some other accessories (expodisc, lens pen, filters, diffusers etc.), maybe give or take another 400g, so total about 3.4kg on the shoulder at full load. For me, the weight is manageable, especially if out shooting, the camera and one lens is always in my hands, so the shoulder is only carrying around 1.8kg - which is a comfortable weight for this old man. If carrying full load on travels, then have to add the weight of passport, travel documents, motion sickness pills etc.. in this case, I just use the trolley at the airport to carry the bag.

Somehow with a full load, the 7mdh 'feels' lighter than the 6mdh, could be my perception, or it could be that the weight distribution on the 7mdh is better due to the bigger size. Regardless, the 7mdh is definitely more comfortable than the 6mdh (in terms of space for gears and carrying comfort).

I'm a boring guy when it comes to packing the camera gears, I usually stick to the same 'formula', so one bag one configuration for whatever I do....

[dark72]

Originally Posted by adamadam ...also some inserts (billingham 9-18 s-flex, domke insert), lens bags (lowepro lens case), pouches (Kata S-312, Kata P-38) etc. which I mix and match with my other bags, again, depending on what gear I'm bringing, what sort of place I'm bringing it to, the shooting condition / style....

Hey just to side track a bit.. Where can i get camera inserts nowadays?

[aryanto]

Originally Posted by dark72 Hey just to side track a bit.. Where can i get camera inserts nowadays?

I am cheapskate I use bubble wraps

[egnaro]

hitman, u are not the worst, I got my 6 bag for just 2 years. I think none of them is more 1 year old. and havnt include those I sold away and give away. haha

Lowepro Flipside 400 AW
Foto File pro bag,
KATA SB907
Olympus Camera Bag,
Think Tank Digital Holster 40
Think Tank Urban Disguise 35

I think I will buy more if I see something i like.

[Oly5050]

Originally Posted by aryanto I am cheapskate I use bubble wraps

No...u are not cheapskate. U are the best to be able to resist the "buy" infection. Haha.

[Evilmerlin]

Originally Posted by dark72 Hey just to side track a bit.. Where can i get camera inserts nowadays?

Cathay Photo and The Camera Workshop apparently sells these inserts. I need to get some myself as I've recently purchased a Timbuk2 Messenger Medium.

[srinivasanj]

Interesting.

I have two bags myself:
The Rezo 190 AW
The Mini Trekker AW

The first one is for walks around and the second one is for trips. And I dont think this collection is going to increase. I hate stuff lying around and not being used.

[ddwmk2002]

HM... you can donate some to me nxt time ur back in SG. I am still using TLZ 2 in a Deuter Cross city...

[dark72]

Originally Posted by Evilmerlin Cathay Photo and The Camera Workshop apparently sells these inserts. I need to get some myself as I've recently purchased a Timbuk2 Messenger Medium.

Cool. But any idea on the price ranges?

[Evilmerlin]

Last I heard, Cathay sells the Domke inserts for around $70+ but I'm not sure about the size. TCW sells a cheaper one. Oh yeah, Orient Photo sells em too.

[Blu-By-U]

I thought I was bad. An unbranded holster, an Olympus camera bag, then a Lowpro Photo Runner That kept me happy while I had only 3 lenses and a small tiny FL20. Then I needed to travel with my laptop got that Computracker AW That was big and bulky..I could not access my gear.. Now this is only used for point to point. Not for outings. (actually hardly used) then I got that Slingshot 200 AW

[microcosm]

For me... I don't even want to talk about it...

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by Hitman Lowepro CompuDaypack Lowepro Slingshot 100 Lowepro Slingshot 200 Lowepro Fastpack 350 Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home

sell all, get a billingham,

AND YOU WILL NEVER WANT ANOTHER BAG AGAIN

anyways, my bag list:

kata DR 467
billingham hadley pro
lowepro orion trekker II

[egnaro]

Originally Posted by night86mare sell all, get a billingham, AND YOU WILL NEVER WANT ANOTHER BAG AGAIN anyways, my bag list: kata DR 467 billingham hadley pro lowepro orion trekker II

Hopefully it is true... I am eyeing to get a billingham to cut all my bag desire! what I afraid if I like it too much, I will keep on buying billingham bag!