Camera Labs

I use a BlackRapid strap to carry my camera while walking around. This works fine if I stick with my walk-around lens, but if I want an extra lens or two available, I've just been keeping them in cargo pockets, which is not the most comfortable for walking around. I have a backpack for my camera equipment while traveling, but it wouldn't be very accessible while walking around, and it's much larger than I need to carry just an extra lens or two.

I'm looking for a sling bag. The thing is, most bags I've seen (such as the LowePro Zoom 1, suggested in Gordon's list of accessories), are meant for a camera. I would want to carry around my EF-S 10-22mm and my EF 85mm, maybe an extra CF card or two, and a wireless remote. I would imagine the two lenses should be stored vertically and separated by padding (this separating padding is what's missing on top-loading bags I've seen so far that are meant for a camera). Of course, I don't need to put the wireless remote and CF cards in the lens bag. Those can be stored just as easily in the BlackRapid strap itself.

It seems that this LowePro lens bag would be big enough for any one of three lenses, but I don't see a similar product for two lenses. And I could use the SlipLock to attach to the MBAG80N which I just ordered if I want to carry my tripod around. (Although if I don't want to carry my tripod around, I'd have to also buy a separate strap to use.)

Can anybody recommend a bag that would meet my particular needs? I'm hoping to spend roughly $30-$40, but I'd spend a little more if it's really necessary.

P.S. In before ThinkTank Modular system (or similar products). I'd really prefer the sling bag to the belt system, and I would imagine two separate lens bags would be bulkier and heavier than one bag meant for two lenses. Also, to buy the belt plus two lens bags would cost nearly $100, which seems excessive for my basic needs.

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

Probably above your target price however may fit the bill.
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/ ... r-bag.aspx

_________________
Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, Nikkor AF-S DX 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, Nikor AF-S DX 35 f/1.8 G

Don't you people think BlackRapid & ThinkTank are a bit too expensive for the price per quality ratio?

_________________
Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

This bag looks great. I may have to stretch my budget.


Short answer: no. I think of camera bags and straps like I think of computer mice or keyboards. There are cheap options that are perfectly acceptable. But when you put a little more money into it, you get something that is much more durable, has unique features, or is noticeably more comfortable. And in the end, these are one-time purchases (or once every several years), so you probably do yourself a disservice by trying to save a little money when a slightly more expensive option would provide much more utility.

In the case of the BlackRapid strap, it cost something like $65. Consider the Camera Labs strap, which costs $25 plus shipping. Now I'm certainly not suggesting it isn't worth it (in fact I'm considering registering for the third run), but this is just for a padded neck strap. The BlackRapid strap is a sling, which I find much more comfortable for carrying around a heavy camera for a significant amount of time. It also has pockets along the padding that can hold extra CF cards, cell phone, etc. So for extra features and noticeable extra comfort, I'm certainly willing to spend $40 extra on a one-time purchase that will last me several years.

In the case of the lens bag, I'd like to spend $30-$40, but if I can't find a suitable cheap option, I may stretch the budget to get the ThinkTank bag. Although $60 seems like a big difference, for a product that should last at least several years it's actually not.

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

I emailed ThinkTank to get the inner dimensions of the rear pockets for the Retrospective Lens Changers 2 and 3. (For some reason, this information isn't published in the specs on their website, nor did I find it mentioned in any review of the bags.) They responded with the following:

I would have thought they'd advertise the fact that the Lens Changer 3 can fit a netbook or an iPad in its rear pocket. Now I'm thinking of the lens changer 3 so I can carry my netbook around and be prepared for an eventual 70-200 to join the party. Anybody else notice how easy it is to talk yourself into spending just a bit more on camera equipment?

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

After looking around for a while, I decided on the Retrospective Lens Changer 2 (Pinestone). Thanks for the recommendation, fudge! I've only looked over the bag a bit (I haven't taken it out for a walk yet), but it looks and feels very comfortable so far. I decided that if I really need to fit three lenses, I can stack two short lenses (my 10-22 and 85mm) into one pocket. If I need three extra lenses and my netbook, I probably should just use my backpack anyway, rather than carry all that weight around my neck.

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

I have some Tamrac lens pouches that I wear on my pants' belt, as needed.
These have quite effective padding. In my opinion, Think Tank really fumbled by not equipping the Retrospective Lens Changer with padding. I have wondered about inserting padding into the compartments of a Lens Changer, possibly even shoving Tamrac lens pouches into the compartments, but the cost has caused me to defer that experIment.

_________________
Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

I disagree. In fact, it's one of the things I liked about the bag. A lot of camera bags are quite bulky and heavy because they have use so much padding, especially when the bag is compartmentalized into many small padded areas. For a bag you're travelling with, this can be an advantage. If the bag will be a carry-on for a plane ride, or taken on a hike, etc., then the extra padding may be necessary. But for walking around, I want the smallest, lightest bag that can reasonably hold my equipment. The Retrospective Lens Changer will have a few layers of thick nylon fabric between the world and the lens, and that should suffice as long as I'm reasonably careful.

Also note: this is the bag I'll be using to carry my lenses when my camera is on a BlackRapid strap. The lenses will certainly be safer than the camera body.

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

That's one nice bag,looks quite handy. I checked some prices & I concluded that I could get a belt & 2 lens holders for half the price of the Think Tank. And they're all built out of the same materials so I don't know if the Think Tank is really worth it,because once you have a belt,you have more options to mix around with.

_________________
Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here