Showing posts with label backpack. Show all posts

Another camera bag recommendation: Tamrac 5788 Evolution 8

When I asked for camera bag recommendations over at dpreview.com I was first recommended the DH 50 V2.0 holster type bag from Think Tank.

Next next suggested bag was the Sling-O-Matic 20 - also from Think Tank.

The third recommendation I got was for the Tamrac 5788 Evolution 8.

While the Sling-O-Matic is a sling bag that can also work as a backpack the Tamrac is the other way around - it's a backpack with side access which means it can be used as a sling bag.

It doesn't look like it will hold my 70-200mm with the hood attached, so I wouldn't be able to use it as a sling bag, but it looks like a very rugged bag that I would feel comfortable keeping my gear in.

I've added the Tamrac to a page with the other camera bag recommendations

Which camera bag should I buy?

I'm looking for advice on a camera bag.


I've looked at the reviews of quite a lot of them, but I still can't point my finger at any bag that will be the best fit for my needs.

I've looked at a lot of different types of bags (shoulder, back and sling) but I just can't figure out which one will be the most useful for me.

What do I need it for?


I have a daughter that rides horses, so 95% of all pictures are of an equestrian nature from showjumping and dressage 
competitions.

My old camera (or current until my Mark III arrives) is a Nikon D70s with a 70-300mm lens.

I usually have my kit lens with me in the car, but find that I rarely switch lenses.

My tripod is usually in the back of my car and I find that I don't use it very often.

My thoughts about the different types of camera bags


When I started getting more and more into photography and started "wearing" my camera everywhere I went I played with the idea of getting a sling bag. I liked the idea of having the camera safely tugged away, but with fast access.

But when I decided to get the 5D Mark III with the 70-200mm IS II USM I kinda left that idea behind thinking that I couldn't find a sling bag that would fit this combo.

Then I started looking at backpacks and shoulder bags - and I'm still torn between the two.

Backpacks are convenient to carry around and with plenty of room.

I don't see myself doing any trekking with my gear, but when we're out at competition I sometimes need to handle the horse and I'd rather not do that with my camera wedged between myself and a horse. So it would be nice with a bag nearby to safely tug my camera away for the next 10 minutes.

I will almost always be near my car, so that left me thinking about the type of bag that I never thought I would buy - one of those square shoulderbags.

90% of the time I'll be using the bag as a storage unit where all my gear can sit securely while it gets transported to and from competitions, but then I'll be missing out on the option to tug my camera away in a jiffy.

So I think the best bag for my needs will be a backpack.

And now the big question:

Which one should I get?


I don't have a lot of gear and don't really plan on carrying multiple bodies and multiple lenses with me.

In essence I just need something to safely transport my gear in the back of a car which I can also carry around for safekeeping my gear whenever I need to handle a horse.

The perfect bag would be large enough to hold a 5D Mark III and the 70-200mm with the hood attached

Any ideas?




I've ordered my Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Canon EOS 5D Mark III (body only)
There's no turning back now - I've clicked the order button for my new Canon EOS 5D Mark III :-)

The availability of the 5D Mark III is more scarse than confirmed Yeti sightings, but there's a chance it willl ship on May 23th.

In reality I'm not that concerned with the shipping date since the outdoor showjumping and dressage season have started. The limitations of my old D70s were all related to poor lighting - and I won't need to shoot in those conditions until October when the indoor season starts.

This is by far the most expensive item I've ever purchased online, and I'm not even done shopping yet.

So far I've only ordered the body and a new Compact Flash (CF) card - The CF card I had in my Nikon  D70s was only 1GB. It held 178 NEFs which was sufficient for a "normal" day shooting horses, but the size of the RAW images in the 5D Mark III is just so much bigger that I would run out of space very fast.

Next stop on my shopping spree will be a lens, a protective lens filter and a SDHC card for the other slot in the camera.

The final item, for now, will be a backpack large enough to hold the camera with the lens attached, and possibly with room for D70s with it's kit lens.