Camera + Laptop bag

Craife

Craife

Member
Local time
4:25 PM
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
13
Hi Guys,

I'm searching for a great messenger style bag to hold my 15" laptop and a M6 + 1 lens.

Would be nice to have a little room for other things too, like wallet, notebook, film canisters etc

I've been looking at some Billingham options, but I've also been told the large model isn't great with a laptop inside.

Any suggestions? :)
 
I just got one of these, http://www.quadrabags.com/product.php?sku=QD625 I ordered it through work so get it for free to use for 'work purposes'. All nice and padded, fits my 13 inch laptop with a bit of room to spare, plus filofax, film, m3 with collapsible elmar fitted and jupiter 8 and film easily. I'm slowly going through the quadra range to work out what I need in a bag and then may splash out for a 'proper' bag. The 625 can be found on eBay for about £20, costs my work £11. It's padded all over so ideal for a camera, plus there a two pockets that my m3 slides into on the front and the buckles are fake, they're just magnetic poppers.
 
I have a Courierware messenger bag. Just got a mail from them promoting their new "studio in a bag" bundle where you get both a camera insert and a laptop insert at a discount. Might be what you are looking for.
Ola
 
I just got the Ona Brixton dark truffle leather and am loving it for my work briefcase. Means I can take a camera system whenever I head to a meeting.
 
Thanks everyone!
I was always thinking of buying a non-camera bag and placing a camera insert inside, something like this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-P...aterproof-shockproof/dp/B00J3PI6BS/ref=sr_1_1

Or the Billingham Large - but I'm not so sure how good it feels with the laptop on the hip side while walking.
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...SIN=B002ZAX1AO&linkCode=as2&tag=danimachts-21

@AlexBG - those look nice, but I'm not so sure they'll fit a 15" laptop inside too easily. But they'Re almost cheap enough just to try anyway.

@Hausen - the Ona bags are so nice, but a bit too expensive for me!

@Q-Dog - Those courier bags look good too, but they're actually quite expensive too considering they just look like a courier bag :)
 
Think tank Retrospective is the one 1st appears in my head.
You need to pick up a right model number, should be 30 or larger
 
it's 50 or this

However large laptop camera shoulder bags are not designed for rangefinders, they tends to be bulky. Just get a neat laptop bag which has extra room for a M body with lens attached
 
Or the Billingham Large - but I'm not so sure how good it feels with the laptop on the hip side while walking.
Click to expand...
Truth to be told, this can probably be said about all messenger style bags. The laptop will make any bag appear stiff and prevent it from 'molding' to your body.
IMHO you should not bother with a messenger bag. At least not if you intend to carry the laptop around for longer periods of time. It will get exhausting and annoying rather quickly. If you just need something to protect your gear on the way to the subway and from the subway to the studio, you might want to have a look at the Filson Original.
 
I have a Tenba messenger that fits my new MBP nicely, but I gave that up for a small Domke, since it was overkill for RFs. Fits my Bronica quite nicely, though.
What I used to use for commuting was an Ikea briefcase with an insert. Not the prettiest or most convenient, but CHEAP.
 
Takkun said:
I have a Tenba messenger that fits my new MBP nicely, but I gave that up for a small Domke, since it was overkill for RFs.
Click to expand...

The Tenba Messenger is a champ! It is very versatile and has many pockets to stuff things. When I travel, I use it as a personal item with my Domke stuffed into it. Once I arrive, I take out the Domke and use that as a day bag.
 
Yeah, carrying a laptop (MBP 15") for work can be a drag at times. I currently use a Courierware bag that I've had for years. However: 1) the body-huggy style sometimes makes it frustracting to get things in/out of it, and 2) my back is getting tired of carrying such a heavy load in a shoulder bag. I either need to get a smaller/lighter laptop, or some sort of backback.

One thing I have wondered is the ThinkTankPhoto Urban Disguise 50 V2.0, then when I have to walk around more than just between the car and the building, get the Shoulder Harness V2.0. Though, I wonder if that'd just be clunky....
 
I use a medium-sized Chrome Citizen messenger bag. It accommodates a 15" MBP Retina in a padded sleeve, and can hold 1-2 RF-sized cameras plus lenses, with pockets for all sorts of junk. And if you can tolerate the "hipster effect" that these bags can have, you'll find that they are super comfortable and do not look like they're full of valuable electronics.

When you see bike messengers riding in cities, many of them have Chromes strapped to their back. It's because they have to wear their bags all day...I've never experienced another messenger bag as comfortable as this. Did I also mention they are very well made? My Citizen is 8 years old, has been to four continents, and gets carried on bicycle rides, motorcycle rides, and while travelling. I use it to carry a camera and laptop to the office every day. Other than the usual scuffs or small flaws any bag can be expected to pick up over time, it is still rock solid without a single busted seam or tear.

I love Chrome bags because they are lined (interior and exterior "flap") with military grade truck tarpaulin. It's easily the heaviest-duty waterproof lining I have ever seen on a bag that isn't a Pelican case. That lining means there's no silly elastic-banded shell to pull out if you're in the pouring rain to waterproof your bag; you just step out into the elements, confident that your expensive crap is safe. My bag has kept said expensive crap 100% dry, even on the freeway in a motorcycle in the rain, or walking through hurricane-level weather at home in Hawaii. The Citizens are so waterproof we used to fill ours with ice and cold beers in a pinch, because the liner is just that solid.

I've also recently acquired a Niko Camera Messenger bag. It holds an X-Pro, 55-200mm, 14mm, 23mm, & 35mm along with batteries, filters, an external strobe, etc in a nice, not so camera-baggy-looking package:

http://www.chromeindustries.com/us/en/bags/camera-bags/niko-messenger

No room for a laptop in the Niko, however. :(

Given the smaller capacity and use of zippers, I don't expect the Niko to be as robust or useful as my Citizen Messenger bag. But so far it's kept my stuff bone dry, and it's hurricane season here right now.

There's a bag with a dedicated laptop sleeve built-in as well, but honestly it's basically a normal Chrome Messenger with a sleeve sewn in:

http://www.chromeindustries.com/us/en/bags/laptop-bags/mini-buran

These are a lot cheaper than those camera bags that scream "Hello there I'm a camera bag!" (*cough* Billingham *cough*), and Chrome includes a lifetime warranty against defects, so if you factor that in they're a great deal.

One word of warning though: My 8 year old bag was made in the USA, and definitely feels more robust than my new Chrome Niko camera bag, which was made in China...and apparently all newer Chrome messengers are not made in the USA anymore. But again, with a lifetime warranty I suppose it doesn't matter. Hope this helps!
 
We were at a local camera store the other day looking at a laptop bag that I could carry a small camera with me. My GF pretty much insisted that I get the ONA Union Street, so what could I say. ;)
 
I shoot with a Domke 802. It's *big,* and a nikon-or-two with a mac book pro gets heavy real quick. That said it is a perfect bag for reportage. I have one of the little add-on side pouches for film as well.
 
I regret buying the satchel that I did - http://www.fjallraven.de/foldsack-no-2

The fjällräven has a nice build quality, and doesn't look very 'suspect'. But it's simply too large for my needs. I took it to Rio recently, and it kept everything secure and protected. I had a cheap camera insert from Ebay placed inside, with room for other things I needed during the day. It was reasonably comfortable to carry around but didn't give me much 'moveability' due to its size. The quick-latch buckles are kind of nice, but I found the flap too large and that made it feel kind of awkward to get in and out of. I've never taken it out for short day walks back home, and it's sat on the shelf ever since.

So for now it's back on Ebay - http://kleinanzeigen.ebay.de/anzeigen/s-anzeige/fjaellraeven-foldsack-no-2-/306566705-156-9629

And I'll probably end up getting the Billingham Large.

Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions and comments :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom