If your camera bag doesn't look like a camera bag, what does it look like?

[Rezultz]

Has anyone tried the new Timbuk2 Snoop camera bag? Looks like a messenger bag but they finally made one with a removable padded insert. Looks nice...

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/limited-edition/snoop-camera-messenger

 

[chris00nj]

And I will adjoin this question - at what point for you does the importance of "not looking like a camera bag" override the function of a camera bag? Most "non-camera-bag-looking" bags have other, serious dysfunctions.

• Some are noisy (like Crumplers);
• Some look like other kinds of theft targets (c.f. the Tenbas that look like laptop cases);
• Some have strange reach-in angles or inconvenient access (LowePro Classified, Kata, any flap-over messenger-style case, some newer Tamracs);
• Some are utterly dysfunctional unless your travel pattern is hike, stop for a long time and set the bag on the ground, carefully open it, reverse, repeat (backpack bags);
• Some seriously accelerate abrasion wear and banging around (Domke); and
• Some look like you stole your bag from a 13-year-old schoolgirl (Kipling).

And ironically, some functional bag substitutes are actually not supposed to be camera bags at all. Like when in Salvador, Brazil - where I threw my Fuji GA into a vinyl beach bag that came for free with a bottle of sunscreen....

Damn, now I read this. I just bought a Tenba... to double as a diaper bag!

 

[raid]

This week I bought my second Kipling bag. The one with the monkey.
It does not look like a camera bag at all. The EP-2 fits well with a 17mm lens attached to it, plus the Zeiss 85mm 1.4, CZJ 5cm 1.5, EVF, and two adapters.


I also have a Kipling small sized backpack as a camera bag that I hang over my shoulder. It holds my Rolleiflex 2.8D and the M6.



"# Some look like you stole your bag from a 13-year-old schoolgirl (Kipling)."


I have a large sized Tenba for serious outings, and a full size Loewe Pro backpack.

 

[atlcruiser]

Glad I am not the only one who uses these

I have an old foam instert from billingham that fits just right. There are some downsides: heavy beast, shoulder strap does not want to stay on my shoulder
, very abrasive fabric...all my stuff needs to be in some sort of insert or wrapped, snaps and buckles are great but difficult to do one handed or quickly. I use it often but it is low on my list these days.

The manhattan Portage http://www.manhattanportage.com/catalog/Messenger-Bags/Dana's-Messenger-Bag/77 bag with their insert is perfect for my mid size loads and day to day use.

I jsut got the courier wear http://courierbags.com/objects/20.itml/icOid/20 and so far I lov eit. One neat thing is that it seems to carry about the same no matter how much crap is in it.

I run with one of these too. It's now about 7 yrs old and I'd like to wash it because it's looking disgusting. I've been in abandoned quarries, steel plants, battery plants, meat packing plants and it's got a lot of 'residue' on it. The user instructions are "do not wash" so I haven't. I'll put a shot up in due course.

 

[OttOiOttO]

Mine... not because it doesn't look like a camera bag, but because I just happen to like it. Works great with Domke inserts.

And I happened to like it too, Where can I find one ?

 

[Mark T]

I bet that you could wrap your bag in black tape, remove the logo, and no-one would be able to tell that it was, in fact, a bag. Much less a camera bag. That is assuming of course, that they could see anything in the first place!

 

[Cagliostro73]

Cloth bag... with circular pockets!

Cloth bag... with circular pockets!

Sorry for the quality! I took'em with my cell phone!
It's a cloth bag with 4 pockets. Each pocket can be closed.
They are of different depth: the deepest of the 4 can comfortably take a Jupiter 9 and or a Summicron 90c with shade. The shorter one fits perfectly a summicron 40c.
It has two big pockets for my cameras and the strings in the lower side can be used to fit a little tripod.
I love it because it keeps my lens suspended and far from each others.

Regards

 

[boffen]

I have the large National Geographic shoulder bag. Until recently I used a Lowepro backpack that was perfectly ok, but I couldn't really fit anything other than my laptop and my camera in it, meaning that most days I had to leave my camera at home so I could use the camera room for books. This meant that I almost never brought my camera with me, so I started to look for a bigger type of camera bag that could fit at least one of my cameras, my books and papers for school and my laptop. I didn't want something that looked like a camera bag for professionals, and I hate the look of Crumpler bags, so I spent a lot of time finding a bag that looked ok and had enough space for all my stuff. This was kind of hard because all the bags that didn't look like children's bags were either Lowepro-style or made with leather details. After a while I found the National Geographic bags and decided on the large version.

I can easily fit my D300 w/ lens, second lens and accessories in one of the removable camera pouches, and my laptop charger, 6-8 film rolls and 35RC in the other. The laptop goes in its designated laptop slot and there's lots of room for books.

 

[Luna]

I just got told diaper bag today.

 

[jaredangle]

I use my Tenba shoulder-bag if I'm carrying my DSLR and several lenses, but more often than not on my current journalism gig, I'm carrying my Contax G1 around my neck, and the rest of my gear goes in an "assault pack" I purchased during my time in the military to replace the mediocre rucksacks we were issued. It has two external attachments that are great for holding 2-3 rolls of film each, a large internal pocket that holds my macbook, a binder, and a few small books like my AP stylebook, and two more pockets that hold my press card, voice recorder, reporter's notebook, various pens, pencils, and accessories, and a small 5x7 print portfolio.

 

[bayusuputra]

eehh, why no "Plastic Bag" option?

 

[Matus]

Has anyone tried the new Timbuk2 Snoop camera bag? Looks like a messenger bag but they finally made one with a removable padded insert. Looks nice...

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/limited-edition/snoop-camera-messenger

I have considered Timbuk bags as I liked the possibility to make your own design, but when I handled the bag in a shop I found it too stiff a a bit too heavy (even without an insert). But it seemed well done. It really is a heavy duty messenger bag.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

The Japanese have nothing to hide:

http://www.japanexposures.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=46&products_id=354

Chris

 

[kuzano]

Dante... off topic...

Dante... off topic...

I'm a little curious. If every bag tries not to look like a camera bag, then doesn't that make everything look like a camera bag?

Meant to contact you and tell you that Frank Marshman-Camera Wiz, fixed my dead meter on my Fuji AE100 lens, and for very reasonable price.

 

[kuzano]

MIne has a look of distinction....

MIne has a look of distinction....

I use a Diaper bag, and I concur with the idea that as Diaper bags become popular, they just look like camera bags.

I distinguish mine from the pack by hanging a soiled "Depends" out the side of the lid. Sort of my idea of recycling my used "Depends".

I believe in "Green". Nothing should ever be thrown away. Re-use, Re-use, Re-use

 

[TXForester]

Small camera backpack. I'm going to get a larger backpack to replace it. I have regular camera bags I can use if I'll be in a situation where I want to change lenses or accessories often.

If I'm going on a long walk and I'm likely to stick to one lens, but want other lenses just in case, then the backpack is easier to carry. The camera is out and hanging by the neck strap. I'll go on a one to three hour walk mostly for exercise and the backpack is less likely to cause back problems than a bag hanging on one shoulder.

 

[DNG]

I use the National Geographic waist pack.
It holds:

• 135mm Nikkor with Adapter
• 55mm Micro Nikkor with Adapter
• 20mm f/1.7 G Panasonic
• A few SD cards
• An extra battery

I carry the Panasonic G1 with the Olympus 14-42 ED (MkII)

If I go out with the M5 and ZM 50mm f/1.5, I have no need for this pack, but I carry on my belt 2 yellow Kodak film holders that hold 2 films each. One is for unexposed film, the other is for exposed film. I rarely need more than 2 rolls at a time.

 

[Tim Gray]

I have considered Timbuk bags as I liked the possibility to make your own design, but when I handled the bag in a shop I found it too stiff a a bit too heavy (even without an insert). But it seemed well done. It really is a heavy duty messenger bag.

They are heavy duty and nice. I have a non-camera medium sized messenger bag from them. It's water proof, as long as water doesn't enter in through the side of the flap, but that does add to the bulk. It works great when riding my bike and I don't need my larger messenger bag (a R.E.Load bag which is truly bomb proof). As a camera bag with the Tenba insert or smaller pouches, it's pretty nice, but can be a bit large and bulky if you want to keep it small.

 

[jto555]

For all you people who are afraid to carry your camera around parts of the city... try this one for size.

Nobody but nobody is going to mess with you!








Mods as you can see there is a full credit on the shot so it should be OK, if not delete the post.
​

 

[shadowfox]

Domke F2.
It does not look like a camera bag.
It *is* a camera bag!!

I'm looking forward to the day when mine looked like the one below