Lightening the load for travel

[mdg137]

This isn't , I think, the usual travel bag info request---

I'm looking for a bag for my usual travel kit: Leica M240, WATE or 21mm SEM, 35 or 50 Summilux, and 75 Cron or 90 Elmarit M. So essentially, M body and 3 lenses. Not the lightest kit, but not the heaviest either.

I'm finding all the shoulder bags I have are still leading to annoying shoulder fatigue/ pain. I have a Billingham Hadley small, several Wotancraft bags, Think Tank Retrospective 5--

The only option I can think of at this point, is trying a wide neoprene strap in place of the factory straps-- when I shot MF and DSLRs, the wide neoprene straps would flex and stretch a bit, which greatly reduced the perceived weight.

Any leads or suggestions for ultra light weight bags, or bags the distribute wieght better? Any thoughts/ ideas appreciated.

 

[back alley]

the tenba dna bags are very light...

 

[FrozenInTime]

You really need to prevent weight from pulling across your back:
Cut down on the gear or go to a backpack or waist belt bag.

The Mountainsmith tour bag can be carried over the shoulder ; on backpack straps or by a waist belt.

http://mountainsmith.com/index.php/products/tour-tls.html

 

[mdg137]

Cutting down the gear isn't really an option, at this point-- obviously a camera body with one lens would be lighter, but I'm still hoping for suggestions for this kit.

You really need to prevent weight from pulling across your back:
Cut down on the gear or go to a backpack or waist belt bag.

The Mountainsmith tour bag can be carried over the shoulder ; on backpack straps or by a waist belt.

http://mountainsmith.com/index.php/products/tour-tls.html

 

[Bill Clark]

Two small bags?

Less stuff?

My last trip, photographed grandson and family, used an Oni bag. Brought a digital SLR with a 50 f 1.4 lens, Leica M3 with 50 Summicron. Also brought along, for the Leica a 135 f4 Elmar but didn't use!

I'm kind of a minimalist when it comes to equipment I use.

 

[jarski]

... So essentially, M body and 3 lenses. Not the lightest kit, but not the heaviest either. ...

am not bag expert so cannot recommend anything specific, but finding suitable bag for this small kit should be easy task. some years back I did long travel with M8 + 3 lenses (15, 28 and 75). it was great combination of good quality photos and small size. only lens changes in dusty environments was a bit of a pain, to keep sensor clean.

why not take your kit to any well equipped camera shop and test what serves you best? 🙂

 

[Ranchu]

I have an original Bare Bones Bag, it's about as light as it gets. The company who made them, Courier Ware, makes courier bags that are designed to be lighter than other courier bags. The original BBB, no longer made (there's a Mk II or whatever), is basically their smallest bag with some extra pockets I didn't like, the inside back ones. Not sure if your gear would fit in that, but they have different sizes. The weight distribution is much better with unpadded bags, I've noticed, less levers and fulcrums to pull the strap. The main thing is to get one with the back outside pocket, as it continues under the bottom, allowing you to put a sheet of padding just on the bottom. And get a handle. I just figured out they have a camera bag. You can pretty much order it however you want.

https://courierbags.com/wp/product/incognito-camera-bag/

https://courierbags.com/wp/product/build-your-own-custom-messenger-bag/

 

[Darthfeeble]

Look at a small back pack with some Domke inserts. I have one I got at REI and it carried my DSLR with three lenses. Slings over one shoulder for the most part but can be on the back as designed too.

 

[Matthew Runkel]

Montbell, a Japanese outdoor equipment company known for ultralight gear, makes three sizes of its Light Photo Shoulder Bag. I discovered these last weekend and picked up the small, which is similar in size to a Domke F-10 and weighs just over 10 ounces. It's made of ripstop nylon, padded lightly with honeycomb foam, and has an inside weather protection cover that tucks away. It also has a waist strap.

I think the small could fit your kit with the addition of one or two dividers from another bag. The medium would definitely fit your kit. These bags will be plenty strong but less rigid (and heavy) than what you are used to.

You can find the bags here: http://www.montbell.us//list.phpproducts?cat_id=1304

 

[Ranchu]

Thanks for that, I wish there were pictures of the inside. Inspired, I just weighed my BBB without padding, 12.85 ounces or so.

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=1304&p_id=1123849

edit, here's some pictures of the inside.

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/ripe/item/mon-1123849/

Looks like you could hook a neoprene strap on it too.

 

[skibeerr]

How important is looks/style?

If you don't want to maintain your status in Hipsterland a fannypack like the lowepro one with the shoulderstrap works for me. The weight is on your hips, I put mine on front so I can carry a backpack too. Would hold body and three lenses easily.

 

[michaelwj]

I use a normal bag rather than a camera bag. Find a suitable bag that you would carry while travelling, insert padded insert. Go travel.
Limiting to "camera bags" can be a problem, when you really just need a travel day bag.

p.s. This is speaking as someone whose never found a camera bag I like, I use a crumpler messenger bag that I've had for 15 years, with no insert, just the unpadded pockets.

Edit: If you really want to travel light, check out ultralight day bags at places that cater for fastpackers - they are fantastic feats of bag making.

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

Are you talking about a 'travel bag' in terms of getting from place to place, or walking around while you're there? Or both?

I think all shoulder bags are going to be uncomfortable for long-term wear, as when dealing with mass transit. I don't use them, but i would consider a backpack for small/light kit items like you described. What i use, though, is a rolling case. I can put a duffle bag with other stuff on top of it, secured to the extended handle. I used to do NYC > Rio 4x per year that way, carrying a lot of gear: a mix of medium format, 35mm, and digital. And, then when i was in the hotel, i'd take a separate, small shoulder bag with just one camera to shoot outside, or i'd have the whole shebang to shoot portraits in a small hotel room setup. If you have to carry a shoulder bag, consider wearing the strap 'bandolero' style, rather than having it pulling completely down one shoulder. I've always found dedicated camera shoulder bags to be completely awkward and uncomfortable wearing them in the 'conventional' way. They're just too bulky, but maybe one of those narrower, messenger-style things will work.

The other advice is to look outside of 'camera bags' and just find something comfortable and adapt it with foam+velcro cells. I've used padding from camera bags that i don't like, and i've purchased divider panels/compartments from B&H that work. The benefit of that approach is in having a bag that doesn't look like it contains thousands of dollars worth of gear. The rattier the better when traveling in certain locales. In fact, you could put some tattered duct tape on the straps, scrawl some nonsense with a sharpie, rough it up....

 

[segedi]

When I asked around Paris for his last fall, I took a newswear pouch. Attached to my belt, camera and one lend in my hands, lens in the pouch.

 

[presspass]

The A&A bags work well; the strap is long enough to sling across your body, it's well padded and doesn't slip. Wearing it bandolier-style keeps the bag more stable and distributes the weight. I typically use mine to carry an M film camera, an M8, and three lenses - 21, 35, and 75. I have used this on long trips - three weeks in Prague, and as my daily bag. I will try to find the model - it's the one with three interior compartments and two pockets on the front, all covered very nicely by a large flap.

 

[FrozenInTime]

382 grams - Waterfield Vitesse Cycling Musette:

https://www.sfbags.com/collections/shoulder-messenger-bags/products/vitesse-cycling-musette

Walked over 20 miles with it over the last couple weekends:
Carrying : M-A+28/2.8 ; M6+50/2.8 or M9+50/1.4 ; 90/4 or 75/2, 4 spare films ; water, sun block, hat i.e. daily outing survival stuff.

It's small and light, not bulky so does not bounce around as you walk instead it conforms well.
The single leather fastener is very easy to use single handed as it's on a leather finger loop.
Only thing I added was a Nite Ize gear tie as an anti slip wrap on the strap.

 

[asiafish]

Ditch the 90mm and go with th prime wide instead of the WATE.

 

[ottluuk]

Small daypack size backpack from a hiking goods shop. Forget leather and canvas, forget full-on photo backpacks. Add a padded insert for protection. Keep a smartphone or a small digicam in a pocket for quick snaps. Add a small belt pouch for a lens if you tend to change lenses on the fly a lot.

 

[michaelwj]

382 grams - Waterfield Vitesse Cycling Musette:

https://www.sfbags.com/collections/shoulder-messenger-bags/products/vitesse-cycling-musette

Walked over 20 miles with it over the last couple weekends:
Carrying : M-A+28/2.8 ; M6+50/2.8 or M9+50/1.4 ; 90/4 or 75/2, 4 spare films ; water, sun block, hat i.e. daily outing survival stuff.

It's small and light, not bulky so does not bounce around as you walk instead it conforms well.
The single leather fastener is very easy to use single handed as it's on a leather finger loop.
Only thing I added was a Nite Ize gear tie as an anti slip wrap on the strap.

Absolutely fantastic! I've used a standard cotton musette before, but it was a bit flimsy and had no fastening. This looks like a winner.

 

[Oscuro]

+ 1 for John Densky's's (post #12) suggestion about the Lowepro Inverse - if you must use a bag. Fundamentally, the camera (and lens) should be in your hand or at least hanging of your shoulder or neck or wrist, whatever your preference is.

Problem with bags is that when the camera is in a bag, it is one more reason not to take the picture. The OP's kit is small and light. Wear the camera. Use lens pouches that have belt loops on them and put them on your belt. Dorky, maybe, but no more dorky than a lot of other bags and packs and cellphones and iDevices the size of small cabbages...

When I'm working, it's the full monty - roll-a-boards full of bodies, lenses, lights, and modifiers. But when I'm just me (I have no hobbies except for wine, women, and song - ask my ex-wives), the camera is always hanging off me and if there is a second (or third) lens it is in a pocket. Field jackets are great for this and if it's too damn hot then maybe one needs to rethink a weight-loss program for the kit or the photographer.

I don't mean to sound harsh but the OP's kit is amongst the lightest and smallest in the world and shoulder bags restrict movement options - you've always got to do something with the bag if your climbing over, scooching around, ducking under, or chasing something.