Camera backpack advice

[Pete_W]

That bag was on my list as well, but was uncertain about the side acces being large enough, in combination with the steep price. I really like it though.

Yes, they are a bit expensive, especially the larger 21-liter and 31-liter versions which also require you to purchase the camera dividers etc in addition. The Prvke Lite comes with the camera dividers installed and costs quite a bit less, and I found a good price online.

 

[dirk]

That bag was on my list as well, but was uncertain about the side acces being large enough, in combination with the steep price. I really like it though.

Mee too for the same reason. And it looked even bigger than the Tenba Fultin v2.

Please report about your experience with it.

There was another one I liked, but it Europe it is very expensive. The Jumper from Brevit. US firm, which does not look at all like a camera bag and also with side access. That would have been my no.1. Straps are cheap but I like the rest:

https://brevite.co/products/the-jumper-backpack?variant=42097186144410&rfsn=6965420.775f4d2

Here are 2 good videos about the fulton v2

 

[dirk]

Tomorrow I will go with the family to Cologne in to the zoo. It shall rain. Hope that it will not rain the whole day. This will be the first test with the above mentioned Tenba Fulton v2, the 14l size (medium size).

Even the Sigma 100-400 DG DN fits into this bag. You can see on the image below the 100-400, the Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN Art and the S5ii with the Sigma 28-70/2.8 DG DN attached. I was surprised that the Sigma 100-400 fits into this bag.

• Google - Pixel 8 Pro
• 6.9 mm
• ƒ/1.68
• 1/25 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• ISO 357

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Cool! But you do need to change back to the 28-70 to fit everything back again when you are using the 100-400 I guess? The other lens is the 85/1.4?

I do like the Allwetterzoo in Münster. You can walk in the dry or in the shade for large sections in the park. So recommended. Been a while I’ve been there.

 

[dirk]

Cool! But you do need to change back to the 28-70 to fit everything back again when you are using the 100-400 I guess? The other lens is the 85/1.4?

Yes.

I could take the divider to the upper space away, then it would also fit attached, but then I do not have an upper compartment anymore, to store other things there from the top.

 

[Markuswelder]

So. In my continuous, ongoing quest to find the perfect bag (there is none by the way, it's a Unicorn LoL) I dragged this out the other day. Lowepro Flipside 400AW. I've had it for years, but it p!$$ed me off as the waist belt strap was obviously designed for scrawny little Bantamweight Jockeys. It never fit me in other words. Anyway, it finally got the better of me, I did a little bit of shopping the other day, & bought a short length of webbing and another quick release clip. To make a short extension. And it works. Brilliantly. What I can now do, is just slightly loosen the waist belt, slip off the shoulder straps and spin it around on my waist in front of me, to access my gear. As it has rear, or back side access only, for security reasons. I can now happily swap lenses, grab my flash etc without it turning into a major drama production. We'll see how long I like this solution LoL LoL LoL.

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 18.0 mm
• ƒ/4.5
• 1/10 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 1000

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 18.0 mm
• ƒ/4.5
• 1/10 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 1000

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 40.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/13 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 800

 

[dirk]

I have just ordered the Wandrd Prvke Lite backpack, which will be my first camera backpack. I've always used shoulder bags for camera gear until now.

It arrives next week so I only have photos from the vendor's website.

How is the bag doing?

 

[Pete_W]

How is the bag doing?

I ended up not using it much Dirk.

I quickly found that backpacks just don't work well for me. I had always used shoulder bags where I could just keep it on my shoulder and easily access the bag to swap a lens, or pull the camera out if I had put it away.

With the backpack, I found that I had to take it off and set it down in order to access my gear. It is possible to take off one shoulder strap and slide it around to the front to access your gear, or you can wear it on your chest, but I found both of those methods awkward.

There is a video on the Wandrd website that shows the bag being used:

PRVKE: The Award-Winning Travel Camera Backpack & Bag | WANDRD

The WANDRD PRVKE series has everything a travel camera bag needs, it has won awards for its innovative design and quality. See for yourself by clicking the link!

www.wandrd.com

So I eventually tried a sling bag and I am much happier. I went with the Wandrd Rogue and have two sizes - the 9 litre for my S5II and the 6 litre for my S9. I posted about it in this thread:

Sling bags?

Wotancraft bags just look so good

l-mount-forum.com

As a sling bag has just one strap, it is really easy to slide it around to your front for quick access, lens changes etc and then slide it back. No need to set it down. And it's very comfortable to wear.

The only downside (and this applied to the backpack too) is that the interior is back colour. So with a black camera and black lenses and ageing eyesight, it can be a bit difficult to see the gear in dim light. Not a big deal, but a lighter interior colour would be nice.

The other thing that's worked well is that both slings are smaller than the shoulder bag I used to carry. With a larger shoulder bag I would take out too many lenses which ended up being heavy and uncomfortable. With the 9L sling I just take out the S5II with two lenses (one mounted, one other in the bag) and with the S9, I can fit three small lenses (one mounted). That's been liberating, limiting what I take.

 

[The Rigger]

I use a LowePro ProTactic 350 backpack for my S5 system. It's a bit expensive but I find it pretty convenient. In hindsight, I might've gone for the larger 450 bag but overall I'm pretty satisfied.
One note: I removed the waist belt entirely; it had zero chance of fitting me.

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

I tend to use a sling bag if I'm carrying a significant amount of equipment as need to be able to change lenses without taking a traditional backpack off and then putting it back on again, but the downside is that all the weight is on one shoulder and they're designed for one shoulder so uncomfortable to wear on the other in order to give the first one a rest.

If I'm not carrying much then a shoulder bag is better as it can go on either shoulder.

There's no perfect solution.

 

[dirk]

I am happy with my Tenba Fulton v2, (14l, medium size), the carmouflage edition, I showed in this thread last year.







But I only use it in 2 different scenarios. Either when I am with my bicycle in the city for something else or when I do city trips and have to carry more than 1 camera with attached lens all day long and need some space for water bottle etc. too. This is not a bag to be able to have fast access to everything,

Since 2024, in most cases I prefer to carry only one camera with attached lens on a peak design strap over my shoulder. Depending on the camera/lens combination, I use the slide, slide light or leash. No bag at all.



Thanks to this, I can shoot faster (movement like a sling bag but without the bag). No weight at all and I do not "feel" the camera since it is on the side. Even a S5II with 100-400 is easy to carry with this. Here is a video about it:



The downside is, that you can see always the camera and the camera/lens is not protected.

Apart of that, I still use my beloved Billingham Hadley small pro shoulder bags. I have 3 of them in different colors (black & beige), because I store my cameras also in it, when I am not using them. If I need small and light plus protection, the Billingham Hadley small pro is my choice. Fits perfect on a Trolley, when you fly with cabine bags only.









But even on trips with the Billingham Hadley small pro, I put the Peak Design straps 90% of the time on the camera and leave the Billingham bag in the hotel.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

I use the slide lite + cuff, but with a heavy lens it is a bit small. Bought it for the Fuji which is a lighter system ofcourse.

Maybe I should get a “normal” slide as well. I only use it when not using a bag.

When I use a camera bag, the peak design cuff gets used.

 

[dirk]

Maybe I should get a “normal” slide as well. I only use it when not using a bag.

Yes, the "normal" slide is good enough for the S1Rii with the Sigma 70-200/2.8 Sports, which is together over 2kg, I think

 

[RuleOfThirds]

M

Yes, the "normal" slide is good enough for the S1Rii with the Sigma 70-200/2.8 Sports, which is together over 2kg, I think

hmm I was wrong, I have the leash and cuff. Maybe a slide lite is enough.

 

[dirk]

That depends on the weight. The leash is very thin. No comparison to the slide light or slide.

I use the leash for my Leica Q3 43. Around 750g- 800g. Only for short walks. Not the whole day. The same camera with the slide light is definitely more comfortable for the day.

The leash is more or less the same what you were used to get as a camera strap in the 90ies. It has 1,8cm width. That is basically nothing. And it does not have the grip on the other side.

But with the leash you are not looking like a photographer. The leash does not attract that much attention like the Slide light or Slide. Everything is a compromise.

If the weight is towards 1kg or more, you definitely need either the Slide light or the Slide to avoid back, neck or shoulder pains. I would always prefer the Slide light (3,2cm width) or Slide (4,5cm width) over the leash (1,8cm width), if I want to have it comfortable.

I was carrying an Olympus EM1.3 with the Leica 50-200 zoom attached with the Slide in Japan for 3 weeks at around 35-38 degree celsius. All day long. Walks of 8 hours and more, only short breaks. This was around 1.3kg. It was really hot and humid. But it was easy with the slide (plus the tenba rusksack at the same time). No pains at all. I wore it always in "sling position".

I am not sure whether the Slide light would have been as comfortable on that trip in these circumstances.

And for the combination S1Rii & 70-200/2.8 (2.2kg), even for only 2 hours, I would only take the bigger Slide, not the Slide light.

 

[Pete_W]

I tend to use a sling bag if I'm carrying a significant amount of equipment as need to be able to change lenses without taking a traditional backpack off and then putting it back on again, but the downside is that all the weight is on one shoulder and they're designed for one shoulder so uncomfortable to wear on the other in order to give the first one a rest.

If I'm not carrying much then a shoulder bag is better as it can go on either shoulder.

There's no perfect solution.

That's not a problem with the Wandrd Rogue sling that I use. The shoulder strap can be detached at each end and reversed, so if I ever want to swap shoulders it's just a couple of clicks.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

That depends on the weight. The leash is very thin. No comparison to the slide light or slide.

I use the leash for my Leica Q3 43. Around 750g- 800g. Only for short walks. Not the whole day. The same camera with the slide light is definitely more comfortable for the day.

The leash is more or less the same what you were used to get as a camera strap in the 90ies. It has 1,8cm width. That is basically nothing. And it does not have the grip on the other side.

But with the leash you are not looking like a photographer. The leash does not attract that much attention like the Slide light or Slide. Everything is a compromise.

If the weight is towards 1kg or more, you definitely need either the Slide light or the Slide to avoid back, neck or shoulder pains. I would always prefer the Slide light (3,2cm width) or Slide (4,5cm width) over the leash (1,8cm width), if I want to have it comfortable.

I was carrying an Olympus EM1.3 with the Leica 50-200 zoom attached with the Slide in Japan for 3 weeks at around 35-38 degree celsius. All day long. Walks of 8 hours and more, only short breaks. This was around 1.3kg. It was really hot and humid. But it was easy with the slide (plus the tenba rusksack at the same time). No pains at all. I wore it always in "sling position".

I am not sure whether the Slide light would have been as comfortable on that trip in these circumstances.

And for the combination S1Rii & 70-200/2.8 (2.2kg), even for only 2 hours, I would only take the bigger Slide, not the Slide light.

I used the leash with s5ii and 24-105 or 16-35 for full days in my last vacation. Always cross body so camera is on my right hip. Only 70-300, not that much heavier then 24-105, is a tad uncomfortable. But I think the slide-light might be good for me.

 

[Markuswelder]

I quickly found that backpacks just don't work well for me. I had always used shoulder bags where I could just keep it on my shoulder and easily access the bag to swap a lens, or pull the camera out if I had put it away.

Yeah, I much prefer shoulder/sling bags, but I physically just can't manage them any more. Due to injuries, and the uneven loading on my back. So backpacks it is.

 

[Pete_W]

Yeah, I much prefer shoulder/sling bags, but I physically just can't manage them any more. Due to injuries, and the uneven loading on my back. So backpacks it is.

Completely understandable! I have some upper and lower spinal issues too that motivate me to leave some lenses at home!

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Completely understandable! I have some upper and lower spinal issues too that motivate me to leave some lenses at home!

Yeah, I know how it is to have to sell your gear because due to injuries you can’t use them anymore. Luckily it got much better with my shattered fingers over the years and can now fully use them, without any problems. But for years I had to be careful with heavy stuff. Otherwise they got irritated and swollen-up. It took like 7 years for the swelling not happening anymore when using them with constant weight.

But luckily m43 was there to keep me company and enjoying my hobby at that time.