The Perfect Camera Bag


Good Gear




The Photography Blog

Photographic Field Guides
Practical Philosophies
Careers and Ideas
Inspiring Journeys


September 2015

50mm
1/3200th @ f/2.0
ISO 100
Canon EOS 5DS R

33






Every year Ewen runs a handful of unique and marvellous tours and workshops. Find out more about what tours are coming up and how to book.

Photo Tours with Ewen






The Perfect Camera Bag
Getting the right bag to cradle your kit is not easy. Comfort, space and security are hard to balance. For a decade I've travelled with one pack and one pack only. All that changed with the Flipside 300.



The Photography Blog




You need a good reason to avoid the Lowe Pro range of camera bags. Saving money isn't a good reason. Why go cheap on the bag that will protect thousands of dollars worth of gear? Your bag is your best friend when you travel.

Trying to pick and chose equipment for a day of exploration is not a good idea. Trimming down your kit to leave behind spare batteries, a filter, or the heavy lens might seem like a good way to reduce weight - but you're either there to get photos or you're not. I have one kit for a trip, it doesn't change.

Companions on my travels often ask me, "What lens should I bring today?" I tell them to bring all of them.

Two bags are in my collection, one I've had for nearly a decade and the other I've adopted within the last 12 months. The old faithful is the Mini Trekker. I switched to the AW (All Weather) version which has a rain jacket that folds out of the bottom. The bag holds two cameras, an extra big lens and loads of accessories. It's the biggest bag I'd want - any bigger and the weight is silly. Inside the bag you can shuffle compartment slots, tuck away valuable bits into dry pockets and there's enough padding to keep the cameras safe from serious impacts.

The new kid on the block is the Flipside 300. It's trim, taught and terribly practical. The storage opens from the back, so you're protected from quick hands while the bag is on your back. It uses the internal space well, avoiding unnecessary curves. Crumpler have similar concepts but you lose too much space for the sake of style. The Flipside is big enough for one camera, a big lens and two more smaller ones. The extra storage inside is smartly arrange to make room for other essentials.

You don't have a slot for laptops, but my ultra-portable manages to fit across the storage area nicely. A regular laptop will not, so you either go back to the Mini Trekker or try the bigger Flipside 400. I've not seen that model up close, but the Flipside 300 is my pick because it's the right size. I can fit a full-body professional camera body (Canon 1Ds, Nikon D3) into the kit and close it without a stretch.

This slimmer model means I can't go crazy with my kit. That's a conscious choice to travel light. It's easy to get carried away and lug around too much gear on a trip, making you reticent to go out and shoot or tempted to leave bits behind. I can leave the spare camera in my luggage (it's for emergencies anyway) and if I need a wildlife lens for just one or two days of a tour then I can leave that in my luggage too. In other words, you can manage. The Flipside also has an external pouch that expands to carry a water bottle. That feature makes it perfect.

Security is not the only reason the reverse access zip is a great idea. It works a treat in the field when you want to put the bag down and play with your stuff. The external surface of the bag sits on the ground, leaving the zip and contents clear of dirt and dust. Your shirt stays clean, but more importantly so does the gear inside the bag.


  Keep Reading

Join Ewen's newsletter for monthly updates on new photography articles and tour offers...

Thanks, you are now subscribed. Please check your inbox for a welcome email.




Computer says NO.
Please check the email address.
 


Please Share Your Thoughts



JUST THE FACTS



Lowe Pro Flipside 300 is available just about everywhere...

products.lowepro.com

Lowe Pro Mini Trekker AW is more conventional but carries a bigger load...

products.lowepro.com
This feature was last updated on Sunday 29th November 2009
This article was published and written by

Copyright
All images and words on this web site are copyrighted and may not be used without permission.
When requesting permission to republish this article please quote reference #1099.

URL for this Article


Related Links
  Global  Good Gear  Lowe Pro  Gear  Bag  Camera Bag

Very selected features on the hardware, software and extra wares that help me get the job done.

Custom Setup for the LUMIX S9

Download my custom setup for the LUMIX S9, along with a very full range of custom configurations directly available through the mode dial.



Samsung In The Bin

I don't usually post negative reviews, but Samsung can get in the bin. They are the latest tech company to decide that treating their customers with respect is no longer a necessary part of their business model. I'm pushing back on the bollocks.



LUMIX S9 Review

Welcome to the LUMIX S9, the new full-frame mirrorless made by stuffing the inner workings of an S5II into a tiny little camera body. Panasonic didn’t skimp on features, and even added a few new ones. Let’s take a quick look at why the new LUMIX S9 is such a great addition to the L-mount collection, and why I think it’s a tonne of fun.



Sigma 14mm F1.4 Field Review

This is my new favourite lens for the Arctic. It’s not just for stars, and not just auroras. It’s also a creative lens choice when you want to do something a little bit different with landscape photography.



S-E100 F2.8 Macro for L-Mount

The S-E100 F2.8 Macro lens for L-Mount has just been released by LUMIX, and it’s very different to anything I’ve used on a mirrorless system before. It’s a super compact lens for super small subjects, but delivers super-sized performance and in particular the Autofocus is on a whole other level.



Micro Four Thirds meets Bokeh

What is the secret to getting maximum bokeh out of the Micro Four Thirds format? or any other MFT camera? Lets step deep into the beauty of bokeh and look at just how much of a full-frame look you can squeeze out of smaller sensors.





Ewen's Photography Book



"ReIMAGINE" is now available to order online.
It's a very big and very generous book that will help you to reconnect with your creative side.


ReIMAGINE