Please pardon me while I repost an old post of mine, for a friend looking for a camera bag :)
posted Tuesday, 12 February 2008
I‘m so behind on loading my photos. Hope you enjoy this hodge podge of images.
A few weeks ago I went looking for a small camera bag, one that would simply hold a camera for time like walking on Beale Street and downtown Minneapolis. Yeah, after those two times I decided I needed a bag for crowded areas, when I don’t want to carry every lens and such and when I want to tuck the camera away, not just carry it around my neck.
There are a lot of great bags for this purpose but, I also wanted one that kind of looked like a purse (wasn’t shaped like a camera and screamed “Expensive Camera Inside!”) and that I could hang across my body, you know, over my head and on one shoulder and I wanted it to be easy to get in to and padded. Oh yeah, and pleasing to the eye. I’m not picky at all. So after much playing with bags in a few stores I finally landed on the Crumpler.
Ok, so the brand was decided but then I had to decided between the 3, 5 or 6 million dollar home. I liked how compact the 3 million dollar home is but I worried that my longer lens wouldn’t fit in it. I don’t mean the super zoomy lens (100-400mm), just the 70-300mm. So maybe the 5 million dollar home? It seemed to be perfect, green or blue, green or blue, I can’t decide! Wow, that 6 million dollar home is a beauty! Now Lisa, you just want one that will carry one camera perfectly. Ok, so the 3 or the 5? Finally, with my husband tapping his foot behind me (he was very patient but after 30 minutes of looking at the same three bags, come on) I made a decision.
The 5 million dollar home came home with me, in green, as you can see. It’s perfect! I can have the Rebel Xti or 40D with the 70-300mm lens on still have enough room for the little lens (18-55mm). There’s also a little pocket for a spare battery. I love that it velcros shut and has a snappy thing, easy in and out.
I still love my Crumpler! Although when I use the 400mm lens I can't really fit the camera in there anymore, but it still sees a lot of use in public settings, like when we went to Philadelphia this past summer and such. And the 50D fits in it perfectly too, although it's a pretty tight squeeze for the 5D - I often stick the camera with lens and 2 lenses or a lens and a flash, still room for extra batteries and cards and it's pretty compact.
Playing with the light box. I actually took this as one of the first shots in the new box. The teapot hadn’t been photographed yet, it needed it, don’t you think?
Ok, sucky photo, I know, but it was through the front windshield of the car while it was moving (Dennis was driving) and I just had to show you that scary sight. Who numbered that truck anyway?! 666?! Really, I wanted away from it ASAP.
I thought the ice chunks were pretty cool on the little waves of Lake Michigan. I really can’t get this photo to look the way I want it to but, doesn’t it look like the wave is going to wash over you.
The day I got the Canon 40D I had to try it out a little and these cows cooperated perfectly. Hi Beauties!
Just playing on the top of Rib Mountain, near Granite Peak. I don’t want to climb the tower right now though.
Did you know that Dooce now uses a Canon? Well she does, I was shocked when I discovered this info last week. When I began reading her she used a Nikon. I had noticed the Nikon ads disappeared but she now has a Canon 5D too. :) What, you don't believe me or you don't know who I'm talking about? Well, fine, here, take a look for yourself. Don't tell her I told you. Shhhh.
I haven't read Dooce in at least a year but I did make sure the link was still valid - it is.
Methinks I must have missed this the first time around ... the Crumpler site is certainly slow to load but once there it seems somehow familiar ... reminding me of one of MY favorite 'bag' makers, Kipling (luv the little monkeys too). I'm sorry I invested in a real camera bag last year and almost never use it ... thought it's actually kind of kewl now that I think about it. Love all your photos as always but I do wonder about the numbering on the truck ... (pretty strange) ... and the ice in Lake Michigan is something I've never seen before. I'm missing my Nikon D60 (in the shop for annual cleaning & adjustment) and am hoping they'll call today to tell me it's ready to pick up. I borrowed my sister's Nikon D40 to take photos while we made tamales yesterday and am hoping to share ... perhaps later today (or whenever I get around to it).
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
The Crumpler bag looks nice. I use the Lowepro backpack - the one shoulder one. I like that I can swing the backpack around in front of me without taking it off, and my camera is immediately accessible to me. Changing lenses gets a little bit awkward, but it is a manageable process. You would have seen my backpack had I not forgotten my camera that Sunday we met. Next time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this!!
ReplyDeletethe teapot did need to be photographed--love the cows, and the ice *shiver*
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the Crumpler bag. We are in desperate need of a new bag and can't seem to find what we want - and your description is exactly what we're looking for too. I'll be checking them out today.
ReplyDeleteI love the water shot. It's dark and scary yet very beautiful at the same time. Maybe it's the thought of ice chunks in the water - we don't see that around here LOL
I currently use a Tamrac backpack which will hold all of my digital gear -- for now. But one more lens or accessory of any size and I'm gonna be out of it. I bought it because it's guaranteed not to exceed the dimensions for international carry-on, and I like it well enough except for a couple of things. First, Tamrac says you can strap a tripod on, and maybe that's true... but not my tripod. Second, it has a waist belt, which I really wanted because of the weight distribution. Problem is unless you're a midget elf, the waist belt doesn't come anywhere near your waist. I'm 6'-0" and the belt is a good 8 inches above my hips when it's fastened. Hits me right about the bottom of the rib cage. Not so useful, though I suppose I could use it to support other cases for filters and such. And it could stand to be about an inch deeper. this isn't a deal breaker, but it's a squeeze getting my 200mm prime or my 75-300mm zoom to fit in there without laying them flat. At which point my space is gone. And as with all backpacks, you have to take it off to work out of it, so what I'm leaning toward is one of the modular harness systems put out by Tamrac or LowePro and just using the backpack for Stuff I Don't Need To Access As Often But Want To Take Along. My few pieces of film-only gear still live in their own bag, which is actually a laptop bag salvaged from work.
ReplyDeleteBut I often find myself wanting to travel light, a body and one lens or maybe two lenses. And something like this would do nicely I think. I don't have anything that will comfortably hold my 30D with the vertical grip and a lens attached. And once I've upgraded to the 5D Mk II I covet, this will be an even bigger issue.
So it's nice to have a review from someone I know.
I use a bag that we actually got for our camcorder (which we never use). In other words, my bag is nothing special. Most of the time, the camera is around my neck. The only time I put it in the bag is when I'm climbing over a gate or doing something in which I'm afraid the camera will swing around on my neck. You've got such great cameras!!! I must admit, I'm a bit (ok - majorly) jealous. hehe What makes it great are your awesome photos, my friend!
ReplyDeleteNice capacity description for the Crumpler. Thanks.
ReplyDelete