Choosing the Best Camera Bag for Travel
Buying the right camera bag for your DSLR and photography gear is about as difficult as buying the right tripod. In both cases, there’s a good chance you will quickly outgrow whatever you buy first, or realize what you’ve purchased doesn’t live up to your expectations. Trust me, I’ve gone through more camera bags than I care to admit and have learned these lessons firsthand.
With these lessons, I’ve learned a thing or two about which camera bags work best for travel, and which don’t. Based upon this, here are my recommendations for camera bags for three different “categories” of photographers (in terms of how much gear each carries).
A few preliminary notes before we start: first, this list is for men. I’ve heard from numerous women, my wife included, that the way weight is distributed in a bag that is comfortable for a man may make it uncomfortable for a woman, and vice-a-versa. I have absolutely no clue whether this is true (since I’m a man, I have no way of testing it), but I want to put it out there as a bit of a caveat. Second, it may or may not be worth it to “test” these bags in a store before buying. I personally do not think it is, as the only true test of comfort is wearing the thing around all day filled with gear and you can’t exactly do that in any stores of which I’m aware. I’ve returned/resold just as many bags purchased in stores as I have bags that I’ve purchased online. Third, and along those same lines, it may be worth buying from a store that has a flexible return policy. I like Amazon (for online retailers) and Costco (for brick & mortar retailers) for this reason. I would not buy a used camera bag.
With those things said, here are my recommendations for the three groups of travel photographers…
Light Travelers
In photography terms, I’m going to consider light travelers those who carry one camera body and one lens. My wife falls into this category, and we’ve had one heck of a time finding a bag for her. Backpacks and sling bags weren’t comfortable, so we looked at shoulder/side bags. These were much better in terms of comfort, but many were ugly and the better looking ones were poorly designed or had wasted space.
We ultimately settled on the Ape Case Holster Bag because she found it comfortable, compact, and without any unnecessary compartments. She can put a few other personal items in there, but it’s mainly just a one camera bag. It also has a waterproof rain sleeve, which is a big plus. It isn’t the most stylish bag in the world, but it’s not ugly, either. Definitely more utilitarian, though.
While I like this bag and think it’s great for what it is, I have a hard time recommending it. The only people to whom I’d recommend it are those who know they will never purchase a second lens and absolutely must have a dedicated camera bag for their DSLR. Sarah only uses this bag about 30% of the time now, and the rest of the time she throws the camera in another “ordinary” (non-camera) bag. That other bag isn’t waterproof, which is a bit concerning, but she always carries a poncho or umbrella, so it’s not all that concerning. I’d hazard a guess that most of you would be just as comfortable or more comfortable carrying your single camera in a small, ordinary backpack. On the rare occasions that I go out with just one camera and one lens, I don’t carry ANY bag. If I’m going light, I don’t want a bag, period. Instead, I throw a nice drawstring disposable plastic bag in my pocket, and if it rains, I put the camera in that. Not ideal or as safe as a dedicated waterproof camera bag, but I’ve never had any issues.
With that said, I can see why other people might want an actual bag for their camera (and it does hold a few other things), but it just seems like this bag has a very limited audience and any more serious photographer is likely to outgrow it pretty quickly. If you’re even considering carrying additional lenses, look to the other options below.
Balanced Travelers
Before I got my main camera bag, I swore by the LowePro SlingShot (the bag I use is the 100AW, but it has since been replaced by the superior LowePro 102 AW). It took a lot of searching to find it, but I finally did, and I’ve been a LowePro fan ever since.
The LowePro SlingShot is a great choice in that it’s fairly sleek, yet can hold a camera and three moderately sized lenses along with some other accessories. It also has a rain sleeve, which is great for photographers who find themselves exposed to the elements. The bag is light weight and well padded, and it’s a great option for someone who is just starting to get serious about photography but doesn’t yet have any pro-grade lenses to carry.
Since I retired the SlingShot as my main bag, an update to the bag has been releases that places the straps for the tripod on the side of the bag instead of the back of it. This is an excellent design decision, and if you’re in the market for the SlingShot, make sure you get the newer SlingShot 102 AW. I like my SlingShot, but one of my complaints about it would be that removing the tripod to access the contents of the bag is a pain, and a design flaw on the part of LowePro.
The biggest con with the SlingShot is in terms of design, but it’s a trade-off you have to accept if you want a sling system, and that’s the poor use of space at the top of the bag. This area can’t be part of the main compartment because of the sling, and is sort of like a triangle in shape at the top of the bag. You can put stuff up here, but I feel like it doesn’t hold as much as it could if this same space were in a normal bag. Since the quick access the slingshot provides isn’t important to me, I’d rather have the bag make better use of this space. If the sling access is important to you, this is just one of those trade-offs you’ll have to accept and learn to make work.
As mentioned above, this is a great bag for a casual photographer looking to carry a camera and some additional gear (photography gear or other). It’s a great “starter bag” and the new LowePro SlingShot 102 AW is almost flawless for that purpose. Photographers who are looking for more or want something to grow into probably shouldn’t consider this bag unless they don’t mind replacing it later. The LowePro SlingShot 202 AW is a larger alternative for more serious photographers, but not one that I recommend because its layout isn’t as solid as the Flipside 300 discussed below.
Pack Mules
I fall squarely into this category and I openly recognize that carrying as much gear while traveling as I do is a little insane. That LowePro Flipside 300 above is my main camera bag, packed and ready for a normal day on the move. It contains 6 lenses, 1 DSLR, 1 flash, a tripod, a whole host of random other accessories (filters, wired remote, extra batteries, etc.), and weighs 21 pounds, 12 ounces.
Despite most of you probably not being crazy enough to carry this much gear, the LowePro Flipside 300 is the camera bag I recommend for most travel photographers. Here’s why.
First, it gives you room to grow. And by grow, I mean buy more stuff. LowePro advertises the Flipside 300 as holding one camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached, plus “1-3 additional lenses or flash units.” As you can see, mine is holding a camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8, plus 5 additional lenses, 1 flash unit, and a ton of other junk. Granted, two of those lenses are really small, but the other three are pro-grade full frame lenses. The point is, this bag can hold a ton of gear, and most photographers will never outgrow it. If you don’t have a ton of gear now, you can use the space for other things until you do need the space (and you will need it someday!).
Second, the size is absolutely perfect for travel. It’s not really all that much bigger than the SlingShot (except when you pack it to the gills like mine–a “normal” looking one is not nearly as bloated), but that’s not really the “main” plus about its size. Quite possibly the greatest “pro” this bag has going for it is that it’s about the largest personal item you can carry onto an airplane. This means it does not count as your carry-on item, but instead will fit under the seat in front of you and you can put a rolling bag in the overhead compartment (your tripod will have to go in the roller). Not only will this save you checked bag fees if you can otherwise manage to pack light when traveling, but it will free up space in your rolling carry on for camera gear you might otherwise put in there. I’m able to store all of my camera gear in this bag when flying and all the rest of my junk in a rolling carry-on, which makes getting in and out of the airport and traveling in general sans checked baggage much easier.
Third, there’s no superfluous space in the Flipside and the design is brilliant (it would have to be in order for it to hold all of my stuff and still fit under a seat on a plane!). I know that a lot of camera bags now have space for a laptop and other random stuff, but before you consider one of these bags, think about whether you actually need a laptop or a tablet while you are out and about shooting. Even though I carry a lot of gear, I try to go as light as I possibly can, and that means not carrying anything I think I won’t need. To me, a laptop or a tablet is just unnecessary and extra weight. My iPhone can handle any “computing” needs I have while out and about. I know the iPad makes a pretty awesome camera, but I think you might be able to make do with that DSLR you’re carrying in the bag.
Finally, it’s incredibly well made and can take an incredible beating. The padding on the bag is great and makes carrying all that gear comfortable (or at least as comfortable as lugging around 20 pounds on your back can be) and safe for the equipment. I’ve had my Flipside 300 for over three years, and in that time it has been dragged on the side of mountains, left sitting in the snow, scratched at by wild animals (okay, my cat), and come in contact with just about every surface imaginable in the Disney theme parks (and exposed to the grueling Florida weather). I won’t say it “still looks brand new” because it absolutely does not. It’s faded and cosmetically imperfect thanks to my brutal treatment of the bag, but structurally, it’s still in great condition. There are no signs of weakness anywhere that matters, and if this thing can survive three years of me banging it around, it can probably survive a lifetime of normal use. There’s a reason it costs $100+, and in this case, you absolutely get what you pay for.
For all my praise, there are a couple of cons that are worth noting. The biggest is that the bag has no rain sleeve. This is a pretty big deal, especially for Walt Disney World photographers, who are bound to be exposed to an afternoon shower from time to time. Mine has gotten rained on many, many times and the gear inside has never gotten wet, but I still doubt that this is good for the bag. For this one reason alone, I’ve considered buying the LowePro Flipside Sport 15L, but that bag has slightly less space and isn’t as well designed, so I would have to cut down on what I carry. I’m not sure I want to do that. For now, the lack of a rain sleeve is a flaw I can live with given the other great strengths of the bag.
It’s also not as easy to access your camera as the SlingShot, as you actually have to take off the bag to get the camera out. The only time my camera is ever in my bag is when it’s raining, so this doesn’t matter to me, but it might to you.
More of a “sorta kidding” con is that this bag will make it easier to justify buying more gear. When I was using the smaller SlingShot, I thought of new lenses in terms of what would (or wouldn’t) fit in my bag. This kept my buying in check until I set my mind on a 70-200mm lens. Once I got that lens, I was “forced” to upgrade bags, and having the additional empty space of the LowePro Flipside 300 meant additional empty space I could fill with new lenses, which I quickly did. If you’re anything like me, you will find yourself quickly finding excuses to grow into this bag in terms of new gear. I mean, if you have the bag, you might as well fill it with lenses, right? This may or may not be a bad thing, depending upon how you look at it…
Overall, which bag is right for you is a largely personal decision, and there are a lot of other great bags out there, but for the purposes of travel, I’ve never found anything better than these two LowePros. No, they are not as nice looking as a 5 Million Dollar Home or whatever the latest trendy camera bag is, but as a photographer looking for results and not a stylish accessory, I think the LowePro Flipside and SlingShot lines have no equal. Even if you aren’t considering the LowePro bags, I would highly recommend not making the purchase based upon how the bags look, unless the “function” of the better looking bag you’re considering is on par with the ordinary-looking bag.
If you’re looking for other photography equipment recommendations or photography tips in general check out a few of my top photography blog posts:
Photography Buying Guide: Everything from Underwater Cameras to Software
Best Books for Improving Your Photography
5 Indispensable Tips for Better Vacation Photos
Infrared Photography Guide & Tips
Choosing the Best Travel Tripod
Your Thoughts…
Do you own any of these camera bags? Would you recommend them? If you own a different camera bag, what do you use and what do you think of it? If you have any other questions or comments, please leave them below.
I figured I had to give some feedback oon this subject. I just bought the Lowepro Flipside Sport 15L and absolutely love it! I was a little hesitant to spend $145 on a new bag when I already had a couple that would work just fine, but I’m soooo glad I did. The first time using it was at Disney just a couple of weeks ago.
Now, I have a mirrorless camera, so it doesn’t take up nearly as much room as a full size DSLR. I was able to fit my camera, 3 lenses, extra battery and charger, all accessories (lenses, cleaning stuff, memory cards, etc…), and of course the tripod. The dedicated space on the outer side of the bag for the tripod was one of the better I’ve seen. I was also able to carry a poncho, my wallet, phone, sunglass case, and vinylmations for my little sister to trade. Plus I still had room to fit more stuff – on the flight back I had pretty much all of that stuff in there (minus the vinylmations) and also fit a couple of snacks and a book.
Basically this summer at Disney it has rained at least once every day, and that was definitely the case while I was there. That’s why I was extrememly glad I had the new bag.
Best example: I had spent the entire day at MK since early opening and was planning on staying to photograph Wishes and stay after closing. It had already rained that morning and tried again a couple of times in the afternoon. So I had a great spot almost right in front of the partners statue so I could use my fisheye for something different. The parade had already finished and Celebrate the Magic was starting. Well, so was the rain. It started out not so bad, but it ended up pouring by the end of the show. I was just standing there with my camera on the tripod under my poncho, figuring I was dry enough (at least most of me, head and feet not counting), and was just waiting for people to clear out and the rain to stop before I packed everything up. The whole time my bag was sitting right out in front of me on the ledge around Partners getting completely drenched. Guess what? Everything inside was completely dry.
Point of the story? Love my bag. No regrets. I’d recommend it 100 times over.
(Oh, and if you want something bigger, they do have the 20L.)
On a related note, What does everyone use to hold their filters? Right now I just have 2 ND filters and a Circular Polarizer so I keep them in the original cases that they came in but that is already a bit too bulky for my liking. So what do you use?
I use one of these I can get five filters in easily
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043RTLNS/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For walking around a park, where I’m typically using just a Sigma 30mm lens, I love my little Lowepro holster bag.
(Unfortunately, I forgot it this trip and only had my “pack mule” bag. Which led to me sitting my camera down without the bag for a moment when my daughter ran off down a flight of stairs in the Redwood Creek area, which in turn led to the camera disappearing. Look for a good deal on Ebay soon! Moral of the story = camera in hand or in bag. Don’t be an idiot.)
Ouch, that’s an expensive mistake. I am really bad about forgetting things like that, I’m (sadly) sure it’ll happen to me someday, too.
Yep. Probably a $6-800 mistake. And now I have to go through the whole “what camera is right for me” buying process since options have changed a bit in the past ~3 years since I bought the T2i. (Luckily, I’ve read your camera recommendations page!)
Seems like slingshot style bags are the clear favorites on here.
I originally tried on of the Slingshot 202aw was not a fan of the cross body strap and ended up returning it. Being a larger guy the slingshot was not flattering.
I much prefer the backpack style packs but I like the idea of the quick access of the slingshots. I ended up with the Lowepro Versapack 200AW. It gives me the side quick access(I just need to remove one shoulder and swing it around like the slingshot) but the load is distributed on both shoulders while carrying. I can also use the quick access on the opposite side(would also probably be good for left handed people who want their camera on the other side) to quickly grab lenses or filters. It also has the rain poncho which has come in handy more than once at Disney.
I can carry the camera body with attached lens and 2-3 other moderately sized lenses. I have quick access to batteries, remotes etc small items via the pockets on the front and still have a good amount of room in the top compartment to keep wallet, flash, small snacks, etc. It also has two different ways to attach the tripod either on the vertically behind the pack or horizontally below the pack both still give access to the quick compartments.
I’m a bit surprised by the preference towards the SlingShot bags. I’d hazard a guess that about 75% of the photographers with whom I’m friends use either the Flipside 200 or 300, and almost none use slingshot bags.
The Versapack sounds intriguing, thanks for the info.
I bought the Vesapack 200AW as well for our upcoming trip to WDW but I’ve used it around town a bit. I love it. Easy access, nice room for gear and for other stuff on the top and doesn’t look like a camera bag to most people.
Hopefully I’ll like it as much while we are in Disney. 🙂
Thanks for the info. I’d be curious to hear how it holds up after a few days in the parks and whether you still like it as much.
I’ve been using mine for almost a year now and I still love it. I am generally at WDW least 2x a month(live in Tampa).
My wife’s main complaint about it is she thinks I am going to take someone out with the tripod attached it sticks out a bit.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VPE1WK = AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR = $30.
I’ve been using this bag as my airline carryon and general camera bag for about 3 years. It’s compact but holds a decent amount of gear. It fits under an airline seat. I usually carry my Nikon body with 18-270 lens, a 11-16 wide lens and a nifty 50. Plus plenty of room for a few filters, cables, my 10-in netbook, spare hard drive, extra cards, etc, etc. It fits a netbook size laptop or most tablets, but not a full-sized laptop. I don’t usually carry it into the parks – I prefer to bring my Tamrac Velocity with just the camera and a spare lens for that. When I have carried the backpack to a park, it can strap on a small tripod, and I’ll usually leave the laptop and extra electronics locked in my room.
Overall its a great little backpack at a great price. In 3 years it shows no signs of wear or damage.
Awesome, thanks for the recommendation! Definitely a great budget option.
So Tom, When you go to the parks do you go planning on shooting the whole time and therfore have your camera and all of your equipment with you all the time or do you ever just leave it all behind and go and enjoy the attractions? Or maybe not that extreme, but do you ever just take your camera and no extra lenses?
Most of the time, I don’t really take many photos until sunset, and then again until the park closes. Our trips aren’t centered around photography. I just subscribe to the belief that you can’t use what you don’t have, so it’s better to bring too much than not enough.
After we came back from Tokyo, I had a trip to Disneyland the following weekend. Because I had a backlog of thousands of photos to edit and was still exhausted from the Tokyo trip, I didn’t carry my bag one day. I think that’s the first time in ages that I haven’t carried it. Doubt I’ll go without it again any time soon.
I have the SlingShot 102 and love it. The ease of access was my biggest reason for buying it, and is still my favorite thing about the bag. I’ll probably never go quite as gear crazy as you, so the size is perfect for me. I like photography as a means to capture the travel memories, but I don’t want the gear to get in the way, so I tend towards trying to be as mobile as possible. That said, I still carry 3 lenses and a flash with me a lot of the time. All in all the bag helped get me excited for photography again because it kept my gear handy at all times. Great bag!
I have an Undfind camera bag for normal use, but when traveling to Disney it’s not very easy to walk around all day carrying. So for walking around disney I brought my blackrapid camera strap, and carried my one body with one lens. For someone that wants to travel light I think it’s perfect. When it rained, I just kept the camera under my poncho.
When we’re out and about in a city and plan on going to a nice meal or something, I just carry my Blackrapid strap and the camera on that. A camera bag, no matter what size, is a bit awkward to take a lot of places in the “real world.”
I’m a big fan of the BlackRapid straps, too,, and have my 60D out and uncapped and ready to grab most of the day. I’ve been supplementing it in the parks with a Lowepro Passport Sling. This is a poor choice as a main bag for a DSLR owner who has started to accumulate any lenses or gear at all (simply not enough space or decent organization), but I find it has a nice role as a supplemental bag for travel. If I want to head out with just one spare lens and maybe a flash, I can leave the big Fastback 350 back in the hotel room and toss the day’s shooting gear into the Passport Sling. If I was really sure I wouldn’t need to put the camera in, I could carry a couple reasonably bulky lenses in it, including a 70-200 f/2.8.
The external pockets have no zippers or flaps, so I wouldn’t trust them with anything photographic, but they’re fine for some Clif bars, water bottle, sunscreen, and other sundries.
Another reason I like it as a supplemental bag when travelling: the padded “box” inside is only held in by velcro. I’ve been taking that out and putting it into my main luggage (smooshed flat or filled with stuff), and using the now light and floppy bag as my “personal item” carryon for tablet and water bottle and snacks and such, so I can put the big backpack into the overhead bin.
This is an incredibly helpful little guide, so thank you for putting it together. I am currently using a Manfrotto Unica messenger style bag and it does a pretty good job for my nikon 5100 body, 17-50 2.8 tamron, 30mm sigma 1.4, and I can squeeze in my nikon 55-200 vr as well. It works well as a carry on for me because I can also stash my wallet, iPad, and iPod inside for quick access.
Your recommendations are spot on, because I am already outgrowing my bag and will soon need more space for when I finally pull the trigger on getting that Tokina 11-16 2.8.
Sounds like a very similar setup to mine that pushed me over the edge to the Flipside 300!
I started out with a Lowepro Toploader Pro 75, which was great for my Canon 30D w/power grip and 28-70 and 70-300 kit lenses. Of course, the second time I actively used that bag, the AF on my 28-70 lens went out. I upgraded that lens to the Tamron f/2.8 version, and at that point, I got the Lowepro Fastpack 250 (the original, not the video version). It did a great job holding that gear, a speedlite, filters, a couple of cheap diffusers, my iPad, phone, water bottle, charging cables, extra batteries, and anything else I could think to throw in.
Over the past year, I’ve upgraded my 70-300 kit lens to a 70-200 f/2.8, added a 50mm f/1.8 (ok, I have to be honest….I had that lens sitting in a box from the first camera set I bought from a friend, and never realized it. I found it over the summer, completely by accident, when cleaning my closet. I should be tarred and feathered), a second camera body (Canon 50D), and a 8mm fisheye. I’ve also got a decent Manfrotto tripod and monopod, and a Gorillapod. If I really want to carry EVERYTHING with me (rarely), I use the Mountainsmith Parallax. Recently, I did a job that required my using a laptop along with most of my gear, and the bag held it all, plus a couple of Frogg Togg towels in their containers, and it also held the stuff I normally would stick in my purse, with room leftover. The bag was in no way lightweight, but it easily held everything I needed, and saved me from making several trips from the parking deck of Piedmont Park in Atlanta to the shooting location in the middle of the park.
I don’t know that I would want to carry the Parallax in any theme parks, but it’s a great bag for pack mules. I don’t know how it’d work on flights, though. I haven’t flown with it yet.
In general, I still prefer my Fastpack in the parks. I can carry both camera bodies, my 28-70mm, 50mm, fisheye, filters, Gorillapod, batteries and memory cards in the bottom half, and keep the upper storage pocket for other items (Frogg Toggs, phone, wallet, etc). It doesn’t really work for the 70-200 f/2.8, but if you’re like me and don’t use that one as much in the parks, it’s a great bag. I’m currently debating between upgrading to the Fastpack 350, or just adding a Lowepro Lens Exchange.
If you haven’t guessed, I’m a Lowepro fan, myself!
Also, for those that carry point & shoots, and don’t like to carry them in a pocket, I highly recommend the BlackRapid SnapR (I use the SnapR 20 for my Canon G12). I use that when I’m going to concerts or other places where DSLRs aren’t allowed. It’ll hold the camera, ID, credit cards, and various other small items like chapstick, tickets, phone, etc.
That Mountainsmith Parallax is a really nice bag, but as you hint, I think the size would be unwieldy for travel. Loaded, it would probably be too large to qualify as a personal item, and it might also be difficult on rides.
For a working pro, it looks like a great bag, though!
I have been researching for a good travel bag for use with a D5100 and a couple lenses. The SlingShot series is appealing, but I wish they had more room for a few non photo accessories… ie. light jacket, snacks, etc. Has anyone tried/used the photo sport 200 AW? It appears that it will carry similar gear to the SlingShot 102AW, but with a lot more room on the top part of the pack for additional items. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I recently got the Flipside 400AW and I love it. It’s a bit bigger than the 300, but suprisingly, it is lighter (only by a tenth of an ounce). I don’t have nearly the amount of equipment that you do, but like you said, I’m looking to grow into it.
It does have the rain sleeve (I believe the AW stands for “All Weather”), however all the Flipside’s are made with “weather resistant” polyester, which apparently does a pretty good job of keeping out the water.
Interestingly enough, I consulted with you (on another one of your blog posts) before buying this bag as most places charge between $150 and $200 for the bag; a price I was not looking to pay. I ended up taking a chance by buying it off EBay from somebody in Hong Kong. I was a little worried, but at $64, I figured it was a risk worth taking as I could always get my money back from Paypal if I disputed the sale.
In the end, it all worked out, and like I said before, I absolutely love the bag…especially with all the security it provides while wearing it (I can keep my wallet and phone in one of the open spaces in the main compartment without worrying weather somebody might be able to sneakily open a compartment on the outside).
P.S. – Thanks for the previous advice to look on EBay.
Glad it worked out! There’s always some uncertainty with eBay, but sometimes it’s worth the risk (and as you mention, there’s usually recourse for the buyer).
How do you feel about the layout of the 400AW?
So far so good. All I have at the moment are two Canon APS-C bodies, 18-55 and 70-300 lenses, Canon Speedlite 430EXII with diffuser, and a couple of filters (along with the tripod that obviously goes on the outside).
I plan on renting the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L from Kingdom Camera Rentals when we head down to WDW in a month, so that’ll be one more lens to add to the plethora of space in the bag.
The only thing that I’m disappointed about is the fact that I can’t easily get both cameras in the bag when they both have lenses on them. It can be done, but with the positioning of the velcro strips, it’s a little awkward. However, I just noticed that you have your camera flipped upside down in the picture at the top of this post. I don’t know why I never thought about this, but I’m going to give it a try in a few minutes and see if that does anything for the layout/fitting both bodies with lenses.
I use the Ape Case Compact Envoy Messenger bag. As a female, I really didn’t want to tote a backpack around the hot Florida sun (especially in a dress or tank top). I found the Ape Case because I wanted to be able to get the camera in and out of the bag without taking it off. When traveling to the World, I fit my D5100 with the 18-55 lens, Nikon 35mm 1.8 and Nikon 55-200 with my Gorillapod resting on top. However, usually I leave the 55-200 in the room unless we’re going to AK or to see a show. It fits the 35 1.8 comfortably and has a nice zippered pocket on the outside to hold my iphone, cards, and random camera accessories. It works for me now, but I can definitely see that I may need to find a bigger bag for my future lens collection!
Tom,
I’ll be honest, since I moved down here I picked up the smaller brother of the Flipside Sport AW 15L, the 10L, to use as a daybag. It’s a fantastic bag, but it is a touch small. That being said, I can fit my D7000, the 80-200 f/2.8, 28-70 f/2.8 and my 8-16mm OR 30mm all at once. It’s a bit stuffed, but it certainly works perfectly. The AW shell is nice. I did have to pop the grip off of my D7000, but I can keep the battery in the side pocket without any issues. I keep a 77mm variable ND, my wired remote, and even a Mophie powerstation (http://www.mophie.com/juice-pack-powerstation-PRO-smartphones-tablets-p/2028_jpu-pwrstion-pro.htm) and iPhone charging cable all in it. If the tripod isn’t attached to the side, I can even get the rain shell over the entire thing. With the tripod, it’s a bit more of a fight, so if it rains, I’ll carry the tripod by hand while keeping my gear dry. I do use a smaller tripod though, the Manfrotto BeFree.
Hope this helps you if you’re deciding still whether or not to get the 15L. I can email you pictures if you want!
Hmmm, thanks for the info. That helps to the extent that I now know that the 10L is DEFINITELY too small from me, and barring a small miracle, I’m guessing the 15L also would be.
It’s probably a bit premature to start thinking of replacements for the Flipside 300, especially since the lack of AW really isn’t that big of a deal–knock on wood!
The 15L Sport might be my next camera bag. I like the utility the bag offers. The spot for a water pouch is key. Great for landscape photographers who are sometimes traveling long distances on foot. My only concern with it is the size. I’ve recently been finding my Flipside 200’s side to be just a bit inadequate. Might have to look at a similar option, but bigger. Nice write-up.
If you do get it, I’d love to hear your thoughts. It’s a very intriguing bag, but it would be a step backwards for me in terms of size, and I don’t like that idea.
That said, it looks like a great bag for hiking, and as we are taking more visits to National Parks, it might be a great ‘secondary’ bag just for those. Not like I need to carry all of my gear on those trips, anyway.
I recently returned from my first trip to WDW with a DSLR after reading your trip reports and recommendations for the last 2-3 years having discovered your trip reports after my first adult trip to WDW in 2010. I used a lot of your advice when purchasing my camera and other gear because you capture the kind of images that I aspire to capture. I am currently shooting with my new D7100, my fiancé shoots with a D7000. I have also been carrying around my D5100 as a back up since I bought the 7100. Glass wise I change lenses quite often and vary between the 18-55 kit lens, 55-300, and 50mm 1.8D lens as well as my sigma 8-16. Typically I find I am just swapping between the Sigma and the telephoto lens 75% of the time. My fiancé really needs an all in one as she does not like changing lenses and is happy just shooting with her old 70-200 from her old film camera.
I have acquired several bags over the last couple years as no one bag seems to satisfy all of my needs. For variety I took the following bags with me: Lowepro Slingshot 202AW, Slingshot 302AW, and a Flipside 200. The 302 was my BIG bag that I just used to carry all of my gear around in it easily holds everything my fiancé’ and I own camera wise. I took the other two bags because I was not sure which one I would like in the parks as they both have their advantages and disadvantages and in the long run I ended up preferring something totally different.
On our first day at the magic kingdom I decided to go with the Bricker approved Flipside 200. It was nice and easy through bag check even getting complement from the security guy claiming that he loved that bag because it was just one big opening to check. This bag is the most comfortable of the group to wear but it is also the most time consuming to change lenses. I ended up just sticking a lens in my pocket and just swapping between that one and the one on my camera as much as possible. I will say that this bag is the one I will use anytime I plan on taking a tripod into the park as it is the most comfortable bag to carry with a tripod attached.
Our second day I loaded everything into the smaller slingshot. This bag was a lot easier to swap lenses with, but the sling bag kept wanting to slide off if I bent over or anything without having the additional strap clipped under my arm. This took away from the speedy lens swap that the bag offered and with a tripod strapped to the side the awkwardness of the sling bag was pretty hard for me to get used to, but it did not take away from our Animal Kingdom trip.
The third day I discovered my go to daytime system. I had purchased the Think Tank Pro Speed Belt and Hubba Hubba Hiney belt pack a couple weeks before because I saw a photographer using a similar system at a concert I was shooting and it seemed to be the ideal way to hold and swap lenses as rapidly as possible. I found that I could get all of my lenses in the bag comfortably and if I left one of the larger ones at home I could even fit in my body without a lens attached. This is great since the bag also has a built in weather cover.
I know this won’t help you out any Tom, but for someone who is looking to travel the parks with a few lenses and be able to swap out rapidly this could be the system for them as well. I still plan on using my Flipside whenever I plan on taking my tripod. I think this will be my ideal set up for daytime non tripod shooting.
Very interesting. This sounds like a great system, but the problem for me would be the number of things I’d have to pack just to carry my camera! I can’t imagine fitting all of those in a carry-on, and I don’t do checked luggage anymore. Still, very interesting–thanks for sharing.
Here would be my recommendation to you (if you’re interested in one): get the Flipside 300 and ditch all of the rest of the stuff. You will learn to change lenses quickly with that bag, it just takes some practice. My “go to” spot is in queues, setting the bag on the handrails while I make the change. I’ve become efficient at doing it this way, and now I don’t even think twice about it.
I have yet to fly to orlando with my camera equipment so space is not as much a concern for me, but the good thing about the belt system is that I had enough room in my larger bag to roll the belt up and stuff the hip bag in next to it. I know it wont replace the larger backpack or sling pack, but it is a nice accessory to add for certain situations where all you are needing is a couple extra lenses. Of course you can still get the extra batteries and SD cards as well as the other small extras we all HAVE to have in the side pocket. I even had enough room to fit my Anker battery which is about the size of an iphone.
I am seriously considering using this as my go to system and just adding the flipside bag for when I want to have a tripod that way I can still take the backpack off when I am riding, but I can leave my lenses with me on most attractions.
Great post. Like you, I went from the Slingshot to a Flipside, but I’m currently using the 200. It fits all my gear, but the camera itself won’t fit (I keep a rainsleeve in the bag for when it’s raining) if I’m bringing all my lenses. The 300 is a tempting upgrade but I can’t imagine carrying more on my back than I already do!
What you’re doing is probably a good makeshift solution. The 300 is a great bag, but if you don’t want to carry more, it may not be the best of ideas.
In your “Camera Gear” review you recommend the Lowepro 202AW rather than the 102. I’m curious as to what caused the change.
I’m looking for a nice sized bag to use when going to WDW and am considering the Lowepro 202AW or the Tamrac Evolution 6. I like the layout of the Lowepro but I like the “extra” compartment size of the Tamrac.
Where do you see that? On this page (https://www.disneytouristblog.com/photography-camera-reviews-disney/) I recommend the 102 AW. I don’t know where else I would’ve put a bag recommendation…
As far as Tamrac goes, I don’t remember which of their bags I tried out, but I didn’t like any of them. They all seemed to get too fancy with tons of different compartments and pouches, and I didn’t care for that. I also didn’t like the layout as much as the LowePro bags. YMMV, though.
Maybe it was on Disney Photography Blog…maybe Cory said you used the 202.
I’ll admit…the ONLY advantage the Tamrac has is the “extra” space. It’s bigger and more square than the Lowepro’s tent shape. I do like the gear section layout on the Lowepro better.
That’s probably it, or I might have mentioned it on ISO 5571, it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m awful with the numbers attached to the names of these bags–I had to look at the tags from my bags just to make sure I got them right for this post!
As you probably can see, I’m a fan of Lowepro. I think I’d recommend just about any of their bags over Tamrac. Other people swear by Tamrac, though, so what do I know…
My mom has the evolution 6 – I am not a fan, does not seem to hold enough lenses, more focus is on extra storage of other stuff vs lenses/bodies. (I am a pack mule) I have the expedition 6 and prefer that to the evolution 6. I am looking for a new non-backpack bag myself. It is great for hiking/airports and such – but sometimes a pain to get lenses in and out of – you have to find a place to set the bag down to switch lenses.
I’m probably getting the 202 AW. I’m new enough to photography I don’t know enough to know what gear not to take with me. BP (Before Photography) we’ve gotten rained on enough over the years that I know I need a rain cover.
Your input Tom is extremely valuable…so thanks.
I’ve actually looked at the Tamrac Evolution 6….I’m just not sure about the set up of the gear area. If I got I’d hope I’d figure it out….the Lowepro just makes sense how it’s set up.
I already have a bigger bag…Lowepro Fastback 350 that I’m using to get my gear to DL next week but because of it’s size I’m not using it in the parks. It’s my “transport” bag….so I’m on the lookout for a “park bag”
I really like the Lowepro Slingshot bags….no extra straps, but honestly the 102 AW just doesn’t seem big enough for me. I’m 95% sure I’ll get the 202 AW.
Great recommendations. I’ll offer my female perspective and experiences…
I have the Lowepro Slingshot 102 AW, which is the perfect size for what I carry. Packed for the parks, I would have a crop sensor body with 17-50 mm lens, plus the kit 55-200 zoom and the SB400 speedlight. I only pack a few accessories- a wireless remote, spare batteries, keychain flashlight, lens pen, and tripod on the side at night. The top compartment is the perfect size for all my misc stuff- small wallet, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc. I don’t favor wearing it crossbody, but the strap is contoured in a way that I can still wear it comfortably on my left shoulder (but not right). I’m used to carrying lopsided loads from a purse in everyday life, so the one shoulder doesn’t bother me too much.
During the day though, if I’m traveling with just the body and one lens, I’ll take a small purse and carry the camera around my neck. I have a neoprene case to cover the camera with if it needs a little protection, but it’s not waterproof, so keeping it under a poncho would be necessary in rain.
I’m not a woman, and I carry the bag like that sometimes. Makes it easier to take off and set down, too. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t find the sling element all that convenient.
I currently use the LowePro slingshot 202 AW and personally feel its perfect for Disney use. It really all comes down to one factor you left out: Body size/type. Not your camera..but yourself.
Now I am 6’2ish..most of which is in my legs. Why does this matter? Well when I get on “smaller” leg room rides such as space mountain or RnRC (to some extent), I don’t have a lot of “play room” for me to place my camera bag. I have been very happy with the size of the 202 in these situations, while still being able to carry a body (w/attached lens) and 2 extra lenses with room to spare.
As for the top compartment..although not OVERLY large, I easily fit my nexus 7 tablet, my cell phone, my wallet, my keys, 2 ponchos, various “cleaning” supplies (wet naps, microfiber clothes, as well as lens cleaner), and still have a bit of wiggle room.
The MAJOR MAJOR selling point tho, is the rain hood. I do WDW..and I live in Florida…I know how much it rains spontaneously. Being able to reach into the top compartment, get my poncho, and then go to the bottom of the bag and cover it up in literally seconds is a total life saver.
PERSONALLY I also switch lenses quite often and do enjoy the slingbag aspect of it. Being able to swap out while waiting in line is fantastic for me.
Thanks for the feedback on the 202AW!
Out of curiosity, which body and lenses do you have in that bag?
Body: D7100
Lenses: 35mm 1.8, rokinon 8mm fisheye, nikon 55-200
The 55-200 being my “longest” lens and with that attached I still have a good 3 inches between end of lens and edge of bag. The rokinon being the “widest” and it fits..just a little snug but nothing damaging by far.
@DreGGs – Sounds like the 202AW is a good choice for you, then. All of that (except possibly the tablet) would fit into the 102AW as well, if you ever wanted to go more compact and free up some foot room.
I am considering the 202. Planning my Nikon D3200, kit lens, 70-300 zoom lens, and 50mm 1.8 prime. I’d like room for possibly a few other smaller accessories, water and snacks. My main question is, is the bag wide enoug for me to be able to put the camera in the bag sideways with the 70-300 zoom lens attached? I’d like to be swapping lenses as little as possible. Thank you for helping me with this decision. I currently have a bigger backpack, and frankly don’t always need all my gear.