12
The safest position for your SLR is in your bank's safety deposit box.
Once you decide you want to take pictures, you must accept some non-zero risk of damage to your camera.
Camera in bag with lens facing up:
- Harder/slower to remove camera from bag.
- If bag hits ground, you must ship the body off to repair the screen
Camera in bag with lens facing ...
8
I have done a bit of climbing with a DSLR, and a lot of hiking with one.
If you're climbing with it, you don't want it on your chest, and if you want it accessible, you don't want it on your back. This means that most of your options are holster style bags. I have a tamrac one which happens to be shower proof when closed (in reality it's been more than ...
7
I know they have specialty cases, soft and hard,
The "special cases" are often fairly rudimentary canvas bags that just happen to be long and skinny, but they don't necessarily offer a lot of protection.
Are umbrellas sturdy enough to survive in a backpack with light stands and lens in pouches?
Think of a regular rain umbrella. A good quality lighting ...
7
Stay with the pelicase. The fact that it's getting beat up is telling you something.
There are a bunch of different sizes. I use one that is roughly 12" x 10" x 4" for my canoe expeditions. I've done caving too, and that has to be the most camera hostile evironment short of underwater. Pelicases also can be bought in high visibility colours. Having a ...
7
I don't think it particularly matters. I have multiple different cases from Canon and the default configurations of the cases put the camera in different orientations in each. My shoulder bag puts the camera level with the ground with a small lens attached, just like it would be if I was about to shoot with it.
MY backpack offers two different options, ...
5
In my experience, most well-padded bags will hold dry in medium rain even for several hours. They will get soaked, but very, very slowly. The only source of immediate leaking could be the zippers. So the advise to the cautious would be to buy well-padded bags with weather-proofed zippers.
Note that it also depends on the design of the bag - e.g. mine has a ...
4
Fact:
The camera is safer in the bag than when it is not.
Therefore:
I would claim that the safest position to have the camera in the bag is a position that makes it easy to access the camera, as otherwise you are less likely to put the camera back in the bag.
3
I mean does leaving the camera upside down on its lens for a long time could damage the contacts in the lens mount of the camera, and would this practice TECHNICALLY be of any benefit?
There's no indication from camera manufacturers that there's any problem with storing a camera lens-down in a bag. That's how my bag works, and I've seen many others who ...
3
I have this bag for my D7100, an extra battery and 3 lenses, a 10-24mm, 35mm and a 70-200mm...
Technically they all fit in the bag, though i wish the bag would hold lenses differently rather than loose in a compartment... When i use this bag i only carry one extra lens with me (usually the 70-200) and keep my other lens on the camera. The good thing about ...
3
Your question indicates you already know the answer: Get a different bag that distributes weight differently, across your shoulders and hips. The sooner you find something with better ergonomics, the sooner you can learn to work with it efficiently. The longer you delay switching, the more likely an injury will eventually force you to switch.
Messenger-...
3
It’s just Velcro, and completely unnecessary Velcro. I’ve had that exact pack fully loaded without the straps and have never had an issue.
But, if you insist, just get some bulk Velcro and cut to size: 16 Feet Length 0.75 Inch Width Hook and Loop with Strong Self Adhesive Tape Strip Fastener (White) (Amazon.com)
2
Usually when a bag does not have its own rain cover it is problematic to find a rain cover that fits properly. I would suggest to find a similar bag (your criteria) that has a rain cover included.
2
I found a local camera store -- Kenmore Camera of Kenmore, WA -- that carries both Think Tank and Gura Gear bags. They already had the Urban Disguise 50 and 60 in stock, and ordered a Chobe so that I could compare them all.
Both bags met most of my criteria: they have padded camera sections, room for camera accessories, room for my laptop and accessories, ...
2
I do most of my picture taking outdoors while hiking. In my experience, the best answer is a decent day pack, having nothing specific to do with photography. When you're going for short distances and times, this stuff doesn't matter much anyway. When you're out there longer, then you always need other stuff along with the photo gear.
The hiking community ...
2
I'd suggest a quick experiment. Grab your bathroom or kitchen scale, and weigh each piece of equipment in your kit, including your bag. Stick all of the info in a spreadsheet and you can easily figure out what % of weight for the entire kit is your bag.
Then spend an hour or two visiting the web sites of bag manufacturers. Every bag's specs will have its ...
2
All that gear is very heavy, there is a lot of big glass. The difference in bag weights is not important. You'll save a negligible weight. Much more important is the comfort of a bag when it has all that gear in.
You could find a minimalist cut down bag but the lack of padding and adjustments will mean that it is very uncomfortable.
Better to get a bag ...
2
I've used three options, and I trust them all.
The Pelican case. A hard case offers the best protection by far, though you need to be conscious of how old the gasket/seal is and replace it before it gets dried out.
A dry bag. Experience says that, if well cared for, you can get about 7-8 years of use out of a quality dry bag before it simply starts to dry ...
2
I am no climber, but I'm a big fan of Peak Design's Capture Pro. It's a clip that you can attach to your backpack strap or harness. You use a standard quick release plate on your camera and can quickly slide the camera into the clip. To release it you press a release button (which can also be locked for extra security), and with a smaller camera like a ...
2
Lens should be facing DOWN! Because lenses breathe, pull in dirt, particles, etc. If you store lens facing up, then all these fall into the camera body, hitting mirror, and maybe jamming mechanics. This is even more true with a cheap lens: if a small rubber/plastic/etc. gets dislodged, it will fall into the camera body...
2
Do you think I can fit it into this Bestek bag?
The dimensions given for the camera insert are: 8"x4.7"x6.7"
So... get the gear you want to carry, arrange it about as you would in a bag, and get busy with your ruler. It's possible that the dimensions given are outside dimensions, so take that into account.
This procedure will help you evaluate any bag.
2
Definitely, the problem is mostly water that drips, and in practice water remains in the bag's fabric (or is absorbed by the padding). I even spilled about a glass of white wine(*) in my photo bag and the lenses and camera survived.
(*) long story, let's say that a half-bottle (37.5cl) of Muscadet fits nicely in the space left by a Sigma 120-400mm. Lesson ...
1
Umbrellas and light modifiers are fairly robust, and most come with a pouch or cover. I carry all my umbrellas, light stands, and a lightbox in an old gym bag. The only issue I had was making sure to purchase lightstands that will fit in the bag. I leave them stored in the bag, and just grab the whole bag when I need to use external lighting.
I find that ...
1
I've for years been using a LowePro beltpack camerabag. Works great. But it's a personal preference of course, see for yourself if it's what you want/need.
LowePro Toploader Pro
Another option (or combine with the Toploader would be the Street&Field series belt with pouches.
The 55-250 might get a bit uncomfortable banging against your leg. Apart from ...
1
I don't think you need anything specially designed for cycling, what are you doing with your other gear you take cycling, mobile phone etc?
It depends on the size of the bag but you can get different size covers which go over the top or a large zip lock bag. It's also possible to buy a range of camera backpacks which are either waterproof or come with a ...
1
I like sideways mounting also. The DSLR's of today are much lighter in weight than yesterday's camera. That said, I would try a fabric store and see if you can't buy a small (probably smallest they will sell) a small 3 or 4inch "block of foam rubber" to place under the lens for support.
1
The safest position for the camera to be in is almost definitely the most secure position.
If you've got a shoulder bag chances are good there's a "bottom" that always sits on the table, floor, or ground, so it's easy to argue that one position is "up." Other bags, like a messenger style or backpack are likely to be set down on the bottom or back -- so ...
1
Been using a Canon for about 2 years now. The best position for me would be with the lens up.
This protects the lens from collisions.
1
When your backpack has compression straps on the side — as these have —, I find these not just immensely useful in keeping the gear in shape, it also holds a tripod very well in an upright position. Which is in my experience a lot nicer when moving in cities, especially public transport. Just slide it between straps and the back pack, then pull tight.
I am ...
1
To avoid back strain, I would avoid carrying anything on my back, shoulders, and neck. That leaves a few great options:
Waist packs, example from Think Tank Photo
Belt systems, example from Think Tank Photo
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