rf-photography.ca

Ripping of Shakespeare again for a lead in line. But hey, he might have ripped off another writer too so why not.

The debate around which is a better option – backpack, sling bag, shoulder bag, holster, etc. – is almost as fervent as which camera manufacturer is better. I am firmly in the backpack camp. Having done a fair bit of hiking and camping when I was younger I like backpacks and am a strong believer that for the photographer on the go; nature, landscape, wildlife, trail walking, hill climbing and the rest of it, backpacks are the preferred option. Backpacks distribute weight evenly, unlike single strap bags which can put undue stress on one side of the body. Good packs will have a waist belt to position the majority of the weight on the hips which are the strongest bones in the body (you DO NOT want to carry the weight of a pack on your shoulders – this is a surefire path to fatigue and potential long term injury). Properly made backpacks will be light but strong, have compartments for separating gear and have a good number of external pockets for holding things like water bottles or other small items we want to have easy access to. The downside with backpacks is they’re not as speedy as some other options. With but a few exceptions, you have to take them off to get at your gear and I’m not convinced that the ones with the spin around compartment are all that good anyway.

Here’s the problem: I have yet to find a really good backpack for photographers. All the big makers have packs – Tamrac, Lowepro, Kata, Domke, Tenba and the rest. I currently have a Tamrac Adventure 7 and an Adventure 9. The Adventure 9 isn’t bad. It fits more like a backpack (when I don’t have my laptop in it), has a good waist belt, the compartments are decently sized and is reasonably comfortable for day hiking. But it’s still not optimal by a long way. The Adventure 7 is a nice, small pack that I can sling over one shoulder when I’m just going in the car or when I’m walking around in an urban setting but it’s not a good trail pack.

I’m looking for help. What have you found is a good camera pack? One that’s designed with both photographers AND hikers in mind. A couple I’ve recently found that might fit the bill are from ClikElite and NaneuPro.  Any others?  Anybody using either of these who can give feedback?  My favourite local outdoor outfitter, Mountain Equipment Coop, has some great packs at reasonable prices under their own banner and they’ve started stocking some camera bags from other manufacturers but I’d love to see them develop a good camera bag under their own brand.  Most camera packs I’ve seen are ‘upside down’.  That is, the heavier camera gear is at the bottom.  When you load a pack, you want your heaviest items toward the top (not above your shoulders) and closest to your back.   The Naneu Pro K5 actually comes very close to this.  It’s got a slip in bag that fits in the middle of the pack which makes getting camera gear in and out a little more awkward and time consuming since you have to open two compartments.  But it’s the best I’ve seen so far.