Published Nov 9, 2007
When my camera got stolen, I also lost the camera bag that went with it. Not so serious, since said bag was actually too small; I used it for the occasional gad about town, but, in general, I kept my body and lenses in padded containers in my backpack when out shooting. My replacement camera came with a replacement holster-style camera bag, which was good enough for the Canon with the smaller lens attached, but too small for my 300mm zoom. Hey, it’s Christmas, maybe I should ask for a camera bag that fits the zoom? I mean, I do have a dream camera bag…
Of course, it’s one of those impossible dreams. See, when I’m traveling, I carry my camera around all day, and then come home to my laptop to edit what I shot. Now, for travel purposes, I’d like to have a single bag that carries camera, laptop, and a bit of day pack-y stuff.1 Simple, right? If perhaps a bit big. But here’s the problem: I really covet a sling bag. I hate putting everything on the ground and digging through the backpack I currently carry every time I want to change lenses. To be honest, it’s annoying and slow enough that I pass up some shots just because I don’t have an appropriate lens on. So I think a sling bag would be a great thing to have.
And it would be, if only sling bags came with laptop compartments! The laptop is probably too big to practically fit in a sling bag, though. So how else can I get convenient camera access and laptop carriage? I’m hesitant to carry my laptop separately because, let’s face it, we’ve all seen what our fellow fliers do to get their bags in the overhead bins; I don’t want my laptop sharing the same space as those hammered-in oversized bags! But I might have to accept that to get the photo bag I want.
So, what’s the good compromise here? Or is there the perfect product for me out there?2
1 You know, maps, guidebooks, Clif bars, water, rain shell, English-Hungarian dictionary, etc.
2 I don’t think messenger bags will do it, because I am often on my feet all day long when traveling, and need something with out all of the ergonomic challenges messenger bags offer.
Do you not have a backpack designed to carry a laptop? I’m very happy with my laptop backpack, which I picked up to transport my laptop to classes.
Unfortunately, the proper number of camera bags = n+1.
Sadly, the same holds true for bikes.
Want to buy some golf clubs? ;)
It would probably do good things for my sales prospects to get some clubs — plus make the AIG happy!
I fear I will have to get both a sling bag and a backpack, or at least a laptop sleeve that’s well-enough armored to protect its precious contents in the overhead compartment — because there’s no way I’m putting actual fragile glass up there.