Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

I need recommendations for a new camera bag. The choices are endless, as I'm sure we all know. I researched this months ago and got a headache after about a week of looking, it's tough online, and there are local shops but the choices here are very limiting.

Here's what I have to carry:

1.Two Canon XA10s video cameras, and would love to be able to leave a shotgun on one of them while carrying.

2. Two small DSLR style cameras (Panasonic GH2) with three additional short lenses.

I have bags to carry my lighting, etc., but I'm thinking I'd like to have a bag that will carry all four cameras. Because they are relatively small, this is surely possible, the trick is to to find one where they are easily accessible, particularly the camera with a shotgun mounted.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Please help! I am in a very similar situation as Jeff. I carry like 5 bags into place and its just too much i need to minimize to like 3. I have a 5d, 2 t3i's, and an xa 10. My dslr's and lenses go in one bag, all of my audio recorders, lights and cables go in another. My xa 10 goes into another, and my tripods and monopods go in another. Last but not least I carry a separate bag for the steadicam merlin, so it doesn't get banged around and off balance. So in all its just too much. Last year I tried to put all the bags in totes but the totes were just cumbersome and the venues I shoot at would act anal about me having them in the same room as the wedding or reception (to some degree I understand, because they were big and ugly). So I really want to find a bag to where I can put my xa-10, dslr's, audio recorders, and cables and lights into. I know this would be a really heavy bag so one with rollers would be nice. Is this asking to much? I realize it may not be cheap but hauling so many bags around makes being mobile a drag.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Crazy idea, but It's worked for me in the past - get a rolling ice chest... good "camo" for your gear, unless someone's looking for a tall cold one... definitely not "pretty", but inexpensive, and you can stuff several other bags or cases into it, so you can keep things somewhat organized!

Another more expensive option is one of the old aluminum Sony HVL hard shell cases - fair amount of room, with dividers, and there were several sizes available - usually about right for the smaller videocams (used to pack a set of 4 XR/CX series in one designed for the TRV900, and all the accessories in a second... fairly compact and easy to tote.

Neither suggestion is a "bag", but might be worth consideration...

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

I was in the same situation until I got the pelican 1610.
It is a great case and it make my life much easier now.
For the mono pod, Tripod and slider you can try this On-Stage SSB6500 Heavy Duty Speaker Stand Bag on eBay!
My 2000 glide cam I feet to a black baby bag

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

I am a proud new owner of a Canon XF300 and have been searching for a decent bag since I bought it a few weeks ago. This camera completely thrashed my budget and as a result I have needed to find something on a real shoestring. This information is of absolutely no use if you are outside of the UK, but as I can't believe how clever I am, I thought I would share it with you anyway! T**co are running a promotion at the moment, selling a full range of luggage made by the same people that make the Swiss Army Knives and the quality is "mindblowing". As I don't yet have a huge amount of kit - one of the smaller bags has met my needs. I have just paid under £30 for a "pull along" type case with rigid sides. The inner lining opens up with a zip which has enabled me to fit upholstery foam to the interior for the extra padding required and there are internal straps which anchor the big cam with ease. I think the promotion runs until August 2012 (vouchers required) Amazing quality and very stylish - Every little helps!!

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Thanks for the suggestions so far, gentlemen. I'm not crazy about the Pelican for me personally, though I admit you've done a nice job customizing it Dror.

I'm looking at this one again for the tenth time. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/611111-REG/Lowepro_LP36034_PWW_Pro_Roller_x300_Case.html

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Wow, Jeff that bag is really awesome! Unfortunately that is more than I have or really want to spend on a bag, lol! Also, I still think I would have to carry an additional bag for my cables and some of my audio gear. I think my max I would spend on a bag would be about $300. I think with my budget I won't find what I'm looking for. It really needs to be a carry all! I think I will just get a bag that can carry my xa 10 and audio gear together and that at least eliminates 1 bag. I think 4 bags with 2 people is more workable than 5. Thanks again though that bag is really awesome with all the features and the tsa lock!

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Yes Keith it is a nice case, they make smaller versions also:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/611107-REG/Lowepro_LP36033_PWW_Pro_Roller_x200_Case.html

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Jeff,
seems like we could be friends :-) I have the x200 and LOVE it. let me say again LoVe. I can fit my 5d and 60d with lenses, 70-200 all my audio gear and led lights and there's the strap on the side for monopod or slider. love it.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Hey Bill, I'm sure we could be, we seem to have some similar gear.

I am thinking hard about both the 200 and 300 cases, I'm not seein' much else out here.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Keith, it's available on Ebay for $300, and the buyer seems reputable. Looks like a no brainer. I'm looking closely at it to make sure there are no surprises.

Actually, Adorama sells it on Ebay here, they are reputable and will accept returns. I'm sure the case will be just great, but if it doesn't work out when I put my gear in it, I can return it if needed. The other sellers at the lower price will only accept returns on damaged items, Adorama has a no questions asked return policy, just like B&H.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lowepro-Pro-...#ht_4576wt_882

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Got the case for $279. They will accept offers, which I made and it went through almost immediately. So with shipping it's $300 and all done.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Thanks a bunch Jeff. I think I will order one at weeks end. I'm falling in love with it the more I look at it. I think if I minimize my setup a little I can make it work. I carry extra stuff that I never use, but maybe I can keep some seldom used items in a bag in my car if I happen to need it. I have watched about 3 reviews on YouTube and Vimeo and it really seems to fit the bill! Very versatile!

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Keith, I have watched a few videos also. I wanted to get the smaller case to save money, but at $300 the 300 is a lot of case. I've read almost entirely positive reviews at B&H, but one buyer complained about the zippers, but we'll see.

The support thingy for standing the case at an angle looks really cheesy, and the above complaining reviewer said it is just cardboard. If I like and keep the case I will see if I can substitute the cardboard piece with plexiglass or some such thing, though truth be told I'd probably never use the support anyway. I really like the idea of using the handle as a camera support, very cool, though again I can't be sure under what circumstances I would actually use that feature.

I particularly like the concept of being able to remove the bag from the frame and then placing it on the other side of the handle. In theory I could place another smaller camera bag in the front and thereby carry two bags at once, but we'll see how that works in actual practice.

The fact that the bag is available for around $300 makes it appear the markup on camera bags is pretty high. I'm glad I didn't pay $429 for it.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Hey Jeff, I couldn't pass it up either. I made an offer of $260 and they accepted! Makes me wish I would have offered less, lol. I can't wait to get it, I think it will be a great addition to the team and it will make moving in and out of venues a lot easier. Thanks again Jeff for the research and sharing that with me!

Also, yes you are totally correct about the markup on bags. That was one of the reasons I didn't feel comfortable paying over $300 for one. Just didn't seem like the value was there.

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Congrats Keith, you done good! I'm disappointed to not have offered less also. All in all it's ok, my Tenba bag cost $200 and so this still feels like a good move.

I hope we both like the case!

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Steve, this sounds great but is this a Scottish only deal? Assuming you mean Tesco I can find no details of any promotion on luggage or anything else made by Victorinox (who make the Swiss Army knives). We had been looking at some cheap Samsonite knock-offs on eBay far carrying gear but this looks much more interesting. Do you have a link?

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

All the Peli cases are wonderful but do weigh a lot which is not a problem when you pull them along on wheels but does becomes a pain if you need to lug them up & down stairs. I have a couple of JCB branded semi-rigid tool bags which are very tough & great for carrying cables & lamps & other stuff that can be jammed in. Here in the UK they cost about £40($65) from B&Q but I am sure that similar tool bags available in other countries. JCB 500mm Heavy Duty Soft Sided Tool Bag, 28509189

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Hi Nigel - As far as I can see the promotion is a national thing (in participating stores) Try searching under the banner of "Wenger luggage"
If you do decide to buy - it is worth noting that the buckles on the straps may need re threading as they were threaded wrongly on my bag. The other thing to consider is - not to use any adhesive to bond the foam to the sides as this would surely invalidate your guarantee, but hey! for the price - who cares!!

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

It's my wife's birthday today & as one of her presents we went into Warehouse Express in Norwich to look for a new camera bag & finally settled on the Tenba - Messenger: Medium Camera Bag which is a fabulous bag big enough for a couple of full sized DSLRs & a bunch of lenses. I already own the Tenba - Messenger: Large Photo/Laptop Bag which is wide enough for a 17" laptop but not as deep so only holds one DSLR body plus some lenses. Take a look at the Tenba bags they are really rugged have a load of zipped & velcroed pockets. Mine is a discreet black while my wife's is the muted burnt orange.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Something to consider with Pelican- especially if you're on a budget, is that they have a lifetime guarantee on them. If you get one that is damaged/thrashed, you can send it to Pelican and they will replace it for free.

I live near their offices so it is a really easy switch for me, but normally, you just mail it to them and they mail one back (without need for documentation or paying of shipping for the new case).

--Ben

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Right Benjamin. Pelican cases are extremely tough and the company has an excellent reputation.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Keith, I'm satisfied with the X300. It's not quite as large as I had hoped, but it's close and it works.

I've got four cameras, two on camera lights, wireless, audio recorder, one extra lens batteries, pretty much everything in one case now instead of three. A video camera with shotgun any larger than my tiny XA10 would probably not be a good fit, but two XA10s fit perfectly in one end of the case, and my GH2s fit great at the other end.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Steve, we were in Tesco today & picked up our first two vouchers. Only another eight to go & we get up to 70% off the luggage which looks very nice. The promotion only started on 7th May replacing the kitchen knives one that has been running for months. It runs until August so plenty of time to collect vouchers as you get one with each £10 you spend.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

That sounds great. I'm down here in Texas so mine is scheduled to get here tomorrow. When you say it's not as big do you mean wide or deep?...I will stuff and stack to try to get all my stuff in there, lol. I think I will use all $300 of the bag. I'm excited about it.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

I have recently discovered that clear PVC zipped cosmetic bags are perfect for storing wires, batteries, memory cards & other bits & pieces within the larger bag. They keep everything separate & you can see exactly what is in each without opening. They are available from lots of retailers for as little as £5/$7.50 e.g. http://www.marksandspencer.com/Outst...P_2_FRO_T_MSF_

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

I see exactly what you mean Jeff, it's deep and the build quality is amazing. However, it's just not as big as it looks on pictures. What I today was put everything I could in there and keep the seldom used items in another bag that will stay in the car in case of an emergency. Overall I am happy and I will take it through the rigors at tomorrows wedding. It looks good too! Thanks again Jeff for the info and I hope yours is working out for you!

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Thanks for the tip Nigel, great idea.

Keith, I'm slightly disappointed, as I said, in the size, but overall I am happy with the case. As of now everything I have fits but I could use one more row of compartments so that I don't have to mix things. It will work, for sure.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

No problem. I was shooting a weddings yesterday & it was the first time that I took all my cosmetic bags out on a gig. It was so much easier to find a particular audio lead or quick release adaptor without having to rummage around in my bag. I actually misquoted the price in my previous as I bought these bags in a nested set of three for £5($7.50). They were so good that I went back to the store & bought another couple of sets.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Hey Jeff, I hate that you are a little disappointed in the bag. It is not as big as I had hoped for either, but I had a feeling it would not hold all of my gear, so I can say for me that it was not that disappointing. I just got home from the wedding today and let me say I love this compared to my 3 bag setup. Not only is everything in one bag but it has an open concept to it. You can see everything and have access to it all once it is open. My other bags are smaller and designed different, so sometimes you had to unzip different compartments to get to certain things. Also, some things were stacked on others. With this layout, which for me is new, it works out great. I like not having to manage 4 different bags. Now its just 2 onsite, actually 3 if you count the small merlin carry case. However I use the small strap that came with the lowepro x300 to secure that to the pullout rails so I don't have to carry it. So far so good for me. What I did since it could not hold everything was put all the most utilized items in there, and put the random or seldom utilized items in another bag and leave in the car. I think im satisfied as a I can be after one day of use. Just thought I'd throw in a picture as I was cleaning out the other bags to put all the gear in the new bag!

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Keith, nice photo, thanks for posting. I'm happy today with the bag. I've got everything I need mine and it's ok now. I believe I'm going to be very happy with the bag, I agree that it is awesome to have one main bag to hold so much.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Keith if you're at your limit within the bag you may be able to loop one or two waterbottle pouches to straps etc if these exist on the outside of the bag - or onto a bar on the trolley handle mechanism. These are good for none fragile things like cables etc. I use several from Lowepro:

Lowepro - S&F Bottle Pouch

Pete

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Nigel - Pleased you managed to find the promotion. Liked the tip on cable storage - brilliant solution and so simple.I followed the link to your website and I would like to compliment you. Everything so professional and polished. I am just starting out and can't imagine at this stage that I would ever consider shooting a wedding - must be quite a stressful commision to undertake?

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Steve, thanks for the compliments. To be fair we were doing web design before we ever did video so like to think that we are pretty good at it now. In fact we are just in the process of re-branding as we now offer photography in addition to video services. This is the new website that is almost complete & where the other websites will eventually redirect to when we have finished the makeover Alice Barker Images – Professional Wedding Photography & Video

We always swore that we would never do weddings as it would be too much stress but have come round to enjoying them immensely. Nobody goes to a wedding to be miserable so there is always a very upbeat vibe. It's very rushed & busy but the time never drags.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Keith, I love the X300 case. After using it for two weddings, I feel it is the single happiest purchase I've ever made for video.

My two XA10 cameras with shotguns mounted fit in the bag, along with two GH2s, lenses, batteries, two audio recorders, a wireless unit, my articulating arm, cleaning kit, screwdrivers, everything. Everything in one case, it's superb. I can put a tripod leg of my small tripod into the front of the bag and haul it along also, it's perfect. One more row of compartments would be ideal, but I feel everything is organized as-is just fine and it has actually affected the quality of my work. No more rummaging though bags. I open the case and everything is in front of me, giving me more time to focus on the job, not finding things. I'm not as rushed, it's just a better way of working.

Re: Bags, bags, and more bags.
 

Jeff, I couldn't agree more. Everything thing that I use most frequently fits right into the bag. Yes, I really love how everything is so accessible and right in front of you. My wife was kinda like $300 on a bag! Now she is like I really like the bag and its a great purchase, lol! There is a small strap that came with the bag, I use the strap on my Steadicam Merlin bag to attach to the rails . Love the fact that it rolls too. My other bags I had to carry and it was not fun when they are full! I also would have to rank this as one of my top purchases for video as well. Again, I appreciate the heads up on that.