How do people get on with these?

Can i get one big enough for a 50D with a sigma 150-500mm attached and fit other gear in as well?

In fact I think Zpyder had a thread about camera bags not too long ago...

http://www.tekforum.co.uk/posts/list/17405.page

Im now wanting to find a backpack style bag that is big enough to fit the camera kit I want to take with me (most likely the macro and a generic zoom) as well as typical walking kit (first aid kit, softshell, waterproof, water and food). At the moment Im lugging my normal backpack around with the Lowepro bag I have slung over my neck too, and theres no way I could do that long distance.

Youll get the diameter easy as you can move the inside compartments, but the length might be a problem, if that is lens length. as if its tight in the bag youll get about 300mm including body, but Id be more comfortable around 280mm just to give it a bit of movement, in case it gets dropped or banged against anything, I have a Canon 70-200 2.8L attached in the bag and thats about 250mm in length including body, and fits perfectly.

And another post, just checked the Lowepro website and they have a bag finder! ...Which is quite simply awesome!!

Select your kit and they will tell you the best bags! Even let you pick lens sizes! Just bare in mind in some cases they might anticipate that the lens is not attached to the camera!

http://bagfinder1.lowepro.com/lp/choose-profile

Cool, get the 302, its the one I have and there are some extra features, one being a small tripod holder I think? dont think you get that on the 300

jessops in poole had a fair number on the shelf when i was in there last

Gah, I didnt realise it would be such an epic mission to find the right bag.

Despite Jessops website saying that the Poole branch had them in stock, the assistant when asked if they had any Rovers/CompuRovers in gave me a blank stare, went away and came back apologising that they had none.

So I went to another local shop today on my way back from work. They had a much bigger selection including Crumpler, Kata and Tamrac bags but none of them are just right.

The Crumpler muffintop I looked at had the right ratio of normal space to camera space (I am wanting about 2/3 normal with a 3rd of the space for the camera) but the bag was a tad on the small side, might just get the camera and 2 lenses in (or just 1 lens) and was incredibly basic, as in no mesh pockets etc, so no water bottles, no fastenings for tripods etc.

The Tamracs were more promising, just about right sized and I liked the side access panel. They felt pretty solid, but the ratio was a bit off in terms of most of the space being given over to the camera with just a tiny bit at the top which might *just* fit a small light softshell or waterproof. The padding and harnesses on the smaller ones also struck me as being a little unsecure so for long treks up hills etc Im not sure how great theyd be.

I only quickly looked at the Kata bags. They struck me as being a bit "plasticy" in terms of trying to look all technical and gadgetified, cramming as many compartments in as possible. All I could think of was what the long term prospects of those bags would be in terms of how long till they fall apart.



So now Im left with a list of suppliers from Lowepros site that I will phone around on Sat morning to see if they have the rovers in (still havent seen any in the flesh) so I can decide if theyre too big or not. On paper they tick all the boxes but I need to see if theyre too big, and what the ratio is of camera to kit. Itd be good to have a bag that I can keep my camera and bits in with enough space that I can use it as a day-to-day bag keeping my camera handy.

Kinda related:

I use these things. :wub:

http://www.spiderholster.com/

 

nice but not exactly knock or weather resistant