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Something that will last

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Anthony Dyer
26/05/2011 at 19:32

Evening all,

 I've got a Canon EOS 30D mated to a 17-85mm IS USM Lens.  I've had it since 2006.  Still going strong (albeit with some niggles).

My camera bags for the camera however have not fared so well.  During the five years, first my Lowe Pro bag has failed, then my Sony Alpha bag has aslo failed.

The cause of failure for both bags has been the same.  Namely, I carry the bag attached to a hip tension strap on the side of my rucksack via the camera bag's belt loop.  The tension strap chafes through the camera bags belt loop over time until it's hanging by the last few threads, and then it fails, dropping to the ground.

Can anyone recommend an camera bag that will actually last longer than my camera?  It's got to be free from wear on the typical load points that I use.  I've heard of Kata camera bags, and they seem to be highly respected, but they don't seem to draw too much attention to their bags being attached to the side of hiking rucksacks.

Any recommendations?

Anthony

Parky Again
26/05/2011 at 19:58
do you HAVE to carry your camera that way?
Anthony Dyer
26/05/2011 at 20:06

Well, I suppose I could carry it via a strap around my neck, but it does get a bit uncomfortable after a while.  Plus, it's going to swing about all the time when I'm walking.

 I could carry it inside my rucksack, but then I'm needing a faff each time I want a photo. 

 What other carrying methods do you recommend?

JonC
26/05/2011 at 20:32

Lowepro do a chest harness for some of their bags, ones I have seen work with toploader bags. If your rucksack has D rings on the shoulder straps you could look at attaching a toploader (or similar) to the D rings with short straps, think lowepro or tamrak do the straps.

Heres a tamrak setup

http://www.backpacker.com/media/originals/DSC_8048.jpg

Matt C
26/05/2011 at 20:43
Camera Care Systems (CCS) always made pretty robust cases. Loads of outdoor folk used them (and still do). The classic SLR cases were designed pre-digital so don't have lots of little pockets for cards/batteries etc, but the protection for camera and lens is substantial and the build-quality was always excellent. Unfortunately they stopped manufacturing a few years ago (the owners retired), but RK Photographic bought up all the remaining stock, and still have a very few left... alternatively they come up second-hand on ebay. Might be worth a look?
Matt C
26/05/2011 at 20:46
Btw, I don't carry a full DSLR, just a bridge camera (Panasonic Lumix FZ28), but I usually fasten it to the hipbelt (and/or hipbelt tension straps if my pack has them) using the case's D-rings and a couple of mini-krabs (or screw-shut maillons for added security).
3leon
26/05/2011 at 21:32
Currently using a kata DH423. I can't comment on long term durability, but it's very well made. The 2 belt loops on the back are both thick 35mm wide nylon webbing with no slack, they grip tight to whatever you put through them. For your wear pattern it would wear the bag material long before the loops, the nylon runs inside up to the top of the bag. I usually hang it from the D loops in a similar setup to the picture JonC posted.
Parky Again
26/05/2011 at 23:02

it would seem that the way you carry your camera is responsible for the failure of the bags rather than the quality of the bags. would not a more robust bag carried in the same way simply go to war with its securing strap until one of them won as is the case now.

how to carry your camera will be very much down to personal preference and comfort but continuing with your current method does seem to be a bit self destructive.

i carry mine around my neck with a dry bag over the camera if it's dampish. if not about my neck then it it's in my pack.

Terra Nova
27/05/2011 at 01:21
i carry my SLR camera using a Lowe Pro TLZ1 bag with a chest harness (sold separately). I bought the bag 11 years ago and it has travelled in my rucksack all over the world for extended periods of time and I am still using it in Mongolia today. The bag has protected my SLR for all that time so it has been brilliant value for money.

The first chest harness I bought did break (one of the plastic clips snapped on a heavy use travelling trip). I bought a new chest harness a few years ago. The bag is sound, I trust it.

I have used the chest harness to carry my camera whilst trekking long distances, with my backpack on my back, the camera is instantly accessible on my chest. It can be uncomfortable at times but it works. If you want to climb mountains and get great photos there is a price you need to pay. I think this is the answer to your problem.
Rob Lilley
27/05/2011 at 01:49
Two words: Think Tank.

I've spent years and hundreds of pounds trying to find the holy grail of camera bags that is easily accessible and durable enough to put up with the amount of crap I put them through (think weeks in the woods/mountains, climbing, etc).

I recently picked up a Think Tank Pro Speed belt and a holster and I've been VERY happy with the system, sits perfectly under my harness/pack straps without any issues and they also do a variety of chest/shoulder straps to boot. The holster feels practically bomb proof and has all the features you could ever wish/hope for (expands for use with telephoto lens, pockets/pouches for random things, rain cover, etc, etc!). Me likey!
SD
27/05/2011 at 10:46
Having had lens extension problems with two compact digital cameras, the perceived wisdom from the web on this commom fault is that casing dust from camera bags is often the cause. Well worth putting the camera in a dry sack or similar bag to avoid this issue.
Sandpiper
27/05/2011 at 13:35
Anthony Dyer wrote (see)

I carry the bag attached to a hip tension strap on the side of my rucksack via the camera bag's belt loop.  The tension strap chafes through the camera bags belt loop over time until it's hanging by the last few threads, and then it fails, dropping to the ground.


Don't do this? Have the weight of the bag held by carabiners through other loops or clips (I assume that most bags will have mounting points for a shoulder strap) so you only need use the wait belt loops for holding the bag in place.

Unless you find a bag with metal belt loops, repeating this strategy is inevitably going to end the same way each time (and even metal will wear through in the end).

A chest-mount camera bag might do the job, but you might also find it a wee bit sweaty. Lowepro Toploader AWs and Think Tank Digital Holsters both offer this facility, and both should be reasonably robust and weatherproof.

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