Camera Backpack advice

[Love to Cook]

I am looking to upgrade my camera bag to a backpack as I think it will be more comfortable at my age (80) and also carry more of my equipment .  I have the Sony A7R5 and the A7II with 70-200 2.8 lens (new edition), Sony SEL 35F18, 10-18, FE 3.5-5.6 28-70; batteries and chargers for both along with cleaning stuff will pick up an extender for the 70-200.  I also have the GoPro hero12 with batteries And of a tripod.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated 

[Phormula]

While I cannot help you with specific models and the amount of stuff that I carry with me is much lower, I have been buying camera bags since the '80s and I have been experiencing with several brands. I had horrible experiences with some, such as a shoulder strap failure while walking on a mountain trail or backpack zippers that broke while walking in a city, leaving all my gear exposed to people behind my back. The brand that I never regretted buying is Lowepro, I still use a backpack that I bought in 1996 and that I love because it does not scream "camera inside" but looks like a business one. I still have all the Lowepro equipment that I bought and the one that I gave away, it was because I did no longer need it, not because of failure. Therefore my advice is to take a look at their product range if there is something that fits your needs. 

[Love to Cook]

Thank you. I only wish I had camera store near me so I could look at them

 

[Cameratose]

I am currently using Peak Design's everyday backpack 30L. In it (or strapped to it) I can carry the following:

A1 with Tamron 50-40mounted, A7 IV with Sony 24-105 mounted, 2-3 spare lenses of varying sizes like 24mm, 135mm, and a 70-200. Spare batteries, strap/PD Clip/wrist strap, spare caps, spare cards, lens cleaning materials like wet wipes, lens tissue, and a microfiber cloth, ear protection, business cards, tripod or small folding chair, water bottle, spare socks/T shirt, hoodie, etc. 

One of these days I should take a photo of the bag with everything unpacked. It isn't light. 

For smaller outings I use a Tenba Solstice 10L sling which allows me to carry a camera with a couple of lenses, the ancillary items, and a small tripod or monopod

I also have a Vanguard Alta Sky 53, which is big enough but not laid out as well, and the bag itself weighs 6 lbs. empty. The Peak Design is half that. 

You will want a bag with a sternum strap and waist strap, but you will also want it to carry high on your back to reduce fatigue. Try to put most of the weight near the top and lighter articles toward the bottom.  

[Cameratose]

LOL. Just realized I typed Tamron '50-40' instead of 50-400. Too late to edit (stupid feature for a forum, BTW). 

[Love to Cook]

20 hours ago, Cameratose said:

I am currently using Peak Design's everyday backpack 30L. In it (or strapped to it) I can carry the following:

A1 with Tamron 50-40mounted, A7 IV with Sony 24-105 mounted, 2-3 spare lenses of varying sizes like 24mm, 135mm, and a 70-200. Spare batteries, strap/PD Clip/wrist strap, spare caps, spare cards, lens cleaning materials like wet wipes, lens tissue, and a microfiber cloth, ear protection, business cards, tripod or small folding chair, water bottle, spare socks/T shirt, hoodie, etc. 

One of these days I should take a photo of the bag with everything unpacked. It isn't light. 

For smaller outings I use a Tenba Solstice 10L sling which allows me to carry a camera with a couple of lenses, the ancillary items, and a small tripod or monopod

I also have a Vanguard Alta Sky 53, which is big enough but not laid out as well, and the bag itself weighs 6 lbs. empty. The Peak Design is half that. 

You will want a bag with a sternum strap and waist strap, but you will also want it to carry high on your back to reduce fatigue. Try to put most of the weight near the top and lighter articles toward the bottom.  

I also currently have the Tenba however I am finding it to small for travel with all of the extras I have now collected especially since I upgraded to the new camera and lens.  

[Cameratose]

Right, as I said it's for small outings. The Peak Design 30L is the best one I've found for packing a lot of stuff. 

[XKAES]

A lot depends on how far you want to walk -- and if you don't have a camera store nearby (who does these days) try an outdoor/sporting goods store (REI, et.)  They have tons of great backpacks.  If you are going any distance you need space for food, water, etc.  FYI, "Camera packs" are way more expensive than typical backpacks.  And don't forget the tripod!!!

Edited September 22, 2024 by XKAES

[Pieter]

Yes, carrying comfort should really be one of the top decisive factors, especially if you're carring like 8kg+. A specific bag may tick all the boxes and look great, but if it not comfortable/suited for your specific body shape, you'll regret the purchase. Stuff like this I always buy at a physical store where I can load the backpack with dummy weights and walk around with it for half an hour, see if the zippers are in logical places, etc.

[Phormula]

I fully second Pieter advice. The best thing would be to test in a physical store or buy online from a vendor that accepts returns. With all that weight on your shoulders for a long time, you need to ensure being able to carry it comfortably while at the same time being able to access your stuff easily when needed, without having to disassemble the whole backpack to get to a specific piece of equipment.  

[pmk]

I have an F-Stop Tilopa 50L pack and found it really struggles with more than 22kg...

e.g.

https://www.georges.com.au/products/f-stop-tilopa-50l-duradiamond-travel-and-adventure-camera-backpack?srsltid=AfmBOorMYBg5WOa6P0zUz8UUadsbUrH5M_JJUCt05Hx27WrdT_ch40Sm

[MikeInOr]

On 9/19/2024 at 6:58 AM, Love to Cook said:

I am looking to upgrade my camera bag to a backpack as I think it will be more comfortable at my age (80) and also carry more of my equipment .  I have the Sony A7R5 and the A7II with 70-200 2.8 lens (new edition), Sony SEL 35F18, 10-18, FE 3.5-5.6 28-70; batteries and chargers for both along with cleaning stuff will pick up an extender for the 70-200.  I also have the GoPro hero12 with batteries And of a tripod.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated 

For me side access to the camera is probably the biggest feature I look for in a camera backpack.  I slip the strap off my right shoulder, rotate the backpack forwards with the left strap still on my left shoulder and can remove/replace my camera through the side access flap without having to place the backpack down.  This is a pretty common feature.  The backpacks that I have owned where I have to take the backpack off an lay it down to access the camera didn't last long in my inventory.

I have yet to find a prefect backpack or camera bag.  I often carry 2 bags/packs, one for battery, lens cleaning, flash, tripod type gear that is almost always left in the car and a second backpack with my camera and a couple of lenses for actually carrying on me.

The Lowepro Fastback 100 is a nice small really lite backpack with side access and will hold a camera an a couple of lenses.  I use mine often when I have a second bag in the car for all the accessories.  I also have a Fastback 250 AW that will hold my camera and a few big lenses along with all my travel accessories in a single bag.  It is nice for grab and go but gets heavy if I am going to be doing a lot of walking or hiking.

I just purchased a Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW off ebay for $25.  It has a compartment for a water bladder which I think is going to be a lot more convenient than carrying a separate water bottle around with me.  It also has a real waste band for moving the weight off my back and to my hips.  Buying used packs allows me to try a much bigger variety of packs than paying $140 for a brand new Photo Sport 200 AW.

Edited October 31, 2024 by MikeInOr