Godfrey, One of my tentative requirements is that the bag open either to the side or away from me. I've really grown to dislike bags that open toward me. I'm a little rounder than most and find myself putting just as much effort into keeping the bag open as changing lenses. If I were built like Knarf, this might not be so much of an issue. I also like bags I can wear on my belt (the shape of my shoulders makes a strap uncomfortable for long periods of time). However, just as with Amita's Lowepro bags, and since your bag meets most of my requirements, I'm taking your field experience into consideration and will make an attempt to try out the Superlight 5. Thanks for the insight.
Here's the current list: Likely candidates are the Tamrac 5745 Velocity 5 and the F.64 FP waist pack. Other possibilities include the Lowepro Off Road and Stealth Reporter, the Superlight 5, a handful of lightweight vests, and a safari jacket. On 6/19/05, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Jun 19, 2005, at 11:32 AM, Scott Loveless wrote: > > > Any recommendations in the sub $75US range? > > I've just spent three weeks wandering in the UK with a Tamrac > Superlight 5 as my day-bag (I used a Lowepro Compu-Trekker backpack > as my "carry the full kit on and off planes, trains and automobiles" > carryall, never once took it into the field as a working bag...). > > The Tamrac Superlight 5 is smallish, vertically oriented shoulder > bag. It's slim and narrow, yet the top opening is wide enough to get > camera in and out quickly and easily, and it's remarkably capacious > as well as protective and light weight. I pull all the dividers and > other stuff out, fit the shoulder strap from a Domke FX5B as I find > that more comfortable, use domke wraps to separate and protect the > lenses and stuff I put inside. > > It has external accessory pouch straps that allow use of both Lowepro > and Tamrac accessory bits ... I bought a snap-mouth Lowepro AW pouch > to use with mine (perfect for a place to toss a lens while changing > lenses, or to drop your keys in, or to carry a modest-sized extra > lens or two [or lunch...] in a pinch). My Lowepro memory card wallet > slips in to the accessory strap on the other side. The bag has > zippered pockets in the top (both inside and outside), a > compartmentalized front zipper pocket, a stuff pocket on the back, > and a top handle (and three fastex QR buckles on the top so that it > is very secure when handled by the top handle). > > I carried between two and four lenses, plus *ist DS body, plus spare > battery set, plus note pad, voice recorder, pen, sunglasses, tripod > accessory bits, and any other miscellaneous bits on my all day photo > walks in London, the Isle of Man, Oxford, Gloucester, etc. Typical > lens kits: > - DA14, FA28-105, A24, FA135 > - F100-300, FA28-105, FA135 > - F100-300, FA28-105, A50 > - DA14, A24, A50, FA135 > > Very comfortable, very easy to live with, and cheap ... $35 at B&H > Photo. > > http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home? > ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=SearchBar&A=search&Q=*&shs=t > amrac+superlight+5&image.x=0&image.y=0 > > or > > http://tinyurl.com/e3fvl > > I brought the Tamrac SL5 instead of either my Billingham L2 (a bit > too small) or Domke F803 (a nice size but the shape makes it a little > more difficult to get gear in and out of, and it won't stand on its > own reliably when set down if you're using a tripod). It's proved to > be an excellent choice for this duty. > > Godfrey > > -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com -- "You have to hold the button down" -Arnold Newman
