How to you carry 8x10 (or larger) camera. Your solution?

[David Schaller]

I'm with Jim on the backpack. I wish I had seen the one he linked to, since mine is only a top loader. I have carried my 8x10 Deardorff quite a distance, with 6 holders, three lenses, and darkcloth in the bag, and the tripod either strapped outside the pack, or carried in my hand. I use padded cases, inside the backpack, from Outdoor Research or Eagle Creek to protect the holders, the lenses, filters and light meter. I see no reason to buy a special "photography" backpack.
Dave

[Jim Cole]

I use my Photobackpacker Redwing P2 with one of their the standard camera cases that fits my V8 Deardorff and another of their cases that holds 4 lenses on 6x6 boards. Light meter, dark cloth, filter pouches, 4-5 film holders and other accessories fit in the front and side pockets. Everything is well secured inside with the soft cases held by velcro to the inside of the pack and to each other.

If I need more film, I carry a small, soft-sided Igloo cooler that holds 10 holders perfectly although I don't go far with that.

My Gitzo CF tripod will attach to the side, but I prefer to carry it by hand.

This pack is extremely comfortable when fully loaded, although at 60 years old, I don't hike the distances I used to. I usually keep it to a couple of miles or less one way. It is definitely more comfortable than my 15 year old Gregory pack.

The pack, since it is a slightly modified standard Kelty backpack with special lightweight cases to hold all the goodies, works extremely well for me. It only cost a little more by letting PhotoBackpacker do it for you than finding all the parts yourself. They even come up used once in a while.

I highly recommend it if they make a camera case that will fit your camera.

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Thank you. Many good advices already!

Cargo frame and computer pack could be one good combination.

This seems to be very common problem indeed

If you already have the case, here is a suggestion.
http://intranet.tatonka.com/infosys/...foe.dll?1130&0
I purchased one of these several years ago.
Susan

[Brian Ellis]

F64 backpack (the larger of their two sizes). Used it to carry Deardorff and Kodak 2D 8x10 cameras with three lenses, 6 film holders, meter, filters, etc.

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

F64 backpack (the larger of their two sizes). Used it to carry Deardorff and Kodak 2D 8x10 cameras with three lenses, 6 film holders, meter, filters, etc.

JB and I both used the F64 larger packs for our Zone VI 8x10 cameras. He built a stiffening frame to go inside of the camera compartment so it was self supporting when the camera was removed. He has a different pack now that I made him for the Canham 8x10 - holds six filmholders, three lenses and accessories. Last year I built him a backpack for his 11x14 lightweight camera that he built. Just couldn't find anything "off the shelf" that would work.

I now use the F64 backpacks for my two 4x10 cameras.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Susan some great ideas for transporting gear. Once I find my digital camera somewhere in my apartment I'll take a photo of this pack loaded. I got this to house my 14x17. I have a cart but I do like to get off trail. Just came in from UPS and I still have to load it. What fun! Really have to up the workout routine now!!

http://www.kondosoutdoors.com/mm5/me...egory_Code=CPG

[Struan Gray]

The most comfortable, durable packs are made for climbing and backpacking. Jukka, if you have a good outdoor store near you it's worth going and trying a few on. My experience is that a well-fitting, comfortable pack makes a huge difference to how far you can carry stuff, and how much you can skip about and keep your eyes open for potential photographs.

The technical climbing packs carry well, and usually have ski sleeve and other sorts of attachments which make carrying a tripod a doddle, but the current fashion is for a teardrop, deeply waisted shape with top-loading, which makes putting a large camera in and out a bit too hard. Watch out for packs with a deeply-curved interior frame (Osprey's otherwise excellent packs are bad this way) which can put some nasty bending stresses on large flat objects like cameras and holders.

I use a giant expedition pack I've had for ages. The waterproofing is finally going, so I've been looking at alternatives. There are some very nice travel packs made by the mainstream technical makers which have the build quality and weatherproofing of the technical packs, but which are panel-loading and less covered in external webbing and strapping. Among those which turn up often in Swedish shops I have a fondness for Haglöfs and MacPac. Tatonka make good designs at a great price, but none of the gear I've had has lasted.

[John Kasaian]

The Redwing works great and mine is very comfortable. A large ALICE (Army surplus)works too.

[Michael Wynd]

I use a Black Wolf Cedar Trails backpack. I fitted a custom hard foam shell for my 8x10 Tachihara in the main compartment, a smaller hard foam shell for the light meter, filters, cable release etc in the bottom compartment, and I have 10 film holder in the detachable day pack. The longest trek I've done so far with it is 10 km, but I wasn't sore the next day, and just last Monday I carried it up a large hill called Mount Taylor here in Canberra in Australia, and again wasn't sore the next day. The new pack is so much better than the last one I had it's not funny.
Mike

[Jim Fitzgerald]

A quick update on the pack that I linked above. I went to Walmart and picked up a foam camping pad and cut it into a U shape and duck taped it together and put it in the pack. It gave it some shape. I put my 14x17, two holders, 2 lenses on 9x9 boards and darkcloth. Now I will say that this is not light but it handles the gear very well. The pack has plenty of compression straps and the suspension fits me very well. Now like I said time to get in better shape! Yes I will use my cart most of the time but at least I have something to put the gear in. Great for us ULF people who want to get off trail from time to time.