Small backpack for couple of lenses, film and 4x5 field camera?

[welly]

Wondering if anyone can recommend one. I don't want a huge weekend backpack, more a daily driver, as it were. I'm currently using a standard backpack but fear for my lenses, light meter etc. rattling about in the bag.

[C. D. Keth]

I think photobackpacker makes a backer board that you can cut to size for whatever backpack you already have.

[mdm]

I have a very inexpensive Katmandu pack (arc 28l) and some padded zip up pouches for a couple of lenses, also from the same place. The pouches cost more than the pack, they werent on special at the time. It all fits together very nicely, 5x7 camera in the back, lenses in the middle pocket in a zip up thing and dark cloth, umbrella, lens shade etc at the front, quickly accessable too.

[Doremus Scudder]

I'll chime in here too. I carry a wooden folding field camera and four lenses in a larger waist bag (more robust models for hiking are usually marketed as "lumbar packs"). The bag rides just below the lower back, and has a nice padded waist strap. There is a shoulder strap as well so I can unclip the wasit strap and work out of the bag as a shoulder bag. I carry other accessories in pockets or in a fly-fishing vest and have a small over-the-shoulder pouch for filmholders. The dark cloth straps on the back of the pack.

When I set up, the filmholder pouch hangs on the tripod center column lock knob and the pack hangs from the shoulder strap at my side. For scrambling, I can strap the tripod on the back of the pack as well so I have both hands free.

This may seem like a lot of different stuff for carrying your kit, but it allows me to distribute the weight very evenly and, most importantly for me, allows me to work without ever having to set anything on the ground (or in the mud, snow or middle of the creek where I'm standing).

I have tried getting everything in a pack and carrying it around that way, but it is really much more cumbersome.

Best,

Doremus

[Ben Calwell]

Doremus -- that's a great idea. What kind of lumbar pack do you use? I've got a Wista, two lenses, spot meter, a couple of filters and a dark cloth. Would that fit into a lumbar pack?

[Peter Lewin]

I would second the Photobackpacker approach. A bunch of years back I was trying to find the most compact way to take my 4x5, 3 lenses, holders, etc. on a European trip, and started by visiting my local camping store and looking at a variety of packs. At the same time I emailed Bruce Laughton (owner of Photobackpacker) and he was extremely helpful (with quite a few exchanged emails). Ultimately I concluded that the most compact packs at the camping store would just be too difficult to work out of (just poor packing/ergonomics), and bought a pack (w/ backing board), camera case, and lens case from Bruce. Have been very satisfied ever since. Here's the link: http://www.photobackpacker.com/home.php. Of course everyone is different, and you might, for example, find Doremus's "distributed approach" more appealing for you; equally you can probably get a backing board and cases from Bruce that would fit whatever pack you already have..

[Joseph Dickerson]

I bought a Kelty Redwing 44 on sale and sent it to Bruce at Photobackpacker to have a full length zipper installed. It's quite a bit smaller than the Kelty 3100 that I carry when I want to carry the kitchen sink.

Kelty back packs are well designed and have a comfortable suspension system. At least for me...YMMV.

For your small kit, you could probably get by with a Lowe Pro Mini-Trekker. Just noticed that you are in Oz. Don't know how much hassle shipping from US would be. Contact Bruce, he's great to deal with, can advise you on shipping and import duties, and can help you set up just what you need.

G'Day,

JD

JD

[Kodachrome25]

I fit my Chamonix 45N-2, up to 5 lenses in copal-0 and copal-1, 6 holders, filters, 1.5 liters of water and a few other goodies in this new LowePro Flipside 15L. I also have a good sized carbon fiber tripod with an Acratech head on the side, I have done as much as 18 miles at 12,000 feet in a single day with this setup. I carry 6-7 more holders if need be in a small Domke FX5A.

I got it in orange since I shoot a lot of Winter scenes, will be snowboarding with it in a month or so...

If I were traveling overseas, I would use one of 12 of my regular packs and use a combo of lens wraps and clothing to protect the gear just like I have done my entire career....I tend to avoid one trick pony photo industry stuff when space is that critical.

[john biskupski]

For a small 4x5 kit, you could do worse than use a Lowepro Mini-Trekker. It all fits in, just, and although the bag isn't that well padded, it is a small, light, bag. For comfort and padding however, the rather more bulky Dakine Sequence is hard to beat, just fits a small 4x5, and is a really comfortable pack to carry.

[Doremus Scudder]

Doremus -- that's a great idea. What kind of lumbar pack do you use? I've got a Wista, two lenses, spot meter, a couple of filters and a dark cloth. Would that fit into a lumbar pack?

Ben,

I have a Wista DX and pack it and four lenses in a lumbar pack along with two filter wallets and some other small stuff. The larger filter wallet and some accessories go in the outside zippered pocket, the rest of the stuff in the main compartment. Meter and other stuff goes in the vest or coat pockets. As I mentioned before, my lumbar pack has straps on the outside and my darkcloth, rolled up, is strapped on the back of the pack. The same straps will hold my tripod on the bottom of the pack as well if I need both hands for scrambling; usually I just carry the tripod.

I simply made corrugated boxes for each of my lenses. I usually pack a small lens folded up in the camera (135mm or my Ektar f/7.7 203mm) along with a Fujinon A f/9 240mm, a Schneider SA f/8 90mm and a Nikkor M f/9 300mm on a top-hat lens board. These latter two are fairly large, and if you have smaller or fewer lenses, you could easily get a meter in my pack as well.

I'm not sure of the brand of my lumbar pack, but it's ages old now, so likely no longer in production. I actually took my gear to the outdoor store and tried out lumbar packs till I found one I liked. There are lots out there now, many with a pouch for a water bottle, which I would love to have on mine (maybe it's time for a new one?).

You might want to take your gear on an outing to REI or the like and try it in some lumbar packs.

If it helps, here's a link to my kit in action on the Oregon Coast: http://www.doremusscudder.com/?m=9&s=40
You can see the film-holder pouch on the tripod knob and the lumbar pack slung at my side as well as the trusty DX.

FWIW, when photographing in Europe, I have a similar kit that goes in a small rolling backpack; kind of a cross between carry-on luggage and a cheapie backpack. It has shoulder straps, but no waist strap, which allows me to carry it on foot or on my bicycle. However, when the terrain allows, or I'm indoors, I can extend the handle and just roll it along behind me. Again, the tripod is usually in a hand or strapped on my bike rack or somewhere. This kit is much less balanced and comfortable than my lumbar-pack kit. It does, however, stand upright so I can work out of it fairly easily. Most backpacks have to be laid down to work out of, since they don't like to stand upright on their bottoms. This is one of their big disadvantages for me.

Best,

Doremus