Hey there people. Basically my girlfriend is at Uni studying photography. She's very keen and does jobs for people in her spare time too. Her birthday is coming up and she said she needs a camera bag to hold her Canon 600D camera and her variety of lenses/memory cards etc etc..

Im not clued up at all in this subject im afraid so i would like some advice or experiences on camera bags you have used or still own.

She would like a shoulder style bag, not the carry type. I like to buy decent long lasting quality stuff so price im not too fussed on price (To a certain degree obviously lol)

Any help would be much appreciated

Cheers

Dan

I've got a Lowepro Vertex 100AW ( http://store.lowepro.com/vertex-100-aw ) and it's great. Quite bulky, but good for carrying everything I'll need for a natural light shoot.

Holds my 50D with battery-grip, 17-55 IS, 70-200 2.8 IS, 10-22, nifty-fifty, 580EX II flash, remote shutter control, spare batteries and has ample space for bits and pieces (and a laptop if I had one).

I generally use it to get everything to a shoot, but use something smaller at events as it's quite a bulky thing. They do bigger versions too if you've got a load of stuff to fit in (2 bodies etc.)

It also has a waterproof cover that pops out of the bottom in case you're carrying stuff outside and it rains which is fun

I would go for a 'Billingham' every time.

Billingham are excellent (I have one) and they are excellent and will probably last a lifetime. There is a resin you see lots of press photographers using them. This is the one I use on shoots (weddings, etc) as it doesn't feel heavy over a long day.

Crumpled are also trendy and last quite well. They don't look like a camera bag which may be a plus point. I've got one for my CSC set up, but takes a DSLR two lenses, flash + trigger and lots of other stuff yet still isn't big (just heavy).

Lowe Pro are excellent but the range bewildering unless you know have a specific need or style that will suit you. I've had a large one for a while but much prefer the Billingham as the Lowe Pro feels heavier with the same kit in (a lot by the way: 2 bodies, 3/4lenses, 2 flashguns, two triggers, spare batteries, etc. etc.)

Damian Lovergove has a 20% discount on his website for Think Tank bags. I've not owned one, but am considering trading my Crumpler for one as they seem very well made, don't look like camera bags and are a soft material which works well bending around the body.

There is much choice and you should expect to get it wrong for at least the first 3/4 bags and she will end up owning more than one (like handbags).

There is another company, Japanese I think, who make camera bags that look like handbags. They look good, but I've not seen them in the flesh. I think Annabel Williams uses them, so check her website out as a starting point.

I have a large Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter(650AW I think) up for sale if that suits (but it is large!)

HTH

I've got a lowepro backpack one with a side opening but when you swing one strap round your shoulder the opening is facing up at you.

it has a pocket for a laptop as well

think mine is a fastpak 250

Thanks for the responses guys. Ideally needs to be quite small and light as she's a very petit girl lol will look up the mentioned brands later

I bought the smallest Lowepro one but then we only have 3 lens and the camera body, none of the other accompaniments that a "proper" photographer would probably need

Think Tank or Crumpler then (unless she wants it to look like a camera bag).

I've got a lowepro slingshot as described above by wet kipper.

Also have another smaller lowepro one that fits just the camera for when I want to carry it inside a larger rucksack (5.11 rush 12... The whole range are excellent if anyone needs a good bag!)

Everleaf was the company I couldn't think of earlier.

But if she is intending to be a professional photographer then I'd go with Billingham as they will last a lifetime and are handmade in Britain.

Just consider getting one that is a bit too big now as she will inevitably gain more equipment soon enough and no point in outgrowing a decent bag too quickly.

Here's a write up on Think Tank bags as well.

All were from Photo Professional magazine May 2012 so the line up may have changed.

The Lowe Pro Classified range is also very good - looks like a briefcase. I was going for one of these, but it wasn't quite deep enough for a camera with 70-200mm lens attached.

Thanks for all your suggestions! I been looking at the lowerpro range as it seems to look abit nicer and modern than the others.

I found this one on amazon, whats your thoughts please?

http://www.amazon.co...epro camera bag

Or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lowepro-Nova-180-AW-Shoulder/dp/B0016JA37Y/ref=pd_sim_ph_2

Think the second one is the slightly smaller one which would suit her more i think

If she is studying then she will probably appreciate being able to carry a laptop with her as well as a camera & lens / flash effectively giving her a mobile studio / study.

This Lowe Pro one can be had for £40 and in a choice of colours I believe!

Otherwise, if you want Lowe Pro, then go for the larger of the two. She will fill it soon enough and be on to a larger bag before you know it. Trust me. I'm on my fifth bag now...

I've decided to sell my Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter 650AW (a large capacity bag) and will list it in the 'For Sale' section.

If she is studying then she will probably appreciate being able to carry a laptop with her as well as a camera & lens / flash effectively giving her a mobile studio / study.

This Lowe Pro one can be had for £40 and in a choice of colours I believe!

Otherwise, if you want Lowe Pro, then go for the larger of the two. She will fill it soon enough and be on to a larger bag before you know it. Trust me. I'm on my fifth bag now...

I've decided to sell my Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter 650AW (a large capacity bag) and will list it in the 'For Sale' section.

Thanks for the advice mate really appreciate it. Think i will opt for the larger one then as like you said no doubt she will have more stuff as she gains more experience

Probably too late to the party here, but I find most of the more modern Lowepro bags scream "MUG ME TO BITS!" if worn about town/at an event. I can always spot them a mile off, even with the Lowepro branding removed... same goes for Crumpler.

The Lowepro Pro Messenger bags are a bit more discreet, but my personal favourite is the ThinkTank Retrospective range. The weatherproof covers are easier to fit on the ThinkTank bags, and they are less punishing on my shoulder when being carried chock full of stuff all day. They also have a slimmer profile than the Lowepro bags and the material they're made from wears really well.

I hope this helps! At the end of the day, it's down to personal preference.

The same could be said of Billingham.

The only ones I've seen recently that don't are the Everleaf ones.

As above, it's down to personal preference and I certainly wouldn't want to buy a camera bag for someone. Especially a lady.

Unless they told me exactly which one and which colour!

Have a look at the Camera Price Buster website for best prices on Lowe Pro bags if you are going down that avenue.