I Replaced my Camera Bag
May. 18th, 2022 03:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerHawk and I have been gradually replacing gear over the past few weeks that was stolen during our trip to Hawaii in April. I've dragged my feet on replacing a lot of my stuff because there's no enjoyment to go shopping for stuff that was stolen. It just feels like a chore. On the other hand, our trek to several waterfalls on Lewis Creek last Saturday made it clear that I really do need to replace my camera bag. Although I usually pack selected lenses and other gear into my hiking bag when I hike, a sturdy and capacious camera bag is critical for making sure I've got everything when I go from home to car, to plane, etc.
Several years ago I bought a sling pack from Tamrac. It was a very different style from the classic shaped camera bags I'd bought before then; those were the kind shaped like rectangular boxes with tufted pouches on the side. The sling was narrow, rounded, hugged against the body, and had a single shoulder strap. For $100 (in years-ago money) it seemed a bit frivolous... but a salesman at the brick-and-mortar photography store I was shopping demonstrated how it worked, and I decided to take the plunge.
That swoopy shape, single shoulder strap, and $100 price tag? Best damn camera bag I ever had.
Then some jerkface stole it. 🤬
Finding a replacement turned out to be hard. It seems Tamrac doesn't make that model any more. There's a smaller one, which is too small; and a bigger one, which is bulkier than I want. But some of the model that's just right are still left in the sales channel.
The one I owned for several years had a blue and gray exterior. I couldn't find that color combo anywhere except used. Ditto the black-and-gray combo. But I did find the red-and-gray version (pictured) for sale new... and at less than half the price I paid years ago. Score!
So, why do I like this bag so much that I hunted around for an exact replacement?
Well, I didn't insist on an exact replacement. I happily considered other bag styles. Candidates had to meet a few requirements: the right size overall, neither to big nor too small, to hold my camera with three lenses, plus accessories like filters, a spare battery, cleaning kit, data cable, etc.; plenty of securely zippered pockets or pouches to hold all those things and provide convenient access; good padding, because this bag literally goes around the world with me; and not heinously expensive. Some bags were 3-4x what I paid for this one. And you can see in the second picture (left/above) this bag is nicely padded with plenty of slots and pouches for the camera gear I carry.
The test will come a little over a week from now when I take the bag on the road (and in the air, and on the trail) on our trip to Sedona.
Several years ago I bought a sling pack from Tamrac. It was a very different style from the classic shaped camera bags I'd bought before then; those were the kind shaped like rectangular boxes with tufted pouches on the side. The sling was narrow, rounded, hugged against the body, and had a single shoulder strap. For $100 (in years-ago money) it seemed a bit frivolous... but a salesman at the brick-and-mortar photography store I was shopping demonstrated how it worked, and I decided to take the plunge.That swoopy shape, single shoulder strap, and $100 price tag? Best damn camera bag I ever had.
Then some jerkface stole it. 🤬
Finding a replacement turned out to be hard. It seems Tamrac doesn't make that model any more. There's a smaller one, which is too small; and a bigger one, which is bulkier than I want. But some of the model that's just right are still left in the sales channel.
The one I owned for several years had a blue and gray exterior. I couldn't find that color combo anywhere except used. Ditto the black-and-gray combo. But I did find the red-and-gray version (pictured) for sale new... and at less than half the price I paid years ago. Score!
So, why do I like this bag so much that I hunted around for an exact replacement?
Well, I didn't insist on an exact replacement. I happily considered other bag styles. Candidates had to meet a few requirements: the right size overall, neither to big nor too small, to hold my camera with three lenses, plus accessories like filters, a spare battery, cleaning kit, data cable, etc.; plenty of securely zippered pockets or pouches to hold all those things and provide convenient access; good padding, because this bag literally goes around the world with me; and not heinously expensive. Some bags were 3-4x what I paid for this one. And you can see in the second picture (left/above) this bag is nicely padded with plenty of slots and pouches for the camera gear I carry.The test will come a little over a week from now when I take the bag on the road (and in the air, and on the trail) on our trip to Sedona.
