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What's the best camera backpack for the GH2?
  • Heh guys, I shooting weddings and real estate videos for a living and I need camera backpack that can carry 2x GH2 bodies and 5 lenses. Also being able to fit a zoom and lag mics would be handy. I've looked into the lowepro dslr video fastpacks but they seem to be design with canon and Nikon cameras in mind. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks.

  • 16 Replies sorted by
  • I have the Lowepro Flipside 400 AW and think it's great! I pack 3 GH2 bodies, 12mm 1.6, 25mm 0.95, 50mm 1.4, 14-140mm, 20mm 1.7, 2x Zoom H1s with lavaliers, Sennheiser MKE 400, Fader NDs and still have enough room for personal stuff. Best thing is that you put it upside down on the ground and never get dirt on the harness. Plus the pack is really lightweight and has all the pockets and straps you can need.

  • Thanks oscillian! Looks like an interesting bag.

  • I have two caselogic 206 and kata and they both work great for different reasons

  • @azza_act

    Also check Fancier and Weifeng bags on ebay. They make very good backpacks.

  • After trying a cheaper Calumet backpack, several LowePro and Kata backpacks I bought the Kata Source 261-PL. After three months of use I am very happy with it. Even fully loaded it is comfortable to wear for several hours. The weight gets distributed very well. It has a laptop compartment, the main compartment fits a GH2 with lens and matte box (at least the 3x3 Chrosziel I am using), and sound gear. The two side sections take lenses and filters. The backpack is pricy but it is the best I could find for my needs. I would recommend you to give it a try. If testing a pack, always load it with all the gear you intend to carry. See how it fits and how quickly you can get gear in and out of it.

  • This one just out:

  • I think the OP was asking for backpacks specifically.

    Initially I bought a relatively cheap sling pack, but I was never really happy with it. So, don't skimp on these, I got a Lowe too and I'm happy with it. Make sure that you can set it down on uneven ground and it doesn't tilt over easily. Or, even better, it's zippers and straps should be arranged in a way that you can hang it on your breast for changing lenses without anything falling out when you are on very dirty ground.

    I don't know the ones Vitaliy recommended, but they should make a good alternative, as usual.

  • @nomad The Tenba video is about both a backpack and a shoulder bag. They just happened to have the shoulder bag as the thumbnail in the video.

    My Flipside 400 is precisely meant for slinging around your waist as a lap table for changing lenses and such. Great when you're outdoors/in the woods and can't put stuff down easily.

  • I purchased the Tenba Discoveryjust over a month ago, based on comfort, storage capacity and smooth as silk zippers. Though almost everything I have to say is good, I am returning this pack for a couple reasons. 1) rain cover that constantly pops off from the top due to weak snaps and simply bad design. 2) after only 2 times of removing the lens insert the velcro is fringing pretty badly. The velcro I could live with or redo myself with better quality stuff, but the rain cover popping off is a deal breaker, not to mention even when it stayed on (barely) in the beginning, I had a heavy rain which drenched the part that meets my back, which resulted in wet papers I had put in the back zipper area. This is also caused by design issues with the rain cover having an opening at the top back since the snaps sit very strangely, curling the whole cover upward. Great pack, for dry days, but it is not waterproof enough on it's own for the rain cover issue to be ignored unfortunately.

  • Checkout Billingham Hadley, Rucksacks and Camera Bags, a classical and amazing built quality, will last forever, the older they are, the better they look, they use genuine materials, the look is not very "camera-ish" which sometimes can be very useful, I have the Billingham Hadley Shoulder Bag (fits also MBP 13") which I prefer to the Rucksack, you can use these bags also for different purposes as you can take the camera soft protection out, find them on ebay or directly from the company in the UK

  • I bought this backback from eBay for about 65$. I am very happy with the quality. So far I have made several jobs the last 6 months and it seems to hold very well. Usually I am carring 1 GH2 & 1 GH1 with lens on them, 3 extra lenses, 1 Laptop, 2 LED lights, memory cards, extra batteries, Sony batteries, 3 filters, 1 small tripod, Rode VMPro, 1 Audio Technica Lavalier mic, 1 5'' LCD Monitor, several adaptors and cables. Recommended.

    http://fstopdirect.com/fancier-kingkong-40-pro-camera-bag-375x250x470mm-external

  • @sakattaq76
    Looks like a good bag, for certain situations..

    Personally I quite like the look of this: http://www.kata-bags.com/bumblebee-220-pl-for-2-pro-dslr-up-to-8-lenses-500mm

    as it looks spacious, clear overview of content, some nice features (like cocoon pouches).

    I have a smaller shoulder bag from them which I like.

    But if someone has found a BIG bag (shoulder might be best), where content is easily overviewed, where you can tuck away a couple of dslrs, a host of lenses (securely), monitor, recorder, mics e.t.c. and on the other hand a basic rig and a laptop if I so want and keep these away from each other securely.. then that´s a bag I want.. Something like the old DV-shoulder bag but customized for dslr gear.

  • There is no best individual bag, just the best bag for your needs. I have a Case Logic back pack (which I sold a Kata bag for), both bag had laptop holder which I needed. http://www.caselogic.com/en-US/US/Products/Camera-Cases/SLR-Camera-Bags/SLRC_-206-BLACK-__-_SLRCameraLaptopBackpack

    Also own LowePro sling and Domke bag. Ideally, I can quickly swap for what I need keeping all the gear in Pelican cases when not in use.

  • The problem with photobags is that they are designed for bigger cameras like 5d and huge lenses. Which means they greatly waste space. So I discarded most of the inside flexible "walls" and left only three major sections.

    Instead I bought a set of soft lens bags: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Neoprene-Matin-Soft-DSLR-Camera-Lens-Bag-Pouch-Four-Size-EX-L-M-S-/251204088361?pt=US_Camera_Cases_Bags&hash=item3a7cee3229

    And I bunch of neoprene pouches like this for cameras and other items, they come in different sizes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-Tablet-PC-MID-Pouch-Sleeve-cover-Case-Soft-Bag-Black-/281035861089?pt=US_Tablet_eReader_Cases_Covers_Keyboard_Folios&hash=item416f0aec61

    I keep all my stuff in these and this way I can pack the rucksack much tighter than it is originally designed, still keeping all items shock and scratch-proof. 3-4 cameras, bunch of lenses, mics, lights, recorders and other small stuff.

  • +1 for the incase dslr pro. does not look like a camera backpack and thats the main reason why i got it. has ample space for everything. I fit 3 bodies, mini pocket rig, 14mm,20mm,45, 12-35mm, 14-140mm easy with plenty of space for another 2 tele lenses. Obviously if your carrying as much as this its heavy on the shoulders, but perfect for going too and from the car with pretty much all you need.