[shuttertalk]

Nice to see a couple of photo / laptop backpack combos in Engadget's back to school guide for laptop bags. Two were featured - one in the medium and "money is no object" categories respectively:

- Kata Sensitivity V backpack

An absolute superstar of versatility and a CES-tested classic, Kata's Sensitivity V is the quintessential do-it-all backpack. Adorned with useful pockets and pouches everywhere, it'll accommodate your pens, pads, DSLR, lenses, PMP, sandwich, napkins, and laptop. Padding is on the light side and it's not waterproof, but those are shortcomings we're willing to overlook for the extremely compact dimensions. Bonus: although advertised for 12-inch laptops, the Sensitivity V will wrap around 14-inchers with ease and we've even been able to fit a 15-inch MacBook Pro inside its bright yellow shell.

- LowePro CompuPrimus AW

The AW stands for "All Weather" and LowePro isn't kidding around. There's a bult-in rain cover that tucks away when not in use, while the notebook sleeve is removable and integrates a sunshade. Sure, you'll look like a massive geek employing one on campus, but at least your computer won't be a useless glare-station out on the grass. The usual litany of adjustments, straps, velcro, camera-friendly compartments, and trinkets complete a fine, if somewhat humongous, package.

This one had a brief mention:

- Case Logic SLRC-206 backpack

Should your needs (or screen size) extend that little bit further than the Kata can provide for, look to Case Logic for a worthy alternative. The 206 costs a bit more but can fit 17-inch laptops and even more photo gear.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/23/engad...ptop-bags/


So Toad, when's the review of the Kata Sensitivity V coming?

[Pavel]

Thinktank, LowPro (AW line) and KATA are my favorite lines (in that order). I find Thinktanks particularly cleverly designed, but around where I live they are distributed exclusively by one dealer, the stock is low and the prices high. I plan to buy one when I buy my long lens. It is the only manufacturer that I know of that accommodates Sigma's 150-500. I tried many at a photo show. I have 2 very good LowPro bags. One is a walk around T - shaped toploader which accommodates my D300 with 70-300 attached. The other is a "transporter" bag. It meets airline requirements and it is able to transport all my photo loot in order, including a laptop with its chargers, wires etc. It is not light empty and certainly not when loaded with gear, but it is very comfortable. The hip strap places the weight at my hips, so the weight on my shoulders is modest. It is well padded and it is vey adjustable, so I got it to fit just right. KATA is a clever shoulder bag with snap on pouches and good strap. A great bag in all respects, but as i am getting older, my shoulders complain if I carry a bag full of glass across one shoulder all day. Now my my walkaround comprises of my T - shaped LowPro and a fishing vest (nylon netting with pockets attached). It looks hideous on me and offers no padding, but it is cheap, compact (fits in my transporter), very comfortable even when worn all day and it has unbelievably high storage capacity. Large pockets accommodate my 70-300. It may be water resistant, but I would not count on it. I also have a canvas photo backpack, which I thought was a bargain. It looks nice, has a compartment for a computer and non-photo gear (sweater, rain jacket, sandwich), but the capacity for photo gear is too limited as a transportation bag and I do not find it comfortable over longish distances and it is a hassle to to get at my gear. My LowerPro transportation

I came to the following conclusions:
1) you need different bag to transport and different bag for walk around.
2) Everybody starts with shoulder bags, yet it is the least comfortable option if weighted down with glass. Good for 1 or 2 smallish lenses and a light camera (low end DSLR or compact)
3) Fishing west style is ugly, on a hot day adds some extra heat, does not protect your gear from bumps or water but it is generally compact, comfortable and it makes gear quite accessible.
4) Photo equipment transportation offers limitless opportunity to those that crave gear acquisition and it is a great area for gear acquisition junkies to get into.

[Kombisaurus]

Funny this topic should come up. I just bought a new laptop/photo backpack about 2 weeks ago.

My goal was to get a good travel backpack that I could literally use every day and travel around the world with. It needs to be small enough to walk around with all day and carry on a plane as cabin luggage, yet large enough to carry a 16" laptop and all the camera gear I will travel with. It also needs to be usable as a regular backpack for day-trips and other non-photo and non-laptop duties, particularly to use as a regular laptop bag to and from work. I want something low-key that wouldn't look like a target for thieves, and preferably something that can collaps pretty flat when it only has a lappy in it and no camera gear.

I already own a Lowepro Computrekker AW and while it can carry a 15" laptop and a lot of photo gear, it is horrible to walk around with, extremely bulky (even when empty), and screams out "camera gear" to any potential thieves. It's everything I didn't want in a new backpack.

So I ended up settling on a Crumpler backpack - the Karachi Outpost in medium size. It's not cheap, but it's seriously as if the designers read my mind when they designed this thing - it is exactly everything I need from a backpack with nothing more. Even though the Medium size is listed only for laptops up to 15", my 16" Dell Studio XPS fits in there nice and snug. IMHO the large size is a bit bulky for everyday use, but the medium is perfect. I've never actually been excited about a bag before...

Here are some links:
https://www.crumplerbags.com/flash/flash...0201a.html

http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtopi...994372ec7d

One thing I didn't realise until I had my hands on one of these in the shop is that not only is the laptop sleeve removable, but the whole camera compartment is also removable as a single piece! This means that when travelling you can pull the whole padded camera compartment out (with the camera gear still in it) and then use it as a regular backpack without the padding, then put the camera gear back in later on.
Here's a pic of the camera compartment removed from the backpack with gear in it:


From the outside the pack is pretty uninteresting to look at which is good when you don't want attention, and the more you handle it the more you appreciate some of the little design features that make it so good. It's very secure, very comfortable to wear and easy to take on and off.

Admittedly the Crumpler marketing department lives on a different planet (the backpack came with some free crumpler-branded toilet paper!), but thankfully their designers are well and truly in touch with the real world. I've got 3 crumpler bags now and all of them are in a different league to any other bags I've owned or used.

[Wedding Shooter]

Crumpler make great bags - I have three of them and love them. Australian company - probably why they are a little out there.

[Toad]

Great thread. As everyone knows, I am always interested in camera bags. I will be taking two major trips next year, Italy and Iceland and they will have quite different requirements - although portability will be key for both trips. When I batten down what equipment that I will be taking, I will have a better idea of what bags that I will need.

I am partial to Kata - but always open to ideas. I have a Crumpler laptop bag that I like very much as well.

[Wedding Shooter]

Iceland sounds great!

[Toad]

Iceland sounds great!

Yes - its been near the top of my list for at least 20 years - but the time, money, and opportunity never lined up before.

[matthew]

While I admire Crumpler's build quality, I've always thought that their backpacks were a tad on the heavy side. And while I'm not usually a huge fan of Kata, they have a new line of backpacks that I really like. (manf) Inexplicably called the 'Bumblebee', they're very light and nicely built. If I was ever to get a backpack, or a laptop-carrying backpack, they'd be at the very top of my list.

…while it's off topic, since they aren't designed for carrying computers, I've yet to see any bag that I like more than my Billingham. Sure, it took a little while for my eyes to stop bleeding when I saw the price, but it was totally worth it.

[vxla]

I recently bought a Crumpler Karachi (medium) to fit my D90 with battery grip and various lenses (18-105, 10-20mm sigma, and a couple primes). It isn't very easy to fit my 15-inch MacBook Pro in the bag and easily close the main zippers. Removing a battery grip really isn't an option since that takes too much time, so I may try a C-List Celebrity to see if there's more room for bodies with grips. Alas, the C-list is much larger, heavier, and not quite as stylish (IMHO) as the Karachi.

I have a Kata Sensitivity V and it's pretty good for walking around, but the bag is so tiny that I can't get much in it.

[Toad]

vxla: the Sensitivity V is a small backpack (student sized IMO) that actually looks pretty good on paper at least. I have several Kata bags - and would be interested in any other thoughts that you have. What fits in? What doesn't?

[vxla]

It's a decent backpack, and stretches very well to fit what's inside. I just don't like the layout of the pack, and I don't understand why they couldn't just make the bag a bit bigger to fit 15-inch laptops.

Here's what I can fit in mine (since you asked):

D90+grip with any of the following attached:
nikkor 35f/1.8
nikkor 50f/1.4
nikkor 18-105f/3.5
sigma 10-20f/3.5

All lenses above
SB-600
SD card hard case (4 SD card holder)
Nikon battery charger + power cord
iPhone charger
miscellaneous filters

You can squeeze an awful lot inside the bag... but again, I don't like the layout since there is no working laptop compartment for anyone with a fuller sized laptop

[Toad]

Thanks for the feedback. It seems like a good amount of stuff to stash in a small pack - but I don't typically carry a laptop - so I can understand your issue with it.

[EnglishBob]

My Kata R103 totes the Laptop (15") and my Sigma 500 with body attached with ease.

[matthew]

Here's what I can fit in mine (since you asked):

Great information, thanks very much.

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