Even though the quality of the big Shimoda pack appears to be top notch, I’m not 100% sold on the pack but am 100% sold on the big Shimoda DV core units. The depth of the Shimoda DV core units allows so much more flexibility in how you can pack your stuff. Even though I own three Mindshift packs I am not a fan of their design and the Shimoda pack is essentially a much bigger version of the Mindshift packs with an additional top compartment. IMO the only “NEARLY PERFECT” pack design I’ve ever used is the GuraGear 30L. It is such a pleasure to use. Effortless getting gear in and out and just an overall better design in every way IMO. Just wish someone would make a 70-80L version of the GuraGear 30L.
Big Prime - Camera Bags & Backpacks
- Thread starter nmerc_photos
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nmerc_photos
Well-known member
For anyone wanting an amazing deal on a Nya 60L - https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1896455/0?year=current#lastmessage
Vincent_VdB
Well-known member
Received my Hippo roll top bag from MrJanGear 2 days ago, here a photo of the bag besides a Z9 with the 600mm f/4 TC with hood.
Helo48
Active member
I don't like the Gura Gear for the following reason:
When you put it down, your back is on the ground. If it's dirty, you'll have dirt on your back. And it's important to me that the opening is on my back.
When you put it down, your back is on the ground. If it's dirty, you'll have dirt on your back. And it's important to me that the opening is on my back.
arbitrage
Well-known member
100%. I own three GG bags and don't use them much anymore except for at home storage of my gear. I don't need a bunch of dirt and mud or moisture transferred to my back and shoulders every time I set down and pick up the bag. I will only purchase rear entry bags now a days.
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
Agree, this is the biggest flaw with Gura Gura and I'm surprised they haven't fixed it in more recent iterations. I'll never purchase one of their bags again until that oversight is remedied.
Calson
Well-known member
I use the rain cover provided with my Gura Gear backpacks if setting them on wet ground. What I find great with the Bataflae 32 pack is that I have access to small items in the outer pockets and do not need to open the main compartment unless making a lens change. I do not need to remove a tripod strapped to the Bataflae before opening any compartment. The side handle is great for carrying the backpack to a car or when boarding an aircraft.
The Bataflae 32L will hold everything including a 600mm f/4 lens but I came to realize how foolish it was to have a 37 lb backpack and now use two backpacks with the 18L carrying as much weight as possible (laptop, batteries, speedlights, etc.).
SoCalRick
Well-known member
I have the Gura Gear Kiboko 30L and really love its ability to carry large telephoto lenses, while being airline carry-on compliant. I also like the butterfly opening system, and other utility features of the bag as well. While it's not my preference to have a camera bag that opens from the back, requiring you to lay it down on the shoulder strap side in order to do so, it is also not a show stopper for me. In fact, I also have a Mindshift Gear bag that opens the same way (I think it is the FirstLight series). I think the rest of the camera bags that I own (maybe 7 in all), do open from the shoulder strap side.
There are actually some advantages to bags that open from the back side. The first one that comes to mind is that the opening generally extends to the top of the bag, giving you full access to the interior volume space. The bags that open on the shoulder strap side usually can only open up to the height of where the shoulder straps are attached, which provides more limited access to the interior area above where the straps are attached. And some of these types of bags section off the upper area from the main interior volume, and require you to access that space from a different entry point (e.g., from the top of the bag).
One of my main reasons for purchasing the GG Kiboko, was to have a carry-on compliant camera bag that could hold my 600 TC, my Z9 and/or Z8, as well as multiple other camera lenses and accessories. So I was focused on flight-friendly ways to get my gear to distant locations, and other aspects/features of the bag were actually a secondary consideration (although still relevant).
Once I am at my destination, the bag (like all bags) can act like a gear locker, allowing me to select the lenses and bodies that I want to use at that location, while I am still at the car. Then I can hike out with the camera/lens ready for action, with the GG bag on my back (or leave it in the car if I will be photographing near the vehicle). If I leave the bag behind when I am out shooting, then I don't have to worry about where I set it down. Usually I keep it with me, but sometimes I may not.
Don't get me wrong, on rainy days and/or when working in wet environments, I do think about how I am going to protect the bag if I have to set it down to get at my gear. Sometimes I have a sitting pad that works for that, other times I have a rain cover that I can set on the ground to act like a tarp, and other times I just have to look for an optimal spot to set the bag down.
Where I live (in SoCal) I don't usually need to worry about wet environments, but obviously I do when I travel to locations that could be wet and/or muddy. But I feel confident that I could use the GG bag in most of those situations without any issues.
I do have an alternative bag that I can use for similar situations, with my NYA-EVO Fjord 60-C. It's also carry-on compliant, but it is definitely larger than the GG 30L (so maybe its more likely to be challenged?). I will tend to choose the NYA bag over the GG if I am traveling to places where I expect there to be snowy conditions.
So yes, while it probably is a consideration (detractor?) when you are considering a bag that provides access from the back (opposite the shoulder straps), I would suggest not letting that be an automatic show stopper. For my purposes, the pros of the Gura Gear bag definitely outweigh the cons, and I don't hesitate to use it when the need arises.
As always, YMMV.
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BrandonSi
New member
Hey all, I'm new. Primarily shoot sports, but you guys are doing such cool bag talk in the context of big lenses that I had to register.. This calling back to page 1 on the thread, talking about the MrJanGear Ortleib insert.. Here's a shot of the Ortleib Atrack 45L insert they sell, and I'm considering picking it up as I already have the bag and have always struggled with an insert for it for camera gear.
I don't speak Nikon, just Canon.. so apologies for the silly question, but what lens are we looking at here that's in the Ortleib insert? Is that 400?
Attachments
arbitrage
Well-known member
I can't say for sure but the overall length vs width of that lens looks more like a 600/4 to me than a 400/2.8. I could be wrong.
arbitrage
Well-known member
GuraGear Spring Sale....20% off the Kiboko line. Code is MAY20
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
The "best" Gura Gear is the one they no longer make right? The OG 30L?
Not that I need any more bags... but I think that's the one that gets referenced as having the most amount of space for these big primes. And without the reduced depth and laptop sleeve the newer models have.
arbitrage
Well-known member
I like my OG Kiboko 30L the best. I also have the 32L Bataflae and 26L Bataflae which are decent. I haven't used the newer ones.
I use them more for storage at home than out in the field these days. I wouldn't purchase another one at this point as I prefer a rear entry for out in the field when putting the bag on the ground. My F-stop Ajna and my new F-stop Kashmir 2 AIR get the most use these days. I'm sure if I ever sprung for the Nya-Evo it would become my fav.
Cyflect
New member
Love this thread!
Seeking some guidance, @arbitrage has already been super helpful in another thread but opening it up to the wider brain trust
Currently using a Shimoda X70 HD to carry all my stuff for local trips, car trips etc, but have a large international holiday coming up and the X70 HD will 100% not be allowed on the plane
not to mention some quality issues that are making me keen for a change.
I'm 6'3, larger build - so small bags are 100% no go for me.
Wanting to carry;
Must haves;
Seeking some guidance, @arbitrage has already been super helpful in another thread but opening it up to the wider brain trust
Currently using a Shimoda X70 HD to carry all my stuff for local trips, car trips etc, but have a large international holiday coming up and the X70 HD will 100% not be allowed on the plane
not to mention some quality issues that are making me keen for a change.I'm 6'3, larger build - so small bags are 100% no go for me.
Wanting to carry;
- 1-2x Sony A1 II + Battery Grip
- 1x 300mm F.28
- 1x 1.4 TC + 2x TC (May only take one at a time, but would be nice to hold both for the 300mm)
- 1x 50-150 F2 (Or 70-200 F.28)
- 1x 28-70 F2
Must haves;
- Removeable waist belt, I rarely use these so they MUST be able to be yeeted on demand.
- Relatively lightweight, with a 7-10kg carryon allowance I can't have a 4kg empty backpack.
- Long shoulder straps, Tenba is a little guilty of this, having short shoulder straps (for me) that end up digging in to my underarms.
fcotterill
Well-known member
Perhaps one of MindShift Rotation packs will work for you. Their Elite 45L has a removable waist belt with the top lid as a pouch, but it's larger but can be squeezed with straps.
Another option is a medium sized Vanguard backpack like the 45D Alta
My core strategy is to find the suitably sized ICU for the kit, and fit the pack around this. I always wear a photography waistcoat with many copious pockets. This swallows smaller lenses and even a gripped Nikon ILC.
bcgforums.com
bcgforums.com
Another option is a medium sized Vanguard backpack like the 45D Alta
My core strategy is to find the suitably sized ICU for the kit, and fit the pack around this. I always wear a photography waistcoat with many copious pockets. This swallows smaller lenses and even a gripped Nikon ILC.
Bag for Regional Jets
I have the Mindshift Backlight 36L. In it I have my Z8 (unmounted), Z180-600 (hood reversed), Z 800 with the short (6.26 inches across) Zemlin Hood reversed, Z24-120 and some miscellaneous items. My only issue is the bag is too deep (thick) to fit into a regional jet overhead bin. Any thoughts...
bcgforums.com
Another Backpack Question...
I’m bit confused with the dimensions regarding backpack bags for the large primes. I tried the Kiboko Gura Gear 30L+ and I didn’t feel you could really fit the Sony 600mm GM with the hood turned round. Same way with the Nikon. The fit is too tight for my liking. I also tried a friend's older...
bcgforums.com
rjb138
New member
Nice bag and insert. Good info to know
FYI - in his recent Galapogos video, Steve used an Ortlieb Atrack with a PGYTECH Camera Insert (large) - don't know what size Atrack, though.
arbitrage
Well-known member
Looking at those requirements maybe something like the Nya-Evo 60C but with the Large RCI as you wouldn't need the XL for your gear list. Then you would have plenty of extra room above the RCI for your other stuff. You could maybe go down to the 50 but for the life of me I can't find any photos of how the different RCIs fit in the 50 on their website and their RCI product pages don't reference the 50 at all. Even a 36C leaves 15% free space with the Large RCI but the 36 may feel like too small of a bag on your back?? Sounds like you've already tried the 60C though.Love this thread!
Seeking some guidance, @arbitrage has already been super helpful in another thread but opening it up to the wider brain trust
Currently using a Shimoda X70 HD to carry all my stuff for local trips, car trips etc, but have a large international holiday coming up and the X70 HD will 100% not be allowed on the plane
I'm 6'3, larger build - so small bags are 100% no go for me.
Wanting to carry;
On top of that, spare batteries, cables, cleaning gear etc - general things, but no *set* loadout, the bare minimum would be the bodies / lenses above. The bag must have room other than just internal cube storage that takes up the entire bag. (NYA-EVO F60C with an XL cube is guilty of this, basically uses the entire bag, also wasn't a huge fan of the dividers)
- 1-2x Sony A1 II + Battery Grip
- 1x 300mm F.28
- 1x 1.4 TC + 2x TC (May only take one at a time, but would be nice to hold both for the 300mm)
- 1x 50-150 F2 (Or 70-200 F.28)
- 1x 28-70 F2
Must haves;
I've been looking on and off for 2 years and have gone through tonnes of bags, but I'm open to hearing ANY suggestions!
- Removeable waist belt, I rarely use these so they MUST be able to be yeeted on demand.
- Relatively lightweight, with a 7-10kg carryon allowance I can't have a 4kg empty backpack.
- Long shoulder straps, Tenba is a little guilty of this, having short shoulder straps (for me) that end up digging in to my underarms.
The GuraGear bags you've asked about in the other thread may make sense also. They have removable waist belt and even shoulder straps if you really want to turn it into more of a suitcase on the plane. You could go down to a 22L but then that might feel like too small/short of a bag on your back. Probably better to go for the 30L and then make use of the extra space for your accessories.
The F-stop bags don't have removable hip belts so those won't meet your need.
I have both the 60C and 36L Nya-Evo packs and a large RCI which I share between the two. The extra head space on the 60C enables me to cram more into the pack when I have the convenience of being able (or need) to bring a larger bag. (I bought the 36L for travel in March that would include a bus ride where I wanted the bag to ride inside with me.) Both fit into most overhead compartments on flights, including many commuter aircraft, though the 36L is a safer bet. I’m in Toronto now (I drove here) and brought the following gear with me in the 36L:
Z8 with 600 PF mounted (no hood… currently with the TC mounted, too)
Z7ii (no lens mounted)
Nikon 20/1.8 S (hood detached)
Nikon 24-70/2.8 S (hood detached)
Voigtlander 125/2.5 (hood attached)
Nikon 1.4 TC Z
FTZii
Batteries, small hub (with CFE reader), Samsung SSD
Remote triggers
Memory card case
Assorted USB cables
Rocket blower
Kase mag filters (in top compartment)
I still have room to squeeze more in, mainly in the top compartment.
The waist belt is removable, comfortable shoulder straps, excellent zippers/pulls.
Z8 with 600 PF mounted (no hood… currently with the TC mounted, too)
Z7ii (no lens mounted)
Nikon 20/1.8 S (hood detached)
Nikon 24-70/2.8 S (hood detached)
Voigtlander 125/2.5 (hood attached)
Nikon 1.4 TC Z
FTZii
Batteries, small hub (with CFE reader), Samsung SSD
Remote triggers
Memory card case
Assorted USB cables
Rocket blower
Kase mag filters (in top compartment)
I still have room to squeeze more in, mainly in the top compartment.
The waist belt is removable, comfortable shoulder straps, excellent zippers/pulls.
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
I was able to do some more digging and find out the difference between the OG 30L and the 30L V2, as well as the 30L V2 +.
Gura Gear Kiboko V2.0 - A Great Camera Bag Made Better
The Gura Gear Kiboko camera bag features unique features designed for photographers who travel. We tested all four sizes.
shuttermuse.com
"In the re-design, the Kiboko bags have also gotten slightly smaller to fall in line with tighter airline carry-on regulations. The external dimensions of the original Kiboko 30L were 14.0 x 21.0 x 8.5″ (35.6 x 53.3 x 21.6 cm) compared to the dimensions of the new Kiboko 30L V2.0 which are 12.6 x 20.47 x 6.69″ / 32 x 52 x 17 cm. Note that despite the smaller dimensions, both bags are still called “30L”, which underlines my previously-made point about not fixating on quoted bag volumes and concentrating on what will fit inside them."
Thanks to you goons... I'm now considering adding a GG V2 30L to my kit while they're on sale, to replace my Boris IV. The fact that it opens from the back is silly, but I would use it 99% of the time just for airline travel. Once I get to my destination, I'm usually pulling gear out while in a car anyways, and leaving the backpack behind.
Until I made this thread and started looking at the dimensions, I didn't realize how much bigger (AND HEAVIER) the Boris IV was.
My only hesitation is I can't imagine when I would pick a GG30 over a Nya Evo 60L. Functionally, the Nya wins all day. and I don't think I'm ever likely to own a 400/600 or 400/800 lens at the same time again, which is the only thing the Nya couldn't fit, that the GG30 could fit.
If I get some extra time, I might make a new thread dedicated to airlines and personal carry items. I've been using a Fjallraven Greenland shoulder bag with a Tenba BYOB 10 insert, but it seems the Gura Gear Chobe 2.0 16" might be a better choice.
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ivancook
New member
What all are you fitting in the Fjallraven Greenland shoulder bag with a Tenba BYOB 10 insert? I'd love a shoulder bag that will discreetly hold a Z8 with 400TC attached.I was able to do some more digging and find out the difference between the OG 30L and the 30L V2, as well as the 30L V2 +.
Gura Gear Kiboko V2.0 - A Great Camera Bag Made Better
The Gura Gear Kiboko camera bag features unique features designed for photographers who travel. We tested all four sizes.
"In the re-design, the Kiboko bags have also gotten slightly smaller to fall in line with tighter airline carry-on regulations. The external dimensions of the original Kiboko 30L were 14.0 x 21.0 x 8.5″ (35.6 x 53.3 x 21.6 cm) compared to the dimensions of the new Kiboko 30L V2.0 which are 12.6 x 20.47 x 6.69″ / 32 x 52 x 17 cm. Note that despite the smaller dimensions, both bags are still called “30L”, which underlines my previously-made point about not fixating on quoted bag volumes and concentrating on what will fit inside them."
Thanks to you goons... I'm now considering adding a GG V2 30L to my kit while they're on sale, to replace my Boris IV. The fact that it opens from the back is silly, but I would use it 99% of the time just for airline travel. Once I get to my destination, I'm usually pulling gear out while in a car anyways, and leaving the backpack behind.
Until I made this thread and started looking at the dimensions, I didn't realize how much bigger (AND HEAVIER) the Boris IV was.
My only hesitation is I can't imagine when I would pick a GG30 over a Nya Evo 60L. Functionally, the Nya wins all day. and I don't think I'm ever likely to own a 400/600 or 400/800 lens at the same time again, which is the only thing the Nya couldn't fit, that the GG30 could fit.
If I get some extra time, I might make a new thread dedicated to airlines and personal carry items. I've been using a Fjallraven Greenland shoulder bag with a Tenba BYOB 10 insert, but it seems the Gura Gear Chobe 2.0 16" might be a better choice.
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
400TC and discreet don't belong in the same sentence lol.
The shoulder bag will fit like 3 small lenses. A pair of 14mm f1.4 and a 35-150 for example. It barely fits a 300GM.
Yeah, like he said, the Z 400 TC isn't going into anything that is actually a "shoulder bag". I have the lens and body. I also have a wide range of baggage....; - ) one is from my days as a bike messenger in Chicago and it just barely fits a Canon RF 100-300/2.8 plus an R3, while I can 'just' squeeze the slightly larger R1, the short sized R5ii is the best combo as it can in and out of the bag with no fuss.
I could see a proper narrow backpack though, like the one Tenba makes that might be just long enough for the Z9+400 TC combo. While it is a "backpack" it's also designed with a lower side entry portal for a short lens on a body but you could use that spot for extras like tele ext, drop-in filter, battery, snacks.
I like the Tenba designs and have the very much a "backpack" Axis 36L and it fits the 600 TC with a Z9 on it down one side and the 400 TC with a body on it (or similar size) also fits along the other side. This is actually only possible by not using the factory lens hoods that are bulky. I have the Zemlin lens caps on all of my teles which allows this amazingly dense lens and body combo to fit into an INT'L legal sized carry on shape of the Axis 36.
Cyflect
New member
Has anyone tried the cut-yourself dividers that Nya-Evo are selling?
Keen to hear thoughts, I wasn't super impressed with Nya's included dividers in the RCI's coming from the more rigid Shimoda dividers.
Keen to hear thoughts, I wasn't super impressed with Nya's included dividers in the RCI's coming from the more rigid Shimoda dividers.
What size ICU is he using in that great military pack he uses, do you know; I asked him but he gets thousands of comments....