Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Greetings,

Some like to be stealthy and conservative, others prefer to be flashy and liberal. I prefer both but don't want a typical looking camera bag. Where's the best places to shop for camera bags with a wide range of selection (store fronts, online stores)? Share some photos, links, cost factor and general comments.

I'm primarily looking at small bags to hold:
- my brand new D90!!! (yay, just upgraded from a D60)
- 35mm lens
- pending...: 1 wide-angle zoom lens
- other things (small accessories, keys, wallet, phone)

Downtown Camera, Henry's, Vistek, Aden, just go in try them out, see which one you like, go back and research online where it's cheaper, hit Add to Cart

http://www.cambags.com is a good place to start, and http://taschenfreak.de/indexliste.htm may be german but pictures are worth a thousand words.

CRUMPLER!!!!!!! :D:D:D

They are stealthy in the sense that they do not look like camera bags but also have crazy flashy colours and things to choose from. Many forum members are addicted to these bags (I am possibly now the worst addicted out of everyone...) and we can all say that they work really well. Henry's and Vistek both have different selections of other brands of bags too. I would suggest perusing their websites and/or stores to check things out.

Crumpler = Mug Me!

The newish Lowepro Classified series seems pretty cool too. I meet a member recently who had a 7D w/grip and the bag did not look like a camera bag to me.

I have been using them for 6 years with no issues in that department at all. most people have no idea what it is and those who do are generally not the ones looking to mug ppl

I beg to differ they are very trendy and not very discreet. I own one because they had a promotion (a case of beer for a crumpler) definitely put it on the flashy side. The mugging comment was sarcasm more likely the first bag after a wallet or a purse that they steal from the front seat of a car.

congrats on the upgrade. The D90 is definately a much much better camera than the D60 is. I use both - D60 at work, and D90 personally.

I don't buy the Crumpler bag as a mug me flag more than any other bag. It would take the thief being able to identify the logo, like any other bag, to know what's possibly inside. If you assume they have an education about that they can also just as likely identify a thinktankowepromke whatever.

They are heavily promoted easily recognizable by design and logo and are a common laptop or net book bag so they are a bigger target then the more discrete bags. Why do you think people buy them?

If you want stealth, then the best I've seen is ... A diaper bag!
(why diapers need so much padding, I don't know)

Next up would be army surplus, some foam panels, and I guess some velcro strips to keep it together. There's a site with instuctions, but I've not gone looking for it again.

'Tho, personally I use a Crumpler, Lowepro, or a Tamrac.

I agree...that logo screams camera bag!

Personally I just use ordinary $20 backpacks like students buy, WITHOUT padding (I HATE padded bags, such a waste of space).

I've been able to squeeze laptop, book, bottled water, several lenses, two bodies in my biggest backpack...and no one would know what's in there...they'd just think books.

Heavily promoted to photographers and hipster doofus people like myself. I haven't met anyone that wasn't a photographer or a hipster doofus that could identify either of my Crumplers. To the thieving world they're no more recognizable, in fact less because they don't have that low key look that blatantly screams "photography equipment!"

just curious - anyone here been mugged of their camera gear before?

Personally I've never spotted a Crumpler bag on the street and I'm pretty observant. I think Crumplers get lost among all the messenger bags out there. LowePros on the other hand always stand out especially when they're sporting a TPMG luggage tag.

Orly?

But you understand the reason for the padding, right?

And you use ordinary backpacks? Are you talking about carrying just a body+attached lens or body and several lenses? If several lenses, mmm...been there, done that and unless I'm desperate or have something to act as padding (ie. clothes or towels) it's less than ideal.

No, and its not a concern of mine either but I also don't do any photography in back alleys at night.

Another option, if you are concerned with slash'n'grabs, would be the Pacsafe line of products.

They have a mesh metal lining inside the bag to prevent people from slashing your bag and grabbing your items.

They have a few camera related bags/accessories.

http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&activity_id=10

I think the Artisan & Artist bags are very nice. They are relatively stealthy too... kind of expensive, though.

http://www.artisanandartist.com/bags/index.htm

I hope no one has been mugged for any reason Toronto is still a pretty safe city for it's size. In 2008 only reported 5,500 robberies not including bicycles. I do know one person that worked at the St. Lawrence Market that was mugged in St. James park, he almost died from head injuries. A computer laptop and a wallet not a camera was taken in this case.

I have had a couple of people hint that they would like to grab my camera but these are are the usual drunks and when they see me take my cell phone out they are quick to move away.

There does seem to be many cases in TO with some on TPMG of equipment being stolen out of a car.

I still find it strange that people think a Crumpler bag is somehow less obvious of a target for thieves then another more conservative bag. Most thieves don't care what they steal as long as they can exchange it for cash. I imagine DSLRs are not as easy to turn into cash as many other things we carry around with us. In my local coffee shops I often see quite a few easily identified Crumpler bags used to hold laptops or the smaller ones holding P&S or used as a purse. I'm sure thieves are just as or more observant when it comes to these sorts of things.

Stealthy they aren't flashy they are nothing wrong with that. For some reason the actual messengers turn their nose up at Crumpler courier bags.

I prefer a Versa bag to Crumpler Crumpler is definitely a "cool" statement, ask Eric

I think you're giving thieves too much brand recognition credit; Crumpler is quite obscure outside of our sphere and the people trying hard to be cool sphere (I have two Crumplers so I'm allowed to say this ). But, if they are aware of Crumpler you can bet they also well know what what a Kata looks like. And a Thinktank and a Domke... and certainly the much more common Lowepro. You may frequent the centre of the Crumpler universe but they're really not the most common bags around so that they would be commonly identifiable. I'm a bag watcher myself and I rarely see them. Look how many people here have them - not many in comparison to other bags (interesting poll maybe?). But on the topic of strange, I find it funny that people think the low key Lowepro, Kata, Domke etc don't scream camera bag. A stuffed 8MDH looks like a diaper bag one could pick up at Zellers to the untrained eye. Flatteringly, that's been pointed out to me a couple times.

I use lowepro bags because of their functionality and price.
All my friends use crumpler bags.

If you want flashy, get a crumpler since they come in bright colors. If you want a black bag, get the above mentioned.

If they are out to mug you, there's nothing you can do except hand them your belongings.

Is a black Crumpler flashy?

lol...nope. I like bright colors..but I still dont have a crumpler.

I don't even know what a Crumpler is, or looks like. Maybe it does scream ''Steal Me' but so what?

I think this board is not representative of the general population. There is a much larger than average 'gearism' inherent in our crowd. Heck, we even have threads here where people discuss the specs on camera lens COFFEE CUPS!

I feel pretty safe in T.O.
Although other peoples' experiences may vary, I'd feel safe even if my camera bag had "Steal Me!! - Expensive camera Inside" emblazoned on it.But then again I'm still riding around on the same 1993 Miyata hybrid bicycle. I can't wait for it to get stolen so I can get a new one.

Seriously, in what neighborhoods and under what circumstances do you need to be in at the time to be under risk of robbery?
How many here shoot Parkdale alley way star trails? or late night Regent Park infared candids? Or late evening remote release shots in Alexandra Park nearKensington Market?
Is this really an issue?

I've got a black Crumpler 6mdh. Unless you know to look for the little rubber circle badge on the bag, nobody would know it's a camera bag.

I also picked up a green Versa knockoff that's designed exactly as a Crumper mdh series, but at a fifth of the cost.

Plus I also have a Crumpler backpack bag. It's the biggest one they have but I forgot the name.

I've probably spent close to $400 on Crumpler bags over the years, and guess what? I will not buy another Crumpler bag again. They look nice, but they have MANY design flaws. Plus they're not particularly cheap.

I realized this too late, and I've been regretting my purchases since.

Fly guy I was not impressed with the way the sides of my crumpler didn't prevent rain from dripping inside. Surprising one of my bags a Lowpro I think has licensed some of the design from crumpler and at least they got that part correct.

Phil wait a few more years I had to wait until my insurance rider came off my bike before any one would steal it.

The original posting was about flashy versus discrete camera bags so nothing if the bag screams "steal me" it a very little like a red Ferrari screaming drive or race me Some bags like some cameras are better for street use, these are usually the cameras and bags that don't scream out anything. Most hopefully all the people on this board have enough street sense to walk around Toronto with a camera. A bag is just a bag no matter how much it screams

I think Crumpler has addressed the rain dripping down the sides thing as the latest generation of MDH bags are now slightly trapezoidal so the flap covers the bag opening pretty well. I've tested in snow and rain fairly extensively with both the 6 and 8 MDHs and had no problems. The only problem I have with my Crumpler is although the 8MDH holds my gear well it's an awful amount of weight on one strap. Even though I've seen the inside of a gym a few times that much weight is too much for a day of shooting and would be better distributed over 2 straps. That doesn't include a couple particularly heavy lenses I'd like to get. The 6MDH is fantastic for it's size and designed function.