Originally Posted by
Emma65
I've tried backpacks in the past and hated them but now I'm a full time film & tv college student and lugging that heavy shoulder bag or pulling my beloved pilot bag is getting to me. My commute to campus is just over an hour. Another reason for me to look at backpacks is that I can't wait for the weather to get better so I can take my bike out and bike around the city with my camera.
I'm starting to look at bags designated to carrying camera and laptop, like the tenba bag where the padded camera compartment can be removed.
Or the slimlined lowepro that will take a camera and ipad.
Either are currentlly at around $100 each.
BTW tried a slingback once. I couldn't return it back to the store fast enough.
Backpackers, please help.
Sounds to me like you've got two separate activities in mind - your daily commute to school, and your anticipated photo rides around town. I think these two activities each call for a completely different setup, so perhaps you might consider buying two bags.
The Tenba you linked looks like it will fit your commute well. It has plenty of space, lots of compartments, and lots of options.
But as others have said, a bag like this is no good for quick access to your gear. When you're biking around town and want to grab a couple of quick shots, you don't want to have to swing that massive Tenba around and root through it for your camera. You'll also be carrying a lot less for a ride than you do for your school day, so you don't need the full monty weighing you down, especially when you're biking. For such biking activities, I would normally recommend a small photo-specific sling bag, because it can be easily swung around to quickly access your camera. But you didn't like the one you tried before.
So, for your biking activity, I suggest a different route - a small backpack or waist pack to carry sundries like spare battery and memory and lens cleaning supplies, coupled with a strap or harness system to carry the camera on your person. After all, when you're out specifically to take pics, you want you camera to be readily accessible, and nothing is as accessible as having the the camera hanging from your shoulders.