backpack for a big hasselblad kit

[Mark Fisher]

I currently tote my 50-80-150 lens kit with film, spot meter, prism, etc. In a Hadley Pro bag (a going away gift from co-workers), It is really, really full.....and I'd like to get a 250mm lens. That is too much for my shoulders so on the back it must go. I like shoulder bags because they are so easy to work out of, but I expect I'll use the 250 enough to justify the switch to a backpack. It should also give me some extra room for an extra back as I am thinking about shooting chromes a bit also. Anyway, is anyone out there toting this sort of kit? What is your bag strategy? I looked at Thinktank a bit and they looked promising. Alternatively, I may just take something like a Kelty Redwing and put in the padding, etc, myself

 

[Travis Nunn]

Hi Mark, I use a Lowepro Mini Trekker AW for my RB67 kit which includes a body, prism, 4 lenses, an extra back and I still have plenty of room for lens hoods, film, filters, etc...
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Mini-Trekker-AW,1965,14.htm

 

[amac212]

Hi Mark. I have been very pleased with my Domke 4AF. It is deceptively small looking and I love that it's a drab olive waterproof canvas. It has removeable padding and can easily go in the washingmachine. With a purchase of the Domke Post Office Shoulder Pad, even more comfortable for long treks in the woods. Here's what I carry usually carry in mine to give you an idea:

Hasselblad 503cw
3 A12 backs
3 lenses [50mm, 80mm 150mm - one is usally attached to body]1 Pola back
Large meter
Air cable and small cable
3 Filters
Prism Viewfinder
3 extension rings
1 Quick Release Plate
Lots of Film
Digital recorder (I record every exposure)

I have to pick and choose if I want to carry a really large lense like my 40mm, but you get the gist of its capabilities.

 

[JLP]

I recently added a fourth lens to my kit and had to get a larger bag. I chose the Lowe Pro Flipside 400 and have not regretted.
It takes a little getting used to but it's main feature is that you can keep the waist strap on, take of the shoulder straps and swing the bag around in front of you. You access the insde of the bag from the back. Standing in water this is a huge advantage.

That said, i do not have a lens as long as the 250. my lenses are 40, 50, 80 and 150 a 503CW and 3 backs.
There is room for filters and small stuff in front of the bag and i have bought one of the lens attachments which holds my extra film rolls.
It is possible that one of the many lens attachments would hold your 250mm.

 

[Mark Fisher]

Travis, thanks for the tip on the mini-trekker....I think I have one in the basement from about 20 years ago! amac212: Actually that is the bag that I used regularly before I was given the Hadley. With the pad, it carries a 3 lens kit really well. Jan: really interesting bag. I may need to check it out!

 

[jeffreyg]

I have used a Tamrac 787 for the past twelve years. It easily accommodates two Hasselblad bodies/backs and three or more lenses plus other goodies and a Gortex shell and many rolls of film. The interior can be configured as you wish with removable inserts. It is adjustable for a comfortable fit. Of course it doesn't have to be filled but I prefer more space as opposed to less. There are accessory attachments that can be added as well. My 250 easily fits and it can be configured to fit my 350. It fits overhead compartments in airplanes being just under 20in. I'm not sure what the current model number is and even back the it was costly but it definitely has been worth it.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[Andrew Moxom]

My blad kit all fits into a lowepro AW 'Orion' Hip back that is also convertible to a backpack. I can get my Hasselblad body, 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, and a darlot petzval, my 'great hassel lens', a spare back, 10 rolls of film and my gossen Luniasix 3s into the bottom half. You can get the Lowepro lens cases to fit around the waist belt if you needed one, or just put them inside the top half of the backpack when you want to go fully laden. It makes for a very compact and modular set up.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I hiked in Yosemite with my Lowe Pro Slingshot 302 with a Mamiya system. I carried 1 body, a 50mm, a 90mm, prism and a Giottos carbon fiber tripod with ball head. It killed my shoulder. If I knew better, I would have bought a full backpack. What was a saving grace of the bag was a hip strap that took some load off my shoulders. From my experience, get a backpack with hip straps. Lowe Pro makes excellent bags, but heavy loads don't work well with slingshot bags. I weighed the bag it it was 18 pound loaded.

 

[kebal]

Check out the packs from F-Stop, if you haven't already.
http://fstopgear.com/

I use a Loka with medium ICU for my Hasselblad outfit: 500 C/M, 2 backs, 3 lenses, extension tubes, teleconverter, spot meter, pro hood, tripod, etc. If you have more kit, you can use a larger insert, although that won't leave room for much else. They also make a couple bigger packs.

 

[bdial]

I recently bought a Tamrac Summit backpack. I haven't tried it with the Hassy kit, but my 5x7 Korona fits nicely in it, with some holders, meter, reducing back, and a couple of lenses. It would hold a pretty extensive Hasselblad kit easily. I use strap on external pockets for the holders.
It's very nicely made and comfortable to carry IMO. Well padded, stands up on its own, very flexible partitioning.

 

[Alastair_I]

A Lowepro Prorunner 300AW swallows into the main compartment, based on my MF kit:

• RB67 Pro S with attached 180mm, 120 back, wlf
• 90mm
• Spare back
• L-grip
• Filters
• Film
• Cable release and odds'n'sods

Plus two from three..

• 360mm
• Polaroid back and packfilm
• Sekonic L-758

And that's about as much as I want to carry weightwise, along with the tripod on the external clip. If you want more, it has attachment points for the sliplock system. And it's small enough to fly European budget carry-on.

But, there is no magic bag.. and one bag will never be enough

 

[one90guy]

For me Mountainsmith works, it carry's more than I want to carry. It is comfortable, and i have a real bad back. I tryed several before finding one I like. The worst was the big Tamarac shoulder bag, used it once.

 

[benjiboy]

If I had this problem I'd take all my gear into a camera store and try it in several brands of backpack until I found the right one.

 

[Mark Fisher]

Even in Chicago, it is surprisingly hard to try a bunch. Calumet will have a handful out on the floor in this size range and they are the biggest.

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Most of the larger backpacks from the known bag makers would suffice. I use a ThinkTank Streetwalker Hardrive to carry a similar kit, but with a 500mm lens along too on occasion.

Just make sure that the straps are high quality, I've seen some cheaper backpacks that, that's the first part to give in and pull loose sending your gear dropping.

 

[Frank Bunnik]

I had the exact same kit as you have + a 250mm lens and all of that fitted into a hadley (stacking the 80mm on top of the 50 or 150mm lens). Heavy indeed. When I trekked to Everest base camp and the Gokyo lakes in Nepal, I brought the 50mm, 150mm and 250mm lenses in a Lowepro Computrekker. Fine bag, not too heavy when empty. Everything fitted with plenty of room for an extra lens.

Good luck with your choice, Frank
www.frankbunnik.zenfolio.com

 

[fenderslash]

I recently added a fourth lens to my kit and had to get a larger bag. I chose the Lowe Pro Flipside 400 and have not regretted.
It takes a little getting used to but it's main feature is that you can keep the waist strap on, take of the shoulder straps and swing the bag around in front of you. You access the insde of the bag from the back. Standing in water this is a huge advantage.

That said, i do not have a lens as long as the 250. my lenses are 40, 50, 80 and 150 a 503CW and 3 backs.
There is room for filters and small stuff in front of the bag and i have bought one of the lens attachments which holds my extra film rolls.
It is possible that one of the many lens attachments would hold your 250mm.

I have this bag too and I really like it. When solidly packed it can carry a lot of gear. Earlier this year I travelled with a three-lens Hasselblad kit (50, 80, 150mm), a three-lens EOS-1v kit, and a Wollensak Stereo 10, all in the Flipside 400. There was no room left for any significant accessories like flash units, etc, although I could still carry smaller stuff like filters, meter, film, etc. Although it carried all this gear the weight was something I'd rather not experience again for extended periods like that! Since I've been back I've been using the backpack as a one-camera kit bag and it's great. You'd have no trouble putting your kit in it I'm sure. One thing that particularly drew me to it, especially for travelling, was how the main compartment is accessed from the side that contacts your back. That's much more secure in my opinion. No low-life in a crowded train can unzip the backpack and steal a lens on the sly.

Having said all that, the only other backpack I own and can compare it to is a Micro-Trekker 200. It can fit my 3-lens Hassy kit with a few small accessories, but it would be too small for a four-lens kit.

The pouch in the top left of the photo is my light meter and the camera at the top of the photo is a Stereo Realist (I ended up taking the Wollensak Stereo 10 on the trip rather than this Realist though). The main flap has some storage space on the inside for thin items, and on the thief-accessible outside rear there is a larger storage space as well for miscellaneous items. Ignore the Canon gear and the Stereo Realist and you'll get an idea of what else you can fit in this backpack on top of my 3-lens 500C/M kit.