Walk-Around Case for Hy6?

[Dave Krueger]

Looking for recommendations for carrying a Hy6 in a field expedition. By "field", I mean any walk-around photo expedition, urban, rural, hiking, etc. I presently use an Ape ACPRO1200 for 35mm equipment and it looks like it would be big enough for a Hy6 w/80mm plus a 40mm lens which might be enough for me. I don't need room for an extra film back. It would be nice to have room for the 50mm, but the weight and size of that thing would be a significant added burden. I like shoulder bags that don't have to be set on the ground to take items in and out of the case.

I'm interested basically in finding out what works for other people in terms of size and ease of use.

 

[Pieter12]

I use a ThinkTank Restrospective 30. It is very flexible. I carry the body fitted with an 80, plus there is room for another (short) lens like the 40 or 150 and a spare battery. The outside pockets are big enough for a film insert, film and filters, even the enormous hood for the 40. Of course, all that gear makes it a bit heavy. When I go hiking or on the road, I usually pack up another ThinkTank bag, the BackLight 26.

 

[Dave Krueger]

I use a ThinkTank Restrospective 30. It is very flexible. I carry the body fitted with an 80, plus there is room for another (short) lens like the 40 or 150 and a spare battery. The outside pockets are big enough for a film insert, film and filters, even the enormous hood for the 40. Of course, all that gear makes it a bit heavy. When I go hiking or on the road, I usually pack up another ThinkTank bag, the BackLight 26.

Thanks. I looked it up on Amazon. Looks good. Do you put the camera in the bag with the lens pointing down. That seems to be the most efficient fit for my Ape bag. Also, I guess I should mention that being able to place it under an airline seat is pretty important. One thing I like about the Ape bag is that it has straps to hold a monopod or tripod. I have very shaky hands, so I almost always at least carry a a small lightweight monopod.

I also looked up the Backlight 26. I've always been intrigued by back packs since they seem to hold so much and distribute the weight across both shoulders instead of just one. The problem is ease of access. For 35mm, I wouldn't consider it, but for large format, I would get one in a heartbeat. I'm not sure about medium format. I have to think about that.

Anyway, I added them to my wishlist as possible solutions.

 

[Pieter12]

The Retrospect will probably fit under a seat if the pockets aren't filled. I put the camera in either bottom-down (it makes the bag bulge a bit) or on its side, with the grip facing up. If you don't have a prism on it, that's the most efficient fit and makes taking the camera out easy. It does not have any steps to attach a mono or tripod, though. The BackLight, on the other hand certainly won't fit under a seat, but it does carry a lot more gear and has a couple of ways to attach a tripod. I don't use it this way, but they show that you can swing the pack around your waist and access gear without having to put the backpack on a surface.

 

[Dave Krueger]

Thanks for the pictures. I am definitely going to have to get a backpack case at some point. A shoulder case is just too limited in size to carry much equipment. I know some of them are supposed to be accessible without having to actually put it down, but I was never quite convinced that it was practical to do that.

Years ago I made equipment cases from carry-on bags that I got from a nearby unclaimed baggage store for, like, $8. I thought they would be great because they have wheels. But, they just make you look really weird. They did a good job protecting the equipment, though. Each had straps for carrying a tripod. My field trips are mostly to urban areas, so there I'd be, pulling one of these things all over town...

Here are ones I made for large and medium format.