Traveling with G1

We will be traveling to London, Paris, and Amsterdam in a couple of months and I will be bringing along my G1, with both lenses and an extra battery. I have previously only traveled with a P&S which fit in my pocket so I'm not sure how I should carry around my equipment.

My first concern is theft. Most of the camera bags/backpacks I have found online are designed for 'easy access'. This is great for normal situations but is a detriment if you're in an area where pickpocketing is a pretty regular occurrence. The one exception I've noticed is the lowepro flipside, which opens towards your back.

I also am looking for something which is comfortable and can withstand rain if we're caught out in it. We will walking a good bit each day, and don't want to have to run back to the hotel every time it starts to rain to drop off the camera.

I'm not sure what style of bag would be the best, possibly backpacks? Should I just get a regular (non-camera) backpack and then maybe put a smaller camera bag inside that pack? I see those 'Pacsafe' bags advertised a lot, are those a good option?

Is it worth it to get one of those slash-proof neck straps? It will most likely be cold enough for us to wear jackets the whole time, so I plan to keep the actual camera strapped to my neck and hidden under my jacket when not in use.

I recently traveled to Europe with my G1 and only the mounted lens. I have a LowePro Rezo 110AW which fits that camera combination perfectly. I carry it with the strap around my neck, sort of over the shoulder. That makes it convenient to access, and is easy to sling behind me if I need both hands free.

The opening is on the back, sort of the other way around, so deft fingers would be required compared to the more common front opening style. Finally, it also includes a waterproof cover in case of rain (you'll probably need it in Amsterdam in the spring).

When I get my extra lenses I will buy the same style but larger, check the Rezo 160AW.

John

After having visited those same places numerous times, I have never had a problem with theft or even the hint of it. I did have a camera stolen in Prague however. I normally take a messenger style camera bag that can hold more than just a camera. I often carry an extra sweatshirt or some article of clothing and having one bag to carry it all is great. Plus, if you purchase anything while you are walking around, that will give you a place to carry it. All the major camera bag makers have a messenger style bag. One good thing is they don't look like camera bags signalling TOURIST to all passersby.

I'm traveling in London, Rome, and Paris right now with a 2 lens G1 in a Lowepro EX140. It fits both the lens and the charger with a bit of cramming. It is not waterproof, but has been protective enough in the rains we've encountered.

I'm using it with a wrist strap, so it's often in hand, but it's light in the bag, so it really isn't such a strain. The bag sits in front, so it's much safer. I'd be nervous about any kind of backpack, because you simply can't keep an eye on it.

I'm very much a beginner and am using it in AI snapshot mode, having to remember to reset it everytime I adjust EV or use MF, but the EVF is just great. I can see when I need to adjust exposure or use vivid colors, etc. It lets me keep up with the family and the tours while getting superior shots. It's really what I wanted in a digital.

I use a modest sized shoulder bag, canvas in black color with black trim, from Domke or Billingham. They're generally unobtrusive and allow good access to the equipment while not screaming "look at me, I am expensive equipment". In hundreds of days worth of trips to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Milan, etc etc, I've never once had a problem with theft. Just keep your wits about you and stay observant of your surroundings.

I don't use neckstraps on my cameras. I use wrist straps and keep them in the bag when not in use. I absolutely hate having a camera around my neck or hanging from my shoulder ... it's always in the way or trying to slip off. I wear the shoulder bags bandolier style and run them around to my back when walking, bring them forward to be at my waist/front when shooting.

For the size kit you're taking, the Domke F5XB would be perfect: plenty of room for that gear and to spare for all the other junk one carries about. Similar sized bag in the Billingham line is the L2 "Alice": it has a bit more space and is more weatherproof. If you prefer a bag which is more of a satchel, the Domke F803 Camera Satchel or Billingham Hadley line are superb ... A Billingham Hadley Pro is my current "I use it constantly" choice in bags. The Hadley Classic is more than enough for the kit your intending to carry.

Kata is a relative newcomer to the still photography bag world but I've been fairly impressed with their offerings. I like the DB (satchel) and DC (regular shoulder) bag lines ... they're available in several sizes and are thoughtfully designed. http://www.kata-bags.com

Godfrey

faced with a similar necessity I ordered a Lowepro Orion Mini Beltpack. On paper it should be capable of containing all the G1 kit, with the two lenses one mounted or both unmounted, extra battery, charger and cord, manual and a battery powered external hard disk (X-Drive). Hope it works in practice.

That's how Spartan mothers told their sons they should return from battle, either carrying their shield in triumph, or carried on it in honorable death. Not left behind as they ran to save their lives.

If you have your camera out at all reasonable times, you will grow as a photographer. Your brain, eye and heart will work in coordination. You will be spontaneous, make lots of enjoyable mistakes, and have hours of fun. If you keep it in a case, you will make pictures like the postcards you could buy, but with worse lighting and less resolution.

When you don't want your camera out (and where would that be, excacly?) Put the body in one jacket pocket, the lens in another, and hand the second lens to your wife for jacket or purse.

If you leave your camera in contact with life, your photos will live.

--
Frank
http://www.sidewalkshadows.com

Godfrey said:

I use a modest sized shoulder bag, canvas in black color with black
trim, from Domke or Billingham. They're generally unobtrusive and
allow good access to the equipment while not screaming "look at me, I
am expensive equipment". In hundreds of days worth of trips to
London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Milan, etc etc,
I've never once had a problem with theft. Just keep your wits about
you and stay observant of your surroundings.

For the size kit you're taking, the Domke F5XB would be perfect:
plenty of room for that gear and to spare for all the other junk one
carries about. Similar sized bag in the Billingham line is the L2
"Alice": it has a bit more space and is more weatherproof.

Godfrey

Click to expand...

I second the unobtrusive Domke F5XB, though I have mine in olive green with some vintage WWII army air corps patches on it. Over the past year or two, I've taken it (the bag, but obviously not the G1) to places like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka, Mexico City, Montreal, and New York, and never had any theft issues. Just make sure you keep your bag slung in front of you when you're in a crowd, and at your side when you're seated at a table. It helps if you can portray an air of touch-my-bag-and-I'll-break-your-puny-neck-type confidence, but we all can't be Jason Bourne, right?

As I've mentioned elsewhere in this forum, I can fit my G1 + 14-45 lens, 45-200 lens, and FL36 flash comfortably in the bag. If I get any more lenses, I may have to consider the F5XC, but for now, I'm pretty much golden.

Amen to all of that. Leave your paranoia at home. It will spoil your trip. Use the camera as openly and freely as you can (how else will you be able to shoot all the wonderful things that happen around you, except on the fly?), and don't worry. If a strengthened neckstrap makes you feel better, use one. At least that won't slow you donw. But to keep your camera in way that requires stopping and digging it out, while your shot flies off into nowhere, is a waste. You cross the street many times a day, and don't worry about being hit by a car, even though thousands of people are hit by cars annually. Keep that attitude.

mprice78 said:

I'm not sure what style of bag would be the best, possibly backpacks?
Should I just get a regular (non-camera) backpack and then maybe put
a smaller camera bag inside that pack?

Click to expand...

I do that with my D40x quite a bit when I am taking a backpack along anyway. Not the handiest thing for access but I can take the smaller camera bag out and use it as an over the shoulder bag when I need to. And the backpack is no more conspicuous than anyone else with a backpack.

I only do it with D40x and one lens, though, because that small bag won't hold any more than that (it is a cheap case logic bag). The G1 being smaller and the lenses being a lot smaller, you might be able to find a bag that would hold the camera and an extra lens and still fit well in a backpack.

--
Stu
D40x, TZ4
.

I don't have the G1 (yet...) but I've had great luck carrying my Ricoh in a small messenger-type bag. I keep the camera in a small protective wrap with velcro closures - I think the brand is Pro-Tech. Having a bag that doesn't look like a camera bag is a great advantage, since the street art that I'm concentrating on is usually found in sketchy areas.

John.Laninga said:

I recently traveled to Europe with my G1 and only the mounted lens.
I have a LowePro Rezo 110AW which fits that camera combination
perfectly. I carry it with the strap around my neck, sort of over
the shoulder. That makes it convenient to access, and is easy to
sling behind me if I need both hands free.

The opening is on the back, sort of the other way around, so deft
fingers would be required compared to the more common front opening
style. Finally, it also includes a waterproof cover in case of rain
(you'll probably need it in Amsterdam in the spring).

When I get my extra lenses I will buy the same style but larger,
check the Rezo 160AW.

John
--

Click to expand...

The Rezo 140AW will hold the G1 double lens kit. And if you happen to be using the 45-200 at the time, just reverse the hood, and the G1 slips right in.

Warren

I shared these shots in another post...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=30761947

I have the G1 and I carry it in a Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW sling bag. There is plenty of room in the 200 model for the G1, filters, etc. I’ve even managed to stuff a light jacket into it, when the weather was variable. It has a couple of external pockets, too. Here’s a link to a review of the bag.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Lowepro-Slingshot-200-AW-Review.aspx

I took the Slingshot 200 AW to Chicago with me. I traveled there by train and took public transportation while I was there. The neat thing about sling bags is that they carry like a back pack but you can swing them around to in front of you is a second. When I was standing on a crowed bus or train, I kept the bag in front of me where I could protect its contents. When seating was available, I could also swing it around quickly to the front so that I could easily sit down without having to remove it.

I looked at several manufacturer’s sling bags before I purchased one; but I liked the Lowepro model best. It seemed to me to have the best access to camera and paraphernalia.

Having used the Slingshot 200 AW, I would guess that the 100 model might be too small, unless you don’t have much extra stuff to go along with your camera; and I would guess that the 300 model might be too big, unless you carry an awful lot of stuff. Now that I think of it, the 300 might just serve nicely as a combination camera bag/back pack for traveling.

I hope this helps, Jack

firefox23508 said:

After having visited those same places numerous times, I have never
had a problem with theft or even the hint of it. I did have a camera
stolen in Prague however. I normally take a messenger style camera
bag that can hold more than just a camera. I often carry an extra
sweatshirt or some article of clothing and having one bag to carry it
all is great. Plus, if you purchase anything while you are walking
around, that will give you a place to carry it. All the major camera
bag makers have a messenger style bag. One good thing is they don't
look like camera bags signalling TOURIST to all passersby.

Click to expand...

Two years ago, while in Paris I heard someone screaming across the street. All of a sudden someone come out of a Metro entrance running like mad, clutching something in his hands and turning the corner. Another person, english speaking, came of the the same metro entrance yelling, ran a few feet and stopped. He had just been robbed of his camera equipement.

After that incident, everytime I used the Paris metro, I always arranged to have my shoulder bag in front of me, with my right arm over it.

Today I have both Crumpler 4 and a Crumpler 5 bags. They don't look like camera bags and I feel confortable with them. The Crumpler 4 is as small as can be and still carry the basic G1 two lens kit.

--
Villebon

Jack Kaufman said:

Having used the Slingshot 200 AW, I would guess that the 100 model
might be too small, unless you don’t have much extra stuff to go
along with your camera; and I would guess that the 300 model might be
too big, unless you carry an awful lot of stuff. Now that I think of
it, the 300 might just serve nicely as a combination camera bag/back
pack for traveling.

Click to expand...

I have both a 200 and 100 Sling. I use the 200 with a 5D and 3 lenses--one mounted plus 2 more (though a 70-200 won't easily fit but I rarely carry it). When I bought a used 400D/XTi this summer for a 'hiking' long walking day camera to use instead of my G9---I bought the 100 and its terrific for that size camera with a 17-35 f/2.8-4 zoom and one or 2 primes. It has a smaller compartment on the top for lunch or sweatshirt (than the 200), but its still usable for that. The front pocket will hold batteries, some personal stuff. In fact--the G1 is a bit lost in it with the 14-45 and 45-200 so when I get a 3rd or maybe a 4th lens, there should be plenty of room for it. I should mention I even used it for my 5D this Fall with a Tamron 28-75 plus a 50 f/1.4. So--I can heartily recommend the LP 100 Sling AW for the G1 plus lenses and other gear if you want that type of bag. I like them particularly for hiking as I said--or any prolonged walking.

For everyday I use that same Domke 5xB--I had it for the G9 with accessories, used it with the 400D with 2 lenses and its perfect for the G1 and 14-45 and 45-200 but most will use it as a shoulder bag. I'm not sure what Godfrey means by Gondelier style--but i suspect its the same way I use it often--with the strap lengthened and then diagonally across my chest and back--it conforms pretty well to your body so with only a lens, etc. in when you are handcarrying the G1--its so light its almost unnoticeable--whereas the Sling will seem a lot more just by reason of its construction and the way its carried. I like both--and I have many bags--my several faves are the 2 Slings and my 3 Domkes--I dislike structured bags so I have several from smaller to quite large including 2 backpacks sitting unused (and if I didn't procrastinate so much in selling gear they would be gone).

Diane
--
Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/galleries

I highly recommend the Billingham Hadley Pro (buy also a shoulder pad!):
http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/products.asp?PT_ID=168&P=Billingham

This is an excellent bag that doesn't scream "expensive camera inside!", and it is easy to open for you but not for thieves. I use it with the G1 plus two lenses (Pana 45-200 and Oly 9-18) with accessories and can still carry my wallet and some other stuff in it. It is rain proof and very light. BTW: I am using the same bag for my Panasonic FZ28, and I am using the Billingham Alice bag as my everyday bag in which I carry the LX3 and a lot of other stuff.

--
Gabi

http://www.gabis-galleries.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzcrab