How much weight on a Shoulder bag ?

[PankajDubey]

Just a year back I was happily carrying 4-5kg equipment in a shoulder bag (not backpack).

Somehow, now,it feels a bit too much. My comfort zone has moved to around 2kg.

I was wondering how much others would be happy to carry(maximum) with reasonable comfort.

The science is that it should be less that 10% of bodyweight( probably ideal body weight).I think this is probably for short term lifting or carrying at work.

Lastly, which is your preferred shoulder bag. The ones I like are : Passport sling III and small Tenba.

 

[SpacemanUA]

2-2.5 kg as a "compact" option with Vanguard Havana 21.

2.7-3 kg of "usual" load and around 4-4.5 kg with gimbal and all accessories with Vanguard Havana 36.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

2.6kg in a Tenba DNA8.

Small mirrorless (a6500) and three lenses (30, 60, 85) plus one or two bits and pieces. A snug-fit bagful.

Frankly, the car does most of the carrying: I wouldn't want to shoulder it for long. Especially as I always have a bagful of non-photographic rubbish with me as well.

I never could travel light.

 

[uhligfd]

Why carry from the shoulder when you can use a belt system such as from Think Tank, or a backpack that lets you carry weight on the hips.

I have never understood shoulder carrying. Ask your orthopedic doctor and he would warn you of its unnaturalness and how it will eventually hurt you badly. Be smart in these dumbing times.

 

[SpacemanUA]

Fast lens changing, fast access to everything in the bag. And you can always wear it as a sling, so the load will distribute more even.

 

[uhligfd]

Fast lens changing, fast access to everything in the bag. And you can always wear it as a sling, so the load will distribute more even.

Faster lens change definitely with Think Tank belt system or the like.

By minutes ... on the fly I mean, in the jungle, in midstream of a river ... Impossible with shoulder bag lest you have spare lenses somewhere along for the ones that fall out of that shoulder thingy.

Cross shoulder is not really good for your back either. The hip is where you can carry loads! Be hip, spaceman; try it out and never look back!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Why carry from the shoulder when you can use a belt system such as from Think Tank, or a backpack that lets you carry weight on the hips.

I have never understood shoulder carrying. Ask your orthopedic doctor and he would warn you of its unnaturalness and how it will eventually hurt you badly. Be smart in these dumbing times.

Very good point. It is, for me, the habit of a lifetime to carry stuff over one shoulder (not even sling) and I know it is a bad habit. But I am lazy and muscle-less so never anything far. If it was far, I'd be thinking wheely case! :-D

Is a small camera bag with two or three lenses going to hurt us?

--
Just a taker of snapshots

 

[SpacemanUA]

Fast lens changing, fast access to everything in the bag. And you can always wear it as a sling, so the load will distribute more even.

Faster lens change definitely with Think Tank belt system or the like.

By minutes ... on the fly I mean, in the jungle, in midstream of a river ... Impossible with shoulder bag lest you have spare lenses somewhere along for the ones that fall out of that shoulder thingy.

Cross shoulder is not really good for your back either. The hip is where you can carry loads! Be hip, spaceman; try it out and never look back!

And now imagine yourself walking around the city, hiking or travelling with all that "belt system". It looks ridiculous, it takes space and weight (I don't think you'll wear it all the time), and why would I carry all of my lenses on it all of that time? I agree, it's faster and somewhat easier to use, but only if you have some heavy lenses and shooting events like weddings or sports. It makes no sense for regular use unless you look like this just walking around:



And I don't think it's reasonable to carry you gear like this "in the jungle, in midstream of a river". As for the weight - you will anyway have to carry either a backpack or a shoulder bag where you carry your gear. Shoulder bag is handier. Backpack is just a "bag" to carry your gear to a place. I used Lowepro Flipside 300 for a long time and while it was a really nice backpack, getting out a camera from it or (especially) changing lenses was such a pain. After that I switched to shoulder bags, primarily Vanguard, and totally happy with them. With small camera + 3 lenses there's nothing to worry about, and if you need to carry about 5kg of load, it's up to you what to choose. I feel okay with my shoulder bag for it.

 

[Wildalaskaken]

Shoulder bag? Osprey sling, whatever a G9 and 50-200 weighs, together with an extra battery etc

 

[PankajDubey]

Shoulder bag? Osprey sling, whatever a G9 and 50-200 weighs, together with an extra battery etc

 

[Super_T]

Fast lens changing, fast access to everything in the bag. And you can always wear it as a sling, so the load will distribute more even.

Faster lens change definitely with Think Tank belt system or the like.

By minutes ... on the fly I mean, in the jungle, in midstream of a river ... Impossible with shoulder bag lest you have spare lenses somewhere along for the ones that fall out of that shoulder thingy.

Cross shoulder is not really good for your back either. The hip is where you can carry loads! Be hip, spaceman; try it out and never look back!

I usually also have my backpack when walking, 2-25kg, depending of trip. A belt system would really be in the way, both for the backpack hip belt and for the arms (I don't like walking with my arms like a gunman from a ridicolous western movie, and that's also no good for shoulder and neck muscles). And heavy weight at the front of the hip belt - no good for the back, really.

I carry a medium size Think Tank shoulder bag with the camera and one or two lenses 1.5 - 2 kg and often carry camera by hand when walking as I look for motives on my way, putting it in the bag when I need the hand. Extra lenses and equipment sits in the backpack.

I've done hours and hours of walking with this setup without any muscle problems (and after 30 years as IT/Office-worker my back isn't that strong )

BTW: I never had anything falling out of my shoulder 'thingy', and why should hip belt stuff be any better in this regard?

 

[Karafuru]

7KG including bag weight. That's what I can take on a domestic flight before I have to pay extra at the moment.

 

[uhligfd]

No, I would not carry all my gear on a belt. But when I am out shooting I do not carry all of my equipment. Period. I leave most of it behind and take maybe 2 or 3 lenses to choose from: one on camera and one or two spares plus an empty belt pouch to quickly store that on-camera lens away when changing to another focal length.

That is so handy. But I can decide and be happy with what I have with me.Otheres might not. Imagine 3 primes with f/1.4 in a city, in the woods, in the mountains, all in front of my belly. No weight really, nothing swinging about when I climb rocks or cross streams. I am unburdened by all my stuff (rest stays in the car, hotel, home) and I carry weight fixed to my hips.

That is what I had in mind and suggested. The OP wanted to know how many kg he/she should carry in a backpack. Even if it is far to the car from the house, one could easily carry 10 kg over land, but not if one wants to explore and shoot.

Moving house and "all the gear" takes expert carriers, shooting outside the house takes just a few lenses and these must needs not encumber the photog. Then 2 to 3 lenses are enough.

Going loaded to a wedding with lights and tripods and all is another situation. But always carrying all your gear is just nonsense. And carrying large loads on one's shoulder can only be done in one's youth and has consequences on the spine later on.

Just like smoking does ... At first it seems fun, then come the cancers as the body's revenge to abuse.

 

[PankajDubey]

7KG including bag weight. That's what I can take on a domestic flight before I have to pay extra at the moment.

The airline cabin bag is usually hauled for short periods of time and then stay put. I was talking about carrying on a photo walk. Thanks

 

[PankajDubey]

No, I would not carry all my gear on a belt. But when I am out shooting I do not carry all of my equipment. Period. I leave most of it behind and take maybe 2 or 3 lenses to choose from: one on camera and one or two spares plus an empty belt pouch to quickly store that on-camera lens away when changing to another focal length.

That is so handy. But I can decide and be happy with what I have with me.Otheres might not. Imagine 3 primes with f/1.4 in a city, in the woods, in the mountains, all in front of my belly. No weight really, nothing swinging about when I climb rocks or cross streams. I am unburdened by all my stuff (rest stays in the car, hotel, home) and I carry weight fixed to my hips.

That is what I had in mind and suggested. The OP wanted to know how many kg he/she should carry in a backpack. Even if it is far to the car from the house, one could easily carry 10 kg over land, but not if one wants to explore and shoot.

Moving house and "all the gear" takes expert carriers, shooting outside the house takes just a few lenses and these must needs not encumber the photog. Then 2 to 3 lenses are enough.

Going loaded to a wedding with lights and tripods and all is another situation. But always carrying all your gear is just nonsense. And carrying large loads on one's shoulder can only be done in one's youth and has consequences on the spine later on.

Just like smoking does ... At first it seems fun, then come the cancers as the body's revenge to abuse.

Thanks,

Think Tank belt packs (speed freak v2.0) as such are discontinued. Now they are promoting something of a modular system and most are lens changers- very costly to import in India.

I will see what Peak design has to offer.

Passport Sling III can be carried as a sling as well. I find it comfortable for weights upto 2 kg- tha would be A6400+18-105 + one more lens - I have sigma 10-20mm f3.5(Nikon) with commlite adapter- so that is about it that I can carry - that would give 10-105 mm coverage of around f3.5 to f4.

It is the second camera that is the problem - Nikon Df+ voigtlander 56mm 1.4 as I was think of carrying a Full frame as well as APSC.

I haven't yet weaned off myself from Nikon.

 

[José B]

Just a year back I was happily carrying 4-5kg equipment in a shoulder bag (not backpack).

Somehow, now,it feels a bit too much. My comfort zone has moved to around 2kg.

I was wondering how much others would be happy to carry(maximum) with reasonable comfort.

The science is that it should be less that 10% of bodyweight( probably ideal body weight).I think this is probably for short term lifting or carrying at work.

Lastly, which is your preferred shoulder bag. The ones I like are : Passport sling III and small Tenba.

I try to save my shoulders for hitting topspin backhands on the tennis court.

I'm preparing for a trip and it all fits comfortably in my crossbody bag. It weighs 6.62 lbs. Also, I will only take one or two lenses out and leave the rest in my room or cabin. If the weather is sunny throughout I might even leave the bag in the excursion bus and just sling the A6500 and 16-70/4 over my shoulder. And of course an iPhone for obligatory selfies

 

[PankajDubey]

Just a year back I was happily carrying 4-5kg equipment in a shoulder bag (not backpack).

Somehow, now,it feels a bit too much. My comfort zone has moved to around 2kg.

I was wondering how much others would be happy to carry(maximum) with reasonable comfort.

The science is that it should be less that 10% of bodyweight( probably ideal body weight).I think this is probably for short term lifting or carrying at work.

Lastly, which is your preferred shoulder bag. The ones I like are : Passport sling III and small Tenba.

I try to save my shoulders for hitting topspin backhands on the tennis court.

I'm preparing for a trip and it all fits comfortably in my crossbody bag. It weighs 6.62 lbs. Also, I will only take one or two lenses out and leave the rest in my room or cabin. If the weather is sunny throughout I might even leave the bag in the excursion bus and just sling the A6500 and 16-70/4 over my shoulder. And of course an iPhone for obligatory selfies

Sound like a good idea. I think, I may leave the Df+58 1.4 and 35 f2 for the evenings and the Sony set-up for the mornings. This two camera set-up of different makes is the problem.

I may even go with :

A6400+18-105 +19mm f2.8 - one set, and

second set of Df +10-20mm Sigma(APSC mode) and 58mm 1.4 in the evening or night time photography.

Sounds like a clever plan so far- for the Pushkar Mela- camel market fare .

Loading…

htoindia.com

 

[José B]

Sound like a good idea. I think, I may leave the Df+58 1.4 and 35 f2 for the evenings and the Sony set-up for the mornings. This two camera set-up of different makes is the problem.

I may even go with :

A6400+18-105 +19mm f2.8 - one set, and

second set of Df +10-20mm Sigma(APSC mode) and 58mm 1.4 in the evening or night time photography.

Sounds like a clever plan so far- for the Pushkar Mela- camel market fare .

https://htoindia.com/blog/pushkar-camel-mela/

Yes it'll be heavy. The last time I had a two-camera setup was in Alaska (both Canon DSLRs). In my case I didn't want to swap lenses so I brought two cameras.

Of course the advantage in taking two cameras is you have a backup. My backup for this trip is the iPhone Xs which has a great camera.

 

[PankajDubey]

Thanks to all for chipping in.

Passport sling 3 + A waist bag non costly option has been an old camera insert and a water fly fannybag.

2.5kg + 1.5kg Equipment

Loading…

www.amazon.com

 

[GaryW]

Sound like a good idea. I think, I may leave the Df+58 1.4 and 35 f2 for the evenings and the Sony set-up for the mornings. This two camera set-up of different makes is the problem.

I may even go with :

A6400+18-105 +19mm f2.8 - one set, and

second set of Df +10-20mm Sigma(APSC mode) and 58mm 1.4 in the evening or night time photography.

Sounds like a clever plan so far- for the Pushkar Mela- camel market fare .

https://htoindia.com/blog/pushkar-camel-mela/

Yes it'll be heavy. The last time I had a two-camera setup was in Alaska (both Canon DSLRs). In my case I didn't want to swap lenses so I brought two cameras.

Regarding bags, I have two kinds of strategies -- everything I need on a trip, I'll probably put in a larger bag, but for an outing where I'll be walking, I only pick a couple of lenses.

Sometimes, I'll know that I only need certain lenses (for an airshow, a tele and a wide-angle or maybe normal, for example), so I'll take just what I need. On longer trips, I might take more lenses in a larger back, but for walking around, I'll use a smaller bag.

I have a couple of bag/case things that attach to my belt (but not a "belt system) that are great for walking for a good period, but those are limited to certain sizes.

Of course the advantage in taking two cameras is you have a backup. My backup for this trip is the iPhone Xs which has a great camera.

My iPhones have been my backup camera for over a decade!