Camera Bags (late add on)

[Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>]

LUGnuts:
A few days ago someone asked questions about camera bags and someone
else suggested several including LowePro.  With keyboard fixed, am
finally catching up.

So, in honor of being in Hawaii, I will "talk story."

I have the LowePro Commercial All Weather, a huge bag that is good for
getting lots of gear through airports and for working out of on
commercial assignments.  But, despite the AW nomenclature, I found it
like a sponge.  I have sat in in cockput of boat with a little water in
the bottom and found everything wet.  I had to use it once in an
emergency when I got airsick on a really bumpy ride shooting aerials
(use your imagination!).  The seat it was sitting on was soon soaked.  
Only with the cover on does it become "all weather" and then you can't
work out of it.  I wrote of such to LowePro and asked ways to treat or
modify to get better protection (like use Gortex) and just got a form
letter back--thanks for your letter, etc., and never addressed my
questions.  

Last week I was shooting in the Island Coffee Company processing plant. 
It is a converted cane sugar mill that uses common technology for
sorting and cleaning coffee beans, plus some high tech stuff.  Not only
was it raining on an old mill made of corrigated siding (stained
burnt-sugar brown), but the "wet" side of coffee processing is VERY
wet.  I had loaded gear from the LowePro to a Domke bag and Domke vest. 
The plant has metal walkways and machines everywhere churning and
shaking  and conveyor-belt channels with splashing water.  Either I was
getting splashed by the machinery or found myself with drips from the
ceiling down my neck.  And the light was daygloom plus mercury vapor. 
With Fuji SuperG 800, exposure was f/4 @ 1/15 or less.  And everything
vibrating, no way to use a tripod.  Couldn't even lean against a post,
because it was vibrating.  (If I could go back and set up big strobes,
I'm not sure how I would do it to keep from geting fried or frying the
units.)

I found both Nikon SB-24 units soon wouldn't work.  The Domke bag was
soaked on top, damp everywhere.  The vest was like a wet towel.  And my
feet in sports sandals were rust red from the dirt here on island.  The
cameras inside the Domke were okay.  The SBs were in the end pockets. 
The center lid of the Domke has a plastic barrier and so dry underneath.

Earlier, at dawn, I had been photographing the Matson Line barge coming
to the island and it was pouring rain (later heard it got 3 inches of
rain in five hours!).  

A few days before I had gone to a beach on the north side of the
island.  It was a glorious day, hot and sunny.  Went snorkeling around
the reef.  Had camera bag on beach.  Soon realized it was raining, then
pouring.  All in steady bright sunshine.  Bag again soaked.  But maybe
got some ocean, palm trees and streaking backlit rain pix.

Soooo.  These type experiences had left me looking again at camera
bags.  I E-mailed Steve Buckley, the Billingham rep from England I had
met in the US, and he emailed back a long description of the weather
proofing and other construction details that go into their bags (which I
don't have on the computer anymore) and I was very impressed.  Perhaps
Fogg bags are made as weatherproof, but seem a bit "precious" to me.  

The other issue is size for travel, versus size to work from.  One
benefit of the Domke (and probably the Billingham) is that I can pull
out the dividers and fold it into my suitcase.  I don't think any of the
LowePros or Tamracs, etc, will easily fold up thusly.  So it is nice to
have a big case to take SLRs, Ms, strobes, film etc. to get to
destination, then a handier, lighter bag(s) out of which to work,
according to the situation..

A Billingham will probably be my next serious bag(s).  Keeping
increasingly electronic cameras safe from elements (including dust) is
important, as is access, especially when working fast and furious with a
fully packed bag.  The bigger the bag, the less fumbling.  Also, several
manufacturers make rain covers, mostly designed for the 600mm football
shooters, that might work with shorter lenses for working in weather.  

Donal Philby
Kauai, Hawaii