With my camera & video equipment growing I am looking at getting a new camera bag.

The one I am looking at getting at the moment is a Lowepro Commercial AW bag. It's not cheap but it needs to take a lot!

My current set up is a Nikon D70 with a 18-70 lens and a 70-300 ED Nikon Zoom lens. Recently I have purchased a JVC GZ-MG505 HD camcorder.

When I can afford I hope to purchase a wide angle (or if Jonathan has a spare!) and a macro lens.

Any chance of the ThinkCamera crew doing a review of the bag before I commit my hard earned readies?!

Funny you should say that because we are planning to do bag reviews in the coming months, but I can't say what or when for sure sorry.

We will be looking at other manufacturers than Lowepro as well

I've been looking for the perfect camera bag for yonks. I want one that doesn't look like a camera bag. It should have a shoulder strap or be a back pack. It needs lots of pockets because I need to carry my purse, makeup and the kitchen sink as well as a lot of camera paraphenalia. I don't want to have to carry two bags on photography excursions. Bags that go across the body over one shoulder weren't designed for people with boobs,so avoid them. ;-)

Surely it can't be that difficult?

I think it's pretty obvious these days that if you have a Lowepro bag then you have a camera in there! One good thing about "Messenger bags" is that its not too obvious that cameras are in there and i'm sure you can get special ones that have compartments in there- not much use to you though!

AJ
Have you tried Crumpler bags?

Yeah, I've looked at Crumplers. Good looking bags but as Mike says of the Lowepro bag, everyone knows it's got a camera in it. I'm trying to persuade my brother in law in Canada to make me a custom bag. He's a leather worker. He made me a rather nice, very soft leather, bean bag for my camera. I've looked at handbags, there are a few that fill the need for space/pockets but of course they don't have the protective padding you need.

Oh well, back to the search.

Tell your brother that will be your christmas gift from him?:)

ha anyone got a lowenpro computer / camera bag, and if so are they good, easy to access your gear etc, i have looked at them but would rather someone using one could tell of the pros and cons rather than a salesmans sales pitch.

I have the Lowepro Magnum AW which is slightly smaller than the Commercial AW and in that I fit:

2x DSLR with battery grips
2x Flashguns
1x 24-70 f/2.8
1x 70-200 f/2.8
1x 17-40 f/4
1x 2x Teleconverter
X's-Drive
Lots of batteries
Lots of memory cards
Various camera cleaning bits
Various flash accessories (diffusers/bouncers etc)
Various filters

I have enough room in it's current layout to add another lens and if I re-arranged things I probably could get another 2 or 3 lenses in (if I also used the optional clip-on pouches for a few things).

I really like this bag. All of that gear obviously does weigh a fair bit but the bag has a really nice shoulder strap that means you really don't notice the weight. All the clip-on pouches are very useful and it has attachements to add on other lens bags so you can keep expanding things.

I'd definitely recommend this bag or the Commercial AW as this is easily the best bag I've had. My only regret is that I had to go through several other bags before finding this one!

I've used a Lowepro Orion AW for quite a few years now, it's done everything from the artic circle to steamy jungle (ex-serviceman, sorry!). It's travelled more miles than I care to remember in some of the worst conditions possible and it looks and works just fine. It's really worth spending the money to protect the important stuff!

thanks for the responses, i have purchased a compudaypack, and the small amount of use it has been put to up to now, it has coped well and has easy access to both my camera equipment and computer.