I would like opinions on some accessories and equipment. I currently own Canon Xti (400D I think) 18-55 stock lens 28-135mm IS USM and I carry the camera and one lens in a tiny toploader made by case logic I got for 10 bux. Now I want to get a larger bag and considering I take alot of out door photography and I have a ski trip coming up after Christmas where I plan on taking lot's of pictures on the slopes. Now the big thing is a new bag to carry my camera and stuff. I'm a quite poor college student and after unexpected repairs on my car and holiday shopping for family I don't have much left. I was looking at the Lowepro Vertex (all on ebay btw) and it seems very rugged, but I think it may be too much (price and bag) for me. I think the Fastpack 250 is perfect, it has enough straps to secure it to me while I ski, has more than enough room for all my equipment, and it's cheaper. In the near future the only lens that may be added to the collection is a 50mm 1.8 prime. So any opinions on this bag? the other cheap bag is the Canon 200EG but I've heard you really get what you pay for with that bag. Last few things is for shooting on big snowy slopes, and considering my lens' would a lens hood help alot? also would any filters help?
Are you any good at skiing/boarding? The reason I ask is, if you are, forget the bag (for now, anyway). Just stick the camera in one pocket, and the lens in the other. Neither lens is huge, and the camera body is tiny. Most jackets suited for the slope have huge pockets. You have lens caps. What more do you need? Unless you are always falling/crashing of course. And to answer your questions about the lens hood and filter. Yes and yes. The lens hood will help block unwanted glare from the sun and protect the lens face, and a circular polarizer will deal with the glare off the snow. Buy a good one and read up on how to use it.
I looked at the fastpack 250 because i wanted a carry on bag with laptop compartment for when i flew to the states, didn't like the feel of it as much as the slingshot 100AW I already have. I eventually went for the Kata DR-467 has a nice padded bottom section for the camera and 4-5 lenses, an upper section for personal gear and the bottle holder makes quite a good small tripod carrier when used with one of the top straps. also comes with an all weather cover the fastpack doesn't have.
I don't know about snowy slopes, but I use a fastpack 250 on the motorbike. It survives the Cornish weather and being dragged along at the national speed limit fairly well.
I've gotten my self a Dakine Sequence. It's a bit more money but you can attach you skiis to it, hance able to do some hiking. It has a nice camera block. I can have my Canon 40D with a 70-200 4L attached to the camera. A flash and an extra lens. You can probably fit another lens if you want to. The good thing is that the camera block can be removed from the backpack and carried in a strap around your shoulder. The backpack is made for extreme skiing, you can fit a shover, probe etc on it, without having the stuff in the bag.
Hey If you don't need the laptop compartment, I'd go for Lowepro Flipside 400 AW. Decent price, holds almost all of my camera equipment atm and it's really fast to flip around and take your camera out once you have the technique learned. Darkened
Lowepro Slingshot 200 seems to fit your needs, and you don't need to take the bag off your back to access it. Great travel bag, in fact I'm ordering one for myself
LoL wow all these replies, I guess being in a different time zone lol. I already ordered the fastpack 250, letting go of one strap u can swing it around like a sling 200. I like the security of having 2 straps. I'm a pretty good skier, I don't fall and I want something secure on my back for jumps and tricks. I'll look into hoods and filters
I know Lowepro is expensive, but that's for a very good reason: It's simply the best. I used a Lowepro bag (a Nature Trecker.. not what you're after at all) for decades before I sold it. It protected my gear from some horrific incidents, including falling down a mountain for 4000ft; Dropped in a river and floated dowstream 100 meters before I picked it out; and finally beating the crap out of a would be mugger with it in Ginza(fully loaded too.. he must have had some serious bruises... funny as hell tho.. in hindsight ). I would also recommend the slingshot 200. [Ninja edit] Just noticed you've ordered the other one LOL I'm sure it will do everything you want of it. Looks good... I've just no experience of it.
