A good investment

[bossel]

I always had trouble when I wanted to take just the camera and 1 lens. What to do with it when not used? How to protect against rain (ok, I know about the plastic bag trick) , dust and esp. bumps? Also, having it hang around the neck all day is not that great, rather incomfortable.

So I recently got myself a Lowepro TLZ 20 camera bag. It's just big enough for the A700 with a normal lens mounted (like the SAL18-250, a tad bigger might be ok). After a short trip to Vienna (1day business, 1 day leisure) I think the money was well spent. It's very comfortable to carry and in the tube I don't worry that the camera bumps into somewhere. Much smaller and lighter than my Rezzo 180. Also, it's a toploader with just one clip to unclip, no zip (I hate this on the Rezzo). Highly recommended (just) ..... (the just is because it's not a Canon )

[KevinBarrett]

I have the problem of wanting my camera bag to do too much, and suddenly I can only leave the house with my whole kit piled gingerly into a Lowepro Nova 4 AW. It isn't the most ergonomic for walking around with (it's not very bad either), but it's great for storage at home and packing in a vehicle. Mine fits the a700 + VG with Tamron 17-50 attached, top-loader style. In addition to all the accessories (filters, cards, batteries, remotes, blower, etc.) it holds the f56 flashgun, 70-210/4, 50/1.7, and 24/2.8, though these last two could be replaced with lenses as large as the 17-50. There's still room for another lens in there but I've got it arranged for quick convenience.

I wouldn't mind having a case that did what you described above, but it would have to accommodate the vertical grip as I've decided I can't live without it. I miss the tiny top-loader that I used with my Maxxum 5.

[David Kilpatrick]

The TLZ20 is what daughter Ailsa got for her A350+16-105mm. It's big enough for the camera and lens with the hood fitted normally, not reversed. Calumet were accidentally selling them for under £20. I have the old Dynax 9 leather snout case still. Even fits the A900 though it's more Shirley's than mine, along with the wonderful old-type wide soft leather Dynax strap she uses - I sold all those and only kept ONE, more fool me. Nothing like them in the Sony range.

David

[Greg Beetham]

Wow, a Lowepro cheepie, a more expensive one (about three times the price) I've been using for my KM5D is the Toploader 65AW, it's a nice little bag that has (for me) an essential opening and folding away from you top lid, and can attach four extra flap pouches and/or lens cases onto the sides via the ziplock feature, but like Bossel says about annoying zips, it does have a zip that needs to at least be half done back up again too make it 'safe'.
What those toploaders need is a nifty velcro tab on the edge of the lid that you can just fold over and stick down without using the zip when you are fairly frequently getting the camera in and out of the bag.
Greg

[bonneville]

Browsing in the Bedford Jessops I found this in the "Manager's specials" basket with a price tag of £10:



It's the LCS AMA case and in it lives my alpha 100 + SAL18-250 (with hood fitted forwards ) and it goes virtually everywhere with me if I'm not attached to my Slingshot 200 stuffed with my 700 + lenses.

Best VFM case I have ever bought and it even has a belt loop at the rear, but I haven't made use of it as I'm not that much of a cowboy

[Dr. Harout]

Browsing in the Bedford Jessops I found this in the "Manager's specials" basket with a price tag of £10:



It's the LCS AMA case and in it lives my alpha 100 + SAL18-250 (with hood fitted forwards ) and it goes virtually everywhere with me if I'm not attached to my Slingshot 200 stuffed with my 700 + lenses.

Best VFM case I have ever bought and it even has a belt loop at the rear, but I haven't made use of it as I'm not that much of a cowboy

I have one of those too, and am quite comfortable with it, specially when I'm just with one lens. But I wonder, why is Sony making only black ones? Why not brighter/lighter colors such as creamy or khaki or... for using under harsh sun in summer (black makes the inside very very hot)

[Javelin]

They have an orange one that might stay a little cooler... but it might also draw bees

[Dr. Harout]

Yet, the part that light touches is still black.

[Mike]

I'm a Kata fan. I have the R-102. It holds my a350 with SAL2470Z on it, SAL135F18Z, SAL85F14Z, SAL70300G, VG-B30AM and HVL-F56AM comfortably. It's built to withstand a near miss from a thermo-nuclear weapon.

I have a Tamrac that is just big enough for the body, one lens and the vertical grip but I have not used it in a long time. Although it's lighter, I've yet to find a way to carry it that does not feel awkward. And once you are carrying the camera on a neck strap, the empty bag gets even more awkward while the pack stays out of the way.

[Javelin]

I use a Thinktank DH30 it extends out the bottom to allow longer or even another kens and has a rain coat for it too. it's really well made.

[Allam2009]

I have one of those too, and am quite comfortable with it, specially when I'm just with one lens. But I wonder, why is Sony making only black ones?

Alpha branding rules state that only black and cinnabar can be used - shame that as some things would also work well in other colours.

James