Recommend a EA50 camera bag

[Noa Put]

Check out my uber awesome petrol PC206 bag, it almost looks like my wife's purse inside, more room then you might think. :)

What's in the bag:
1x Sony nex ea50 (duh) with the stocklens but no hood
2x Canon 550d, one body alone and one with a 35mm lens and batterypack attached to it.
2x Sony cx730
1x 24mm lens
1x 85mm lens
1x 14mm lens
1x Eye cup for the dslr
6x dslr batteries, 3 cx730 batteries and 2 sony batteries for the ea50. (you can't see the batteries on the photo, they are placed in a compartment in front of where the stocklens ends

What I don't like is that the side pockets that can be opened with a zipper can only hold flat objects, wish they would have been a bit bigger (meaning extending from the main bag a bit) so I could add some more stuff but then the bag might get a bit too heavy, currently it does weigh more then enough for me, I think if I have to carry it up stairs it might even be a bit to heavy, will see soon how that works out. I also bought me a snaplock trolley from petrol that goes with the bag, it's quite handy as it locks the bag into place. I had to use some extra spacers I ripped out of another bag, all gear fit's tight like a glove now.

[Darryl N. Barg]

I bought the Porta Brace BK-1NR from B&H on their recommendation.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/465968-REG/Porta_Brace_BK_1NR_BK_1NR_Backpack_Black_with.htmlIt's kind of pricey, kind of heavy and the implementation of a few things is totally bizarre to me... in particular, the tripod holder on the side is weird, but maybe if I invest in a much bigger tripod? that I'll never want to carry? It's also a bit awkward as a backpack as the weight is pretty far back... But it feels super sturdy and long lasting. The straps pack away which is crucial, I think.

Anyway, I wanted a backpack, and it needed to hold my 15" macbook pro which it easily does. While it's technically too big to be a carry on, I've discovered that it JUST fits the overhead of the 6 or seven planes I've been in with it (mostly 737's). The backpack straps need a bit of squeezing. I always go thinking I'll try and get away with it... and so far, so good.

[Steven Digges]

I have noticed that it is not unusual to find a product for 50 to 75% off mixed in with all of the regular stuff on Amazon in any given category. Especially if the item is discontinued. So I have been watching Kata ever since I bought the 185 Capsule bag for my EA50.

Here are two more smoking deals I just ordered:

A video backpack that will hold the EA50 (pretty sure), laptop, and more.

$79.99 at Amazon - $189.99 at B&H and more than that elsewhere:

Amazon.com: Kata BP-502 GDC Camcorder Backpack for a DV/HDV camcorder or D/SLR and 600mm lens with laptop pocket. (Insertrolly optional).: Camera & Photo

 

Amazon.com: Kata BP-502 GDC Camcorder Backpack for a DV/HDV camcorder or D/SLR and 600mm lens with laptop pocket. (Insertrolly optional).: Camera & Photo

This is a small camcorder bag, not for the EA50. I can use it for a ton of stuff even if I do not put a camera in it. Extra Small Kata One Man Band Bag... $59.00 at Amazon - $150.00 other places:

Amazon.com: Kata KT OMB-72 One Man Band Bag for Videographer - Extra Small (Black): Camera & Photo

 

Amazon.com: Kata KT OMB-72 One Man Band Bag for Videographer - Extra Small (Black): Camera & Photo

I think the backpack is going to be amazing. I have a weird thing about bags and cases. I have tons of them, even for the same piece of gear, so I can use the one that works best for the job. Backpacks, a favorite for run-n-gun, soft cases for overhead bins because I also have a backpack with me, pelicans for shipping. And lots of Porta Brace stuff. Now I am keeping an eye on these Kata deals.

Darryle, I am a huge fan of Porta Brace bags. Unfortunetly that does not include their backpacks. I have one similar to yours only a much older model. I find their backpacks to be like a hard box case with shoulder straps on it. Very unusual for a company that usually surprises me with functionality and design.

Steve

[Steven Digges]

Update - I got an e-mail from Amazon saying the One Man Band Bag is out of stock and canceled. Hopefully the backpack order is still good, there was supposed to be 10 of those in stock.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Darryl N. Barg

I bought the Porta Brace BK-1NR

Darryl, I used your image and a part of your description on my blog (see link below) I f you want me to remove it just let me know but I think it might be valuable info for anyone interested in the bag.

[Darryl N. Barg]

No problem Noa. Happy to help. Love your blog, by the way. Thanks for doing that.

Incidentally, I ordered the PC206 and sent it back because I found it too large. The BK-1NR is definitely smaller.

darryl

[Noa Put]

I do like the pc206 because I can leave the lcdhood and shotgun on the camera but it's kinda big, that's why I got the trolley as well so I only have to carry the weight when doing stairs.

[Steven Digges]

I received the Kata back pack I posted about earlier. I am going to skip the photos and long review unless someone is seriously interested. Here is the short story.

Mine was $79.00 - that made it the deal of the century for a camera pack. They have gone up to $150.00 on Amazon but B&H has them for $82.00. Search Kata BP 502 and you will see what is available. I think they are discontinued so the clearance priced models are going fast. You will see them listed as high as $350.00.

This back pack is amazing. It is so well done it is almost over engineered. They did not waste one inch of real estate on this thing. It is feature rich and good for rain, snow and dirt in several ways.

It is a true back pack, not just a camera bag with straps.

It is BIG, it is TOO BIG to fit in an overhead compartment. It is not a carry on.

You may not like the way an EA50 fits in it but it does fit.

If you are a DSLR guy or use a smaller (lower profile) camera you may never find a better deal on a well made camera back pack. These things are $80.00 right now!

Let me know if you want more info.

Steve

[Noa Put]

I am going to skip the photos and long review unless someone is seriously interested.

Photo's please! :)
It would be very interesting for anyone to see how the ea50 fits inside, a picture says more then a thousand words. :)

[Steven Digges]

Dang it Noa, I am supposed to be editing!

More on the pack:

You can see the mic sticking up. Obviously you could remove it. But you don't need to unless your going into hard use. The cover of the pack has a lot of room and nothing touches the mic. And the ribbed disk thing is reinforced to be a semi-hard surface so things are not as bad as it looks. The camera is pretty well protected except for getting squished in that direction. Remember it is a soft case, not a Pelican. The interior compartment is tapered (deeper towards the bottom), you could turn the camera around but I like the mic under the ribbed disk.

The interior main compartment is not as deep as you think. The entire backside of the pack, the surface against your back and the bottom of the main compartment (when laying flat) is the lap top compartment. It is huge and thick because of reinforcement so it takes up space. I have the small Mac Book Pro and it swallows that. When I put my long lenses in it I will have to change the set up in the picture because some lenses will have to lay vertically.

I put the camera outside the pack to give you a size reference.

I have many years of backpacking and mountaineering experience. Overall I am very impressed with the design of the backpack portion of this thing. They made one compromise. Since the laptop compartment is against your back it is a flat surface so it does not conform to your back like a good backpack does. It is padded and functional but not optimal for long miles of trekking. The waist belt can be removed to get it out of the way if you are running and gunning.

There are zipper pockets everywhere, they are not big but they are there.

They put a lot of thought and good design into this thing. On sale for $80.00 right now you are not going to find a better camera bag or backpack. MSRP is $350.00.

Steve

[Noa Put]

Thx Steve! great write up, borrowed it for my blog, the community thanks you :)

[Dave Vickers]

I get a lot of flights bought for me to go shoot around Europe - trouble is I can't really control which airlines I get. The carry on camera rules are terrible with Ryanair,Vueling etc 20 cm. So 20 cm in the smallest dimension. I know... but I gotta find a solution and then put my laptop down my pants or summat! Anyone found anything?

[Martyn Moore]

I also worry about airline carry-on but seem to do OK using my Kata 193. The EA50 fits perfectly with the viewfinder removed. Not much room for extras, though. Wireless mic and receiver, spare battery and a pair of headphones and it's full.

Manfrotto tripod ends up in the hold, so I worry about that even more.

[Dave Vickers]

I think I've decided to invest in a Pelicase, there's one that has a removable wheel section that takes the case down to 20cm, (the Peli 1560) shove the wheels in the checked suitcase with my Manfrotto and slider (I know it hurts) and then all set to go - with laptop too. It's the only way, but leaves no easy carry solution on location.

[Steven Digges]

Hey Dave,

I looked that case up. Here in the states at B&H that model but it comes with built in wheels only. That puts the 20 cm limit you are trying to stay under at 26.5 cm. The removable wheels sound interesting but I did not find them.

For my cases I try to do two things:

I try for nondescript. I don't want it to scream CAMERA but often they do. Especially my Porta Brace stuff.

Even with that said, I want the cases to be recognizable to me at a distance. Like the second it hits the baggage carousel (I know this one is a carry on for you) or is on a baggage cart with 50 others. Therefor I never buy black cases. I also live in Phoenix, AZ, can you say MELTED contents. Pelicans come in several colors. When I must check cameras, they go in desert tan.

Also, I have pelicans with the foam and some with the adjustable dividers made out of reinforced nylon and velcro. I prefer the later. They are more costly but will remain the same years after pick&pluck foam comes apart. And they can be modified every time you pack something new in the case.

Just my 2 cents.

Steve