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Lowepro Fastpack 250 Camera/Laptop Backpack $68.99 Go all day with the lightweight, comfortable Fastpack 250 backpack. It protects your digital SLR and 15.4″ wide screen notebook compactly while providing generous storage for your other gear. Side-entry compartments let you quickly grab equipment and accessories, even while you are on the move…. |
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Lowepro Fastpack 350 (Black) $90.81 Go all day with the lightweight, comfortable Fastpack 350 backpack. It protects your pro digital SLR and 17″ wide screen notebook compactly while providing generous storage for other gear. Side-entry compartments let you quickly grab equipment and accessories, even while you are on the move. Customize the easy-to-access main compartment with adjustable dividers…. |
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Air Cell Lined Velcro Shoulder Strap Pad Addon $9.81 Add this shoulder strap pad on all of your straps with this premium air cell padded shoulder strap pad! This shoulder strap pad is easy to add onto any camera bag, briefcase, netbook case, notebook case, etc. shoulder straps. The innovative air cells are made of lycra that are resistant to tear, wear, cuts, and damage. It’ll pad and cradle your shoulder, ensuring maximum unparalleled comfort!… |
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Lowepro Fastpack 350 Camera/Laptop Backpack Go all day with the lightweight, comfortable Fastpack 350 backpack. It protects your pro digital SLR and 17 widescreen notebook compactly while providing generous storage for other gear. Side-entry compartments let you quickly grab equipment and accessories, even while you’re on the move. Customize the easy-to-access main compartment with adjustable dividers. Capacity for 1 pro digital SLR with… |
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Ape Case Compact Backpack for Digital SLR Cameras ACPRO1810W $119.99 PERFECT EFFICIENT BACKPACK SIZE FOR COMPACT DSLRSFITS CAMERA WITH LENS PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 2 OR 3 LENSES & ACCESSORY FLASHLARGE FRONT ZIPPERED POCKET IS LARGE ENOUGH TO HOUSE AN IPAD(R) WITH POCKETS & SLOTS FOR ACCESSORIES & PENSMULTIPLE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR POCKETS FOR BATTERIES MEDIA CARDS & ACCESSORIESCUSTOMIZABLE INTERIOR WITH CAMERA CRADLE SYSTEMBUILT-IN RETRACTABLE WATERPROOF ANY-WEATHER COVER… |
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Bower SCB1450 Digital Pro Sling SLR Backpack – Black $19.37 Half size back pack : Made of weather resistant material : Holds SLR Digital with long or short Zoom Lens with extra space for up to 2 additional lenses and flash unit : Full comfort shoulder straps : Approximate Dimensions – 6.6 x 6.9 x 15.75… |
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Vivitar DKS-25 Photo/SLR/Laptop Sling Backpack – Large (Black) The lightweight and extremely durable Vivitar One DSLR Sling Backpack (VIV-DKS-25) fits one DSLR camera with lens attached, a 17-in. laptop computer, 1-4 extra lenses, a flash unit and numerous accessories. Features adjustable foam padding, adjustable straps, tripod holder, trolley sleeve, and removable rain cover. Interior Dimensions: Laptop Compartment: 18 x 10.5 in. (45.7 x 26.7 cm) / Top Compa… |
Lowepro Mini Trekker AW SLR Camera Backpack Review
SLR Camera Backpack
Which Travel Camera Rules The Ratings -Nikon P100 or Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Need a great compact (point and shoot) camera for your travel photos with a reliable reputation? Why not consider a Nikon P100 or a Canon SX20 IS? That is exactly what I am doing as I look for a new every day camera that will allow me to not carry a heavy backpack with digital SLR gear all day when traveling. This new point and shoot model will be a kind of back up to my digital SLR.
And here we have it again, the Nikon vs Canon problem. I had this decison to make when buying my very first digital SLR camera, too.
In this case, the super zoom/travel category is again dominated by Nikon and Canon, with a few Panasonics thrown in for good measure. But I am focusing on the top two manufacturers.
It’s true, these two camera makers have a lock on the market. They can swager into any digital camera expo with confidence. There are a couple of good reasons for this, too.
First, they have good cameras. Their engineers and designers apparently listen to their camera buyers’ feedback, as well as doing their best to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to new technology. They usually put forth excellent products.
Second, they both have excellent marketing programs. And usually, the cameras they promote do what they say, so there is trust in the products.
Cameras that are considered for the travel camera category can also be found in the super-zoom category. The requirement is for a wide range of focal lengths and great image quality. Also, more recently, video has become really important.
OK, what about these two digital beauties: Nikon P100 and Canon SX20 IS. It is truly remarkable how similar they are when comparing features and capabilities. In fact they are so close in many areas, I will not even bother to point those out, because if one camera has a certain element, you can pretty much count on the other having an identical one.
Now that we understand the rules of engagement, let’s talk about what is different.
The Nikon P100 has a higher capacity video recording system, with the ability to record 1080p at 30 frames per second. It also has the better LCD screen with 3″ vs 2.5″ and twice the number of dots per inch for better viewing in tough light situations. It has a higher zoom ratio at 26x (26-678mm) vs 20x (28-560mm) and higher ISO range.
The Canon SX20 wins in fewer categories, but they are important ones. It has a larger capacity sensor with 12.1-megapixels vs 10.3-megapixels. That is not really that significant, but many people value the megapixel count. The key factor for the Canon is that it has a higher Star rating on Amazon, and it has a win in the DPReview “Compact Super-Zoom group test.” This comparison by DPReview takes all aspects of camera performance and image quality into consideration. Of course, the Nikon was the runner-up, so it is still a tough call.
The Nikon-Canon debate continues.
About the Author
I love photography and all things related to it. Cameras, camera gear, and image editing software fascinate me, so I am either buying the newest piece of equipment (or software) or researching my next purchase.
By the way, I have made up my mind as to which digital camera is my next acquisition. Want to see which one? Go to the “Best Travel Camera” web page at http://digital-photographic-resources.com/cameras/travel-compact.html.
What not to Bring Backpacking: Ten Things to Leave at Home
What Not To Bring Backpacking: Ten Things To Leave At Home
When setting off an extended backpacking trip for the first time, it’s common for people to bring far more than they need; the uncertainty of what the trip may bring can lead to a mentality of packing things “just in case”, or for comfort. To help you towards the way of travelling light, here’s a subjective and irreverent list of ten common backpacking items which should you should consider leaving in the wardrobe.
1. A Huge Backpack to rival the SAS/Navy Seals
Take a stroll down the Khao San Road in Bangkok and you’ll see wave after wave of fresh recruits arriving from overseas kitted out like Special Forces, tottering under the weight of bulging 70-80 litre capacity backpacks. Don’t do it to yourself! You really shouldn’t need a backpack bigger than 50 litres. Any more and you need to seriously reconsider the items you’re packing. Are they really necessary?
2. Jeans
It seems like a natural choice to throw a pair or two of jeans in your bag, but denim is not suited for life on the road by any means. Jeans are thick (making you hot in balmy climates), heavy and take an age to dry. You’re far better off with a pair of trousers/pants made from a lighter, quicker-drying fabric.
3. Sleeping Bag
As this is no longer the 1970s, virtually all hostels worldwide will provide you with adequate bedding for free. There is absolutely no need to bring a sleeping bag on your trip unless you are doing an awful lot of camping. Instead, consider bringing a cotton (or silk, if your budget stretches that far) sleep sheet, which will take up hardly any room at all in your pack and will be useful to separate you from the odd festering mattress you may have to lay your head on.
4. Hiking Boots
Unless you are walking around the world, leave the hiking boots at home. Big, clumpy and stinking, a pair of boots weighing down your bag will quickly become irksome, particularly when you’re in a sandals climate. You’re far better off hiring boots when you fancy doing some serious hiking, although a pair of sturdy trainers/sneakers will often suffice for “accessible” walks.
5. Laptop
Increasingly in dorm rooms worldwide there will be one or more travellers busily tapping away on their laptops. A laptop is a luxury item, and certainly not an essential item for backpacking, unless you require one for working en-route, so think seriously before bringing one on your trip. What might seem like a great idea at home may not be so genius on the road when it is stolen or broken.
6. SLR Camera
Hand-in-hand with a laptop on my list of no-nos is an SLR camera. You’d have to be seriously committed… to photography to bring an SLR. Heavy, bulky (especially if you bring along a selection of lenses) and prone to breaking or being pinched by shifty travellers, swallow your artistic pride and bring a crap point’n'shoot digital camera like the rest of us.
7. Enough Medical Supplies To Make Florence Nightingale Blush
One for the hypochondriacs. A compact, basic first aid kit is essential to bring with you, such as plasters, a small tube of anti-septic cream and so on. But don’t go overboard. Unless you are really going way off the beaten track, leave the sterile syringes at home and put your money into comprehensive emergency travel insurance instead.
8. A Pacsafe
Don’t know what a Pacsafe is? Good – keep it like that. Suffice to say, it is something your Mum would think would be a good idea. It’s not.
9. Mosquito Net
Mosquito bites are intensely annoying, and need to be taken seriously, as a little nip can be deadly if the blighter is a carrier of malaria. However, there are effective ways of protecting yourself without resorting to carting a mosquito net around (such as using anti-malarials, covering up at dawn/dusk and using DEET or natural repellents). Nets take up far too much space in your pack, and are not needed in most of the world. For the areas in which you may appreciate having one, such as particularly infested parts of Africa, pick one up locally if they are not supplied at your accommodation.
10. Guitar
Because there is a common consensus that people who travel with guitars are tossers.
About the Author
Steve James is currently eight months into his second round-the-world trip and has recently started putting his experiences to paper in his very own Guide to Budget Travel.