Joe Reifer

How many photography backpacks does it take until you find the right one, or does the right one even exist? The Society Obsessed with Photography Backpack Perfection (SOWPBP) was formed earlier this week to cope with a particularly daunting task — to find the perfect photography backpack for serious outdoor adventures.

We’re not talking about a walk in the park, or moving your backpack 500 yards from the car. This theoretical backpack must be comfortable enough to wear on a 10-15 mile day hike, or walking around an abandoned mining area for 8 hours in the middle of the night. For comfort, the typical photo backpack can’t hold a candle to an internal frame pack with a proper harness and waistbelt.

Of course it’s possible to use a light and comfortable backpack like the Osprey Stratos 26, and fit a dSLR with two lenses inside using a Mountainsmith Cube or Clik Elite Capsule. But often our photography adventures require carrying more camera gear than this setup will hold, including a reasonably large tripod. The bag must be designed with photographers in mind, not a retrofit.

What makes a perfect photography backpack for serious hiking?

The SOWPBP approaches their work methodically, and a crack team of backpack analysts has gathered their initial research data below. Let’s take a look at the requirements, and the preliminary results.

Here are the selection criteria in order of importance:

1. Fit and Comfort: The harness and waist belt must be comfortable for someone who is 6’1″. The waist belt must transfer weight to the hips, and the bag must have a comfortable sternum strap. The fit of the bag is #1 on the list for a reason.
2. Capacity: Enough room for 1-2 camera bodies, 3-4 lenses, accessories, an extra layer, and food. A laptop compartment is not necessary.
3. Padding & Weight: Enough padding to protect the gear, but not so much that the bag is unnecessarily heavy.
4. Water: Easy to access while hiking. Ever old school, a hydration bladder is not the Society’s preferred way of carrying water.
5. Tripod: Ability to carry a large tripod if necessary (Gitzo 3 series).
6. Rain cover: Effective, easy to attach, and packs out of the way.
7. Size: Although airline travel isn’t the primary purpose, staying within carry-on restrictions allows extra flexibility (22″ x 14″ x 9″, or 45 cubic inches).
8. Style: From flashy to mundane, how are the aesthetics?
9. Straps: Attachment points for accessories.
10. Stands Up: When you set the bag down, it stands up.
11. Price: A good bag is worth a little bit more, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Hiking Backpacks for Photography: The Contenders

The backpack list is sorted by brand. The preliminary top picks pictured above are in bold:

1. Burton Zoom Pack – The Zoom looks to fit the requirements reasonably well. While the capacity is smaller than a Contrejour or Loka, this bag may be worth a look unless you’re tall. The waist belt is apparently at stomach height for anyone 6′ or taller. [12" x 22" x 8", $155]
2. Calumet BP1500 Large Backpack - Fits many of the requirements, and may be worth a look for those needing to carry a lot of gear. [12" x 22.25" x 9.5, 6.4 pounds, $211]
3. Clik Elite Contrejour 35- One of two technical climbing/skiing internal frame backpacks on this list, the Contrejour 35 has the proper harness and waist belt of a backpacking bag. There is side access to the camera compartment when you’re wearing the bag. To access the rest of your gear, set the bag down on the front and access the gear through the back (which keeps the part that touches your back clean). Running the Contrejour 35 against the requirements, this bag looks like a serious contender as long as you don’t want to use it as carry-on luggage. [12.8" x 24.8" x 11.5", 4.1 pounds, $305 street]
4. Clik Elite Venture 35 – The Venture is on the smaller side capacity wise, but perhaps that’s a good thing. This would work well for 1-2 bodies, 2 lenses and some snacks. The waist belt looks good and the bag is quite tall, giving me hope that the harness will be a good fit. Tripod carrying looks fine, the bag is light, and the price is reasonable. The camera compartment is close to the same size as the Medium ICU that I’ve been testing in an F-stop Loka. [24" x 12.2" x 8.6", 3.5 pounds, $179 street]
5. Crumpler C-List Celebrity (Medium) – A low-key and stylish bag that’s a nice size and looks to have a reasonable waist belt. The tripod carrying system looks good, but the bag is heavy, and does not appear to have a way to carry easily accessible water. [13" x 20" x 10.6", 7.6 pounds, $300]
6. Dakine Sequence – Haven’t seen a photo of the waist belt, but the styling is nearly a deal breaker unless you’re 20 years old. [11" x 21" x 8", 5 pounds, $140 street]
7. F-Stop Loka - A technical climbing/skiing pack with an internal frame that fits all of the requirements really well. The Loka features swappable Internal Camera Units (ICU) that makes the bag very flexible when deciding how much camera gear vs. other stuff you need to pack. We’re currently testing this bag and it’s very comfortable. The only downsides are the wait time to get one, and the price. [12" x 22" x 8.5", 4 pounds, $340 with one ICU, rain cover sold separately]
8. Gura Gear Kiboko 22L - The Kiboko looks like a really well made bag, and the butterfly opening design is attractive for shooting in dirty environments. These bags seem to fit the requirements quite well. However, the way the bag opens looks like a deal breaker because you can’t carry a tripod on the center of the bag, which is a must for long hikes. [14" x 18" x 9", 4 pounds, $380]
9. Kata Bumblebee 220 PL and Beetle 282 PL – These bags meet most of the requirements pretty well, but are a little bit on the heavy side. The 282 is slightly wider and shallower than the Kata 220, and technically just over carry-on size. The 220 and 282 are listed here just for reference because the 222 PL (below) looks like a better bet. [220 -- 13.4" x 20.5" x 11", 6.5 pounds, $280] [282 -- 14.8" x 20.5" x 10.8", 6.6 pounds, $290].
10. Kata Bumblebee 222 PL - A little bit wider and deeper than the other Kata bags on the list, and also 1.5 pounds lighter. Perhaps slightly small capacity wise, but the rest of the requirements look pretty good. The gray and white color scheme is bound to get dirty quickly though. The Kata 222 UL is an ultralight variant of this bag that comes in black. The 222 UL can’t carry tripods on the center, which is a good thing because it’s $399. [222 -- 15.2" x 20.5" x 11.8", 5.1 pounds, $260]
11. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW – The Vertex fits most of the requirements, but is close to 3 pounds heavier than much of the competition. This heavily padded approach is not conducive to backpacking. [12.6" x 18.5" x 10.2", 7.3 pounds, $350]
12. Lowepro Pro Runner 350 AW – Replacing Lowepro’s CompuTrekker series, the Pro Runner is much lighter than the similarly sized Vertex. This bag and its larger brother the 450 AW look to be contenders if they have a comfortable harness and waist belt, although the 17.9″ height makes me wonder if this bag will work for tall people. [13" x 17.9" x 10.4", 4.7 pounds, $170]
13. Mountainsmith Parallax – This pack is crazy deep at 15″, sticking out 4-5″ more than any of the other choices here. The photos of the tripod carrying system show strapped under the bag, which does not seem ideal. The size of the harness system does not look good for tall people. [11" x 18" x 15", 5.4 pounds, $130 street]
14. Naneu K4L - The K4L seems to fit many of the requirements well. We have no experience with this brand, but are curious to see one of these bags in real life. Amazon and B&H are both listed as dealers on their site, but neither has the bag in stock. [14.25" x 21.5" x 9.75, 5.2 pounds, $230]
15. Tamrac Cyberpack 6 – What is it about Tamrac? Tamrac bags seems retro, but not in a good way. This backpack may be perfectly functional, but we just don’t like how it looks. Maybe you can help explain the je ne sais quoi of Tamrac? [13.5" x 17" x 10.25", 5.8 pounds, $180]
16. Think Tank Streetwalker Harddrive - A really great design that fits almost all of the requirements. We’ve been using this bag for 2 years on all kinds of adventures. Unfortunately there is one glaring deal breaker for long hikes — the lack of a proper waist belt. Even by using Think Tank’s speed belt system in conjunction with this bag, the waist belt does not transfer much weight to your hips. If hiking is not your concern, this is a great bag in every other respect. [11.5" x 18" x 8.5", 4.5 pounds, $190]

Further Research

Thanks for supporting the Society Obsessed with Photography Backpack Perfection’s further research by making your backpack purchase using the links above. We have made inquiries to the manufacturers of the top contenders on the list to request a backpack for rigorous field testing. If you’ve used one of the backpacks on the list for extensive hiking, we’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you know of a bag that fits the requirements that isn’t on the list, please let us know.

I didn’t really understand the appeal of a tablet until recently. I’ve been an iPhone user for years, and love having email, maps, and apps with me wherever I go. The iPad always seemed like too much of a compromise. I’m not going to process raw files and stitch panoramas on a tablet. That’s a task better left to a laptop. Heck, an 11” MacBook Air has a bigger screen, more computing power and overall flexibility than an iPad, and the 64MB version is only a few hundred dollars more. Yeah, the iPad 2 is a little bit smaller, and just over a pound lighter – but for someone who’s used to hauling around 25 pounds of photo gear, what’s an extra pound? Based on this logic, I put the iPad out of my mind as something I didn’t need.

A Photo Folio iPad Portfolio App

Well, I had a chance to borrow an iPad 2 over the holidays. I use A Photo Folio (APF) as my website provider and last year they updated their photographer’s portfolio app for the iPad. The APF app automatically syncs your entire website to an iPad portfolio. No need to resize anything — just download the APF app and press sync. You can customize the images and layout if you want to, but if your website is dialed, then your iPad portfolio is just as dialed.

APF also includes a nice looking iPad version of my website, but the APF iPad app has bigger images that are already loaded to the iPad — no waiting for images to load, and no internet connection necessary. APF also has another free app that automatically syncs your web galleries to a Facebook fan page.

There are a number of other iPad portfolio apps worth checking out including: FolioBook, Portfolio, Flexfolios, Xtrafolio, and Pad Folio. Most are in the $10-15 range.

The Screen

Once my web galleries were synced to the iPad app, I was blown away by how sharp and detailed everything looked. The 132 ppi screen on the iPad 2 is insane for viewing photos (most computer monitors are between 90-110 ppi). I have rarely seen my images look so consistently good. Only a perfectly executed print with proper lighting does a better job. I’m telling you, my jaw hit the ground after I installed the app and looked at my images.

Get Your Foot in the Door, and Show Them Some Photos

I managed to pick up a used iPad 2 for a good deal. Tucked away in a SwitchEasy Canvas Folio, it’s a pretty small package that’s about the size of a notebook. The iPad actually looks more like a digital photo frame than a laptop. There’s a novel, tactile fun-factor to viewing images on an iPad. Showing people my work is an important part of getting access to interesting locations. The iPad will be a cool way to show people my photos when traveling. Instead of a few 8×10′s in a case, how about an LED backlit interactive touch screen? “The wave of the future, Dude. One hundred percent electronic!”

iPad Apps

When I searched for iPad apps for photographers, most of the articles were about photo editing apps like Photogene, Filterstorm, and PhotoForge2. I’m not really that interested in shooting and processing photos with the iPad. However, some of my favorite iPhone apps look great in their iPad versions, especially GoSkyWatch and Google Earth. After using an iPhone for years, the iPad’s email interface and keyboard are a pleasure to use, and the performance is snappy. The iPad version of WordPress is also quite nice.

iPad as a Second Monitor

OK – this feature is crazy cool. You can use a $10 app called Air Display to use your iPad as a wireless second monitor. If you work on a laptop, now you can put your Photoshop palettes on the iPad, and see the image full screen on your laptop. Or if you’re running Lightroom, put grid view on your iPad, and touch the photo on the iPad to see the large version on your laptop or desktop. This Julianne Kost video shows 3 different options for using Lightroom on 2 monitors.

iPad as a Backup Device

I almost bought a Hyperdrive last year for backing up images on short trips where I don’t want to haul a laptop. Because I don’t shoot a huge volume of images, the iPad will be able to occasionally double as a backup device. I got the camera connection kit, but haven’t tested to see if my compact flash card reader will work with the USB adapter for loading photos. The other option is to just plug the camera in directly using USB.

iPad Tethering Options

If you’re shooting tethered with Lightroom, plug the camera into your laptop or desktop, and have the iPad be a wireless second monitor using Air Display. This could be used for a client or art director to review images. There are also tripod mounts for the iPad that allow you to review your own shots on the 9.7″ iPad screen instead of on the back of your camera. You can even fire the camera from the iPad.

If you’re shooting with Capture One software, you can use Capture Pilot to view, rate, and tag images on an iPad. The app is free, but you need the $400 software to make it work. For an extra $15 you can control your camera from the iPad.

The other common iPad tethering option is to use an Eye-Fi SD memory card and a $16 app called ShutterSnitch. This combination wirelessly transmits photos from your camera to the iPad. For cameras with dual card slots, save your RAW files to one memory card, and save jpegs to an Eye-Fi card that sends to your iPad. Unfortunately there is not currently a compact flash Eye-Fi card available.

What are Your Favorite iPad Apps?

Next time you see me, ask to see my iPad portfolio – but don’t blame me if you end up wanting your own! Buying a refurbished iPad is a way to take a little bit of the sting out of the price. If you’re already using another portfolio app on your iPad, let me know which one you’re using and how it’s working out. And if there are any other must have iPad apps (Atari’s Greatest Hits?), I’d definitely like to hear about them!

I just returned from 5 days in Tucson Arizona. The weather was 70 degrees and sunny, and there was a lot to see. I didn’t bring a lot of camera gear, but did plan to make a few 360 panoramas. I was going to borrow a tripod, but ended up purchasing an inexpensive monopod instead. I needed a bushing to mount my Nodal Ninja R1 panohead on the monopod, and I found one at Monument Camera for $1.99. Monument is an old school camera store with a collection of old cameras, darkroom supplies, and lighting equipment. There’s also a poker table with Canon EOS chips, a collection of deer antlers, and some other interesting memorabilia. The nice fellow behind the counter let me test my monopod camera setup in the store. If you like old cameras and find yourself in Tucson, Monument is a fun place to visit. More photos from Tucson soon!

Bodie at night: 1927 Dodge truck and gas pumps -- by Joe Reifer

The 1927 Dodge truck and gravity gas pumps are a popular subject for photography at Bodie ghost town. This 24 minute night photograph was taken during the 2011 Mono Lake Night Photography Festival.

Wide angle lens for night photography

I shot the entire night at Bodie with a Canon 5D Mark II and an Olympus OM 18mm f/3.5  lens. The Olympus OM system lens can be used on the 5D II with an OM-EOS adapter. The Olympus lens is small, light, and easy to zone focus at night. At an aperture of f/8 or f/11 the lens is quite sharp across the frame, and offers better edge performance than Canon zooms. The Olympus lenses also have a different signature look than other wide angle lens choices. The 18mm is hard to find and can be expensive. The Olympus 21mm f/3.5 is a more readily available, reasonably priced alternative. The 24mm f/2.8 is also quite good. If you prefer a standard wide angle to a super wide lens, the Olympus 28mm f/3.5 is a stellar performer at f/8, and can often be purchased for less than $50. My adapter for the 28mm cost more than the lens!

Image stacking and long exposure noise reduction

Four exposures of 6 minutes at f/8 ISO 200 were combined for the final 24 minute image. There were about 25 night photographers shooting at Bodie — exposure stacking was very useful for removing people and light painting from the foreground. Using this stacking technique also meant that I did not have to run long exposure noise reduction (LENR) in the camera. This helps productivity and battery life.

5D Mark II Auto setting for long exposure noise reduction (LENR)

Photography instructor Scott Martin let me know about his experiments with the Auto setting for long exposure noise reduction (LENR) on the Canon 5D Mark II. Normally I do not recommend letting the camera decide what to do, but Scott’s LENR experiments may prove otherwise. There are 3 settings for LENR:

1. Off — long exposure noise reduction does not run on any shot.
2. On — long exposure noise reduction runs for the same amount of time as your exposure. A 10 minute shot with LENR set to On will run noise reduction for 10 minutes after the exposure ends.
3. Auto — long exposure noise reduction will run if the camera determines it’s necessary, for the amount of time necessary to optimize the image.

Here’s the really interesting part — noise reduction won’t necessarily run for the same amount of time as the exposure. Auto LENR runs for as long as necessary to reduce noise — this could be shorter or longer than the original exposure time.

I’d like to thank Scott for sharing his Auto LENR research, and I look forward to my own testing. If you have experience with the Auto LENR setting I’d love to hear how exposure time and temperature correlate to when noise reduction kicks in, and how long Auto LENR tends to run.

Our one night Farewell, Pearsonville Junkyard Workshop was a lot of fun. The strange weather patterns of 2011 brought intense rushing storm clouds over the Sierra, with a full moon high above — perfect conditions for night photography. Some amazing images from the photographers who attended the workshop are starting to appear in the Pearsonville Workshop Flickr Group. Thanks to everyone who attended — were those some awesome clouds or what?

After our ceremonial midnight toast, a light rain started blowing. There was still some blue sky and moonlight, so I attached the Think Tank Hydrophobia Rain Cover and kept on shooting. The cover is meant for a 70-200mm lens, but also works fine with a 24-70mm. The Hydrophobia is wonderful piece of design and engineering. Accessing the controls with your right hand is easy, and both the rear and top LCDs can still be viewed. The cover is easier to install if you remove your camera strap. The only issue for night photography is that you can no longer see the manual focusing scale on the lens. Next time I will carefully zone focus the lens and then use gaffer’s tape to prevent the focusing ring from moving. Gaffer’s tape is also handy for securing the Hydrophobia from blowing in the wind for long exposures. In addition to the cover, you’ll also need the proper eye piece accessory for your camera. Use this special referral link to receive a free gift on orders of over $50 from Think Tank. Bad weather can make for some great shooting!