When I was pregnant with Elise, I wanted the perfect diaper bag (3-4 bags later I ended up with one that was "good enough"). When pregnant with Nolan, I wanted another perfect different diaper bag, given I had to haul different types of stuff for two. When I got my camera, I wanted the perfect camera bag. I tried just a basic camera bag but carrying both a diaper bag/purse AND a camera bag was just too bulky, and I returned the camera bag. I then tried a regular bag as a camera bag (too disorganized). Then I bought a camera bag that could carry other stuff in it... this one worked the best thus far, but I eventually stopped using it because the shoulder drop was a couple inches too short and the zipper did not open wide enough for my tastes. I could not configure the interior Just So to fit my stuff the right way. All this was bothering me on a daily basis. I eventually went back to just stuffing my camera in a normal bag, sometimes wrapping it in a towel for some protection.
I also investigated, but never tried, finding a small camera bag to stuff inside my normal daily bag. All the DSLR camera bags are so very well padded that they end up being quite large -- even the smallest ones -- and I was left with no extra room for my normal stuff.
Now I am pregnant with G3, and this means I need to carry yet more child stuff around. There's the baby stuff, and then the snacks and drinks for Nolan and Elise. I could get away with nothing for Elise, but she wants anything I have for Nolan. I have to carry stuff for Nolan because he still gets too hungry too often. Oh, the logistics and inventory of three little kids!
I figured that I should (again) look for a camera bag that can carry additional stuff. There were some possibilities out there, in the neighborhood of $200-$300, which is just too much. I ended up looking at some camera sling backpacks online that I thought would really do the job -- until I saw them in person, and they stick out about 14" from your back. It's just too big. It's all that darn padding!
I eventually abandoned the "camera bag first, diaper bag second" approach and eventually found a couple bags at Ellington that I think will work as my large-but-not-gargantuan diaper bag (I hate big bags that are bumping into everything all the time!). The search was now on for a camera bag that was small enough and lean enough to fit INSIDE the future diaper bags.
Now, I think I have it.
I saw this neoprene SLR cover at Pro Photo the other day and it was very intriguing. I looked it up online and it has good reviews, so I Ordered it. I have had it for three days now and I think I just might Love it. It is lean, taking up little additional space, yet I feel it adequately cushions my camera. It is simple to use. I fits my camera with my most-often-mounted lens almost perfectly. The cons are (1) it does not fit any camera accessories (spare battery, backup SD card, lens wipe), but I think I can easily just carry that stuff in a separate small bag, also inside the diaper bag; and (2) it doesn't work with my zoom lens. I can either buy a different cover that will fit my camera with my zoom lens, or resign myself to needing to carry both a camera bag and a diaper bag on zoom-lens days.
I present, the Zing cover (mine is blue, not this color):
Product info: Zing Standard SLR cover
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