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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Anybody try the Petrol PCBP-2N backpack yet? Other gear backpacks?

M

MikeCurtis

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I'm thinking of shooting in a harsh location that'll require hiking in a half day or so. Started looking into backpacks to carry the Red and minimal kit for shooting in the boonies (well, sorta minimal - camera, lens or two, , filters, matte box, etc., assistant will carry lightest sticks and head feasible).

Saw a press release for the new Petrol PCBP-2N, sounds like a possibility.

Anybody seen it, tried it, have any thoughts on it?

Link:

http://www.petrolbags.com/products/Camera_Bags_I/PCBP-2N/PCBP-2N.htm

Least expensive source I've found is $350 from adorama.com:

http://www.adorama.com/PSPCBP2N.html

Anybody have any thoughts?

-mike
 
I saw the Petrol bags at NAB this year and thought they were well made. I too was considering this same bag for hiking with the camera gear. Didn't try it on and don't know what the inside layout looked like, except that they were all orange in color as I recall. But it looked like a well made product.
 
Hey Mike...

I shot a doc a couple months back in South America with RED, but I opted for the smaller Petrol backpack:

http://www.petrolbags.com/products/Camera_Bags_I/PCBP-3/PCBP-3.htm

I actually picked up two of them. RED stripped down fit in one pack really nice for traveling, plus all the inside is adjustable. Nice padding with velcro dividers made everything snug and totally do-able. It was heavy though fully loaded- be prepared for at least 50 - 60 lbs pulling down on your shoulders. Make sure you get a pack with good waist band support- HUGE help when caring the pack long distances.

I ended up with the body, RED 18-50mm lens, cradle w/ drive, ET baseplate, ET rods, 7 filters, microforce/motor/cables, 1 RED battery AND my 17' Powerbook with crap to go with it. I had a larger Pelican case with additional support - lenses, mattebox, batteries, chargers, monitor, etc, since we were gone two weeks. I could have slimmed down my entire package a little further, but still needed a variety of gear for the job.

The second backpack could of easily carried all this extra support, however, we had a loaded HVX200 package completely filling it. Once we got to South America, I ended up building the RED camera and caring it loaded rather than break it down each time we moved. Made more sense given our situation. Then I used the backpack for additional support (the stuff from the Pelican case). Maybe a good investment is one of those shoulder pads over at Filmtools: (or a sherpa)

http://www.filmtools.com/camera-comfort-cushion-com.html

I of course bought one of these pads after the job. Go figure.

Smaller pack compared to the one you were looking at basically just meant I could hand carry everything on multiple planes and not checking it on as luggage. Not sure if my situation is the same as yours, but for future use, if you wanted to fly with it, the smaller one would pass air baggage regulations.

Good luck!

Alex
 
I've been using the Tamrac 5258 Cyberpack 8 for the past year for hiking in and carrying onto planes. Its airline legal (under seat or overhead), has a laptop slot, holds a nearly complete RED kit, and costs just $200
 
score, thanks Gibby!

What all do you carry around in that? What will fit?
 
MikeCurtis said:
score, thanks Gibby!

What all do you carry around in that? What will fit?
Click to expand...

A lot: RED One camera body with ET top combo on it, two smaller lenses, filters, EVF, LCD, cables, RED Drive, CF card mini-case, one battery, and my Macbook Pro 17". Any other camera gear for the trip goes in Pelican cases in checked luggage.

I'v flown in every kind of plane you can imagine in the last year of shooting with RED, from jumbos to commuter planes. The backpack always fit either in the overhead (larger p[lanes), or beneath the seat in front of me (smaller planes). Its a real good deal for $200 - and works well for traveling with a RED kit.

I think you'll like this backpack Mike...
 
On page 3 you can see that I got the Kata HB-207 and how I packed it out, it worked like a dream. Held the Red one with lens attached and base plate attach, then also held the LCD, EVF, rods, battery, batter plate, cards, reflector, etc. It enabled me to shoot a ton in remote locations. I was literally wading through waist-deep water and scaling hills on my hands and knees with this strapped to my back.
 
Shawn,

ATA (Air Transport Association) requirements for U.S airlines, and most others worldwide restrict a carry-on bag to a linear measurement of 45" (Length + Width + Depth). The external measurements of the Kata HB207 are listed as: 25.1" long, 15.3" wide, and 11.8" deep. Thats a total of 52.2", a full 7.2" over the ATA maximum measurement for an airline carry-on bag. My Tamrac 5258 Cyberpack 8 backpack has a total measurement of 44.5" - in other words it is airline legal for a carry-on.

ATA info: http://www.ameripack.com/airline_restrictions.htm

Your Kata HB-207 looks like a nice backpack, but the fact is that you could be stopped from carrying it onto a flight at any time the airline you're flying on wants to enforce the rules about the size of carry-ons - which is something they are doing increasingly. When boarding a flight if they don't let you carry your backpack on, you have two choices: don't fly on the flight, or check the backpack at the last minute with a flight attendant and leave your precious gear in a soft, unlocked backpack to the mercy of the airline baggage handlers - where they drop bags off from luggage carts and steal lots of stuff.

Better safe than sorry - that's why I opted for an airline legal backpack which I've never had to worry about being excluded as a carry-on. Mike Curtis is a longtime friend of mine - and I'd hate to see him be hassled trying to carry his RED camera onto a plane - thus the airline-legal backpack I recommended to him is a good choice for him.

Final thing to consider: the suggested retail price for the Kata HB-207 is $270, as opposed to a suggested retail price of $200 for the Tamrac 5258.
 
Mike,

Based on Gibby's recommendation (way back when) the Tamrac 5258 Cyberpack 8 is the backpack I brought to Spain (and all over the world since). Remember when I met you and Jendra at the hotel and she said, "where is the camera?" That was the Cyberpack 8 the RED was packed in.

It was a nice surprise that such a great thing fits in such a small package. :)

Best,

Steve
 
Hey Mike,

I would also consider the Lowepro - Vertex 300 AW. When we were looking into packs I was leaning towards the Tamrac. But then I went down to B&H to get some hands on time with it, the Kata and the Lowepro. Before seeing them in person, the Lowepro was at the bottom of our list, but once I was able to handle all of them, it was the obvious choice. It can hold an immense amount of gear as well as a 17" macbook pro. It is very well built, water tight zippers and has a built in rain jacket. The shoulder straps can be hidden inside a zippered flap in case you do want to check it, but it is within the limits of a carry-on. We've flown with it quite a bit and always as a carry-on. I couldn't be happier with it. You can find it online for around $230.
 
You can find several back pack solutions on the camRade stand during the IBC, stand 11.B40 . We are also willing to listen to your comments and produce a special RED backpack. For groups wich are buying we can also talk about customised solutions.

Rene
rene@camrade.com
 
Gentlemen - thanks for all your advice!

Gentlemen - thanks for all your advice!

Gibby et al -

thanks very much for sharing your experiences, much appreciated!

-mike

BTW - I just purchased a Nikon D90 (new DSLR that shoots 720p as well, just for kicks), should get it Friday. My first DSLR (Red One was my first video camera EVER, how's that for crazy?)
 
Gibby, got any pics of how you have your backpack packed?
While I do like that the cyberpack is carry on(so is my hard case!) I'd much prefer to leave the camera semi built while in the pack.
 
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