Carrying a camera - bar bag or other options ?

[Lard Armstrong]

Santa bought me a Nikon P500 bridge camera which I want to take on runs.

Any advice and recommendations on bar bag and other possible alternatives (I don't really want to use a rack/bag),

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave7]

A lot depends on where & what type of cycling it is as cameras don't enjoy being thrown around (unless you pay £4K for a 1D series)
Good suspension will help but as your camera is best part of £230 I think it will prefer some TLC.
As a photographer I like to take my camera but wouldn't hang it in a bag---so I carry it in a good rucksack along with binoculars/water & food etc.

 

[benb]

Personally I'd either go for a dedicated camera rucksack with all the padding, or a well padded bar bag. The latter appeals because it's quicker to grab the camera if you see something interesting, but you may want to augment it with extra foam. You can buy it and cut it to size.

 

[andrew_s]

I'd go for a padded bar bag. Ortleb do an insert kit for their bar bags.
If you crashed with a camera in a rucksack, it would be bad for your back as well as the camera.

 

[Crackle]

Any bar bag and just kit out with the foam inserts you can buy for camera bags or take the ones out the camera bag you own. Make yourself a little nest in the barbag with an extra waterproof membrane, job done.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

Any particular recommendations ? Ortlieb, Altura, Topeak ?

TIA.

 

[ColinJ]

I had quite a nice Olympus digital camera but it was too big to carry comfortably on long rides so I settled on a tiny Fuji camera for rides and carry it like this ...

The camera has survived 3 years of rides in that bag without any problems. I wrap it in a polythene bag if I think it might rain. It is really handy having the camera there on the stem. I can stop and take a picture in less than 30 seconds.

If anybody wants a cheap bag like that, 7dayshop.co.uk usually have a selection at very low prices - example.

My bag has a Velcro strap but I secured it with a cable-tie to make sure that it can't fall off, and it deters casual thieves at cafe stops

 

[Lard Armstrong]

How about this http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/barpack_2 ? Any thoughts ?

It looks padded enough and is not too big.

Tia

 

[Crackle]

How about this http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/barpack_2 ? Any thoughts ?

It looks padded enough and is not too big.

Tia

Nice, I like the Topeak stuff, well made.

 

[thedatastream]

The girlfriend is off on a cycling holiday in Vietnam in a couple of weeks and is taking her 400D with her and she wanted a bar bag for quick access. We spent ages looking round and eventually decided on this one
Giant Hard Shell Shoulder/Bar Bag

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/122745.html

It has an internal soft compartment with velcro separator just like a camera bag plus the hard shell feels really solid without being too heavy. Pockets, straps, bungees and allsorts. It's on sale price at All Terrain too at the moment. Recommended.

 

[Alembicbassman]

I have a Nikon D90 with 4 lenses and a flashgun, I don't carry it on my bike but it does travel with me in a Tamrac Pro holdall. For cycling I have a Panasonic Lumix pocket camera, it has one of their Leica lenses and takes very nice crisp colourful pics and does an acceptable job with video stuff too. You can get something like a Carradice Carra Dura seat pack