Handlebar bag to carry SLR
 

I just purchased a Specialized Hardrock so now I'm looking for a handlebar bag that will hold my Nikon D300. I'm an avid photographer and would like to have the camera in front where it's easy to pull out but I don't want the bag to be so large that it throws off the steering; can anyone offer any suggestions? Are there other cycling avid photographers here?

Thanks so much

Ortlieb has bike bags designed for this very purpose.

If you can throw a small front rack on, a rando bag would be perfect and would hold Domke inserts.

I haven't done it yet, but I plan to use my Jandd Extreme front rack with a trunk bag on top to hold my SLR on my touring bike that I use for road riding. I will pad it with foam and use it in place of a handlebar bag. I may do something similar with my Hardrock as well for when I do trail riding.

A platform with a trunk bag seems well suited to the task in my mind. Although, I may have to take a look at Ortliebs now that I read that they have bags designed for the purpose.

K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) is best applied to your need. A simple nashbar bag will do just fine
and not flaten you wallet.

Take your pick........
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/SubCate..._200282_200282

In this case, simple is not something I would trust with my heavy dslr and lenses.
You want VERY secure mounting, strong seams/build construction/, heavy duty materials, good padding, and good support. During normal riding you want the bag bouncing/swaying/vibrating as little as possible. This will also help control steering. If the bike goes down, you want thousands of dollars worth of equipment protected. My dslr and one lens is a good $4k worth of fragile electronics. Simple ain't enough.

Thanks Nightshad, I'll take a look at these bags. I just don't want to be to cheap with a $3,000 camera, so if a good strong bag cost a bit more that will be fine.

d2create, you are soooo right. My Nikon lens alone is over $1,400 so I sure don't want my equipment falling off the front of the bike; I get a sinking feeling just thinking about that.

ortlieb bar bags are bombproof:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-151.htm

they sell a camera insert separately:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-115.htm

can't speak from 1st hand for the camera insert but the bag and its mount are rock solid w/ 72 oz of liquid.

I wouldn't carry my camera like that because of all the jolts shakes and vibrations it would get but the link to Nashbar bags was good because I saw a new place to stash stuff like last minute personal items to get in my car house and work with the Nashbar Large Slice Stem/Bar Bag!

I use this Tamrac bag:

http://www.tamrac.com/5684.htm

It is well padded and well made. I run velcro straps thru the belt loop straps and for a little extra security I wrap the shoulder strap around the handlebars.

I have used this set up for 2 years now and have not had any problems. It is quick to hook up or unhook and the bag is excellent to carry around off the bike. Works great on a sightseeing type tour, or if you are like me and just use to bike to get out and take photographs. My camera is a Nikon D70s.

TJ

Not too long ago I picked up an Ortlieb large handlebar bag for this very purpose. I didn't get the camera insert, instead I cut up an old ridge rest sleeping pad to line the inside. It seems to be OK, but I still haven't found that perfect configuration setting everything up since i haven't taken it out but once. So far I have been able to fit a canon 10d body, 10-20mm lens, 70-300mm lens, and a 50mm prime in the bag. This seems like a good range of focal lengths, but I still ahven't decided if I want to carry all of that on tour with me.

How sensitive are digital cameras to vibration? It's my understanding that they can take more than you would think. Of course, that is not a very informed assessment. I know some other photgs on this site carry their cameras a variety of ways, pannier, trunk bags, handlebar bags, ect, and i haven't heard reports of damage to the camera.

I carry my camera strapped around my chest like my messenger bag. This lets me lift and shoot at any time if I see something cool, even while riding. I usually use a smaller camera like my Canonet, but i've used my D200 (with nikkor 24mm attached), FE (with same 24mm), and Yashica Electro this way without any issues.

As far as sensitivity to vibrations, the D300 is a semi-pro level camera. It can take the bumps.

Canonet
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3396/...8185882cea.jpg

d200 while riding
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/...2ef009e403.jpg

zoltani, that's kind of like the set up I want to use in a bag, Nikon D300, 28-70mm, 10-20mm and 50mm. If I could get my D300, 28-70 an 10-20 in the Ortlieb bag that would be fine; do you think that will fit?

I have no idea how large a D300 body is, but if it is around the same size as a canon 10D then it will fit for sure. In my earlier post I forgot to mention that with the large sized bag I still have room for keys, phone, wallet, granola bar, and i could also throw an extra jersey on top of it all (or maybe a VERY packable rain jacket).

EDIT: I will try to take a pic tomorrow if i have a chance. BTW if you go for the ortlieb check out www.thetouringstore.com Wayne is great and will answer all of your questions with patience.

I have an Arkel large handlebar bag, with some foam inserts in it that I made which holds a MF camera kit (Hasselblad). The Arkel bag is nice in that it is easily detached from the bike and used as a shoulder bag.

BTW you may also want to check this thread on turning a mess bag into a camera pannier http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=236014

Be aware that with a body and two lens in a handlebar bag (i don't count my 50mm cause it weighs nothing) it will affect handling slightly.

On a bike tour of Nova Scotia, I stuffed my Nikon D70 with kit 18-70mm zoom into this:

http://topeak.com/products/Bags/Compact_Handlebar_Bag

It was definitely a tight fit, but that's what I wanted. The camera survived the trip. The bag has a rain cover too, but the mount side is exposed.

Its not just the camera you have to worry about. In 4 years I've had to send two lenses for repair, one of them twice. Replace the aperture and fix focus on one, and the other literally had a screw loose.

I keep my dSLRs and lenses in a back-pack, and they are on the bike several times per week. I would worry about vibration damage if the bag was mounted to the bike. The shutter and main mirror should be fine, and the lens mount should be ok unless you have a monster lens on it without proper support. The sub-mirror used for AF is easy to knock out of place, though.

In my youth I studied to be a pro photog and back then we found that a HARD SIDE case was
always the best to protect our gear. That said, It's a simple stretch to work up an hard side foam
filled case that you install your own fasteners on.

I've looked at all the post that have been put up until now and the one thing that struck me was
that everybody was trying very hard to make a soft side bag do a job that they were really never
ment to on a bike. Soft side is ok if you put the bag in/on your car or over your shoulder
but on a bike the camera "bag" must be robust enough to take spills, slides, and crashes all by
itself which to me is hard side case just like the old days when I studied to be a pro photog.

TJ, you solved my problem. I have a Tarmac 5625 Pro Digital bag and did exactly as you suggested and it worked like a charm.

http://www.tamrac.com/5625.htm





The strap even acts to reduce shock and keeps the bag slightly extended away from the bike frame. It is very secure and comes off easily.

Thanks for the tip.

Just thought I'd revisit this issue and give some insight into a great camera bag. After messing around with a number of bags I decided to go ahead and get the Ortlieb handlebar bag with the camera insert and it is perfect. Anyone who likes to carry a camera (I commute with mine every day, ya' never know what you'll see along the way) should look into this bag, it's great. It's sturdy enough to handle my D300 SLR with a heavy 24-70mm Nikon lens with some room to spare for odds and ends. I purchased and extra bracket so I can attach the bag to either of my two bikes in seconds.

Thanks to the folks that suggested this bag.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/...392594.jpg?v=0