I’m daydreaming about new bags again.  The issue is my new nikkor zooms are just slightly longer than their canon counterparts I had previously (24-70 nikkor -vs- 24-105 canon and 14-24 nikkor -vs- any of my old UWA zooms).  This presents a problem with my Boda as I used to store one of those zooms on it’s side in the bottom of the bag to make it work.  So I need something that has “three lens tubes” instead of just the one.  On top of that I’ve gotten lazy and really like leaving the hood on the 24-70 so I’d like something it can go into with the hood on the body WITH it on the lens (this makes the combo ~10″ tall).

Here are my options:

• think tank UD30 ID: 9.25” L x 10.25” H x 4.25” D
• think tank UD50: ID: 14.375” L x 10.5” H x 4.25” D (tall enough but a fist too wide)
• crumpler 5 million: OD 10.24 x 7.87 x 5.51″ (too small for hood attached)
• crumpler 6 million: OD 12.6 x 9.45 x 7.09″
• crumpler 7 million: OD 14.96 x 11.02 x 7.09″ (too big, but the height works)
• lowepro stealth D300: ID 10.8 x 6.9 x 7.7″
• lowepro stealth D400: ID 12.6 x 7.5 x 9.4″ (tall enough but too big)
• lowepro exchange messenger: ID 11.8 x 4.7 x 8.1″ (very thin on padding, very light, only works with hood removed)
• tamrac 3537 express 7 (Eric’s): ID 11 x 4 1/4 x 9.0″
• tamrac 5534 adventure messenger 4 (Mark’s/Shawn’s): ID 11 x 4.0 x 9.0″
• lowepro midtown 160: OD 12.6 x 5.7 x 9.8″

yes I AM that crazy/anal about bags that I need all that info to even come close to deciding.  The other option is to get a new/different bag for my tenba insert to go into that has less bulk than the musto bag I’m currently using.  It would also need to be just a tad taller as the musto doesn’t like to zip with the 24-70 hood in place…

The crumpler 5 and 7 are out.  Looking at the numbers the 6 wouldn’t be tall enough unless I remove the hood.  The think tank UD 30 is looking very good.  It’s .25″ shorter though and it was a tightish zipper with the hood in place.  It’s also 5″ narrower where it could be a “fist” narrower for my use.  My 4 knuckles measure in at 4″ but with the thumb it’s 5″ so again, very close…  The stealth 400 is far to big in terms of thickness (width and height are perfect but there’s basically two smaller lens spots per side) but the 300 is too short to work with the hood in place…

So with the hood in place, the options are few, the TT UD30 maybe, otherwise it’s the crumpler 7 million (which is too big) and lowepro 400D (which is too big).  With the hood reversed there are a few more options with the UD30 working for sure, crumpler 5 or 6 million, lowepro exchange  and maybe stealth 300.  The tamracs are still a question…

• musto is OD 11″ x 15″ x 6.5″ ID 10″ x 15″ x 5.5″
• timbuk2 small: 14.5″ x 9.75″ x 5.25″ (12″ width at bottom)
• timbuk2 medium: 18.75″ x 10.5″ x 7.75″ (14″ width at bottom)
• manhattan portage cornell: 13.5 x 11.5 x 4
• my tenba insert 13″ x 9″ x 5″
• smaller tenba insert 12″ x 9″ x 4.5″

here the timbuk2 small is too small for my current larger tenba insert.  The smaller insert is an inch narrower so it could work.  But the manhattan portage bag is wide enough for the insert for sure, the issue there being it’s thickness at only 4″.

it’s never easy, I just hope after all this time/effort I end up with something I like…

just found 2 nice jill-e bags online, the messenger is PERFECT if only it weren’t poka dots…  The sail bag also looks awesome.