I had a hiking backpack that I didn't use very often so I decided to convert this into a camera bag. You can use cheaper laptop bags, but make sure the zip goes all the way to the bottom so you can open it up to see all your gear and for ease of access. You want to make sure that the size of the bag is big enough for the gear you want to carry, also allowing some room for the foam.
The first thing I did was gather all my gear together that I wanted in the bag and worked out how I wanted it layed out. I then measured the internals of the bag and drew up a rough sketch to work out how much foam to buy.
I went looking online for a foam supplier that fitted my budget and had the right foam. I got a few quotes and found that the more pieces I ordered the more they would charge per piece (what I thought was extra charge for cutting each piece). So I worked out what sizes I needed and then what sizes would work for me without to much wastage per piece.
I worked out that 40mm thick form would add enough padding and support to the bag but not take up to much space. I asked a few foam suppliers about what type of foam I should use and they suggested a firm foam with some sponginess to it. I didn't care what colour it was as i was then going to cover it in some fabric.
Once I had my foam I could then re measure my bag to confirm I had the sizes right allowing for the thickness of the foam. Once the foam was cut I test fitted it just to make sure it fitted nice and snug. Once I had tested the foams fit I could then start covering the foam in some fabric.
I used some cheap pillow cases, but you can use whatever you like to cover it with. I found that for my size bag 2 pillow cases was just enough without to much excess. If you can use a sewing machine then that is a great option, but since I'm not very competent with one so I just used a hot glue gun. This works great and is a great alternative to a sewing machine. I also got some wide velcro to attach the pieces to create the sections just in case I wanted to change it later. I used the hook velcro (soft) on the outer pieces (the ones that come in contact with the camera/lenses) and the hook velcro on the other pieces. The best option is to get self stick velcro but the cheaper option is the sew on velcro and that is what I used. You can use a hot glue gun to attach the velcro but I used a needle and thread to make sure it was attached firmly enough.
After measuring the fabric and cutting it to size I glued it to the foam making sure it was tight enough. It was like wrapping a present and fairly easy, making sure the foam was nice and snug. One the foam was all covered and the velcro was attached I inserted it into the bag and did a final test fit with all my gear.
The bag cost me about $150, but I have had it for about 3 years and it has been used many times but now I don't see a need for it. So it was a perfect bag to convert into a camera bag. The foam cost about $60 including postage and the pillow cases cost about $5. There are cheaper bags around and cheaper foam suppliers but my bag has plenty of support for the extra weight. It also is excellent for using all day as it is a hiking pack with a kidney belt and a chest strap.
When you choose the right bag you also need to think about what you are going to be doing with your camera, eg long walks, or short car trips. If you are going to be doing long walks or hikes I would recommend a specialized hiking pack that has the right support. If you think you are only going to be doing short walks and car trips then a computer bag might be suitable. You will need to think about what gear you would like to buy in the future and wether the bag size will cope.
This has saved me about $100 and I have a camera backpack that is specific to my gear and how I want it laid out. It also doesn't look like a camera bag and has more padding then a commercial one, protecting my camera and gear more when traveling.
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