Why No Camera Style Bag for Telescope Accessories?

When I look for a camera bag, there are hundreds to pick form. Why hasn't
someone designed a soft-sided camera bag for the amateur astronomers? I'm
looking for a small softsided camera-bag-style bag that allows you to carry
4 to 6 eyepieces standing up, has spade for a Sky Commander or Argo Navis,
small flashlight, and filters. I see lots of large metal and plastic
cases - but nothing that you can carry over the shoulder like a nice small
camera bag. Anyone know of such a critter? Thanks,

André

Televue makes a nice eyepiece case with room for filters. You could use
one of the eyepiece slots for a small flashlight. You'd want to be
creative putting stuff in there, but the case itself is just as you
describe.

Take a look:
http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=160

macnmotion

Photoking wrote:
When I look for a camera bag, there are hundreds to pick form. Why hasn't
someone designed a soft-sided camera bag for the amateur astronomers? I'm
looking for a small softsided camera-bag-style bag that allows you to carry
4 to 6 eyepieces standing up, has spade for a Sky Commander or Argo Navis,
small flashlight, and filters. I see lots of large metal and plastic
cases - but nothing that you can carry over the shoulder like a nice small
camera bag. Anyone know of such a critter? Thanks,

André

What I need to know is can it handle a 2" Visual Paracorr, a 35mm Panoptic,
a 24mm Panoptic, three Nagler T6's, a Nagler 3-6 zoom, a red flashlight, and
a partridge?

(Well, maybe not a partridge... but I'm serious about the rest, all at once)

--
-Stephen Paul

"macnmotion" wrote in message
...
Televue makes a nice eyepiece case with room for filters. You could use
one of the eyepiece slots for a small flashlight. You'd want to be
creative putting stuff in there, but the case itself is just as you
describe.

Take a look:
http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=160

macnmotion

Photoking wrote:
When I look for a camera bag, there are hundreds to pick form. Why
hasn't
someone designed a soft-sided camera bag for the amateur astronomers?
I'm
looking for a small softsided camera-bag-style bag that allows you to
carry
4 to 6 eyepieces standing up, has spade for a Sky Commander or Argo
Navis,
small flashlight, and filters. I see lots of large metal and plastic
cases - but nothing that you can carry over the shoulder like a nice
small
camera bag. Anyone know of such a critter? Thanks,

André

"Stephen Paul" wrote in message
...
What I need to know is can it handle a 2" Visual Paracorr, a 35mm
Panoptic,
a 24mm Panoptic, three Nagler T6's, a Nagler 3-6 zoom, a red flashlight,
and
a partridge?

(Well, maybe not a partridge... but I'm serious about the rest, all at
once)

--
-Stephen Paul

You forgot the six pack and two bags of tortilla chips, a roll of TP, and a
pair of dry socks.

--

----

Joe S.



"macnmotion" wrote in message
...
Televue makes a nice eyepiece case with room for filters. You could use
one of the eyepiece slots for a small flashlight. You'd want to be
creative putting stuff in there, but the case itself is just as you
describe.

Take a look:
http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=160

macnmotion

Photoking wrote:
When I look for a camera bag, there are hundreds to pick form. Why
hasn't
someone designed a soft-sided camera bag for the amateur astronomers?
I'm
looking for a small softsided camera-bag-style bag that allows you to
carry
4 to 6 eyepieces standing up, has spade for a Sky Commander or Argo
Navis,
small flashlight, and filters. I see lots of large metal and plastic
cases - but nothing that you can carry over the shoulder like a nice
small
camera bag. Anyone know of such a critter? Thanks,

André

The Televue is Okay. But I'm really talking about something that looks more
like a small camcorder bag, or a tamrac or nova camera bag - top
compartments would be for eyepieces. Side pockets for Rigel, filters etc.
lower zippered pocket for Argo Navis, etc. The bag would rest on shoulder
while you opened it, and handled the eyepieces (can't really do that with
the Televue.

Seems like someone should be able to design one of these for amateur
astronomers.

Andre

"macnmotion" wrote in message
...
Televue makes a nice eyepiece case with room for filters. You could use
one of the eyepiece slots for a small flashlight. You'd want to be
creative putting stuff in there, but the case itself is just as you
describe.

Take a look:
http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=160

macnmotion

Photoking wrote:
When I look for a camera bag, there are hundreds to pick form. Why
hasn't
someone designed a soft-sided camera bag for the amateur astronomers?
I'm
looking for a small softsided camera-bag-style bag that allows you to
carry
4 to 6 eyepieces standing up, has spade for a Sky Commander or Argo
Navis,
small flashlight, and filters. I see lots of large metal and plastic
cases - but nothing that you can carry over the shoulder like a nice
small
camera bag. Anyone know of such a critter? Thanks,

André

Photoking wrote:

The Televue is Okay. But I'm really talking about something that looks more
like a small camcorder bag, or a tamrac or nova camera bag - top
compartments would be for eyepieces. Side pockets for Rigel, filters etc.
lower zippered pocket for Argo Navis, etc. The bag would rest on shoulder
while you opened it, and handled the eyepieces (can't really do that with
the Televue.

Seems like someone should be able to design one of these for amateur
astronomers.

I'm still looking for a case for my little Nexstar 114GT, and have come to
the conclusion that a hard case (not necessarily a Celestron one--maybe a
job box from Home Depot) with foam lining is the way to go. Reason: to keep
the scope in collimation. A soft bag might be OK for a smaller scope (80
mm) or binoculars.

--
Pat O'Connell
[note munged EMail address]
Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints,
Kill nothing but vandals...

The quest for decent bags/cases is ongoing. The mainstream ones offered by
Celestron and Meade don't accomodate lens caps very well, and there's a of
of space taken up by just foam. The customizable ones with the foam cubes
means you'll have loose foam cubes popping out all the time.

A good case would not only hold and protect the optics, but a lot of other
equipment (sun filters, diagonals, small notebook, pencils, flashlight, bug
stuff) as well. One desires to keep the trips from the car to a minimum, and
if you've got a large dob, that's two right there, plus another for table
and chair, then a third for equipment cases, then a fourth for the
cooler....

Putting eyepieces in a bag seems risky...I want the emotional security of a
hardshell cover around my babies. Another issue: waterproofing. A lot of
those cases aren't, and if water from rain, dew or someone's spilled
Gatorade gets into your compound optics, it's a very sad moment. I have a
feeling the solution lies not with Orion or Adorama, but probably in another
venue (like the army), with some modifications...


"Pat OConnell" wrote in message
news:HQeAb.24197$o9.15679@fed1read07...
Photoking wrote:

The Televue is Okay. But I'm really talking about something that looks
more
like a small camcorder bag, or a tamrac or nova camera bag - top
compartments would be for eyepieces. Side pockets for Rigel, filters
etc.
lower zippered pocket for Argo Navis, etc. The bag would rest on
shoulder
while you opened it, and handled the eyepieces (can't really do that
with
the Televue.

Seems like someone should be able to design one of these for amateur
astronomers.

I'm still looking for a case for my little Nexstar 114GT, and have come to
the conclusion that a hard case (not necessarily a Celestron one--maybe a
job box from Home Depot) with foam lining is the way to go. Reason: to
keep
the scope in collimation. A soft bag might be OK for a smaller scope (80

mm) or binoculars.

--
Pat O'Connell
[note munged EMail address]
Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints,
Kill nothing but vandals...

I just use a fly fishing vest with tons of pockets. Each eyepiece stays in
it's own pocket. There's a place for everything, and essentially the vest
_is_ the bag.

"Eric Martin" wrote in message
.com...
The quest for decent bags/cases is ongoing. The mainstream ones offered by
Celestron and Meade don't accomodate lens caps very well, and there's a of
of space taken up by just foam. The customizable ones with the foam cubes
means you'll have loose foam cubes popping out all the time.

I bought a nice cushy soft-sided picnic cooler that has a zipper all
the way around the top so it opens nice and wide.

I think it makes an ideal eyepiece and accessory case. I usually
leave my e/p's in the bolt cases when not in use. During observing, I
sometimes just line them up on a soft cloth until I'm finished and
then put them back in the cases for storage. The insulated case
prevents dewing problems when the lid is closed even loosely.

Plenty of room for barlows, extra flashlight, filters and even some
printed charts if needed. Plus as a bonus, it doen't appear be be a
custom case for some relatively expensive astro products so it's a
little less likely to attract any unnessary attention. Just a thought
since these types of coolers come in all kind of sizes, so you can fit
your particular needs with a little shopping.

Lynn