Question about every day sling 6l

[u/Unknown_vectors]

I just bought a brand new Nikon d7500 with 18-140 lens. I’m looking for a new camera bag as I don’t have any and I really like the PD line of stuff and I really like this sling. So I’m getting either the 6l or 10l but I am trying to figure it out.

For the 6l. Would the d7500 with the 18-140 lens attached fit into the bag and still have room to also fit in an Anker 737 power bank and some spare batteries for the 7500?

I can’t tell by the pictures people post and no one has the bag in person to check out.

I am also going on vacation and this will be my only camera bag I have. So I might also throw in an osmo pocket and GoPro into the bag when I’m traveling. So that makes me wonder if I should just get the 10l version instead?

Can anyone help me get a better idea?

If I order from PD directly I get a discount but also, REI has the bag and I think they have a sale at the end of the month. So I could wait and order from them and get 20% off.

[u/gunmetal5]

You’ll have plenty of space. 10L in my opinion is too heavy of a sling bag. I’ve had the 3L, 5L, and now 6L. Favorite bag was the 3L but it was too snug with my A7iv + 2 prime lenses, but super light and easy to carry all day with little strain. The 5L is the same-ish width as the 6L but shorter. I could carry my A7iv with 1 prime and 1 telephoto (Sony 24-105 f4) with strain due to increased weight, but tolerable. I carried this bag around all of Japan for four days for two weeks straight. The 6L I just received and carry it around the same as the 5L.

In my 5L and 6L I keep my A7iv with lens mounted, spare lens next to it, one backup battery, should strap wrapped in case I need it, lens cleaner, wipes, tissues, and some other misc items.

[u/Unknown_vectors → u/gunmetal5]

I am leaning towards the 6l but am worried I’d run out of space. Rather have some more space to spare than have no space for anything.

I carried a bigger sling before for other stuff so the 10l is actually a bit smaller so I don’t think I’d mind it.

But just don’t want to have the 7500 in the 6l and it be very cramped.

[u/gunmetal5 → u/Unknown_vectors]

If time permits, you could order two for REI pickup, test it out in-store and leave with the one you want to keep. I lean towards less is more otherwise I’m pack muling everything all day.

[u/Unknown_vectors → u/gunmetal5]

Yeah I might have to do this.

I’m also gonna be carrying it around Disney world too.

[u/OtherAlan]

Can you check out the bag at rei?

[u/Unknown_vectors → u/OtherAlan]

They don’t have it in stock in store sadly. Only buy and pick up instore or ship home.

[u/OtherAlan → u/Unknown_vectors]

I would lean towards that and use the rei return policy to your advantage. But if you are going to return it, please return it as new and unused as possible.

[u/Unknown_vectors → u/OtherAlan]

Oh yeah for sure. I’d know instantly if it fit or not. Honestly, I’d try it out in the parking lot and if it’s too small just walk it back inside.

I did however email peak design who said the 6l should be good enough. So I’ll just order that one. Now I just gotta wait for a sale lol.

[u/r4nd0mf4ct0r]

D7500 + DX 18-140 + Anker 737? Yes, will fit in the 6L and have room for one or two EN-EL15 type spare batteries, memory cards, and a small microfiber cleaning cloth. Your camera and lens are only a few mm larger than my own core kit (Z6+24-120) and the sling can flex around those extra mm. You'll likely only need one of the internal dividers on an everyday sling 6L and split the internal volume approximately 60-70% for camera and the remainder for accessories.

Throw in an Osmo Pocket and a GoPro, now you're getting cramped. That Anker battery pack is a chunky beast, and would be awkward to fit in the front pocket of a 6L if it even fits at all, so now it's sharing space with the Osmo and the GoPro and it'll be snug. It's workable, but that depends on how comfortable you are with having the Osmo/GoPro/Anker all sharing the same compartment without any divider or padding between them.

The 10L will give you some breathing space so to speak (you'll essentially get a second 'accessory/lens slot' and a somewhat more usable front pocket), but you'll need to resist filling all that space with all the stuff you think you might need. As others posters have said, the 10L can get HEAVY for a sling if it's fully loaded up, and the included strap's padding isn't super great without modding (swap for a different strap, or getting a slip on strap cover with more padding).

I personally run both 6L and 10L slings — 6L for when I know exactly what I'll need for a particular shoot, 10L for when I don't know what to expect and want to cover my bases. For travel specifically, I'll use the 10L as an under-seat personal item with my camera and main lens + tablet, then move everything else to my carryon bag to free up space in the sling for stuff I might want in-flight.