Crumpler’s Five Million Dollar Home: Perfect Holiday Gift for the Photographer in Your Life
For photographers who typically carry a couple of lenses, Crumpler’s Five Million Dollar Home is the ideal bag for traveling locally or afar with a DSLR. Living in the photo district of NYC, I’ve checked out many camera bags and have never found one with the features of the bag I love and have been carrying since 2007.
If I wasn’t cultivating a beat-up no-valuables-here look, it would look almost brand new with a little brushing.
For travelers, it’s the perfect bag on many levels:
- It packs into a small daypack/tote bag that counts as a personal item for US air carriers, facilitating carry-on travel.
- The flap locks into place and features an impossible-to-access inside, zippered security pocket.
- It isn’t obviously a camera bag – could pass as a woman’s handbag, or messenger bag for men (especially the Six Million Dollar Home).
The bag’s center slot fits a Rebel or similar sized DSLR with a lens attached. My camera with one large lens attached and a second large lens fit fine in the three slots with space for a flash or my sunglasses in the third slot. A photographer using smaller lenses could probably fit two in addition to the one on the camera.
The long, thick, adjustable strap enables the bag to be slung across the chest for security or when riding a moto-taxi in Southeast Asia. A velcro release prevents being dragged down the street by a thief grabbing the bag from a motorbike, or any other scary scenario.
Filters, accessories, batteries, small money, and other items you need easy access to fit in the front pocket. Inside this front pocket is an additional security pocket with Velcro. The bag’s flap snaps into place to secure the contents of this pocket and everything else. The flap prevents light rain from getting into the bag.
The bag is padded enough to protect the gear but not be bulky. It doesn’t scream camera bag like the big boxy cases, but doesn’t fit as much either.
The bag also features 2 hidden side pockets. I store extra batteries in one side, and a rolling shopping tote in the other. If I end up shopping, I can store goods in the tote bag, leaving my hands free for photography.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the traveling photographer in your life, or searching for the best camera bag for your own travels – check out the Crumpler Five Million Dollar Home. Right now, these bags are on sale on Amazon for a fraction of what I paid for mine at a holiday promotion at the NYC Crumpler store 7 years ago.