So I’m going on my next international trip (China) pretty soon and I need to address my backpack situation.
Currently I travel with a smallish backpack and a camera case. The backpack came with a matching suitcase (you can zip them together) and is a bit on the cheap side, as one of the zipper seams has started to come undone. The camera case is just big enough to hold my point-and-shoot (this bulky beauty, not a pocket cam), a spare battery, charger, SD cards and a few wipes. In the backpack I’ll keep my Tilley hat, a water bottle, power bar, folded-up rain jacket, possibly a laptop, and things like that. I can stuff the camera into it, but it bulks the bag up quite a bit and it’s not as easy to get to it. Otherwise, I have to carry two bags, and I’d rather not.
So I’m looking for a bag that can hold everything you’d throw in a day pack, plus a camera. I’ve seen backpacks designed to hold cameras but they’re for SLRs and I don’t need to stow a bunch of lenses and whatnot. What I was really hoping for is a backpack with a pocket/compartment specifically for stashing a camera, but I haven’t found anything like that. I would consider a shoulder bag, but prefer a backpack.
I have the same problem with hiking and cameras. I’ve recently gone to a fanny pack that only holds the camera and accessories, and wear it on my front, so I can grab it quickly and put it away just as fast.
I attach my P&S camera (somewhat smaller than yours) to my sternum strap or hip belt so it’s easily available when hiking and skiing. The same for walking around cities, you really don’t want your camera hidden away when you need it.
Are you hiking or just walking around town? Either way, if you plan on carrying the pack for extended periods of time go to a real store (EMS, REI) and try them on and get fitted to your pack. Brands are less important than fit.
Osprey packs are very high quality. I’ve had mine for years. The linked website has a huge variety of packs that might suit your needs. Their shipping is fast and prices are fair.
I’d go with Lowepro. Some models will be more comfortable than others. If your camera gear is limited you should be able to find a pretty comfortable one too. I’ve never used an Ospry but I know a lot of people like them. I know it is off topic but for shoulder strap, non backpack bags I prefer Domke. Get something you like, that works, and is comfortable because you will be carrying that bag everyday of the trip.
I recommend Maxpedition. They have wide range of sizes and styles but the main reason I like them (other than the outstanding build quality) is that they have PALS webbing, so you can firmly attach additional pouches. For your purposes I would recommend a smallish bag, plus a separate pouch for your camera. Keep them attached most of the time, then easily separate to minimize your load when you don’t need both.
They’re pricey–two small bags and the accessories to personalize perfectly could easily run $200–but they’ll last the rest of your life.