"I figured the Argon was rated in the weight range I’d done in the past and actually weighed less and was WAY more comfortable."
Lightening the camera load was a very good idea. I carried an SLR kit AND a 4×5 kit with me when I backpacked into the Enchantments, and it was brutal. Even as strong as I am, it left me so wiped out that I barely had enough energy for sunrise photography — and I'm an early riser under normal circumstances anyway.
Before discounting the tarp tent idea, check out some vendors like Alpinlite Gear and Hyperlight Mountain Gear. I started out with a 3-season, 2-person tent, then got a TarpTent (Scarp1), and lately started using a tarp + tent combination. The tarp + tent combination is working out very nicely, it's surprisingly comfortable — because even though technically you're sleeping in a floorless shelter, you have the luxury of adding an inner tent (mine currently is an MLD Serenity), effectively turning it into a double-walled tent without the weight penalty of a "standard" double-walled tent. Once inside, it doesn't feel like a tarp, it feels more like a tent with an enormous vestibule, since I have a duo tarp and a solo net tent.
The bear cannisters that the rangers rent you for a whopping $3 work quite nicely — though I don't recommend sitting on them, since we discovered the hard way that if you do that, you can jam them. We still got ours open, but it wasn't easy.
As far as packs go, I'd take a careful look around here and give serious consideration to the ultralight offerings… or just skip the whole shopping around business and talk to Dan McHale, provided that you have the budget for it. ;)
You did the right thing by NOT looking at the usual suspects for camera bags — their insane amount of padding is comical :)
