Yep, I have a problem. It’s a serious problem. AA can’t help me. Nobody can help me. But admitting my problem is supposed to be the first step to correcting it, so here goes. I am a camera bag addict! There. I said it!

I have 25 or more camera bags. In my pursuit of the perfect camera bag I’ve learned one thing… there is no perfect bag. But you can find the perfect bag for a specific job, or situation. And the BODA V3 is just such a bag.

The BODA V3 is the brain-child of Jim Garner, a Seattle-based wedding photographer. He’s sought out and received input from more than 100 photographers, and in this – his third edition of the BODA Lens Bag, he has achieved success.

I was lucky enough to get an advance unit, shipped to me well before the retail drop date this week. I tested the bag in several situations and was simply blown away by how well thought-out it is.

Let’s start at the beginning. The construction is top-notch. It even has metal rivets on the bottom for strength. This bag will last you a lifetime. I have no doubt of that. The ballistics Cordura is tough as nails. Jim also made sure to use sealed, weather-proof zippers which actually work.

You wear this on your belt (with an optional belt strap) or hang it over your shoulder like any other photo bag. The shoulder strap is wide and thick and provides superb weight distribution.

This bag is not designed to carry everything you own. In my opinion, it’s best use is as described – a lens bag. I can fit four big fat super fast prime lenses in the BODA V3. The bag will support a lens up to 70-200 in length. There’s also room for accessories like flash, media cards, cell phones, batteries and a water bottle. The bag even comes with a built-in, retractable, micro-fibre lens cleaner. Brilliant!

Everything is accessible. This is a shooters bag. You work OUT of this bag. Event shooters, sports shooters, photojournalists, wildlife shooters – or any photographer who needs to get quick access to their gear will love this bag.

The dimensions are 13×7.5×5″. The hinge points now lock. There are new multi-purpose O-rings for hanging stuff off the bag. The lens separators are new and improved. The whole bag is just a big bigger and more comfortable than previous editions.

I have lots of bags, but few I love. This BODA V3 bag fits into the love category. If you can understand that this isn’t a bag designed to store your gear in, but rather to work from, you won’t be disappointed. HIGHLY recommended.

The BODA V3 bag is available directly from http://www.goboda.com at $195. Like many of the cool things I get to use and review, this one may be hard to get. Each edition of the BODA bag sells out quickly. If you’re interested, don’t wait. You may end up having to order a BODA IV.
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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store