camera bag

All posts tagged camera bag

Think Tank Photo – Sub Urban Disguise 30 – Mini Review

Posted by scottbourne on March 13, 2013
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

bag

As far as camera bags go, you just can’t go wrong with anything from Think Tank. For years they’ve been making some of the best bags out there and their new bag, the Think Tank Sub Urban Disguise 30 is no exception.

It’s a shoulder bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag, but it’s very sturdy, offers tons of protection and is perfect for people who are shooting with smaller MFT cameras, compacts and other mirror less bodies. You can also use it for carrying a small DSLR and two small lenses.

This is a day bag, not a trip bag. You would use this when you just want to travel with minimal gear, but have quick access to it and know it’s well protected.

I particularly like the flip top lid that opens way from the body. This makes it easy to pull the gear out and put it back in. There’s also room for an iPad or similar tablet.

It sounds like a broken record. Every time I review the Think Tank bags I mention the high-quality materials and the zippers. They are second to none.

This company was founded by photographers who were tired of buying bags that were not up to par with the actual needs of a photographer. They have succeeded in their mission to improve on the common camera bag and I always like their stuff. And the price is more reasonable than some competing bags at under $90 street price.

Highly Recommended.

_______

This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/​Photofocus.

Skip Cohen University Professional photo education for wedding & portrait photographers.

ThingLink offers an interactive, online photo experience like nothing you’ve seen before. Join for free.

Drobo – Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Ona Union Street DSLR Messenger Bag – Mini Review

Posted by scottbourne on February 10, 2013
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , .

union_black_l

This May Be The Finest Camera Bag I’ve Ever Seen!

I’ve had every camera bag ever made. I’ve had every kind of bag ever made. I’ve thrown away more camera bags than most photographers have ever owned. In other words I have camera bags coming out my you know what. But THIS ladies and gentlemen is one bag I will NOT be throwing away. The ONA The Union Street Camera and Laptop Bag rocks!

I’ve never heard of Ona before being contacted about this review. But clearly that hasn’t stopped them! :) It’s clear they have found a niche for themselves. They make ultra-high-end, ultra-quality bags for photographers.

To the casual observer, the Union Street DSLR bag is a typical (but nicer) messenger bag. But open it up and you see that it’s got photography in its bones.

union_ranger_interior_tb

According to Ona – the bag holds up to a 15″ laptop, and a small camera body and up to three small lenses. There’s a padded insert for both the computer and the camera gear. The bag has five dividers including the removable laptop section. There’s a front section you can use to store memory cards and small accessories. But it’s not a great deal of space. More on all that in a minute.

The construction is simply the best I’ve ever seen. The company uses only full-grain cowhide leather, waxed cotton canvas, solid brass, and closed-cell foam in its bags. This particular unit is a very handsome bag. It’s handcrafted. No detail was spared. Everything is top-shelf quality. You could carry this to a Wall Street firm wearing your best suit and nobody would question you. But it’s rugged enough to go out into the wild with Indiana Jones. In fact, I am betting that if Indiana Jones carried a camera bag it would be this one.

union_smoke_tb_bt
Now to the bad news. It’s a very small bag. While the company claims it will hold a 15″ computer, a DSLR body and up to three lenses, in my tests, I’d say that is a generous description.

For me this is not a problem. This bag is perfect for those (like me) who have switched to Micro Four Thirds. My OM-D E-M5 body and three primary lenses (the Oly 12mm, 45mm and 75mm) fit no problem along with battery charger, cables, etc. My MacBook Air fits no problem. But my pals big beefy Dell 15″ laptop wouldn’t squeeze in. Likewise, if you’re shooting a big pro body like a Canon 1DX or a Nikon D4, forget it. You can remove the laptop wall giving you another inch or so of interior room, which may make the difference for some of you with smaller DSLRs like the Canon 7D or the Nikon D600.

This camera bag is designed for someone who is trying to travel light. It will carry the necessities for many jobs. And it will do so very safely, securely and beautifully. But you can’t bring everything you own. Oh and more bad news – the cost for this is steep at $289. But money is just a means of exchange. And if you’re getting something of great value, it matters less.

To me it’s absolutely worth it. There’s nothing on the market that can touch this bag’s looks and construction. I only wish it were bigger and I hope that the company will send me their Camps Bay backpack to test. It is more expensive still, but larger and probably better suited to those who carry lots of gear.

If you want a camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag, and that will get you where you want to go with the basics, but in style – this is the one. I love this bag and will absolutely be using this in my everyday workflow.

Highly recommended!

_______
This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/​Photofocus.

Skip Cohen University Professional photo education for wedding & portrait photographers. Sign up for SCU THRIVE in Vegas, March 8, 9 – 2013

ShootProof – Use code BOURNE20 to save 20% off the first year of any level plan – even monthly

Drobo – Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.
Amazon

Mini Review – Lowepro Pro Roller x300 Camera Bag

Posted by scottbourne on August 3, 2010
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , .

I now have more camera bags than I do lenses or bodies. And I have an awful lot of lenses and bodies. But many of the camera bags I’ve been relying on in the past may have just been disintermediated.

Let me start out by saying this bag has been around for a while but it’s new to me, so that’s why I am reviewing it. And in the case of the Lowepro Pro Roller x300 Camera Bag, it’s worth the wait. This is a full-size rolling camera bag with tons of room. Moreover, it’s well thought-out, well-designed and even has a few tricks up its sleeve that are quite impressive.

Let’s start with the basics. This is one beefy, big boy. At 17.5 pounds empty, you won’t want to plan on carrying this around the world, but for trips in a car, bus or train or across the studio, it’s a great fit. With one slight modification it works on planes too. More on that in a minute.

The bag is 18.5×11.4x.26.3″ in size. It’s only available in the USA as of this writing. In my test, I put the following into this one bag. Yep EVERYTHING on this list made it in the bag without crowding.

2 – Canon 1D MK IV Bodies with Kirk L-Plates attached
1 – Canon 14 mm F/2.8 rectilinear lens
1 – Canon 15 mm F/2.8 lens
1 – Canon 24 mm F/1.4 lens
1 – Canon 35 mm F/1.4 lens
1 – Canon 50 mm F/1.2 lens
1 – Canon 85 mm F/1.2 lens
1 – Canon 135 mm F/2 lens
1 – Canon 400 mm F/5.6 lens
1 – Canon 580 EX II Flash
1 – Canon TC 80N3 Camera Remote Control
3 – Rogue Flash Modifiers
1 – Canon OC-E3 Flash sync cable
1 – Canon 1D MK IV battery charger
4 – Lexar 32GB Flash Memory Cards
1 – Lensbaby Composer
1 – Zacuto Z-Finder
8 – Polarizer filters and step up rings
1 – Singh Ray Variable ND filter
1 – Canon EF 25 extension tube
1 – Canon EF 12 extension tube
1 – Supersized micro fibre cloth
2 – Kata Reflex E Camera Straps
1 – Lexar multi-card 24-in-1 usb reader
1 – Canon Closeup Filter 500D
1 – Giotto Rocket Blower
1 – Small Flashlight
1 – Small Headlamp
1 – DataColor Spyder Cube
Assorted cables and other accessories

That’s nine lenses (seven of them “L” glass,)  two pro bodies, a pro-flash and a ton of accessories in one rolling bag!

I could stop the review right now and you’d get it. This bag holds everything. But unlike some of the other big bags I’ve owned, used and tested, this one does it with style and grace. Imagine a fat guy who dances really well.

You may have guessed this bag is too large to carry on a plane and you’re right. But Lowepro has designed an ingenious way to work around this. When you want to go airborne, simply unzip and lift out the reserve pack which converts to a backpack that will fit in most major U.S. airlines overhead compartments. Very cool idea.

The bag is also very well set up. Instead of leaving it to you to figure out where to insert all those little gray velcro dividers, Lowepro has pre-configured the bag in a very usable way. I had to make very few modifications to make it perfect.

Some of the other super cool features I’ve never seen on a bag like this include a hideaway tripod mount and a TSA approved cable lock. The handle comes equipped with the capability of mounting a camera directly to it via a supplied accessory. There’s also a neat hideaway prop foot that allows you to sit the bag upright at a 30-45 degree angle which may be preferable to laying it flat in certain situations.

There’s also a place to slide a 17″ notebook on the outside of the bag. The notebook pocket can double as a place to store filters or light modifiers if you aren’t bringing a laptop with you.

The wheels are removable and very well made. The bag rolls very easily and the wheels look to be sturdy. If I have one complaint it’s that the wheels may be a tad too small, but I need more time to determine this.

The entire bag is very well made and will no doubt hold up longer than you’ll have your cameras.

This bag would make a great remote location lighting kit. You could even mount a light to the bag with the included tripod mount and have the ability to move it around without bringing a light stand.

At about $360 this bag is actually less expensive than I expected it to be. Lowepro bags have come a long way. Those who know me will probably be shocked to find out that this bag will be taking the place on my favorite list that is currently occupied by the Think Tank Airport Addicted. The Think Tank has been my favorite for more than five years, but the Lowepro is slightly bigger, holds more gear and has some innovations that I really like.

This bag is big and heavy and certainly not for everyone, but if you want a bag that will hold everything, this is the one.

Highly recommended.

_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Mini-Review Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 AWII

Posted by scottbourne on June 8, 2009
Posted in: Tips. Tagged: , , , .

lenstrekker

I got my hands on a Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 AW II. This has long been a favorite of nature, wildlife and sports shooters who want a safe, comfortable, easy way to get their long glass out into the field.

The Lens Trekker 600 AW II has interior dimensions of 9.1W X 8.5D X 24H in./
23 X 21.6 X 61 cm. This means you can attach a DLSR to a 600mm lens and still carry the rig inside the bag. (It’s tight but it fits.)

I tested the bag with my Sigma 300-800 F/5.6 and sorry – no dice. The bag will easily carry the lens alone, but not when a DSLR is mounted.

The bag offers what you’d expect inside. Good padding via adjustable padded dividers. There is also a nice, large front accessory pocket for additional storage. There are memory card holders inside the lid of the bag and like many of these bags, you can attach additional bags to the Trekker.

There is also a way to attach your tripod to the bag safely, comfortably and securely.

I was very impressed by the craftsmanship of the bag. It’s not cheaply made (nor should it be at $175.) It’s sturdy and its backpack-like harness system made it easy to carry either my Nikon 500 or 600mm lens around on my back. Since I like to carry my big glass with a body mounted, ready to work, my only disappointment with the Lens Trekker 600 AWII is that it won’t allow me to use my Sigmonster in that configuration.

The bag ships with an all-weather cover and the zip-down main compartment is very easy to access.

Those of you who know me are aware that I have lots of bags and generally prefer stuff from ThinkTank because it’s so well built. In this case, ThinkTank Photo doesn’t make a bag this tall and checking the Lowepro quality on this particular bag leads me to think that quality is in no way an issue with the Trekker.

Highly recommended.

_________

Sponsored by PMA – It’s not too early to mark your calendar because this is big. For the first time in the USA, the PMA tradeshow and conference will be open to the general public – September 6-11, 2011 in Las Vegas. See you there – http://bit.ly/9yaL2I

Mini Review of the Domke 700-10B F-1X Little Bigger Bag

Posted by scottbourne on June 1, 2009
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , .

700-10B_F-1Xbag_Lg

Mini Review of the Domke 700-10B F-1X Little Bigger Bag – Domke 700-10B F-1X Little Bit Bigger Bag

Note: For the purposes of this review I also added a Domke 725-310 FA-031 U.S. Post Office Shoulder Pad

It seems like I’ve always owned at least one Domke photo bag. Starting more than 30 years, Jim Domke’s bags have been used by photojournalists around the globe.

I recently retired my ancient F2. It provided me decades of service. I decided to replace it with the slightly larger F-1X “Little Bigger Bag.” At under $150, this bag seems inexpensive given the high-cost of most photo bags, but that doesn’t mean it’s poorly built.

Domke bags are designed for use when shooting. Bigger, beefier bags like my wonderful Kiboko bag from GuraGear or the lovely ThinkTank Photo Airport Addicted are great for getting gear TO THE FIELD. The Domke bag is lighter and offers less padding. It’s designed to use when you’re actually shooting. It doesn’t have as much cushioning material as some bags, and that’s by design. That makes it lighter, allows it to hold more gear in a smaller space and most importantly to me, allows me to get the gear out quickly without taking the bag off my shoulder.

A great example of when I would use a bag like this is during a photo walk. I don’t want to carry everything I own on a photo walk. I just need room for a flash or two, two bodies and three lenses. That’s no problem for this bag.

The F-1X is made of waterproof canvas. There is a removable padded bottom and a non-slip gripper strap. This model also offers 15 compartments, including a four-compartment movable insert. It includes a four-point suspension handgrip. There is also a weather flap that has three see-through mesh compartments. The inside zippered section can hold business cards, gels and other flat accessories.

The only negative point I’d raise relating to the F-1X is the strap. It offers no padding. But, if you’re willing to spend an extra $19, there’s a simple fix. Domke sells the Post Office Shoulder Pad as an accessory. This provides a very comfortable and thick pad that you attach to the strap with velcro. It sounds like a kludge but it works great. This pad is designed to fit the contour of your shoulder. Hook and loop fasteners attach to straps up to 2-1/2″ wide.

For photographers who like to work directly out of the bag, who need a day bag that is designed to work off your shoulder, or who just want a solid, inexpensive, reliable camera bag that holds a fair amount of gear, the the Domke F-1X Little Bigger Bag is an excellent choice. Highly recommended.

_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store