When I first opened the box with the Tenba Cooper 13 DSLR inside, I knew I was in for something special. The bag itself came wrapped inside another bag! Very classy. Once I removed the Cooper and felt its fabric between my fingers, my first thought was this is going to be a great case to carry around. It’s a handsome slate grey on the outside, lined with a nylon interior. I’d consider the Cooper a messenger-style bag, and it also looks like a typical day-to-day bag.
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The $250 MindShift BackLight 26L (the 26L stands for 26 liters of internal volume) is a medium-sized backpack designed for the outdoors photographer but can be very much at home with anyone who wants to carry a lot of photo gear on their back in a handsomely designed bag. It comes in both green and graphite colors; I chose to review the graphite colored one. The first thing I noticed is how light the MindShift BackLight 26L feels (just around 4lbs/1.8kg). I don’t like heavy camera bags for comfort reasons, and this case does not add much more weight to my already heavy camera kit.
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These excellent new shoulder cases from Think Tank Photo and WaterField Designs provide new meaning to the term deep pockets.
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For outdoor photographers and frequent plane travelers who prefer to keep their gear nearby in flight, it is not always easy to find the right travel bag. I recently had the chance to test out the FirstLight 30L by MindShift Gear, which can fulfill both tasks.
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Every professional and serious amateur photographer loves bags. We do because theyre an essential part of our kit. Im betting that you have a closet full of camera bags. Just like lenses, different camera bags serve different functions. You probably have one just for event shooting, one for corporate gigs, one for hiking. Am I right?
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Every ThinkTank Photo pack I’ve looked at in the past has been remarkable for attention to design, function and workmanship. The Trifecta 10 is no exception. This backpack is designed with serious amateur photographers and professionals in mind. It’s sleek and it’s sturdy. I make no apologies for my loyalty to the ThinkTank brand. They make good stuff.
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The rotation180° Panorama is designed for people taking long walks in the wild with their camera. The camera compartment sits at the bottom of the bag and can be swiveled to the front. Simply detach the magnetic lock on your right rear and pull the camera compartment to your belly in a matter of seconds. Once you’re done shooting, put your camera in place and push the compartment to your back.
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When shopping for a camera bag, it’s important to give some thought to how you’ll use it. Just as you don’t need a $5,000 Nikon DSLR to take good pictures of your nephew’s birthday party, neither do you need a $400 rolling camera suitcase if you’re just traveling short distances and not carrying a pile of gear.
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There is no such thing as the Perfect Backpack. Many are either underwhelming or trying too hard to accommodate every conceivable situation. This often results in a backpack with too many pockets, zips, hooks, and Velcro closures. Case Logic has hit a sweet spot with the Ibira Backpack. It is comfortable, economical, and just falls within airline carry-on and under seat size limits.
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Think Tank My 2nd Brain Briefcase 13 is unashamedly a briefcase and designed as a working bag. Whether you are a dedicated road warrior or just someone like me who feels they need to carry more than just their laptop and charger, consider it seriously. Think Tank Photo describes it as a mobile office for Apple power users. It is manufactured in good quality, water resistant, rip-stop type nylon, padded with a good closed cell foam, and lined with heavy duty silver toned nylon.
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Photographers are so focused on the hardware and the image that the importance of a camera bag to transport and protect this costly and delicate the gear can be overlooked. Domke has these objectives squarely in its sights. My first impression of this bag was that it can withstand being dragged for several kilometers across the Serengeti tied to the bumper of your Land Rover. The Domke Next Generation Director is a tough little bag with many good features and few flaws.
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The Domke Chronicle is a rectangular camera bag made of heavy duty canvas. It comes with three detachable inserts than can be configured in a number of ways to accommodate a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera (DSLR) and a couple of lenses. It also has four expandable pockets, two on the sides and two under the front flap, as well as a smaller storage pocket inside the main compartment, suitable for SD cards or filters. There’s a zippered pocket behind the front compartment for an iPad or other tablet.
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There are several rolling suitcase-like camera packs on the market, but I’ve yet to see one that can match the Airport Roller Derby for smoothness and durability. The pack is slim enough to roll through the aisle in an airplane and will easily fit into most overhead compartments. Unlike a similar ThinkTank product I reviewed about 18 months ago, this one comes with four dual wheel sets instead of single wheels. These wheels are so responsive you can move this pack, fully loaded, with one finger.
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I chose to test and review the STM Sequel Small Laptop Bag suitable for 12 to 14 laptops. A medium version designed for the 14″ to 16″ laptop is also available. I opted for the graphite coloured one and the Sequel is also offered in a bright red or an olive colour scheme.
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When I think of Case Logic I usually think of briefcases, luggage, and lots of different kinds of sleeves for iPads and laptops. Perhaps it’s inevitable that a company with that history and a good reputation would also make a backpack. This Griffith Park Plus is the first one I’ve encountered.
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The STM link for iPad Shoulder Bag has become my new favorite bag. That’s not surprising, as I love the STM Cable Wrap, reviewed here last summer by my son. If you need or want a bag with numerous pockets, you’ll be thrilled with the link.
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The UltraLight Camera Cover is a waist pack perfectly designed for carrying a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera and lens. Use it on a day hike or any time you’re wandering around outdoors.
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Current DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera systems are smaller and lighter than their professional 35mm film counterparts. This does not mean that the need for a camera bag has disappeared. When you move a significant fraction of your gear to the photo shoot location, the Lowepro Pro Roller series is the way to travel.
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The Xplorer Halfpack is a high quality backpack that can also be carried as a messenger bag or a briefcase. It’s spacious enough to be used by college students hauling books and electronic devices around, and stylishly casual enough to use for a daily commute to the office. I used it on two weekend trips and found it perfect for carrying a change of clothes, an iPad, an iPod, iPhone, toiletries, medicines, and magazines.
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The Staad Backpack is an attractive case for hauling around a 15-inch laptop, a tablet, and related gear. For people wanting to make an impression in the corporate environment, this may be just the ticket, as the company’s promoters imply. I tend to doubt that any backpack is going to make much of a splash among the tie and cufflinks crowd.
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