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Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW Review

Camera Bags, Gear Reviews, Lowepro 6 Responses »

Sep 202011

The eternal quest for the perfect camera bag is one that I’m sure you’re all familiar with. I’ve given up looking for “The One” though because the breadth of photography that I enjoy makes such a bag an impossibility. I prefer to narrow things down a little and in this instance I’m on the hunt for the best outdoor adventure photography pack. This year Lowepro launched two bags that fall into this category, the Photo Sport Sling 100 and the Photo Sport 200 AW. Lowepro recently sent me a 200 AW to try out and it’s actually the first Lowepro bag I’ve tried out so I was very interested to see how it performed. First impressions upon unpacking it were just how light it is and how nice the nylon material feels. Overall impression of the construction is something I always note, and with the Photo Sport 200 there were no loose threads or missed stitching in site. Clearly a well constructed bag that felt great to the touch when opening and closing various compartments and zippers.

Key Features

Exterior: 10.6W x 6.7D x 19.3H in. 27 x 17 x 49 cm

Interior Camera Chamber: 7.7W x 3.5D x 9.1H in. 19.5 x 9.0 x 23.0 cm

Toploading Compartment: 13.9 liters

Weight: 2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg

Fits: Pro DSLR without grip with lens attached; flash; hydration reservoir (not included); personal items like a hat, light jacket, trekking or ski poles, snack, cell phone, keys, etc.

Think Tank Modular and Skin SALE

Camera Bags, Industry News, Think Tank No Responses »

Aug 022011

I’m not sure I can ever remember Think Tank having a SALE before so this warranted a quick post. Especially since I’ve just reviewed one of the things they have put on sale. Just last week I reviewed the Skin set from Think Tank and having used it on a couple of assignments now I can say that I’m totally sold on it. I would recommend it over the regular modular set BUT both the Skin and the modular set are on sale for this limited time offer. 20% off AND receive a FREE gift when you check out.

Think Tank Modular Set

Think Tank Skin Set

Think Tank Skin Set Review

Camera Bags, Gear Reviews, Think Tank 4 Responses »

Jul 172011

Last month I went to France to shoot the 24 Heures du Mans in Le Mans and before I left I grabbed a few extra items to make my assignment a little easier. First up was the Think Tank Hydrophobia 300-600 V2 rain cover which I have already reviewed HERE. The next think I wanted to do was take a look at the Think Tank Skin system to carry some additional items around with me while I was shooting. A lot of you know me for my winter sports photography and for that I use a variety of specialized bags from F-Stop but this time I needed a belt based system more suitable for event photography. Think Tank’s selection of bags and solutions for photojournalists and sporting event photographers is unrivaled and they have a couple of belt systems, the Modular Components and the Skin Components. The Skin lineup is essentially a less padded version of the Modular components with a few additional features. The idea here is that once your gear is safely transported to the location of your shoot you don’t really need bulky padding and that allows you to be a little less encumbered. Packing the Skin Components into your travel bag is also pretty easy as they fold completely flat. Currently there are 5 different components into the in the set as well as the Skin belt. I didn’t need the full set for this trip so I grabbed a Skin 50 , a Skin 75 and the Skin Belt. Continue reading »

F-Stop Bag Review Index

Camera Bags, F-Stop Bags, Gear Reviews No Responses »

Jun 012011

These reviews have been incredibly popular so here’s a quick index to remind yourself of your options when you need a new photography backpack!

Guru – 28 liter all purpose mountain pack for small & medium ICU

Tilopa BC – 48 liter backcountry specific pack for small,medium & large ICU.

Loka- 37 liter all purpose mountain pack for small,medium & large ICU.

Satori EXP – 58 liter expedition photography pack for small, medium, large, XL and Monster ICU

Dakota Components – Accessories designed to compliment the Mountain Series. Continue reading »

Introducing the F-Stop Satori EXP Backpack

Camera Bags, F-Stop Bags, Gear Reviews 13 Responses »

May 222011

Last week we took a look at the newly released Guru 28 liter backpack. This week I’m giving you guys a first in-depth look at the soon to be released F-Stop Satori EXP which is due to be on sale this coming July. This pack sits at the opposite end of the Mountain Series to the Guru, with a Capacity of 62 liters and as the EXP designation implies this one will hold everything you need on your next expedition. The pack might be larger than the Tilopa BC but by forgoing the waterproof TPU base seen on the Loka and Tilopa BC the shell is actually lighter. If your main outdoor pursuit is skiing or snowboarding then the TPU base of the other two is a really great feature. If on the other hand you spend your time hiking into the wilderness to shoot landscapes and wildlife then the Satori is going to be more up your alley and provides a wealth of options for attaching additional gear and accessory bags.

The Satori EXP will be available directly from F-Stop as a shell only for $359 (in Grey Mist, Foliage Green or Black) or with various configurations of ICUs, prices of which will be detailed closer to it’s release. If you are unfamiliar with the ICU system, all will be revealed below. Essentially it allows you to decide the size of the padded camera compartment in the bag depending on how much camera gear you need and how much other gear. One you have an ICU or two you can just purchase Shells on their own when you decide you need a different pack. Perfect if you are a bagaholic photog!

An In-Depth Look at the New F-Stop Guru

Camera Bags, F-Stop Bags, Gear Reviews 15 Responses »

May 182011

F-Stop have started to ship a new pack in their Mountain Series lineup a couple of weeks ago. Firstly I should disclose that I am a member of F-Stop’s Faction pro team and as such this pack was given to me to use for my work. So as I have done in the past, I’ll keep this as more of an informational post about the pack so you guys can get a good feel for it before you place your order In all seriousness , given the traffic spikes I see on my site whenever I post about new F-Stop gear, I know you guys love this stuff anyway!

If you aren’t familiar with the other Mountain Series packs from F-Stop you might want to take a quick look back at my previous posts covering the Tilopa BC and the Loka. Both of these packs have been incredibly popular and have quickly become the default pack for adventurous photographers all over the world.

As you would expect then the Guru is designed and manufactured to just as high standards as the other packs in the lineup. The main difference here is that the Guru is the smallest pack of the series with a 28 liter capacity compared to the 37L of the Loka and the 48L of the Tilopa BC. Towards the bottom of this post you will find some comparative photos showing all of the packs together. The Guru is designed to work well with either the small or medium ICU for those with a minimal amount of gear who want to carry a few extra items with them, food, extra clothing etc etc. As you’ll see from the images below, either of these ICUs still leaves plenty of room in the pack. The Guru also features a comprehensive organizing pocket in the front with multiple internal zippered pockets and slots for all sorts of things. You could fill it with pocketwizards and cables, or even take it to school with some pens and other stationary in it. Due to it’s smaller size and inconspicuous looks, the Guru can be used for any number of uses. A great pack for a day in the city or an all day mountain bike adventure. Shredding pow in the mountains or carrying a camera around your school or college. It features an unpadded laptop sleeve that will fit up to a 15″ laptop. Guru features the same ripstop nylon as the Loka and Tilopa and let me tell you, it’s tough stuff so this is going to last you a long long time. F-Stop packs are available exclusively through their own store. And prices for the Guru start at $245 for the shell + 1 ICU. Of course if you already own ICUs for your other packs you can also just grab the shell for $195.

Now please take a scroll through the 50 odd photos below which detail every part of the new Guru including comparisons with F-Stops other bags, possible uses and a look at the all new Gatekeeper functionality.