Packing A Small Do-It-All Kit For Travel

 
In a couple of hours, I will be on my way to UAE where I will be spending three days. I will be visiting both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I’ve never been there before, but I know that there will be excellent photographic opportunities there. So, instead of just taking the LX100 (which is a very capable camera, especially in video), I decided to take a more flexible setup. It has to be small, and it has to fit in my ThinkTank Retrospective 5 bag.

BlackRapid SnapR Review

In this post, we review the BlackRapid SnapR, a unique camera bag designed for enthusiast compacts and smaller mirrorless cameras.

Review: Vanguard Up-Rise 15Z vs Lowepro TopLoader 55AW

Best Value For Money

 
This is a follow up post to my original Lowepro TopLoader 45AW & 55AW Review, this is an alternative camera bag to the TopLoader 55AW, albeit with slightly different characteristics, hit the jump to learn more.

Camera Bag for 2 Cameras: LowePro Slingshot 302 AW

Are you looking for a bag that can hold two cameras (even with a 70-200 2.8) and allow you to access either of them readily?  If so, check out the LowePro Slingshot 302 AW.

2x Lowepro Review: Toploader Zoom 45 AW & 55 AW + Unraveling The SlipLock™ Mystery

Left: Lowepro Toploader Zoom 55AW, Right: 45AW, Middle: Canon 60D + 15-85

Welcome to a new rare photography accessory review as I'd like to call them. There are just these photography accessories that you don't find enough reviews for, take today's subject for example, check this link and this one for a couple of google searches about these bags, can you see any reviews about them?

That's why I will be reviewing these bags in this post, along with Lowepro's SlipLock system which was a complete mystery for me until I bought the bags and finally understood how it worked. Hit the break for the full treatment.

Camera Bag Review: Lowepro Pro Runner 200 AW

by mshafik

This will be a quick review of the “Lowepro Pro Runner 200 AW” backpack.

Unfortunately before I bought that bag, I searched the internet for a while but didn’t find the information that I was looking for (which is usually the case with lots of photography accessories), so I decided that once I get it I will post a review to help others.

They always say that your first camera bag will never be big enough, I have three camera bags until now, my first one was a camcorder shoulder bag, it was the only available bag at the shop I bought my camera from, it’s quite good and can hold lots of stuff but nowhere near practical.

Back then I only had a Canon 550D with the 18-55 kit lens, a 55-250 zoom lens, the nifty fifty 50mm f1.8 II and two Canon flashes. I have always craved for a slightly smaller sling bag when I was only walking with the camera and one or two lenses; I also wanted easy and quick access to the camera. I searched for a while and decided upon the “Lowepro Top Loader 55 AW”, it is a remarkable bag, and I will post a review about it soon.

Now we get to the core of the post, one of my friends was traveling to the US in a business trip and I had the opportunity to order some lenses and other accessories, so I had to choose a larger bag since neither of my bags would ever fit all of the lenses at once, and it had to be as compact as possible. I chose the “Lowepro Pro Runner 200 AW” for several reasons, it was compact, cheap, good looking, had the standard Lowepro “All Weather” protection and finally it had their standard “Slip Lock” straps which means I can attach other accessories (like lens cases, pouches, etc…) to the outside of the bag. I have some Lowepro lens cases as well that would make use of this “Slip Lock” system, but that’s for another article.

Before we start with the pictures of the bag, you must note that this is a quick review, in future articles I will talk about the “Slip Lock” system (not enough info on the internet about it), the lens cases, the top loader bag and several other accessories.

As you can see from the pictures above, the bag has a main compartment and a small pocket at the front for small accessories like pens, keys, etc… You can also notice the bottle carrying sockets at the sides of the bag and the “Slip Lock” straps at the sides as well.

One more feature is the tripod pocket, if you look at the front of the bag you will find a strap in the middle, and there’s a small hidden attachment at the bottom of the bag where the tripod legs can rest inside. However I find that it would never carry a large tripod like mine, I think it is made either for small tripods or for a monopod, unless they intended you to insert only one tripod leg in that pocket.

Another feature I skipped is the “All Weather” protection; I didn’t get any photos of it due to the lack of time so I’m sorry for that, but you can find lots of pictures about it online. In short; it is a small cover hidden at the bottom of the bag that you extract and cover the bag with if you get caught in rain or dust and want to protect your equipment.

The main compartment is quite roomy for a bag of this compact dimensions, here’s a rundown of the equipment seen above:

1-    Canon 550D
2-    Canon 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM + Lens Hood
3-    Canon 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM + Lens Hood
4-    Canon 55-250mm f/3.5-5.6 IS + Lens Hood
5-    Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 + Fotodiox Olympus-EOS adapter
6-    Canon 50mm f/1.8 II
7-    AC Charger + Spare Battery
8-    Canon 580EX Speedlite + Pearstone 2m TTL Cable

The small pocket above the main compartment can hold some “thin” items; I have some cables in there plus some papers. There are two very small pockets to hold your memory cards. The filters, remote, card reader and the macro flash-diffuser all go into the bag’s outer pocket.

Finally, to give you an idea of the size of this bag, I thought I’d put it beside a common item; a one liter Sprite bottle. The build quality is excellent (usual Lowepro quality), the bag is very comfortable on the shoulders; it has really thick padding on its back, and if you want there’s a strap that can be clipped around your waist.

I hope this review helps your decision on buying your next bag. I wish I found one like this before I bought mine. And by the way, Lowepro makes different sizes of this exact same bag, check their Pro Runner series here: http://www.lowepro.com/prorunner_backpacks .


Other posts by mshafik:

• How to get a black background without a backdrop
• Step-by-step example of balancing ambient with bounce flash

Camera Bag and Tripod - Targus Black Label DSLR Essential Kit

12/26/10 update: pictures now posted!
1/10/11 update: link to real world shots
1/11/11 update: RIPPED SEAM!!!

Costco is selling a camera bag and tripod kit for $48.99 (Targus Black Label Professional DSLR Essential Kit) and I think it's a very good value (unfortunately the bag is not as sturdy as I thought, so this deal is not as good as I initially thought).

The kit includes the following items:

- sling bag

- 60" tripod

- LCD cleaning liquid and cloth (I think the model number is TGK-LCDK)

- 58mm UV filter

SLING BAG

I originally got the kit because of the sling bag.  It is a modified version of the Targus TGC-SBM200 ($49.99 MSRP; $32.99 at Amazon) and it seems it's not available elsewhere (the tag label is "TGC-SBM200 Bulk" and seems to be a Costco-specific version of the bag).

I already have a couple of decent camera bags (the Kata KT DR465 backpack and a Case Logic holster-type camera bag) but this sling bag fills a niche of not being too small or too big.  Functionally, it is similar to the Lowepro Slingshot 102 AW (MSRP $89.99, $69.95 at Amazon) or 202 AW (MSRP $109.95, available at Amazon for $89.95).  Like other slingbags, it is designed to allow easily switching from carrying a camera to shooting with it.

What I really like about this sling bag is that it includes a tripod harness, consisting of a strap and a hideaway foot holder, as shown in the picture.  As far as I can tell, the tripod harness is unique to this version of the SBM200 (pictures of the normal SBM200 don't show a tripod harness).

The tripod harness is not perfect -- while the Slingshot 102 and 202 have their tripod harnesses on the side of the bag, this one is at the front of the bag, which allows taking the camera out but otherwise blocks the main compartment from being opened.  A tripod or monopod has to be about a foot and a half long or else it will be too short for the harness.  Nonetheless, I find the tripod harness very useful.

This bag can fit what I use 90+% of the time.  The interior configuration of the main compartment is similar to the Slingshot 202 and has configurable pads.  I managed to fit a Nikon D300, 2 lenses (Sigma 50-150, and Tamron 17-50 VC), an SB-800 flash, a camcorder (which I placed on the second compartment), and a bunch of accessories - remote triggers, memory cards, etc., and of course, the tripod. I was also able to fit my handheld umbrella in the tripod bag.

Main compartment shown (some dividers removed). Sigma 50-150 on the left, SB-800 on the right. Note: if I mount the Sigma 50-150 on the D300, there's just enough space to fit the camera in the empty slot shown.  The 17-50 VC can then fit horizontally or vertically in the side divider.


Second compartment (Canon HG10 camcorder shown; tethered microfiber cloth shown on right side inside the mesh):

Pocket outside main compartment - designed to accommodate memory cards, though I use it to keep the RC-7 remote triggers:

Compared to my backpack, the only things I could not fit were a second flash (unless I left behind one of the lenses or flash or camcorder), a foldable reflector, and the charger for the camera and camcorder.

I plan to use this as my everyday bag unless I prefer portability (in which case I'll use my holster bag) or I'm traveling (in which case the backpack is better - because it has additional space for all the adapters and chargers).

Sling bag update:
On the plus side, I've found that the bag can fit two bodies with lenses attached, plus two flashes (barely) in the top compartment. 

A D70 with Sigma 50-150 shown on the right.  A D300 with Tamron 17-50 VC fits on the left side.  The top compartment accommodates the YN560 and SB800 side by side.  In this configuration I have access to either camera without compromising the sling function.  I can also use my go-to flash, the SB800, whenever I want.  The YN560 is covered by the SB800 but that's ok -- I don't use it very often, and when I do, I usually use it together with the SB-800.

Notwithstanding the usefulness of this bag, it is unfortunately not sturdy enough to withstand normal use.  Just a month after getting it, the main strap now has a ripped seam!  Unbelievable...!  In contrast, neither of my other bags (Kata 467, case logic holster bag) have suffered any rips in the past couple of years I've had them.

If you take a closer look at the shot, you can see that there is actually an inner strap, and "only" the outer shell that holds the padding was damaged (for now).  Nonetheless, it makes me think that this bag was poorly made.
 

TRIPOD

While I got the kit mostly for the bag, I've since found that the tripod is a very useful addition.  The tripod is the TG-P60T described in p.4 of this brochure: http://www.merkuryinnovations.com/press/Targus_Accessories_2010.pdf 

This is not a professional tripod like the ones offered by Gitzo or Manfrotto.  That said, I have bought several cheap tripods before (sometimes I buy one when I'm on a trip and I don't have a tripod with me at the moment), and while it's not saying much, this is the best quality tripod I have to date.

I'm really quite impressed with the features they were able to include in this "cheap" tripod:

- Amazingly, the tripod has a modular design.  Just like "real" tripods, the head is separate from the tripod legs.  I've never owned a real tripod, so I can't confirm whether heads or tripod legs from other brands are interchangeable with those of this unit, but they seem to be.  I've since found out that the mount is a 3/8 inch mount, and that a 3/8 inch size is used for many heads by manufacturers such as Manfrotto, Benro, Induro.  I would expect that most tripod heads can be used with this tripod, though I don't have any heads to test.

- Many of the other components are also modular.  For example, the handle on the panhead can be reversed for either left- or right-handed configuration.

- Includes a hook, which is useful for stabilizing the tripod AND having a place to put the sling bag. The maximum weight for the tripod is listed in the box as 5 lbs., which if literally true, would mean there's probably no way to add a weight in addition to the camera and lens.  However, it seems to me that it can hold more than that.

- The legs are independently adjustable (3 positions) and are braceless, and can be used to adapt to uneven terrain.

- The center column is square, not round, reducing the possibility of column rotation.

- The center column is removable.  With some tinkering, the tripod can be used for shooting from a very low height. The bottom part of the center column (which holds the hook) can be separated from the center column to act as a very short center column.  In this configuration, the height of the tripod is about 6 inches (though it would require a 2-foot radius around it).  Alternatively, the hook can be removed and the panhead mounted upside down to shoot from a very low shooting height upside down.

Hook unscrewed:

 

The part of the center column that holds the hook can be removed to act as a very short center column:

Lowest shooting height in upright position:

- Comes with a tripod bag. I can use it in conjunction with the strap to carry my handheld umbrella kit instead.
- The lever for releasing the quick release adapter stays open until you re-insert the quick release adapter.

Notwithstanding the features, it isn't professional quality because it does twist and flex if you press or push hard enough.  It also uses a panhead instead of a ball head, and the head is mostly plastic.  In terms of build quality, it's not that great -- for example, I can see bits of spilled glue here and there, and some of the gaps are not perfectly even, but it seems serviceable.

In my non-demanding applications, the tripod performs adequately.  By non-demanding I mean:

- My camera + lens + flash combination is not so heavy.  The heaviest I get is D300 (no battery pack) + SB-800 + Sigma 50-150 + remote shutter.  Total weight is a bit over 4.5 lbs.

- My longest lens -- the Sigma 50-150 is not very long (5.5 inches).

- I almost always shoot on stable, even surfaces like floors.

- I rarely do long exposures, or shoot on rough terrain, or shoot with lots of vibration or wind in the environment.

- I rarely take shots from unusual angles when using a tripod.

I took a 15 second exposure in both landscape and portrait orientation in ideal conditions (extending just 3 of the 4 leg sections, taking the shot indoors at night, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse) and the shot had no noticeable blur.

 
Note: for the portrait shot, I got the benefit of reverse mounting.

Although it's not perfect, I would still rather get this tripod for the incremental additional cost of around $15 compared to getting a Targus SBM200 by itself, to say nothing about the very useful tripod harness.  I seriously doubt you can buy a better tripod for $15 or even $45.

BOTTOM LINE

This is the best deal for a camera bag and tripod that I'm aware of for casual or amateur photographers.  If you have the budget for the premium products, then more power to you -- buying the best you can afford is usually ideal in the long run.  For the rest of us who are still saving up for pro-level equipment :), this combination provides most of the functionality offered by premium products that cost several times more than this combination.  Note: at many Costco locations near me, it's out of stock, but you can ask the manager at any branch to find the nearest Costco that has it in stock.

Related posts:
Opteka TacShot TS-1 Ball Head
Dealing With Creeps
Real World Test of TS-1 and P60T