Camera Bag
Ever since I got my camera, I've been searching for a camera bag to put all of my equipment in. What's wrong with the free camera bag that came with the kit you might say. Well, for one, I prefer something that's discreet that doesn't go "THIS GUY HAS A DSLR SLUNG ONTO HIS SHOULDER!!" with neon lights lighting it up. Ever notice when someone carries around a suspiciously boxy bag with a Canon or Nikon imprinted on the front? Now you know what's in them. Catch the attention of the wrong person and you'll find yourself a few thousand Ringgit lighter, figuratively and literally. :/
So what kind of bag is discreet? Third party camera bags such as Kata, Lowepro, Crumpler etc thats what! Unfortunately, these bags cost a small fortune and for a camera enthusiast on a budget, they're pretty much out of the picture. That leaves the question of what to purchase if all the bags are so darned expensive.
The answer lies in slightly less known brands who also manufacture camera bags ie Bagman, Winer etc although Bagman seems to be a pretty decent knock off of the Crumpler 7 million dollar home.
Image from shlow1819.
Initially I had wanted to get a Bagman. The size was decent, price was reasonable and the reviews weren't too shabby. Unfortunately one inherent problem with sling bags was that they tend to get in the way whenever you're trying to reposition yourself for a better angle. That's when I spotted a lowepro slingbag look alike. It had all the main features of real one such as side access to the camera, customisable compartments and a rain cover for when it rains! Pricing wise, its the same as the Bagman but no reviews were forthcoming so I took the plunge and got one anyway.
*Edit, I just found out that the bag's called Buffalo Montana 284 Fastpack
Build quality is decent with a few stray threads here and there and the padding seems to be sufficient to absorb a few knocks here and there. Since I don't have the real Lowepro with me I can't say with authority that this bag is as good as the real deal but its definitely able enough as a camera bag. Besides, its less than half of the real one so what more do you want? :D
3 comments:
hi, whr n how much u bought this buffalo fastpack? does it originally come with the rain cover?
I got it from a seller on lowyat forums for about RM150. It does originally come with a rain cover but unless you have very few gears to carry around, I'd advise you to get something else.
Currently with my body+kit lens+50mm+flash and some accessories ie. batteries etc... the bag becomes quite heavy. It doesn't help that the shoulder padding is thinner than a lowerpro (this is where the cheapness comes in) so it causes uneven stress on the shoulders. There is an additional strap that helps to distribute the weight but its rather cumbersome.
So in summary, it works great if you have a small collection of gears since it gives you quick access to the cam but there's only so much it can hold before it starts to become a burden.
good advice...im usually carry body+grip, 18-135mm, 50mm around...im looking for a sling bag so can get the gears without put down the bag(for backpack)...maybe go for lowerpro or may go back to backpack...thanks anyway
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