Mizaki
12th of January 2008 (Sat), 12:59
IMAGES ARE NOW UPLOADED. POST IS COMPLETE.
National Geographic NG 2345 is middle sized, or depending on your view, smallish camera bag. The exterior of the bag is made of hemp and cotton, while the interior is made from nylon. According to manufacturer's specifications, the bag is intended for small cameras and camcorders.
As for my intended use, I purchased the bag for purposes of using it as a convenient "walkaround" or "city bag", which I could use to store lenses I typically use while travelling or just walking around my home town. In addition, I thought that it would be convenient in trade fairs due to its smallish size.
Although looks are obviously a subjective matter, I have to admit that in my opinion it is a glorious design, remiscent of 70's photojournalist look or something like that. See image 1. And image 2 - achingly beautiful details with "ancient" bronze and the like. This is how a camera bag should look like. However, let's forget the drooling...
When I first opened the bag, I have to admit that I found the internal design somewhat curious. As you can see from the image 3, in the center of the bag we have a "boxish" comparment. Kind of like a separate chest or something like that. To be honest, I thought this a bit weird. However, when I begun to considered the intended use, it made perfect sense. Obviously, storing small camera within such comparment, would give the smaller cameras perfect all around protection. See image 4 for opened comparment.
However, as I do not own a P&S camera and intended to use the bag for storing DSLR kit, this made me think a bit. When I tried various configurations with the bag as supplied, it became obvious, that DSLR users are certainly not the intended users of this bag. Quite simply, in its original configuration (more of this later), the bag lacks sufficient all around protection for DSLR kit. Although one wall of the bag can be folded along the bottom of the bag to provide protection from underside impacts, even if the "box" within the bag is crumbled along one internal wall of the bag, it leaves three sides of the bag without inbuilt protection. And this posed a problem for me.
Anyhow, in true "National Geographic spirit", all was not lost. When I had analysed the problems, it was a handicraft time. First, I simply took a knife and cut the "internal box" to pieces. Then, I started to scavenge my LoewePro bag for additional protection pads and attach them with superglue... and voilá. Suddenly I had a bag with sufficient protection for my lenses. OK, perhaps the interior looks were less than desirable after that, but at least it should now be protective enough.
Anyhow. Let us leave the protection issues and move to actual usage.
Regarding my "walkaround" kit, there are two lenses that I like. For a wide angle, I use the 17-40 and to isolate the subjects, details of buildings and the like, my preferred choice is the 70-200/2.8 (non IS version of the lens). In addition, I like to have the 50/1.4 available for low light and comparable purposes while on the trade fairs and the like, I prefer to have the 580EX flash unit around. And depending on the situation, I either have the camera around my neck and use the bag for purposes of carrying lenses or I simply stuff all of my equipment in the bag - including the body. Hence, for my purposes, I intended to use the bag to carry either kit A or B, while said kits are:
A)
- 40D with battery grip
- 17-40
- 70-200/2.8 (non IS)
B)
- 580EX flash
- 17-40
- 70-200/2.8 (non IS)
- in this kit, the body is not carried in the bag
For both of these kits, I would say that the bag is of a perfect size. As you can see from image 5, the width of the bag is almost tailor made for purposes of storing the 70-200/2.8 (if the IS version of this lens is little longer, it should also fit the bag quite easily). In addition, in the image 6 you can see the 70-200/2.8 stored on the bottom while the 17-40 is stored above it. Note that these images are of unmodified bag.
Furthermore, in images 3 & 4 you can see two zippered pouches on the front of the bag. These pouches are actually large enough to store both 50/1.4 or 85/1.8 in one pouch, wherefore, as for the lens kit you could actually carry with you a 17-40, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and 70-200/2.8, although while carrying such lens collection, the emphasis is on the carrying. In this configuration the 50 and 85 lenses would be unprotected from impacts as the front pouches do not have any protection.
Regarding the bag in other respects, it has a number little pouches and pockets where numerous accessories like note books and the like could be stored. On the back of the bag there is a large section, where e.g. passports, tickets and the likes can be stored, while on the front of the bag there are actually two layers of comparements, one zippered and on with velcro closing. When the bag is closed, the velcro compartments can be easily accessed, ideal for storing memory cards and the like for fast access.
As for the dust protection, see images 7 and 8. In image 7, you can see the zipper which closes the actual bag. In image 8, you can see the the cover of the bag folded over in to the closing position. This should provide a kind of like double seal at least to some extent. You could probably say that it is a nice detail.
Regarding other aspects of the bag, you could say that it incorporates a nice selection of various attachment arrangements. Obviously one could attach various equipment to bronze rings in the front of the bag, while various velcro loops like the on pictured in image 9 are also available for purposes of attaching mono/tripods and comparable kit.
All in all:
What I liked
+ the looks
+ convenient size
+ practical and easy access to accessories
What I did not like
- lack of padding for my equipment in out of box form
In conclusion, it is a convenient and good looking bag. However, to make it suitable for DSLR usage, the original bag needs some modifications explained above. Hence, I can only conclude that on scale of 10, without modifications, this bag only scores something like 6/10 for DSLR purposes. Yes. I fully understand that it is NOT intended for DSLR usage, but anyhow, I would not be too surprised if it were used to store DSLR and lenses. Hence the rather low score in original form. On the other hand, with modifications discussed above, I would score it 9/10. It is compact and clearly some thought has gone to functionality. I just wonder, how much better this bag could have been, if it were designed for DSLR use. The size is perfect, the looks gorgeous but padding in original configuration is lacking. If it were configured more for DSLR purposes, it could have been almost perfect. However, even though it can be made appropriate for DSLR kit, it requires some tinkering for that purpose. I would say that as a secondary bag, it is nice. However, I would not consider it as a "perfect choice" for primary bag, even if one could store all of his equipment in the bag, unless additional protection is incorporated in the bag.
As a final note, I have not been been using the bag for more than some two weeks, but regardless of the time, I still recognise that my impressions as noted above should be correct.
National Geographic NG 2345 is middle sized, or depending on your view, smallish camera bag. The exterior of the bag is made of hemp and cotton, while the interior is made from nylon. According to manufacturer's specifications, the bag is intended for small cameras and camcorders.
As for my intended use, I purchased the bag for purposes of using it as a convenient "walkaround" or "city bag", which I could use to store lenses I typically use while travelling or just walking around my home town. In addition, I thought that it would be convenient in trade fairs due to its smallish size.
Although looks are obviously a subjective matter, I have to admit that in my opinion it is a glorious design, remiscent of 70's photojournalist look or something like that. See image 1. And image 2 - achingly beautiful details with "ancient" bronze and the like. This is how a camera bag should look like. However, let's forget the drooling...
When I first opened the bag, I have to admit that I found the internal design somewhat curious. As you can see from the image 3, in the center of the bag we have a "boxish" comparment. Kind of like a separate chest or something like that. To be honest, I thought this a bit weird. However, when I begun to considered the intended use, it made perfect sense. Obviously, storing small camera within such comparment, would give the smaller cameras perfect all around protection. See image 4 for opened comparment.
However, as I do not own a P&S camera and intended to use the bag for storing DSLR kit, this made me think a bit. When I tried various configurations with the bag as supplied, it became obvious, that DSLR users are certainly not the intended users of this bag. Quite simply, in its original configuration (more of this later), the bag lacks sufficient all around protection for DSLR kit. Although one wall of the bag can be folded along the bottom of the bag to provide protection from underside impacts, even if the "box" within the bag is crumbled along one internal wall of the bag, it leaves three sides of the bag without inbuilt protection. And this posed a problem for me.
Anyhow, in true "National Geographic spirit", all was not lost. When I had analysed the problems, it was a handicraft time. First, I simply took a knife and cut the "internal box" to pieces. Then, I started to scavenge my LoewePro bag for additional protection pads and attach them with superglue... and voilá. Suddenly I had a bag with sufficient protection for my lenses. OK, perhaps the interior looks were less than desirable after that, but at least it should now be protective enough.
Anyhow. Let us leave the protection issues and move to actual usage.
Regarding my "walkaround" kit, there are two lenses that I like. For a wide angle, I use the 17-40 and to isolate the subjects, details of buildings and the like, my preferred choice is the 70-200/2.8 (non IS version of the lens). In addition, I like to have the 50/1.4 available for low light and comparable purposes while on the trade fairs and the like, I prefer to have the 580EX flash unit around. And depending on the situation, I either have the camera around my neck and use the bag for purposes of carrying lenses or I simply stuff all of my equipment in the bag - including the body. Hence, for my purposes, I intended to use the bag to carry either kit A or B, while said kits are:
A)
- 40D with battery grip
- 17-40
- 70-200/2.8 (non IS)
B)
- 580EX flash
- 17-40
- 70-200/2.8 (non IS)
- in this kit, the body is not carried in the bag
For both of these kits, I would say that the bag is of a perfect size. As you can see from image 5, the width of the bag is almost tailor made for purposes of storing the 70-200/2.8 (if the IS version of this lens is little longer, it should also fit the bag quite easily). In addition, in the image 6 you can see the 70-200/2.8 stored on the bottom while the 17-40 is stored above it. Note that these images are of unmodified bag.
Furthermore, in images 3 & 4 you can see two zippered pouches on the front of the bag. These pouches are actually large enough to store both 50/1.4 or 85/1.8 in one pouch, wherefore, as for the lens kit you could actually carry with you a 17-40, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and 70-200/2.8, although while carrying such lens collection, the emphasis is on the carrying. In this configuration the 50 and 85 lenses would be unprotected from impacts as the front pouches do not have any protection.
Regarding the bag in other respects, it has a number little pouches and pockets where numerous accessories like note books and the like could be stored. On the back of the bag there is a large section, where e.g. passports, tickets and the likes can be stored, while on the front of the bag there are actually two layers of comparements, one zippered and on with velcro closing. When the bag is closed, the velcro compartments can be easily accessed, ideal for storing memory cards and the like for fast access.
As for the dust protection, see images 7 and 8. In image 7, you can see the zipper which closes the actual bag. In image 8, you can see the the cover of the bag folded over in to the closing position. This should provide a kind of like double seal at least to some extent. You could probably say that it is a nice detail.
Regarding other aspects of the bag, you could say that it incorporates a nice selection of various attachment arrangements. Obviously one could attach various equipment to bronze rings in the front of the bag, while various velcro loops like the on pictured in image 9 are also available for purposes of attaching mono/tripods and comparable kit.
All in all:
What I liked
+ the looks
+ convenient size
+ practical and easy access to accessories
What I did not like
- lack of padding for my equipment in out of box form
In conclusion, it is a convenient and good looking bag. However, to make it suitable for DSLR usage, the original bag needs some modifications explained above. Hence, I can only conclude that on scale of 10, without modifications, this bag only scores something like 6/10 for DSLR purposes. Yes. I fully understand that it is NOT intended for DSLR usage, but anyhow, I would not be too surprised if it were used to store DSLR and lenses. Hence the rather low score in original form. On the other hand, with modifications discussed above, I would score it 9/10. It is compact and clearly some thought has gone to functionality. I just wonder, how much better this bag could have been, if it were designed for DSLR use. The size is perfect, the looks gorgeous but padding in original configuration is lacking. If it were configured more for DSLR purposes, it could have been almost perfect. However, even though it can be made appropriate for DSLR kit, it requires some tinkering for that purpose. I would say that as a secondary bag, it is nice. However, I would not consider it as a "perfect choice" for primary bag, even if one could store all of his equipment in the bag, unless additional protection is incorporated in the bag.
As a final note, I have not been been using the bag for more than some two weeks, but regardless of the time, I still recognise that my impressions as noted above should be correct.