Hi everyone, this is my first attempt at doing a product review on POTN. I'm not a professional photographer and simply an enthusiast who travels a lot overseas. I've been searching for the perfect bag that is deceivingly compact, low profile, with good ergonomics, plenty of storage compartments, good protection against weather and the elements, easy top-loading access to capture the moment, and most importantly, look good. I've done lots of research and have purchased and returned many bags until my recently got my hands on a LowePro Classified 160AW shoulder bag.
Lowepro product info: http://products.lowepro.com …ssified-160%20AW,2121.htm
The Classified series is one of Lowepro's newest line of sling / shoulder bags. Its name suggests just that, classified. It's meant to be stealthy and blend you in with the crowd. Although it doesn't scream camera bag, it still looks like a fine piece of luggage / laptop bag. Some may or may not like that, but to me it looks good without looking like a camera bag. The quality of material and construction of the bag is world class with fine stitching and leather accents on high grade nylon. With quality, comes with a steep price tag of $174 retail and $129.95 through online retailers.
My gear requirements:
1. Canon 5D Mark II
2. Canon 70-200 f/4L IS
3. Canon 24-70 f/2.8L
4. Canon 16-35 f/2.8L
5. Canon 430EX II
6. Compact Flash wallet
7. Spare battery
8. Battery Charger
9. USB cables
10. Lens Pen, caps, keys, etc.
11. ** 10.1" Netbook PC
Hmm, if you're wondering how I can possibly fit all that into this bag, the answer is you can't, but you can have the following configurations. Well actually you can, I've filled it up to the gills with all the camera gear on that table.
Airplane transport:
1. 5DMKII w/70-200 f/4L IS attached w/hood reversed + 430 EXII on one side + 16-35 on the other side + charger
2. 5DMKII w/70-200 f/4L IS attached w/hood reversed + 24-70 f/2.8L w/hood reversed and 16-35 f/2.8L stacked on top of each other on the side. You can jam in the flash on the grip side, but it's really really tight.
Light travel / walkabout:
3. 5DMKII w/70-200 f/4L IS attached w/hood reversed + 24-70 f/2.8L on one side w/hood reversed + 430 EXII.
4. 5DMKII w/24-70 f/2.8 attached w/hood reversed + 16-35 f/2.8l (My typical walkabout configuration)
n. It's pretty flexible depending on your gear and you can mix and match depending on your needs.
x. ++ with any of the above configuration you can comfortably include your Netbook PC in the front pocket without taking out any of your equipment. This was a huge win for me because netbooks are really handy while traveling and can be used as a back-up / storage device to replace your typical multimedia hard drive. They cost the same or less with more storage + a screen and wi-fi. Win win!
General picture of the bag:
Pockets and storage:
CF card wallet included:
Pens, Lens pens, caps, batteries, etc.
Continued...