*I urge you to read this review in its entirety. *
Originally, I was interested in a competitor brand before this one but unfortunately..or fortunately!, it had been sold out. Original pricing for that competitors backpack was near $70! For a backpack basically strapped with Velcro, pockets and a few other things, that's a little pricy-at least for me. However, when I came across Accessory Genie I became interested, initially by the price (on average, it was about $20 less that of its competitor I was looking at!). But there are hundreds of "cheap" bags/backpacks so you can never be too sure what you are buying 'till it arrives. -The second reason why I was interested-basic functionality of laptop storage that was greater than a messily 13" mac book air. I needed to carry the "big" stuff, my 15" Pro.
-Third reason why I was interested-it came with a rain proof cover to fit the entire bag.
-My last reason for being interested-it came with a tri-pod holder.
However, upon receiving my product and giving it my first overall evaluation I wish it had had a deeper pocket for the tri-pod as it only seems to cover 2.5-3" inches of the feet and the pull string tie doesn't do much as its not elastic. But there is a top side buckle that does give it extra secure support! So I am happy there.
My reasons for why I am now fully interested and would recommend this product are....
-more pockets than you know, Two large horizontal pockets, two outside zipper pockets, two small inside mesh pockets, 1 mesh zipper pocket, one x-small zipper pocket for memory cards.
-large space for a full sized camera body and three lens or two lens and a flash
-large top storage space for endless things like triggers, a point and shoot and a collapsible hand sized tripod and more
-a soft foam backing where a persons body would meet the backpack-therefore crating comfort if a laptop where carried.
-easy access with a side and front zipper, those poorly designed half zipper packs where it opens up like splitting bread are not ideal or best in design
-secure shoulder straps that feel more like shoulder harnesses than flimsy foam wrapped inside "economical" fabric. The feel of a harness should be more comforting if you are an avid photographer or on the road/moving place to place a lot.
Thank you Accessory Genie for making me satisfied
**photo was taken right after opening and examining, this signifies happiness**
Took this bag on a week trip to Washington DC.
The camera compartment is huge. I am able to carry a large sized DSLR along with a 70-300mm, a 17-50mm f/2.8, an 11-16mm f/2.8, and have room enough for a small 35mm f/1.8 prime lens. I added a little extra padding to the bottom of the bag since I was storing a lens there and did not want it to get banged when I put the bag down. I think the design could use a little extra padding there.
Not only that, but it's perfect as a carry-on item and fit easily under the seat on Southwest Airlines.
The chest latch and waist belt helped immensely over the 10+ miles we were doing a day.
The upper compartment is not particularly large, but large enough to carry a small amount of extra gear or daypack supplies. The laptop compartment is pretty small. If you have a small laptop or large tablet, you shouldn't have a problem. I put tourist guides in it during our trip.
The most disappointing feature is the complete lack of security. The bag is clearly designed to carry hundreds or even thousands of dollars of camera equipment, yet there are 3 compartments you probably want to secure but have no real way to do so. The zippers don't even have rings on them for any sort of lock. If they had rings, there would not be any other part of the bag you could even secure them to.
What I ended up doing is using key rings attached to the place on the zipper where the pull is attached. Then I had to use two separate locks to secure the 3 pockets that would have been the most profitable to pick.
It's not unheard of for thieves to unzip bags in crowds and make away with the contents, I definitely did not want to have someone walking away with a $500 lens. If they simply add zipper pulls that have large holes for locks, and then provide a secure spot to lock it to (or include two zippers that you can fasten together) that would go a long way. None of this will deter a determined thief, but it can make it a lot harder to casually make off with expensive camera equipment.
Good bag, but could use improvement.
I bought the Amazon Basics DSLR Backpack and was very disappointed when I got it and it was super small. I would say about 14 inches tall.
Keep in mind though, I am a 6'4'' man and I dwarf a lot of things. But back to the review. I was searching for a DSLR Backpack that was the same size as a normal backpack that didn't break the band and this is the backpack. Now I have only had this for a few days, but I am already loving it!
I'll try to post an update at a later time.
Now I will say if you are a smaller person, I would guess 5'10 and under the Amazon basics might work for you. I am a giant and it did not work for me, but this backpack did!
It holds a lot of stuff! I dig it.
I have my bag packed with one of my Canon bodies that has a Tamaron 18-200 lens attached through the side access flap, for my go-to camera setup. In the main compartment, I have an EFS 18-55 lens with three removable extension tubes attached, a 75-300 with a 2X tele-converter attached, 7000D flash unit with a batteries in a Crown Royal Regal bag under the flash unit. In the pouches on the main flap I have lens adapters, Cokin filter holder also body and rear lens covers along with a couple of a few lens clothes and tissues. In the front, small flap, I have my business cards, CF and SD cards. In the small side pocket on the outside, I keep my battery charger (both AC and DC) for the camera battery.
In the top compartment, I keep my Cokin filters in a 10 slot box, my Polaroid Macro flash, Oppilas Remote in a small neoprene bag with its batteries that are out of the units, a Pentax magnified viewer (for precision focusing) an Adorama lens maintenance bag with lens cleaning supplies and extra AA batteries for my main flash. I still have a little more room, in the top compartment for odds and ends or my power supply for the laptop. In side pouches in the top compartment are used for the rain cover and the other is used for a small table tripod. In the top flap, on the inside of the top compartment, I keep my note pads and some more lens cleaning cloths. On the side, I have a Slik Tripod and a Platinum Plus mono-pod, strapped in and seated in the pocket with the draw-string tightened.
I carry a Compaq 15" laptop in the side zippered compartment but it is a little tight, with the height of this old computer still operating on WinXP. Normally I have a separate bag for my computer equipment, so it does not bother me.
Now for the down sides of the bag:
I have mentioned that the computer area is tight with a thick laptop. The zippers are not of the highest quality and took some working to get them smoother than when I first tried to unzip them. They are still not real free and I have used pencil graphite (didn't work), then cleaned all of them and used bees wax (a little better) and finally a rag soaked in WD40 that seemed to help even more. This led me to believe that the zippers are not of the highest quality.
The chest and tripod straps needed something to keep the tails from flapping in the breeze so I took velcro and wrapped the ends, like I have done to most of my bags. I am going to replace the plastic waist and chest buckle with metal ones in the very near future, as they have already lost some of their tension in the less than two weeks that I have used the bag. The metal "D" rings and snap hooks at the bottom of the shoulder straps was a pleasant sight, but they could have been made of a sturdier metal and I will also be replacing those when I modify this bag. The "D" rings are not welded and have already began to split inside the loops at the bottom of the bag. Also, the elastic rings on the shoulder straps and waist strap were nice to clean up the bitter ends of the straps. I wish that they would have done this to the chest strap and the tripod strap so that I would not have had to modify those.
The weight of my bag with my equipment is 15 pounds without the computer and if I add my Compaq with a power supply, it goes up to 21.5 pounds. The bag is well padded and has already taken a fall out of the cab of my truck (about 30" drop) and nothing was broken or even moved.
Other than that, I like the bag, but I think that with a few more thoughts into the hardware for supporting the bag, it would have been great. I hope that this helps in someone's decision making for a good gear bag.
UPDATE:
I have had this bag for just over a month and I have found that the inside seam on the top flap has come apart. This was not from the fall, just the stitching has pulled through the nylon inner lining. I will see if I can find a seamstress who can add some binding material and reinforce that area.
I still like the bag, as it makes for easy handling when strapped to the rear seat of my motorcycle, or if I want to just grab it and go. When strapped to the motorcycle, I can disconnect the shoulder straps and tuck then in to the forward most pocket and keep them from flapping in the breeze.
This bag is amazing, the amount of stuff that I can stuff into this bag is almost ridiculous. Having said that there is one issue, sine the bag has a side opening for quick access to the camera, you can only bring a tripod or a water bottle on the other side. I would love to be able to bring both since the amount of gear that I am bringing makes it quite heavy and i like to hike with my gear, but for me it doesn't kill it for me. I will also include a pic of the amount of gear I can fit in the bag so you can get an idea of how big this bag really is.
Feature Product
- FORTIFIED STRAPS AND CARRYING HANDLE - Reinforced straps and a bolstered handle makes this a safe and easy to carry travel bag , giving you confidence when carrying your gear
- THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF SPACE FOR YOUR CAMERA GEAR - Ditch the boxy, bulky packs. The S17 offers plenty of room for the serious photographer as well as the enthusiast without an oversized form factor.
- COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE INTERIOR - Padded dividers can be added/removed/organized based on your needs. Zippered side door provides quick access to your camera. Internal Dimensions of 11" x 10.5" x 6"
- PADDED LAPTOP COMPARTMENT - We know you love your laptop as much as your camera equipment, so the S17's laptop compartment features protective padding and fits up to a 15.6" laptop
- METAL ZIPPERS AND SOFT RUBBER PULLERS - Reinforced zippers with non-slip soft rubber pullers, quickly access your gear without fearing zipper breakage
Description
More features than you'll know what to do with!
Travel-Ready Construction
Heavy-duty buckles , handles and zippers make for long lasting use in any condition. The durable high-quality nylon and fabric construction is reinforced with thick padding to always protects your device. Padded shoulder straps and back also provide comfort and allow air to flow.
Custom Compartment Configuration
Large front zipper opening provides access to your camera, lenses and more. Velcro divider walls lets you customize the camera compartment and accommodate your equipment however you prefer. Two quick-access side doors allow you to grab your camera and lenses quickly, so you don't miss a shot.
Wear as a Backpack or Sling
Tuck-away shoulder straps allow you to wear the bag on one or both shoulders! You can also wear across your chest as a sling. Stow away unnecessary straps into the luggage handle slot. Waist strap included for weight management and comfort.
Additional Features
-Padded compartment (16.5"L x 10.5"W) for up to 15.6" laptops
-Large upper padded compartment for carrying bigger gear and accessories
-5 net accessory pockets for memory cards, cables, chargers, lights and much more!
-Tripod holding system with strap and foot holder
-Custom fit rain cover for unexpected storms and splashes
-Luggage handle slot for easy transportation on top of rolling bags and cases.
Works With:
Nikon / Canon / Panasonic / Sony / Olympus / Pentax / Fujifilm and more...
Great for a day trip. Can carry pretty much everything I need for a day of shooting.
The good:
I can fit a full frame Nikon D810, 50mm, 24-70mm, 70-300mm lenses, travel tripod, 2 speed lights, tablet, and supporting cords, batteries and cables neatly and securely. It seems to be very sturdy and has quality materials.
I like the fact that you can tuck the waist belts away, I would rarely use them anyway.
Also, the shoulder straps can be moved to allow the bag to be slung over a shoulder and carried like a sling bag. I was unsure if I wanted a sling bag or another backpack style bag, so this was the best of both worlds.
The not so good (but not a complete deal breaker):
The zippers. I'm not a big fan of the main storage compartment being on the back of the bag (when being used as a backpack). They can be unzipped easily by anybody walking behind you. I've known 2 people this happened to.
Secondly, the zippers do not have an eye hole to put a small luggage lock on to keep the contents secure while in transit. This would deny access.
Lastly, the shoulder straps - when using this as a sling bag, the padding on the shoulder straps do not move, so carrying it for extended periods of time will cause some pain. If the padding was moveable it would be much more comfortable bag to carry.
I can't speak on how weather proof or water resistant it is since I never take my gear out in the rain, but it does come with a waterproof cover. This is folded away on the INSIDE of the bag, so you would have to expose your gear to rain if you needed it quickly. There is a small zipper pouch on the outside of the bag opposite of where the rain cover is stored, which is rendered nearly useless because of the bulge from the rain cover. I can barely fit a spare battery there.
Most of the negatives are ergonomic but they are what that contributed to me to give this bag 4 stars instead of 5.
I should be able to get around them with a little ingenuity. But I shouldn't have to. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much because for the money, this bag is a keeper. It is my current go to bag.
This is a great bag, very sturdy. Fits my Nikon D3300 with a lens attached, plus my 2 extra lens, charger, flash, tripod, and more! I love the side pocket to quickly remove the camera without unzipping the entire front. You can rearrange the bottom dividers to fit what you own. I won't use the waist strap, but there's a way to kind of hide it, which is great. Put everything in it last night and I still have room for some more small things and the whole top pocked is currently unoccupied and I keep forgetting there's also a laptop pocket, which I have yet to use. It feels pretty comfortable, but wearing it while walking around a city on an upcoming trip will be the real test. So far, I'm beyond excited. It's exactly what I needed to fit my camera stuff and a top pocket for a wallet and cell phone while traveling. So happy with it!
Excellent. I have 3 other camera bags that are really nice, but don't have the room that I look for. They either have too much room for the camera gear and nothing for other things or the other way around. This bag however is perfect. I went to Atacama desert and this is what I was able to fit in this bag:
- OMD E-M1 body
- a6300 Body
- SEL1670z
- Oly 12-40 pro
- Lumix 20 1.7
- Rokinon 12mm 2.0
- SEL55210
- SEL3518
- Oly 75-300
- Lots of spare batteries
- Chargers
- 03 lens pen
- Ipad Air
- Samsung J7 Prime
- Sunglasses
- Scarf
- Sweater
And many more small items.
All this with the standard configuration of the velcros and nothing was really jammed.
I don't know if this is durable....time will tell.
Loving this camera backpack so far. It seems well constructed, and has lots of space for all my needs. Will be putting it to the test when I travel later this summer, as the bag will serve as one of my carry-ons. Only a few complaints:
1) The straps are LONG, which is good if you are a larger person, but get in the way and flap around if you are not. Will be trimming and burning the edges to re-seal.
2) The side access for your camera is very wide inside, meaning you have a lot of dead space around your camera. I carry a Canon 7D, so not a small camera, and I still have extra space on both sides of the camera. If you don't have a lens on it, then the camera could bounce up and down in the compartment when moving. Because of the side access, it also means you cannot divide off the area and still be able to open the zippered access point without pulling the divider off.
3) There isn't really a way to lock the bag, as none of the important zippers are close enough together for a padlock or cable lock. .
Overall, this seems like a great bag, and I am hoping that it holds up to use. So many pockets to put things in, I keep finding new ones each time I use it!. I fit my thick 13.3" older MacBook pro in the laptop pocket pretty easily. Not sure how a 15.6" will fit well unless it is decently thin.
This backpack has all the room I need and then some. I current have my Kodak z981, Canon HF M301, Lighting, Microphone, Tablet tripod adapter, 50 inch light weight tripod, micro lens for the cell phone and the micro clothes in the bottom! and there is still room left over. The interior is more than I expected with a soft flannel type material that goes easy on the equipment. The upper storage has two pockets on each side. One already had the rain jacket for the backpack and the other is open. There is enough room for all the extra batteries, a 20000mah battery pack, chargers for the cameras and miscellaneous cables. The outside is durable and offers enough protection for the average every day bumping around. The zippers are nice and tight and feel like a good quality zipper. They are not the YKK type. The tripod holder holds my 72 inch tripod with no problems. The outside pockets are roomy and can hold manuals, extra clothes, a water bottle whatever your imagination will conjure up. I know this was a little more expensive than the others. But being made in the USA and the quality is what sold me on this. If I had one wish, I would ask that the multimedia pocket was a little bit bigger and larger. Other than that. This is a good back pack.
No comments:
Post a Comment