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Rangefinder
Magazine “Bagging Digital”— by
Peter Kotsinadelis Camera bags. The one item photographers can’t live without. Ask any photographer about a bag and they will tell you they love it or hate it. No gray area here. Many times when a photographer finds a bag that suits their needs, that bag is used and abused until it falls apart. Whether they add a new lens, or change over to an entirely new system, the bag remains with them. Let’s face it, selecting a camera bag is one of the things that photographers simply do not like or want to do. With the recent shift toward digital photography, more and more photographers are finding that the bag they have lived with has now become too large for their new equipment. Regardless, photographers continue to use these larger than needed bags until something happens and they finally have no other choice but to buy a new bag. We asked several photographers about this and were told that most bags today are not designed for the “real needs” of a professional photographer. They noted that what the reviews always talk about is how wonderful a bag is and never mention the shortcomings. What this group of professionals is looking for is capacity and ease of access. Most bags offer one or the other, but rarely both. So when we decided to put several of the more popular bags through a “real world” test, we decided to solicit the opinions of a group of professional wedding and event photographers to see if the bags really would meet their needs. The
Bags The bags selected were LowePro’s Pro Roller 1 with Stealth Reporter 600AW bag, Tamrac’s Big Wheels Rolling Strongbox LP1 (Model 691) with a Pro System 23 Multi-Format System bag, and Portercase’s Elite Divider Case, a unique case that doubles as a wheeled bag and luggage cart. Each of these bags offers something different for the professional photographer. Since each of the photographers in our group uses a different camera system, it afforded us a unique opportunity to test the bags with a wide range of equipment. Truth in Bagging
LowePro When we removed the inset we noticed an elastic tie down underneath, much like those found on a standard suitcase. Dual use? There was no indication of this on the tag attached to the bag. A prop-up stand on the rear of the bag allows you to place it at a 45-degree angle, however most photographers felt safer letting the bag lay flat. The wheels are large and set wide apart so it stays on both wheels when wheeling it over rough ground. One noticeable item that surprised us all was the weight of Pro Roller 1. Even empty, the insert added weight that made the bag feel as if it had equipment inside.
The Stealth Reporter 600AW bag sat on top of the Pro Roller 1 but without a means to attach the bag to the Pro Roller for transport. You would need a separate bungee cord to do this. While the Stealth Reporter 600AW could carry a good amount of equipment, including a laptop, it was difficult to get at your equipment. With a fully loaded bag, should you need something at the bottom, you would have to remove several other items in order to obtain it. Not something you want to do when trying to catch that spontaneous moment during an event. There is a space for carrying a laptop with you and if you arrange the inserts to hold less equipment the bag is far more usable but on the larger size.
TAMRAC As with the other bags, the Rolling Strongbox has removable dividers that allow you to customize the interior for your own equipment. Inside the bag, there are two see-through pockets designed with zippers that provide top access when the bag is lying flat. There is also a large pocket on the outside of the bag. The Rolling Strongbox has larger wheels that help keep the bag from tilting when you roll it over rough ground.
The Pro System 23 multi-format bag was well designed to allow the photographer easy access to all of their equipment. There are two “drop pockets” in the front and a removable pocket inside the top flap. This bag is designed in a more traditional style and is wider from front to back making it appear a bit larger. However, the bag allows you to access equipment easily without removing one piece of gear to get to another. While you have the option of keeping a longer lens at the bottom of the bag, a zippered flap on the rear provide quick and direct access to it. Portercase
Elite Divider
When using the Portercase by itself, it remains vertical with its telescoping handle on the upper side and the top of the bag facing downward. Although this may appear a bit uncomfortable for some photographers, there are two strong locks to ensure the case remains closed. When used as a luggage cart, the handle swings away from the bag and locks in place to form an “L” style cart. Great idea, but to access the equipment aside removing the luggage off the cart you then have to release the handle, lock it back in place against the case as before. Only then can you open it to access your equipment. The interior provides a good deal of room but the wheels axle does take away a little space at one end of the case. The Portercase Elite Divider is an ideal bag for transporting equipment, especially when traveling by plane. CONCLUSIONS Peter Kotsinadelis is a freelance writer/photographer living in Pleasanton, California. A frequent contributor to photography related publications he may be reached at peterk@iname.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION Lowepro U.S.A. PorterCase, INC. |
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