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The Alotech ELEV 5800′ is a backpack for wildlife photographers designed by wildlife photographers

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I have a love/hate relationship with backpacks. About 16 years ago I picked up a Tamrac Cyberpack 6 and I didn’t find anything that came anywhere near close with regard to comfort and capacity until a few months ago when I got the Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II. Most backpacks are just designed badly. Sure, they hold a lot of gear, but they’re often a killer on the back when fully loaded.

Thomas and the team at Alotech, though, have been working with wildlife photographers to work on a bag that allows you to carry a ton of heavy gear comfortably while avoiding the pitfalls of many other backpack designs on the market. Their new backpack is called the ELEV 5800′ and it’s funding through Kickstarter.

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After 16 years, I’ve finally found another backpack that I love – The Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II

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I’ve not generally been the biggest fan of backpacks. Around 16 years ago, I got a Tamrac Cyberpack 6, which I love and it’s served me well over the years. I’ve bought and borrowed other backpacks in the intervening years, but invariably I’ve hated them for one reason or another. But my Cyberpack 6 is getting a little old now, they don’t make them anymore, and my friends at Lowepro insisted that I give the new ProTactic BP 450 AW II a go.

I’ve tried a few Lowepro backpacks in the past, and they really didn’t do my back any favours. But I’d heard a lot of good things about the original ProTactics, so I decided to give it a shot. I’ve been using it for a couple of months now, and, well, I don’t hate it. In fact, I really quite like it.

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This roller case is one feature away from being perfect

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If there’s one thing about camera bags and cases, it’s that we never seem to have enough. Like the cameras they contain, they just build up and multiply over time. We justify the collection of bags and cases by saying that each has a different purpose. That they’re all used when shooting in different circumstances.

And while “the perfect camera bag” can never exist, there can be perfect examples of particular types of bags for each of those different circumstances. And when circumstances call for a roller case, the Lowepro PhotoStream SP 200 comes pretty close.[Read More…]

Photographer launches elephant skin camera bags, pulls them from retail after public backlash

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Danish photographer Thorsten Overgaard launched his own series of luxury camera bags and suitcases. One of the models was made from elephant skin, which incited a fierce public reaction. After only a few days, the photographer decided to pull the bags in question from retail completely.

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Lowepro finally releases a 4 wheeled carry-on roller case – The PhotoStream SP 200

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Roller cases aren’t something I use very often. They’re just not practical for most of the locations at which I shoot (rocky, rough ground around rivers, lakes, etc). But sometimes they’re absolutely the best tool for the job. Last week, for example, DIYP covered The Photography Show. And on an exhibition hall floor, a roller case is perfect for carting gear around.

Lowepro has made roller cases before, but until now they’ve all been two wheeled cases. They’ve upped the wheel count to 4, though, with the new Lowepro PhotoStream SP 200. Lowepro had a couple on display at their stand during the show, so I got to see one in person, and boy is it a nice roller case.

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The Inrigo is a “smart” completely waterproof backpack to protect your gear in any conditions

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I probably own more bags than probably any other item of photography gear. Which is saying something coming from somebody who owns 15 Nikons. None of them, though, can handle everything. I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable taking any of them on, a kayak trip, for example. For things like that, I use individual dry bags. But they’re a hassle.

Photographer and inventor Oliver Sun, though, has combined dry bags with a camera bag to produce the Inrigo. It’s an IP78 rated (we’ll get to that) “smart” backpack for storing a ton of camera gear. Oliver previously invented the Case Air (yup, the one Tether Tools sell) and now he’s back on Kickstarter with Inrigo.

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Why it’s so important for a girl to pick that perfect camera bag

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“It’s a camera bag, for God’s sake. Just pick one already.”

Therese was losing patience. We had been standing in the “Shoot and Sparkle” booth looking at camera bags for the past 20 minutes, jostled about like riders in a packed subway car. The camera bag booths at photography trade shows are always the busiest. Women packed shoulder to shoulder. You’d think it wouldn’t it would be that way, right? That vendors selling equipment and lighting and actual photography gear would be the most popular, because on the List of Things You Need to Succeed in Photography, a camera bag comes dead last, but you’d be wrong. Very wrong. Camera bags don’t require any particular knowledge; you don’t need a class or special instructions on how to use them properly. They are just pretty and come in lots of different colors and because of this, the camera bag booths attract female photographers like a graham cracker to a flock of seagulls. Put them out and the women come running, pushing and shoving their way to the bags. You need protective gear just to be in the booth. I might have thrown an elbow myself a time or two.

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How to safely turn any bag into a camera bag with only three accessories

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Do you use several bags to pack camera gear for different occasions? Sometimes you need the gear for a professional photo shoot. On other occasions, you only need the basics because just want to have the camera around in case you run into something interesting. Different occasions require different gear, yet this gear requires different bag. In this video, Caleb Pike will give you some for turning any bag into a camera bag.

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Top tips for choosing and packing photo and video equipment when travelling out of the country

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Travelling with equipment can be difficult. You don’t want to take so much that you’re overloaded with redundant equipment. But you also don’t want to leave vital kit at home when you need it. The bags into which you pack that gear is also important. Some things (like batteries) often can’t be checked, and need to be carried in hand luggage. Picking the right bags to maximise the space and minimise a back issues is a high priority.

In this video, photographer and filmmaker Jonathan J Scott shows us how he packs to travel overseas. He discusses the questions he asks himself in order to figure out what to take and, more importantly, what to leave at home.

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