I tend to be somewhat on the better-safe-than-sorry side when it comes to shooting and traveling. Aside from the obvious camera and lenses, I usually bring quite a few accessories and other production gear. (You can never have too many SSD’s audio options, cables, and power). The last camera bag I reviewed, the Orca OR-516 was spacious enough to fit all my gear, but sadly, it was too big to fit in most planes. I was constantly negotiating with the airplane personnel to let me put it in the cabin, but sometimes, the overhead storage was just not big enough, and I had to farewell with my precious gear for the flight. (i;ve seen how they handle the bags in general storage, it’s scary). That’s when I decided to test the Manfrotto Pro Light Reloader Spin 55, which was the perfect size for air travel.
The Orca OR-516 is a deep, easy to use roller bag for video shooters
For the last five years, I’ve been using a ThinkTank Photo Airport International bag for my video needs, and I love it to pieces. Sadly, as the years went by and as my kit got larger, I needed more space. I did not want to carry a second case, so I was looking for a similar roller case but with more space. After looking at a few options, I got the newly announced OR-516 from Orca for $323.00.
What can I say I love it. It has a lot of character and plenty of space and protection. For the full review hit the jump.
Lowepro’s new giant PhotoSport Pro backpacks are aimed at hardcore adventure photographers
Lowepro has completed their PhotoSport III backpack lineup with the announcement of a new range of PhotoSport Pro backpacks. Aimed squarely at adventure and travel photographers that need to pack a lot of gear, the bags come in 55 litre and 70 litre capacities and Lowepro’s “AW” (All Weather) moniker to withstand harsh conditions.
The PhotoSport Pro backpacks join Lowepro’s “Green Line” label, joining the rest of the PhotoSport III series, which Lowepro says covers “all gear carrying solutions […] made from recycled fabrics“, in this case around 85-86% for the backpacks themselves, 84% for the daypack and 47-50% for the modular inserts.
The Cosyspeed PhotoHiker 44 is the most comfortable photography backpack I’ve ever used
I am notoriously difficult to find backpacks for, as I’ve mentioned on here before. I picked up a Tamrac Cyberpack 6 quite a while ago and it took 16 years to finally find another bag that felt as nice to wear. Now, I’ve found one that blows both of them away in the comfort stakes. Completely. That bag is the Cosyspeed PhotoHiker 44, which was recently launched on Kickstarter (and hasn’t quite ended yet).
What makes it so special? Well, unlike most camera backpacks, it’s a hiking bag that you can carry camera gear in. Rather than a camera gear bag that you can put on your back. This means it’s designed specifically for all-day carrying comfort while still being able to hold a lot of gear. Allow me to explain…
A comprehensive review of the new Moment Travelwear bags
Moment, who started back in 2013 with a lens for mobile phones Kickstarter, is back! This time with a new line of Travelwear bags and accessories designed for everyday use. The new collection consists of a backpack (17L or 21L), a Tote bag, and a bunch of accessories: Camera Insert, Tech Organizer with mini Tech Organizer, and a Battery Organizer.
This is hands down the best dual use bag I’ve used so far
We first met WANDRD in PPE in New-york and they showed us the WANDRD DUO – a dual-use travel bag for photographers. The bag raked over $650,000 on Kickstater so we were curious to test it.
I was impressed with the bag build-quality and feel and fell in love with the zipper system (more on that in a bit). This bag is not big enough to hold all the gear I use for my usual shooting setup, but it’s just the right size for the casual walk with a camera, or a quick run and gun gig.
The Wandrd Duo might be the best travel photography backpack of 2019
Wandrd burst onto the scene relatively recently as a new company with a range of new bags for photographers. One particular bag, the Wandrd Duo launched on Kickstarter to a tremendous reception, raising over $650,000. It’s a very interesting bag, offering a unique look at photography backpacks. We caught up with Wandrd at PhotoPlus 2019 to see one in person and find out more about it.
After 16 years, I’ve finally found another backpack that I love – The Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II
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.
These puppies names are Click, Bokeh, Nikon, Sensor, Skrim, and Gobo
Late last year my wife and I had to say goodbye to one of our beloved dogs Sophie. She was far too young and her loss was devastating. After several months one of my breeder clients (Kristen from Zero Gravity Australian Shepherds) announced a litter coming. I have photographed many of her litters and have used her dogs as models in many of my concept shoots. We have always admired her dogs so we decided it was time to add a puppy to our home.
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