> I was fulfilling my Buddha nature, poking at AG, in this case, with a bag.
I'm about to go ballistic (nylon) over it. :)
It really is interesting just how picky we are over camera bags. What
is perfect for one person totally grates another. The LowePro
Slingshot 300AW is an example of a bag that should be wonderful, but
is awkward on so many levels that you wonder if anybody in product
development actually tried using it. Actually, I don't wonder, I'm
pretty sure it was never tested. While some aspects of the bag are
brilliant, the overall flavor is such that it doesn't actually get
used other than for transporting or working out of the trunk. Had it
been tested, the zipper would have been changed.
Another bag I have is the LowePro Magnum 35. It's a big shoulder bag
and carries a ton of equipment. But that's the problem. It carries a
ton of equipment. If you actually fill it up, the bag is far too heavy
to carry. It is also another bag that is great for transporting or
working out of the trunk. I normally use it to carry all my portable
flashes in to a wedding, event or portrait shoot.
The Canon 200EG is the best value in camera bags, like ever. I'm on my
second one (bags do wear out), and I'm likely to buy a third when this
one de-ghosts. It certainly isn't perfect, but it is excellent.
Ergonomically, it has the same challenges that all backpacks have, and
that's that you have to take it off in order to access the bag. I'm
able to put together a nice, no-compromises, OM kit with it that
includes two bodies and a half-dozen lenses up to the 300/4.5. This is
my go-hiking bag. They can be purchased brand new for as low as USD
$25.
The LowePro Elite35 is the bag I bought 21 years ago and starting to
now show wear. It has been my primary bag for all these years and has
travelled the world a few times over. It's perfect for one OM body
(with MD2) and four lenses up to the 200/4. I can carry more in it,
but if it's too full, you're constantly moving stuff out of the way to
get to what you want. I really like having one empty spot to drop
lenses into when changing them, so I'm not juggling two lenses
simultaneously.
The only other bag I've bought in many years is the small
holster-style Naneu Pro. This is my go-everywhere bag that takes a
DSLR with two lenses. There are three side pockets, which I can toss
my wallet, keys and pocket binocs in, along with a wad of tissue and a
granola bar. With it, I am able to go on a comfortable hike and have
everything I need. The only thing it could do better is have slightly
more space for the spare lens which isn't mounted on the camera. But
that's been addressed in the new version.
I am so impressed with the Naneu, that I'm VERY likely to buy another,
bigger one, to replace the Lowepro Elite 35 which is wearing out.
Naneu does one thing extremely well. It makes the contents of the bag
easy and fast to get to. The price of the Naneus is misleading. They
are far less expensive than comparative bags, and are ergonomically
very useful. Every Naneu that I've looked at has better access than
any other bag in the category. The only thing I would say that the
Naneu falls down on is equipment protection in case of a radical fall.
But that's the trade-off between access and safeguarding. It's not a
Pelican Case.
AG
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