I looked at many options taking into account the gear I want
to take and all were compromises. The best fit (at a reasonable price) was the
Timbuk2 Camera Sleuth Backpack. With B & H having the black/grey version on
sale, I could pick up the backpack, the optional rain cover and a couple of
camera accessories for little more than half the price of the bag from an
Australian seller. I thought I would give B & H a go and test out there new
low postage rates to Australia.
The Bag
The bag seems very well made and has a quality feel about
it. It doesn’t have that “I am a camera bag” look which is a plus.
The outside of the bag is very simple. Two small zippered
pockets, provision for holding a tripod, a sternum strap to help keep the
shoulder pads in place and other than the zippers for the top and bottom
section, that’s about it. Oh, I forgot, a bottle opener that seems to be a
Timbuk2 trademark. There is a convenient carry loop at the top and the top
section zipper has a flap for rain protection.
A bit more than half the bag is devoted to the general
storage area which is fine for me. There is a dedicated camera sleeve and some
storage pockets in the top. Very generous padding ensures everything is well
protected.
The top section has a waterproof jacket, battery, rain cover
(not a standard inclusion of the backpack) and 13.3” laptop in the very well-padded
sleeve.
The bottom camera section has a double zipper that opens to
the bottom which means you need to take the backpack off to use. The zipper has
a very stiff press-stud to offer some time delay for would be thieves.
The bottom section contains a single z-shaped divider and
two small secondary dividers to split up the space. I think there should be one
more. In addition, the divider between the top section and camera section can
be removed. It is quite secure with Velcro on all sides. The Velcro holds well
but the camera section dividers do seem far too thick and too high while the
z-shaped divider could be a little longer.
The previous picture shows an Olympus E-P3 with Metabones Speed
Booster and Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 lens attached (complete with hood), Olympus
60mm f/2.8 macro and SLR Magic 12mm T1.6 lens. Also in there is a Lee filter
holder, 3 x 150x100 filters, a Little Stopper and remote control. There is a
little bit of free space but the dividers make it difficult to optimise the
use. It is quite difficult to use the space well when you have a reasonably
long lens combination, e.g. the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens
combination.
The backpack itself is reasonably comfortable without the
laptop but as with most backpacks that place the laptop against your back, less
so when the laptop is included. The straps could have a bit more padding and I
find the sternum strap, while adjustable, isn’t ideally placed. The back has
foam padding but as it lacks mesh, I would expect it not to be ideal for long
hikes in summer.
Pros
The bag is well made and offers heaps of protection. It is
also small aircraft cabin friendly. Great value for money. This would also make a really great urban walkabout bag.
Cons
The excellent padding and so-so partition design makes it
hard to optimise the space in the camera section and as a consequence of the
extra padding, a little heavy for its size. There are no drinks pockets and the
tripod storage means you cannot use the small external pockets when you have a
tripod attached. Rain cover is an expensive option.
Conclusion
Good value for money and quite suitable for a walk around
town or taking gear on aircraft. Not ideal for hiking or if you have bulky
gear.
Nice. Thanks for this. I've been looking up for camera bags as well. I'm gonna check this bag out. It looks very convenient and can be used for other purposes as well.
ReplyDelete