Think tank or Lowepro

Red9R

Red9R

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Ian
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Evening all,
I have been asked by my better half what I would like for my birthday and have decided on a new camera bag as the one I have will not hold my D70 with Sigma 70-200 attached, I have managed to wheedle it down to a choice between

Think tank Retrospective 20 in pinestone & Lowepro classified in Sepia but have a couple of questions about both.

On the Think tank is the padding enough it looks really thin on all the reviews and do the internal dividers support the body ok? Lastly on the TT is it secure only having the Velcro to seal it?

On the Lowepro the only thing I am wondering about is the zipped opening really big enough to easily get your camera in and out whilst walking around?

The kit I would want to put in would be body, 70-200 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8 a 50 f1.8 a spare battery and cf cards and a few small odds and occasionally a flash, so I think either of these should be more than enough bag for me.

Any better suggestions or comments on my concerns greatly appreciated. :thumbs:

Cheers
Ian
 
Ive got the retrospective 30 and its a brilliant bag. I have also owned a billingham hadley and domke f2, the thinktank manages to feel 30% lighter with the same amount of kit in it (don't knw how but it des) and internally is really well designed and very usable, expensive but worth every penny...
 
Thanks Soulman, I do prefer the "look" of the thinktank, ideally I would like to compare the two side by side but I can't find anywhere local (ish) that stocks Thinktank bags, they are expensive but I am hoping that which ever one I get will last a long time :)

Cheers
Ian
 
I have a Retrospective 10 and it is an amazing bag. The padding isn't as thick as on some others but it is protective enough and that keeps the weight down - I always thought that camera bags were a bit OTT in that respect anyway.

I love my R10 and wouldn't swap it for anything.
 
I used to have a Retro 20, carried a D700, 70-200, 12-24 & flash and a couple of other bits & bobs. Sold it after using it for a couple of weeks - too damn heavy and uncomfortable. It's plenty padded, if anything too padded as with nothing in it still weighs a lot (3 pounds or so). I found it looked great but was a pain to carry.
 
I have a Retrospective 20 and I think it is an excellent bag. However, since it's a sling-bag, it is not ideal to carry your whole lens-collection around with you. At least not when you plan to walk a lot, as it can develop quite a drag, unless you have Ox-shoulders.
 
jpw said:
I used to have a Retro 20, carried a D700, 70-200, 12-24 & flash and a couple of other bits & bobs. Sold it after using it for a couple of weeks - too damn heavy and uncomfortable. It's plenty padded, if anything too padded as with nothing in it still weighs a lot (3 pounds or so). I found it looked great but was a pain to carry.
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Darn. Had I known you were selling it I would have made my way to the head of the queue :)


I would ask if the OP had considered the TT Urban Disguise series. While I have latterly been thinking about the Retrospective, my fave is still the UD because the zippers can be locked. They also have a small footprint which I find very useful. There's plenty of space and pockets and it may be worthwhile your checking out the UD35 if you wish to carry your 70-200 mounted. There is an optional harness which allows conversion to a backpack and on the v2.0, you can buy optional straps allowing a small to medium-sized tripod to be secured to the bag.

Just a thought...
 
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I've got a TT UD60 and I'm not thrilled with it. It's very well made and could easily carry the items listed in the first post and more besides (far too much for a bag that puts all the weight on one shoulder), but the zippered opening at the top of the bag is quite obstructive if you want to access stuff easily on the move. The problem is that either end of the zip is integral to the bag's opening, rather than having a flappy tail at one end, so you get pinch points at either end and a bit of a battle to squeeze things in and out, especially when being worn over the shoulder and having the bag squashed against your body.

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Based on my experience with this bag I think a big flap might provide for better access, more like a messenger bag. Lowepro released a video today of a bag which looks to have the right idea....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eco0zI-zq_4&feature=g-all-u&context=G2f79575FAAAAAAAAAAA

I've got other bags/storage systems by both TT and Lowepro and while the TT stuff might look better finished and more robust I find the Lowepro products to be nicer and more practical to use. YMMV.
 
The thing I like most about my Retrospective 20 is that it doesn't look like a camera bag, I've had a LowePro that was an obvious one ripped from my shoulder before, so anything that doesn't attract attention is a good thing.

My one gripe with it is that it holds a lot more than you'd think it can, I know that sounds silly, but if you fill it right up (as you can be tempted to) you can end up with it tipping 20kg and that's a lot to lug about...
 
Thanks for all the replies.
I did think about the weight and so I weighed all my kit, lenses in there soft cases and included my Lowepro slingshot the lot weighs in at a massive 6.5kg LoL, so with the only changes likely to be a possible body upgrade at some time and an 85mm on the wish list I cannot see it getting much heavier, and I don't carry all I have when I go out as it is, I would like a sigma 150-500 but the times I would take it out I don't think I would be carrying much else lens wise..
The only thing I did not include was my tripod which I don't take out often and i think it kind of defeats the point of this type of bag strapping a tripod to it.

Thanks again
Ian
 
Have you considered the Think Tank Sling o Matic?

I have the 30 to carry a laptop but you can get them smaller. For me with a damaged shoulder from a bike accident the bag is brilliant with excellent weight distribution. I love the way I can quickly grab the bag and pull it across my chest, take out the camera, fire away, slip the camera back in the bag and swing it round to park it on my back again.

Great all round design.

Regards
Neil.
 
The Retrospective 10, with no dividers, will take a gripped 7D with a 70-200L 2.8 IS USM attached.
 
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