Imelda Marcos collects shoes like most photographers collect bags. It’s just never one to do all the jobs that you need. I love my Lowe-pro bags but in the end I always say to myself. “ It’s a really nice bag but”. That but has been taken out of the equations with Think Tank Bags. It may have something to do with the fact that one of thier designers used to work for Lowe-pro.
As a photojournalist sometimes I need to go light, like a belt bag with just a few items. Then there are the big events that require big glass and back up gear to support a few days or even weeks’ worth of shooting.
Think Tank bags has the best selection for news photography since Jim Domke made his bags in his garage in Philadelphia back in the late 70’s. I bought one of those bags at the beginning of my career from the Philadelphia Inquirer photojournalist and never looked back.
However looking back now and that bag is as old fashion as me. Dated and worn out! Now I use a fancy little Think Tank belt system for my day-to-day assignments and if I’m traveling I have their “Airport Security” roller bag which will hold an entire system, some clothes and I’m still able to get it in the overhead of domestic flights.
Now they have just come up with a new bag called the “Shape Shifter”. This ingénues bag holds 2 bodies, two lenses, your computer and all the stuff that goes along with being a digital photojournalist. The great thing about the bag however is that it compresses down when your cameras and lens are in use. After compression it’s only about 3 inches deep! Great for working in tight crowds or around large groups of photographers.
I bought the bag for the Obama Inauguration because I knew I would be trapped on the National Mall and would need to have all my gear. Working in that large of a crowd carrying that much gear is a challenge. The bag worked flawlessly. It’s also the best day-to-day commuter bag I’ve ever owned. I love the fact that I can take a heavy load of gear or compress the bag down and go really light.
This bag is also my go to backpack bag for all things nature. I love to get out and photograph the birds, mammals and landscapes to get away from working as photojournalist in Washington, D.C. The bags are perfect for outdoor shooting. All bags come with dust/rain covers and it enough padding to protect the gear from but the hardest of knocks. The rain covers do work really well as I've tested them a couple of times.
If I had to settle on just one large bag to do it all this would be it hands down. The bags that Think Tank produces are pricy but well worth it as the quality is the highest level and the costumer support is a bookend to the quality of the bag.
Like Jim Domkes bags of the 70’s, Think Tank has it right.
Yes they are good bags and I thought I'd spread the word. I don't think they are well known out of photojournalism circles. But thanks for pointing that out
I compared ThinkTank's bags with LowePro's pretty carefully last year. I ended up with a LowePro AW CompuTrekker Plus for three reasons:
(1) Much, much more comfortable on my back when fully loaded. I can carry my fully loaded LowePro (35+ pounds) all day with reasonable comfort; with test weight the TT Airport Addicted had my arms falling asleep.
(2) Superior protection of the laptop; on the LowePro, it's sandwiched between the back padding the the back of the bag; on the TT is much more exposed.
(3) Superior rain protection -- the integrated rain cover and drawstring on LowePro, in my experience, really is tropical rainstorm quality. I didn't test the TT, but it seemed to me to be a lot flimsier, and likely to tear scrambling through brush and rocks.
All that said, I am a big fan of the TT camera cover, especially Hydrophobia Raincover, which proved itself repeatedly in Ecuador earlier this year.
I also looked at ThinkTank but decided on LowePro, at least partially because I wanted something a little smaller to carry around. When on a trip I store everything in a Pelican because I believe it gives better protection than the ThinkTank, than transfer what I need for the day to my Lowepro Mini Trekker simply because I just don't want to carry more then I will really need for the day.
Bags ! That Lowepro bag that takes 5/600mm + kitchen sink looks great and certainly protects gear but one day I realised how heavy it was. Hell's bells our gear is heavy enough on its own. So, like all of us, here comes another bag except of course it will be more than one until we get it right, which we never seem to do.
I took a closer look at where I go to take pics and what gear I really needed to take with me, leaving the kitchen sink at home, I never seemed to use it ! Most of the time I want my 500f4, 1.4TC, camera body, spare battery, spare cards, Giga one portable hard drive to empty cards on a good day, lens cleaning cloths and blower brush, and that's that really. That's for bird photography and assuming I already have a hide/blind in situ (if using one) I didn't need that huge Lowepro bag as cleverly made as it was. One day I noticed a pile of rucksacks on sale at one of the seaside gift shops near where I live, they were £5 each $10 ! No clever padded compartments but enough external pockets for the spare battery, cards etc and more importantly, the bag takes my lens with camera attached, just, it wont zip up if I attach a TC. Padding ? If I want to put anything else in the bag alongside the lens, I wrap a hand towel around it.
The bag weighs 1 1/2lbs (700 grammes) I don't suppose I look so stylish, I am not flashing one of these very expensive well advertised bags on my back but, heck, it works. Perhaps I should corner the market ??
Sorry to have waxed so poetic about Think Tank bags. No, I’m not getting anything from them except bills for buying their gear. I wish I had thought a little more about how the above review sounded before I posted. I see where everyone is coming from. It’s just that as a full time photojournalist I don’t often see bags designed for the type of work that I do. Lowepro’s are great bags but are heavy and designed more for protection where the TT bags are designed for the street shooter that has his gear out of the bag more often then in. This is the way I shoot in the White House the U.S. Capitol and in the woods. I’m not sure of the comments about them being smaller as TT bags offer less padding for protection so how can they be larger. I'm sitting here in my home office and there are 3 LP and 2 TT bags sitting next to each other. The LP's are bigger and more boxy. The new TT shape shifter is only 3 inches deep when compressed! I know TT's weigh a lot less. I always think of the Lowepro’s being a box on my back! As far as rain covers go TT’s are every bit as good as Lowepros because we have put them though the test for over a year with no wet gear and no torn covers. They are also easier to get on and off verses Lowepro rain covers. We shoot on average in my department 4 assignments a day and the only time the gear is really packed away is when we are on an airplane. I thought there might be some application for nature shooters and so I posted. I understand that for the most part a professional nature shooter is going to spend a ton more time with logistics of assignments vs. getting up and being behind the camera all day so maybe the bag needs are really a lot different. It may also have a lot to do with the fact that you guys are buying your own gear where the company is providing mine. This is most likely why people feel the need for more protection verses having the gear out and getting beat up. I do understand this concept. Anyway sorry for you’re concerns of me being a TT hawker vs. just trying to pass on my enthusiasm for the TT bags. In the future I will try and be a little more on the fence with my gear reviews if I do them at all.
I've had a TT shape shifter for about 6 months now and it's holding up quite well. I've been carrying it back and forth to work everyday in a dusty environment and it's protected my gear very well. I'd recommend this bag to anyone.
Posted by Kent Mearig on August 7, 2010 at 12:19 PM
Douglas, I appreciate your willingness to respond to peoples concerns about your original post even though they weren't expressed in the friendliest manner. It shows character. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Discussion
9 repliesAs a photojournalist sometimes I need to go light, like a belt bag with just a few items. Then there are the big events that require big glass and back up gear to support a few days or even weeks’ worth of shooting.
Think Tank bags has the best selection for news photography since Jim Domke made his bags in his garage in Philadelphia back in the late 70’s. I bought one of those bags at the beginning of my career from the Philadelphia Inquirer photojournalist and never looked back.
However looking back now and that bag is as old fashion as me. Dated and worn out! Now I use a fancy little Think Tank belt system for my day-to-day assignments and if I’m traveling I have their “Airport Security” roller bag which will hold an entire system, some clothes and I’m still able to get it in the overhead of domestic flights.
Now they have just come up with a new bag called the “Shape Shifter”. This ingénues bag holds 2 bodies, two lenses, your computer and all the stuff that goes along with being a digital photojournalist. The great thing about the bag however is that it compresses down when your cameras and lens are in use. After compression it’s only about 3 inches deep! Great for working in tight crowds or around large groups of photographers.
I bought the bag for the Obama Inauguration because I knew I would be trapped on the National Mall and would need to have all my gear. Working in that large of a crowd carrying that much gear is a challenge. The bag worked flawlessly. It’s also the best day-to-day commuter bag I’ve ever owned. I love the fact that I can take a heavy load of gear or compress the bag down and go really light.
This bag is also my go to backpack bag for all things nature. I love to get out and photograph the birds, mammals and landscapes to get away from working as photojournalist in Washington, D.C. The bags are perfect for outdoor shooting. All bags come with dust/rain covers and it enough padding to protect the gear from but the hardest of knocks. The rain covers do work really well as I've tested them a couple of times.
If I had to settle on just one large bag to do it all this would be it hands down. The bags that Think Tank produces are pricy but well worth it as the quality is the highest level and the costumer support is a bookend to the quality of the bag.
Like Jim Domkes bags of the 70’s, Think Tank has it right.
(1) Much, much more comfortable on my back when fully loaded. I can carry my fully loaded LowePro (35+ pounds) all day with reasonable comfort; with test weight the TT Airport Addicted had my arms falling asleep.
(2) Superior protection of the laptop; on the LowePro, it's sandwiched between the back padding the the back of the bag; on the TT is much more exposed.
(3) Superior rain protection -- the integrated rain cover and drawstring on LowePro, in my experience, really is tropical rainstorm quality. I didn't test the TT, but it seemed to me to be a lot flimsier, and likely to tear scrambling through brush and rocks.
All that said, I am a big fan of the TT camera cover, especially Hydrophobia Raincover, which proved itself repeatedly in Ecuador earlier this year.
YMMV.
Are you compensated in any way (such as, but not limited to, direct payment, Web link exchanges or other considerations) by Think Tank?
I agree ThT has a good thing going on, but your post seems like unacknowledged advertising, which will raise the hackles of some.
I took a closer look at where I go to take pics and what gear I really needed to take with me, leaving the kitchen sink at home, I never seemed to use it ! Most of the time I want my 500f4, 1.4TC, camera body, spare battery, spare cards, Giga one portable hard drive to empty cards on a good day, lens cleaning cloths and blower brush, and that's that really. That's for bird photography and assuming I already have a hide/blind in situ (if using one) I didn't need that huge Lowepro bag as cleverly made as it was. One day I noticed a pile of rucksacks on sale at one of the seaside gift shops near where I live, they were £5 each $10 ! No clever padded compartments but enough external pockets for the spare battery, cards etc and more importantly, the bag takes my lens with camera attached, just, it wont zip up if I attach a TC. Padding ? If I want to put anything else in the bag alongside the lens, I wrap a hand towel around it.
The bag weighs 1 1/2lbs (700 grammes) I don't suppose I look so stylish, I am not flashing one of these very expensive well advertised bags on my back but, heck, it works. Perhaps I should corner the market ??