I don't know about you, but I have been looking for the 'perfect' camera bag for a long time - and I have come to the conclusion that there is really no perfect bag for all occasions. I have particularly been looking for something small enough to carry with me on the subway when I am travelling back and forth to work. There are times when I see a sight so beautiful - but I am stuck with my iphone. Don't get me wrong - the best camera that you have is the best camera that you have. I want better though - enter the Think Tank Shapeshifter 17 V2. Is it perfect?? No. But it is pretty damned good.

Oh - and to get it out of the way - YES. That photograph of the bag is BY FAR the worst photograph I have ever put on the front page. How UGLY. I may try to replace it with something better in the next week or so. What is worse - there are going to be a bunch of really [censored] photos of the bag after this. I decided that utility beats form for this article.



Padding and Straps - Pretty Impressive.


I like three things about the bag in particular:

(1) The accordion design is incredibly inconspicuous. I have no problems taking it onto the subway and around New York City. I am a social worker by trade, and I travel in some tough places - there is nothing about this bag that screams 'take me' about it.

(2) The bag is surprisingly high capacity. It has space for two cameras (with grips) a 24-70, a 70-200 and a flash (or other lens)- not to mention a 17 inch laptop and lunch. The folks at ThinkTank included a really fun diagram of the different ways that the bag can be put together - with Canon and Nikon use cases. You have to love the traditionalists. Honestly, the point of the bag is for me to be able to carry a relatively limited gear set but also the fundamentals that I need in order to get me through the day, here in New York City. Right now, my bag has one camera, the 24-70 F2.8L and a 50mm prime. It also has my flash and whatever else I need to take to work. Any more than that, and I start adding weight that I don't want.


The inside of the main compartment - completely empty...except those desiccates. Why did I leave in the desiccates?

All the positives said, there are a few things about this bag that are real compromises. For example, the neoprene pouches on the inside of the bag that hold everything are really fixed. You cannot attach a camera WITH a lens on it (well, that is not really true. You can attach a small prime, like the 50 F1.8). When you are bouncing around the city with your pack on, it means you have to take off the pack and put on the lens. It becomes a two step process. Also, if the bag is compressed (which it typically isn't, because I have gear in it), you cannot actually open the main compartment. It only works when it is extended.


My Asus ProArt P16 Laptop.

Oddly, the bag comes with a place to put my tripod legs, but there is no strap/connector built onto the bag for my tripod to connect to - which means I will have to add one. I guess most folks don't shoot with tripods anymore, but I cannot work the way I do without one. Once that tripod goes on the back, there will be another drawback - specifically that I am currently using that rear compartment to hold my iPad Air. Once a tripod goes on it, I won't have access to that compartment anymore and it looks like I will need to stick it in with my laptop in the main compartment.


Their Promo literature

(3) The bag is really well made. It has YKK zippers and plenty of padding. I love how the bag contains 'wrap' for each of the camera bodies and lenses in order to hold them in place. I HATE playing with all of the velcro in your typical bag. While there is an added element of flexibility in that case, I like how secure this feels. The sternum strap and D-Rings make it easy to carry - and I will say that those straps are really thick and comfortable, even when the bag is full. I particularly like that the bag comes with a rainfly. Many bags charge additional for that. The one problem with a really well made bag comes back in the form of weight. The bag is not lightweight at all - but I am willing to take that compromise. Quality and protection comes before portability.

But wait - there is more. This thing looks like it has a ton of really cool 'travel friendly features.' While I would never see this as being able to replace my Lowe Pro, I could easily see myself taking this on a short trip to visit friends and family. This thing has a luggage pass-through sleeve for a suitcase attachment. It even has a water bottle container.

Exterior Dimensions:
20 x 12.5 x 7" / 50.8 x 31.75 x 17.78 cm
Weight: 4.6 Lbs



Where are the tripod straps???? This is a 300 bag!

Conclusion:

I have been using this bag now for about two weeks. I like it so much that I am writing a review on it. Is it perfect? No. There are some minor niggles - the lack of a tripod strap built into the bag being the main one. The other minor issues, like compartment access I am willing to go along with in the name of safely porting myself around New York City. Even with my minor complaints - I think this bag is great. I bought this bag on clearance at B&H for $129.75 on clearance at B&H. It is currently listed as 199 - and has a normal price tag of 299. The Big "A" is selling it for 299 so I definitely feel like this bag at 129.75 is a steal. I am so pleased. Let's see those tripod straps cost me $50 bucks...but hey. Thems the breaks.

On a separate note - I see that my own forum has decided to censor me. I referred to the photographs in this article as "[censored]," and they are. No other word for them. I promise that the next set will do better.


The Bag as I have it Configured...Why did I leave the desiccates in it??? Why??