Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've had this bag for over 6 months now, and have taken it with me on numerous trips - family vacations, weekend trips as well as day hikes. I routinely carry the following gear in the bag:
Camera - Nikon D80;
Lenses - Sigma 10-20mm, Sigma 17-70mm, Nikon 70-300mm, Nikon 50mm F1.8, Nikon 105mm VR Micro-Nikkor;
Filters - A couple of Circular Polarizers and Grad ND Filters;
Lens Hoods for all the lenses list above that have hoods;
Battery Charger and Cables;
Memory Cards, Remote Shutter Release;
Nikon Lens Cleaning Pen;
Finally, on the outside of the bag, I carry my Tripod (GT1541T) with BallHead (Markins Q3)
With all of these in, I still have place for 1 more lens.
Here are what I see as the major strengths of this product:
1) Distributes load very well and is very comfortable. I don't feel the weight much despite carrying all the gear listed above
2) The quality of the materials is very good. The gear feels safe and well-cushioned inside. The padding is adequate on all surfaces.
3) The ability to rearrange the partitions inside is a big plus. I appreciate the flexibility it offers to customize the organization of the contents to suit whatever shooting occassion I'm taking the gear out for.
4) The facility to carry the tripod on the outside is a big big plus. Simply put, it has taken the pain out of carrying the tripod along on hikes and trips, and *accessing* it whenever I need to without having to fiddle with zippers and strings. To say I got significantly more mileage out of my tripod investment than I did before is putting it mildly. Also, the tripod feels very secure and I have no fear of it falling off or someone stealing it, quite literally, behind my back.
5) The rain cover is a nice touch. I've never had the occasion to use it but I have been outdoors in mild to moderate drizzles *without* the cover and the insides were perfectly dry.
6) The extras for storing memory cards and other small items are a nice touch.
Without a tripod, the bag looks like a regular backpack, so it is less likely to attract the attention of potential thiefs. To top it all off, the bag looks great! Some weaknesses I have observed are:
1) It is not as easy to pull the camera out of the bag as from a, say, Lowepro Slingshot. I have gotten used to it though..all I do is pull the bag off and wear it on my front on one shoulder, unzip the top of the bag, pull the camera out, close the zipper and back it goes again. Still, it would have been really nice to just swing it forward on one shoulder and pull the camera out of one of the side pockets
2) The zippers are a little tight to open. This is a minor point, but rather like a persistent itch. On the flip side, the zippers do feel pretty sturdy.
In terms of the other bags I researched - online and in store - before I purchased this one, I looked at the Lowepro series, Tamracs, Katas, the Canon Backpack etc. I was initially a little apprehensive as I hadn't heard much about Tenba before and there weren't (and still aren't, at the time of writing) too many reviews for these bags on Amazon. After 6 months of using, I can safely say that I have not once regretted this purchase. On several occasions though, I have had the opportunity to thank my lucky stars - especially when I look at the LCD display of my camera at a certain keeper taken with the aid of the tripod or a lens that I might have otherwise not carried with me.
If I had to go back and choose, I would certainly buy the Tenba again.
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Tenba 632-501 Shootout Mini Backpack (Olive/Black)Tenba's Shootout Backpack - Mini is built for for all-season outdoor use under the most extreme weather conditions.It is is as lightweight and comfortable to carry as it is protective of your camera equipment. The Mini fits 2 DSLR cameras with lenses attached, plus 4-6 additional lenses and flash equipment.
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