Bags
Manfrotto MBAG120PN padded tripod bag review
After my review of the unpadded Manfrotto MBAG80N, see here, I thought I would write about the largest in the range, the padded Manfrotto MBAG120PN. This is a beast of a bag, but I bought it to transport a beast of a tripod, the aluminium Uni-loc 1600 System Major. Without doubt, it’s a great tripod, one of my favourites for working in the field, so to speak, but it’s somewhat unwieldy to carry. After selling my Manfrotto 054B some twenty years ago, which I deeply regret (it’s one of the best studio tripods ever made and was bought for me as a gift), I decided not to make the same…
Manfrotto MBAG80N unpadded tripod bag review
Tripods are awkward to transport and store, and to make matters worse, they’re often supplied without a bag or case. If you want to use your tripod more, a bag is a good way to get it out of the closet. As one of the leading manufacturers of tripods, Manfrotto unsurprisingly makes several bags. Their padded and unpadded MBAG range shares several features, including a preformed (padded) ‘cap’ for protecting pricey tripod/video heads, a padded base, a full-length two-way zip with zip pulls, and an adjustable shoulder strap. Padded variants are suffixed with PN after the length, while N indicates unpadded. So, for example, my unpadded Manfrotto 80cm bag has…
Gitzo GC5101 and GC4101 tripod bags reviewed
A good tripod is a long-term investment, so a decent bag is another essential, especially if you use it on location. Kevin Carter takes a closer look at two bags made for Gitzo tripods. What does it fit? I own both the Gitzo GC5101 and GC4101, which are designed for Gitzo’s Systematic range of tripods. While there’s only around 8cm (3.1 in) or so in length between them internally, the GC5101 is much larger in terms of internal volume and was designed presumably for the Geant (Giant) model 5-series Systematic that still measures some 73cm (35 in) even when collapsed and some 3-section 3/4 and 5-series extra-long XLS models. Sadly,…
Billingham 307 camera bag review
This was one of the most popular reviews from the old site, and so I’ve decided to re-publish it here with up-to-date links for those trying to buy – thank you for your continued support. Introduction to the Billingham 307 Billingham camera bags need little introduction, they’ve been the choice of professional photographers since the mid-’70s and the Billingham 307 typifies all that’s great about them. There have been one or two imitators, most notably the well-regarded Classic range from the sadly defunct CCS (Camera Care Systems) and the hand-made range of bags from FOGG; probably the closest in terms of quality and materials, if not in design (FOGG were…
MindShift Gear Backlight 26L review: Versatile and comfortable
The MindShift Gear Backlight 26L is a medium-sized backpack for photographers made by the same company that makes the ThinkTankPhoto range. It’s priced at $249.99 (around £200 ex VAT). For me, like a lot of photographers, I imagine, finding the right carrying solution for your gear is a tricky proposition. And of course, it’s dictated by the gear you’re carrying and the location you’re working in. Rollers are great for working from out of a car when you get to the location easily, but as soon as you have to move away from it (which is often the case), then a backpack is the most appealing solution. However, most backpacks…
