The only downside I see with the Velocity series bags is the inability to carry a tripod. The Kata 3N1 came with a tripod strap, and enough room for 2 bodies and 3 lenses + flash lens filters . . . more than what the Velocity 10x appears to hold. However, when I load the Kata up, it's too heavy to be carried as a sling-bag and changing lenses on the fly is more difficult. What's that they say about having your cake and eating it too?
The Velocity 9x is great for when I'm shooting school sports. The shoulder strap is wide enough to distribute the weight of its contents, so it's pretty comfortable, and changing lenses on the fly is a very fast and secure. I also like it for general "tourist" duty. I already know that I'm a "bagaholic", but the Velocity 9x is definitely my most used and liked bag.
The Lowepro Flipside 400 interests me, but I'm wondering how cumbersome it is to rotate it, and what especially concerns me is whether the waist belt would be able to handle all that weight hanging in front of you... the video makes it seem that without the knee supporting it, the backpack's content would just spill over.
I use primes, so changing lenses easily and quickly matters, and I like to carry 6 of them around with my 5D MkII. Both my Lowepros, a slingshot 200 and a Stealth reporter D300 AW let me do that without setting them down. But I do not carry large telephoto/zoom lenses.
Tamrac Velocity 9 works well for me. Holds my D300 (and MB10) with 17-35mm attached, 35-70mm sitting underneath that, 75-300mm on one side, and two sb80dx's sitting in the other side.
I don't have to take the bag off to change anything. Very handy in the wet.
argue all you want. when it comes down to it simplicity is the best thing. Mr Fusco and i seem to agree. all this flipsides and velocities and such give you such limited access to the other components vs a single camera and lens so fast changes are not going to be realized. with a satchel type bag as i have pictured above you have complete access to 90% of the product you need at any given point by eye and hand. a place to drop the old lens into and new one to remove. there is nothing better then open access. simplicity works.
Is there something against the slingshot? I'm a rapid lens changer, dust be damned, and I have both a slingshot 100 and 200. Generally I stuff a D700 with 28-75mm attached, 80-400mm on side, 14-24mm on other side, and a speedlight in the top. There's still room in the front for grey cards, filters, extra CF cards, and a battery or two.
I've even stuff a 70-200mm in there sometimes. I think it's great. I just swing it around, swap out a lens in 20-30 seconds, and I'm ready to go.
Sure it's heavy and you probably don't want to go rock climbing or extensive hiking with it.
With the slingshot, I don't like that the lenses are sideways and not vertically towards you, so it would seem to me when the bag is towards you, you only have direct access to the camera when you open the side flap?
satchels aren't comfortable if you have to walk a long way but do give quicker access than rucksack style. have used both (still got billingham satchel) and use the tamrac now as I do walk quite a lot and it doesn't hurt my back so much (more even on the back)
everything is a give and take. if its real comfortable i can say w/o a doubt you will not get to it too easy. there is always the J2 but i like room to work the more compact things are the less accesible they are too. make up your mind what you are willing to give up for your real needs. my bag averages about 15lbs on any given day. i've managed to carry it for over 15 years.
m_appeal wrote:
With the slingshot, I don't like that the lenses are sideways and not vertically towards you, so it would seem to me when the bag is towards you, you only have direct access to the camera when you open the side flap?
Yes but wouldn't your camera be on your shoulder already?
fashionwear for the well heeled. not that useful beyond a controlled situation. definition of controlled situation: where you only need a limited amount of gear and you have a fixed access to the rest of it when needed.
