why does other bags, same size or smaller, cost a lot more like the ones from lowepro? am i paying for the name? can i drop them from 4feet without breaking anything inside?
Well, an actual human being has to sew that bag and its very labor intensive. Try sewing one and you'll gladly pay the price. And Lowepro makes most of their stuff in China where labor is cheap. If it was made in the USA it would be $250.
It is not the sewing cost for child labor in Sri Lanka - it is because it is a CAMERA bag, so the manfs. figure they can charge more than if it was a _regular_ bag.
rw11 wrote:
It is not the sewing cost for child labor in Sri Lanka - it is because it is a CAMERA bag, so the manfs. figure they can charge more than if it was a _regular_ bag.
+100. They are expensive because they can be. That's the case with most specialty item like camera plates, L-brackets, filters, and even some camera straps. Markup on these items is enormous.
For the same reason these Neewer flashes cost 1/10th the price of the Nikon SB910. It is the same reason Nikon demands $400+ for camera grips and the Meike with the same functions costs ~$80. EN-EL 15 batteries run 50 bucks. Ravpower(Amazon) has D500 compatible batteries and they sell 2 batteries and a charger for the price of one Nikon battery.
why does other bags, same size or smaller, cost a lot more like the ones from lowepro? am i paying for the name? can i drop them from 4feet without breaking anything inside?
Some people don't like cheap products.
I'd never use a $50 bag to carry $20K of gear even if the construction appeared to be adequate.
I get much more than adequate construction from mountaineering bags of various sorts - not nearly as spendy as most camera bags. My old Dana Bomb Pack is as close to bomb proof as fabric can be.
yes, used is good - give it a cleaning and use a penetrating seam sealer on all sewn seams
Honestly, I have no problem purchasing a competently designed high quality photo bag that checks all the boxes regardless of price. I'm lugging around very expensive gear and want the best protection / performance required to keep it all safe and sound! That said, I have a couple very affordable bags that are truly excellent. One might have to spend some quality time trying out what's available... My favorite bag thus far is the WotanCraft Avenger. Not inexpensive, but very well designed and hand made using high quality materials. Trying out the Peak Design backpack (20L) at the moment and am liking it thus far.
Camera packs are over priced, heavy with very poor support. I've tried enough of them from various manufactures and all were inadequate compared to mountaineering packs which are cheaper, lighter and have excellent support systems. I use a ICU I get off e-bay which costs a fraction of the price that f-stop charges and different trekking packs depending on how much gear and other things I want to carry. The photo packs are just ripoffs for what they provide.
Gochugogi wrote:
Well, an actual human being has to sew that bag and its very labor intensive. Try sewing one and you'll gladly pay the price. And Lowepro makes most of their stuff in China where labor is cheap. If it was made in the USA it would be $250.
Aren't trekking packs also sewn and labour intensive yet cost 1/2 the price of a photo pack. The price of a photo pack is high because they can get away with it as many photogs buy them at the high prices. The target market is small so the manufactures don't get the same economies of scale as trekking packs. Bottom line, if you want a photo pack, open up that wallet or go to REI and get a real pack for 1/2 the price.
i understand they are labor intensive....but all of them are made in 3rd world countries. even Peak Design are made in vietnam.
there's no way they can cost above $400 unless they are made of leather and done in USA.
im on ebay now. buying used is even cheaper! thanks for that advice
I would treat a used bag of unknown origin with antibacterials and fungicide. Just the thought of it makes me want to have the bag sent for a double EtO cycle.
rw11 wrote:
It is not the sewing cost for child labor in Sri Lanka - it is because it is a CAMERA bag, so the manfs. figure they can charge more than if it was a _regular_ bag.
This x100.
If you own cameras then you generally have disposal cash and will certainly pay more for specialised equipment. Even a US$300 bag is nothing compared to a US$1,000 lens (and lets not get started on a bag full of cameras & lenses) !
tung256 wrote:
i understand they are labor intensive....but all of them are made in 3rd world countries. even Peak Design are made in vietnam.
there's no way they can cost above $400 unless they are made of leather and done in USA.
im on ebay now. buying used is even cheaper! thanks for that advice
Wake up to reality. It is the same with nearly every commodity that is for sale. What do you think the mark-up is on athletic trainers
Not sure why you think it only applies to photo bags.
Gochugogi wrote:
Well, an actual human being has to sew that bag and its very labor intensive. Try sewing one and you'll gladly pay the price. And Lowepro makes most of their stuff in China where labor is cheap. If it was made in the USA it would be $250.
Actually in Vietnam as is the case with Gura Gear / Tamrac.
Good value I have found are the Ruggard camera bags and backpacks. Best bag for a MFT kit in my opinion is the MountainSmith Tour FX. Large enough for two MFT cameras and several lenses and a flash. Really like the bright yellow fabric used for the interior which makes it much easier to find small items inside the bag.
