dennisgibson wrote:
Tempo, that doesn't look too safe with the 70-200 mounted
I didn't say I carried it that way! I was just responding someone's question by providing pics.
Do you know if it'll fit comfortably in any of their other bags?
I don't know -- maybe "The Tall-E" or "Next Venue". I am too tired tonight to go get my lens and measure the total length when mounted. Add some room to Crumpler's internal measurements, maybe up to an inch.
I bought the Tallee last summer after dragging some gear down to the local store and trying out both the Tallee and the 15 Love. A 70-200/2.8 attached to a camera will not comfortably fit - it looks much like Tempo's pics. I find the Tallee is good as a nondescript, relatively quick-access bag. I used it on a trip to Turkey and it was fine (that is, not too heavy) - mind you, I wasn't carrying all that much in it: a 10D with 20-35 attached (placed lens-down in the bag) along with a 380EX flash, iPod and other odds and ends in the main section, and a 50/1.8 and X Drive storage unit in the hidden compartment (which is a pain in the ass to access, by the way). The flap in front of the hidden compartment held memory cards, batteries and other small, thin things. The X Drive could easily be replaced with another lens - both my 20-35/2.8 (sans hood) and 100/2.8 macro (non-USM) fit in the hidden compartment (the macro being about the depth limit of the compartment if you slide it in straight).
I didn't choose the 15 Love because it seemed to restrictive when it came to accessing the contents when it was on my shoulder; the top opening of the bag was just too narrow. Keep in mind that I was looking to balance quick access and nondescript looks with carrying capacity.
As for the oft-complained-about strap, it is stiff, and for me it's absurdly long (I just loop it below the buckle). As previously mentioned, you have to wear the bag slung across your body, and I found that I could only wear it on my right shoulder, keeping the big plastic buckle to the rear, because if the buckle was on the front it would dig into my stomach (and I don't have a big stomach) and eventually start to hurt. This could be an issue with a particularly heavy bag if you wanted to keep switching shoulders throughout the day. Mind you, I don't know if everyone suffers from this painful buckle issue - I guess you'd have to try one in person (loaded with your gear) and see how it goes.
This post is really quite a bit longer than I intended it to be! Hope it helps...