Somone mentioned the little rubbery flap on the bottom at 5:40 helps keep gunk and mud out of the zipper when you set the bag down. Doesn't look like much, but it might not take much to help keep it clean.
Nah, I don't think that's the intention as the flap is positioned away from the zips. What it does do is allow you to grab hold of something to assist pulling the bag from your back to your front. :-)
I received it yesterday. As I live in India and there is no Mindshift Gear dealer in my country, I asked one of my friends to get one for me while returning from the US. I already own Mindshift Gear backlight 26L and I like it. I wanted a smaller bag to walk around (with one or two lenses, a flash, and a travel tripod). Used it for a couple of hours. The bag looks very good. It is the most comfortable sling bag I have ever used or tested. The bag is almost waterproof without using the rain cover. It's very light as well. However, I did not like a couple of things. 1. Tripod straps on the front are almost useless. I have three tripods and I could tighten only my largest tripod. And there is no tripod holder/ pouch (normally hidden and you pull it out) at the bottom. This is a design flaw. I had used a Lowepro Protactic bag and it had much better similar tripod straps. I am contacting Lowepro to get two such straps so that I can use them with this bag (not sure if it will work) 2. Dividers - There are only four dividers -Two large and two small. They should have given more, at least one more large divider. It's very difficult to carry small items such as a 50mm or 35mm prime unless we use small protective carry cases (as you showed in the video). 3. Protection - Dividers are thin. There is not much protection at the bottom. According to me, the large dividers should have been thick, what do you think? 4. Space - It looked spacious in the videos I watched, but actually not. The bag tapers at the edges and we will have to waste some space. There is no perfect slot for the camera with lens attached (L-shaped or T-shaped). It eats up one big slot and the camera (with a lens attached) will be moving around or waste some space. I am going to use it as I like many things in it. But there are cons as well.
Looks like a nice bag. Looking for a Sling that could carry my R5 with 100-400 attached and an extra 15-35 widezoom. I guess this one might not be wide enough to fit the camera with the 100-400 attached?
I unfortunately don't have this bag anymore, but I see on their page that it does accommodate a body with 70-200/2.8, so if the 100-400 is of a similar size it might work. Maybe go check one out in a store near you? Or look at the dimensions on the ThinkTank website here: www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/photocross-sling-bags?rfsn=140410.92f763 (if you purchase wit this link I'll get a small commission and you will get a small gift with your purchase).
If you are talking about the Retrospective that is a totally different bag. I don't use this one all that much anymore. It's OK for ungripped bodies, but if you have grips on them it isn't the best solution. I find the new ThinkTank Urban Access much better for bigger gear and offers a similar quick access solution.
Fotozones I’m thinking of buying the same blue thinktank 10 v2 sling that you reviewed and I’m only going to carry a Sony a73 plus 2 lenses so it should work for me. I wanted to go as small as possible but I think the 5 will be too small
@@jaymeez My apologies, I thought you were referring to the other bags I have. Yes, the Turnstyle 10 is a great little bag and is my most used bag on property photography shoots these days. I don't know much about Sony products but it holds my Olympus E-M1 (ungripped) with Pan/Leica 8-18mm and there is room for another lens or backup body, as well as a few other items like extra batteries, etc. If you want to go light, that is a great bag to choose.
Spare batteries take a lot less room than battery grip. I have the Turnstile 20, I can fit 2 Sony bodies with primes, spare lens or 2. MacBook air 11, 1 or 2 small flashes. I am considering this as it is a bit roomier. The advantage to the turnstile is that it forms flat and i can put it in a travel bag and use it at the destination. But this has improved features like handles and opening lid. Water pocket can also be used for a flash. Anyway I wish this was 25 or 30 % cheaper. But I really do not understand the appeal of camera grips. I may shoot 600 / 800 photos in a day with a few assignments and I carry 2 / 3 small batteries, but I rarely need one if any.
Thanks for the comment, Stefano. I only use the grips for improved ergonomics, specifically for the use of wrist straps as I don't use the traditional cameras straps. I actually don't even use the battery bay in the camera body anymore because it's such a mission to get that battery out when it is flat. I'm now using only the compartment in the grip.
Fotozones I use some faux leather grip that screws in the tripod mount. Gives protection and better ergonomics without the bulk of a battery grip. Are you still happy of the bag? I wish there was a turnstile 30, same size as this with a more streamlined, elegant look for events in the city. Photo cross may look a bit more like a hiking backpack. Anyway the shoulder pad of the photo cross is not as padded as the turnstile. Does it bother you? Anyway I switched to slings, I may sell most my shoulder bags. Keep backpacks for transport and slings for shooting on location.
Honestly, I haven't used this bag again since the last shoot as my work calendar has been somewhat quiet on the photography side of things. I didn't find it uncomfortable to use when I did do the shoot mentioned in the video. I did recently try to use it as a laptop bag for a meeting I had to go to but the Thule shell I keep the laptop in doesn't fit the slot in the bag, so I ended up leaving it behind (the bag, that is). This bag is, as you mentioned, more suitable for the outdoor photographer, so when I eventually get to go and do some photography for myself again I will be sure to use this one.
I have a Retrospective bag but I bought one of the new Exposure series bags which are much better. I also have this one and love it. I like the waist stabilizer belt which is also on the Exposure series.
Somone mentioned the little rubbery flap on the bottom at 5:40 helps keep gunk and mud out of the zipper when you set the bag down. Doesn't look like much, but it might not take much to help keep it clean.
Nah, I don't think that's the intention as the flap is positioned away from the zips. What it does do is allow you to grab hold of something to assist pulling the bag from your back to your front. :-)
I received it yesterday. As I live in India and there is no Mindshift Gear dealer in my country, I asked one of my friends to get one for me while returning from the US. I already own Mindshift Gear backlight 26L and I like it. I wanted a smaller bag to walk around (with one or two lenses, a flash, and a travel tripod). Used it for a couple of hours. The bag looks very good. It is the most comfortable sling bag I have ever used or tested. The bag is almost waterproof without using the rain cover. It's very light as well. However, I did not like a couple of things. 1. Tripod straps on the front are almost useless. I have three tripods and I could tighten only my largest tripod. And there is no tripod holder/ pouch (normally hidden and you pull it out) at the bottom. This is a design flaw. I had used a Lowepro Protactic bag and it had much better similar tripod straps. I am contacting Lowepro to get two such straps so that I can use them with this bag (not sure if it will work) 2. Dividers - There are only four dividers -Two large and two small. They should have given more, at least one more large divider. It's very difficult to carry small items such as a 50mm or 35mm prime unless we use small protective carry cases (as you showed in the video). 3. Protection - Dividers are thin. There is not much protection at the bottom. According to me, the large dividers should have been thick, what do you think? 4. Space - It looked spacious in the videos I watched, but actually not. The bag tapers at the edges and we will have to waste some space. There is no perfect slot for the camera with lens attached (L-shaped or T-shaped). It eats up one big slot and the camera (with a lens attached) will be moving around or waste some space. I am going to use it as I like many things in it. But there are cons as well.
Looks like a nice bag. Looking for a Sling that could carry my R5 with 100-400 attached and an extra 15-35 widezoom. I guess this one might not be wide enough to fit the camera with the 100-400 attached?
I unfortunately don't have this bag anymore, but I see on their page that it does accommodate a body with 70-200/2.8, so if the 100-400 is of a similar size it might work. Maybe go check one out in a store near you? Or look at the dimensions on the ThinkTank website here: www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/photocross-sling-bags?rfsn=140410.92f763 (if you purchase wit this link I'll get a small commission and you will get a small gift with your purchase).
@@Fotozones Thanks for feedback. Im from Sweden so I need look at my local store or at Swedish internet sites :)
How does this compare with the thinktank 10 that you have?
If you are talking about the Retrospective that is a totally different bag. I don't use this one all that much anymore. It's OK for ungripped bodies, but if you have grips on them it isn't the best solution. I find the new ThinkTank Urban Access much better for bigger gear and offers a similar quick access solution.
Fotozones I’m thinking of buying the same blue thinktank 10 v2 sling that you reviewed and I’m only going to carry a Sony a73 plus 2 lenses so it should work for me. I wanted to go as small as possible but I think the 5 will be too small
@@jaymeez My apologies, I thought you were referring to the other bags I have. Yes, the Turnstyle 10 is a great little bag and is my most used bag on property photography shoots these days. I don't know much about Sony products but it holds my Olympus E-M1 (ungripped) with Pan/Leica 8-18mm and there is room for another lens or backup body, as well as a few other items like extra batteries, etc. If you want to go light, that is a great bag to choose.
Spare batteries take a lot less room than battery grip. I have the Turnstile 20, I can fit 2 Sony bodies with primes, spare lens or 2. MacBook air 11, 1 or 2 small flashes. I am considering this as it is a bit roomier. The advantage to the turnstile is that it forms flat and i can put it in a travel bag and use it at the destination. But this has improved features like handles and opening lid. Water pocket can also be used for a flash. Anyway I wish this was 25 or 30 % cheaper. But I really do not understand the appeal of camera grips. I may shoot 600 / 800 photos in a day with a few assignments and I carry 2 / 3 small batteries, but I rarely need one if any.
Thanks for the comment, Stefano. I only use the grips for improved ergonomics, specifically for the use of wrist straps as I don't use the traditional cameras straps. I actually don't even use the battery bay in the camera body anymore because it's such a mission to get that battery out when it is flat. I'm now using only the compartment in the grip.
Fotozones I use some faux leather grip that screws in the tripod mount. Gives protection and better ergonomics without the bulk of a battery grip. Are you still happy of the bag? I wish there was a turnstile 30, same size as this with a more streamlined, elegant look for events in the city. Photo cross may look a bit more like a hiking backpack. Anyway the shoulder pad of the photo cross is not as padded as the turnstile. Does it bother you? Anyway I switched to slings, I may sell most my shoulder bags. Keep backpacks for transport and slings for shooting on location.
Honestly, I haven't used this bag again since the last shoot as my work calendar has been somewhat quiet on the photography side of things. I didn't find it uncomfortable to use when I did do the shoot mentioned in the video. I did recently try to use it as a laptop bag for a meeting I had to go to but the Thule shell I keep the laptop in doesn't fit the slot in the bag, so I ended up leaving it behind (the bag, that is). This bag is, as you mentioned, more suitable for the outdoor photographer, so when I eventually get to go and do some photography for myself again I will be sure to use this one.
I have a Retrospective bag but I bought one of the new Exposure series bags which are much better. I also have this one and love it. I like the waist stabilizer belt which is also on the Exposure series.