Nice review! Never thought about it but by removing those extra protection boards along the sides I finally managed to fit all my camera gear into this bag. Thanks! Amazing backpack!
Have had this bag for 2 months and only just saw your video and especially the recommendation to remove the large plastic and foam protectors in the sides of the inner bag (2 simple slits at the base of the inner with a box cutter and they are gone). The increase in useable space was as you say extraordinary - I went further and removed the zip inner curtain that I never use and I find I fit more gear and since I am never going to use it with skis or snowboards I will not miss the additional protection. I commend your review for its accuracy and thoroughness for those in the wild. Only downside is weight, but that is what you pay for durability and waterproofness in a bag.
By far the best review of this bag I have seen and I sincerely don't know how one can top this as well. I was just torn between this and the Lowepro Pro Trekker 450 AW but whistler looks way more suitable to my needs. Thank you, this helped me save a lot of money!
Thank you! The whistler is a great bag and having used them for a good few years now I'm pretty happy, a few things id change but finding the perfect bag is a never ending struggle!
This is the video that I was looking for good job and nice rewiew I need exactly something like this cause I have to travel to Mexico for work so thank you for the video.
I also love this bag. It fits my D500 with my Sigma 300mm f2.8 (with lens hood mounded) or my Sigma150-600 attached and a spare body plus two lenses and flash. It's very rugged and has so much room that I tend to overload it a bit. I think I need to do the hack with the insert you(Tom) did!
It’s a great bag, the hack is quite easy, you just pick the stitching at the two sides of the inset and pull the plastic out, there is some foam as well that I replaced inside, gives a soft sided compartment that’s far more roomy!
Hi, Tom! This was the most awesome and usefull review about this backpack. Fantastic !!! And, it helped me to decided in favor of this model for short trips with only one Carry-on Bag 🙌🏻 I just received it for using in a Long Exposure Workshop on the Beach (Boiçucanga SP - Brazil) next week and, as you have mentioned, it fits ALL the Equipament, as well as personal items 🤙🏻 See ya, blue skies 📷🍀
Nice review. I just got the Manfrotto off road (the larger one) for an absolute steal of $80 on a sale. It is not suitable for a lens as large as yours but I moved to Micro 4/3 so it will take my Oly EM1 Mk2 and 300mm F4. The reason I like it over my Lowepro is it looks more like a hiking bag and more importantly wears more like one with ventilation and hiking straps.
Often the right bag takes a lot of looking and searching for what works for you. I have a large number of bags for all different reasons, however the 450 I do like a lot! Cheers, Tom
I was just going to ask you what camera bag you preferred so I'm glad I stumbled upon this. I am going to keep this in consideration. Thanks for the video Tom!
Hi Tom. Thanks for this video. I'm going to go the MLC in December for a 2 months volunteering mission (I've already been there in the past). I will bring some camera equipment of course. Lowepro is now selling a new version of the Whistler series bags (AW II). Looks like they improved it by adding some nice additional features (laptop dedicated section for example). They however decided to get rid of the removable inside section. In my opinion, I think it's a must have. I think I will want to remove it in case I want to use the backpack with no camera equipment (or ). Also I think that this "camera only box" is very useful to tidy up the equipment (in the bed room for example) or to easily carry stuff around camp. As you said it may also be helpful in small planes. Do you agree? Do you often extract the inside box? I'm not sure whether I should purchase the new version or the previous one. Also I only own moderately large equipment (ie. no full frame camera and 300mm and 500mm ED lenses + other smaller lenses). How small is the 350 in comparison? Should I still purchase the 450 version even if it will look a bit empty. I had the opportunity to test it and its depth is just impressive. Thanks a lot.
Great review, so is this as well made as the Gitzo? I have a Vertex 200 AW and the build quality is shocking. Just as well I can repair straps with fishing line or it would have died a year ago. Thanks for posting.
Nice real review ! I have a 350 version which is best sized for me. How did you paint it ? which material/method did you use to make it a natural look of a durty bag ? At the begining I just thought it was natural dust.
Hey Fred, I just used some simple sand brown spray pain, applied to the outside in short bursts to adhere it to the material. It cracks a little bit, but in a good way as it takes on the natural dirty look, that is perfect for making it look less expensive! hope that helps, Tom
I looked at that bag but I ended up buying the Mindshift Backlight 26L. The shoulder straps are so comfortable and that's important to me. I even bought the larger 36L although I don't use it as much
Sounds like a good pack also, That's the thing with camera bags, one will never work for everyone or everything. For myself the Whistler 450 is just a great compromise on all fronts! Thanks for watching
@@TomMasonPhoto i bought the 36 and returned it cause it didn't fit right and i hated the shoulder straps. they would cut into the shoulders. The customization pads inside the bag were too stiff and annoying although the space in the bag was a lot better and the weight was superb for the size on the mindshift when i tried this one on the trek its just carried sooo much better and i ended up keeping this just because of the fit.
Because I have to put my bag oh the back of my scooter the ones that open from the back are no use to me. That doesn’t stop me thinking they are a great idea, especially in more 'challenging' environments. It looks a well thought out bag, a great video Tom.
Tom Mason I have a Katu Bumblebee that’s about 5 years old and still as good as new, Manfrotto own them now so they’ve probably doubled in price. It’s the perfect size for my seat back. My "working in the field" is totally different for others as I can only go where my mobility scooter allows me to go, or where I can use the car as a hide. If I’m laid in the grass somewhere either a few meters from my scooter or from the car I can’t use a bag as I can't carry one and I often have to crawl on all fours back to my scooter so I can get back up again. I have had random strangers stop their car to offer me help, whilst my hemiparuplegic wife gets dirty looks in the car. We find this quite amusing, but two disabled people together you have to have a strange sense of humour. If I’m crawling into a stream, for a landscape shot, I have a really old Miranda shoulder bag, a photographic name from the past, I can tie round my neck. It’s totally knackered but it has a really firm bottom that I can use as a shelf for putting on filters etc. in case I drop anything. It’s also somewhere I can attach my stick, which experience has taught me has to be metal as it’s quite disheartening to see a £40 wooden stick float down a river. My greatest photography accessory has the be my waders...or maybe it’s my mobility scooter and hoist.
Do you think you could review your Nikon 300 f2.8? I am stuck between that and a longer prime. If you happen to make this video, could you review how it does with teleconverters? Thanks!!
A little late to the dance, but have you tried [the considerably cheaper and much, much lighter] Nikon 200-500? Yes, it's slower, but it punches so far above its weight you would not believe it.
Hey Andrew, Ive flown to a number of locations now with the bag and never had an issue, flying to Peru, Finland, back and forth to Ireland as well as Africa, its never given me a problem!
Hey federico, the bag doesn't have a dedicated compartment however the back general gear section is where I put mine, it's big enough for a 15" easily and I often just use a laptop sleeve to keep it a little more protected. Largely I don' need a laptop on most days unless i'm travelling and so when flying etc it works perfectly for that
also try osprey Kamber 42 or mammut trion pro 50+7 with pacsafe large ICU. works better than most dedicated camera packs as these help distribute the weight better as dedicated hiking back packs. i have an fstop tilopa, but prefer the hiking packs (rear open backflap) with camera icu
The perfect backpack is something I'm always on the look out for! The Kamber Ive had my eye on for a while but the Pro 50 looks good as well, certainly loving the ICU style camera systems - I hope we see something int he future from Lowepro as well!
Hi been watching the videos for a while now, i am 15 and just getting into wildlife photography, i notice you said that you used a 1.4x teleconverter. What teleconverter would you suggest for a beginner shooting with Nikon, as i want a bit extra vocal length with my 70-300mm lens.
Hey Finley, for most 70/300 lenses that are F5.6 at their widest teleconverters won’t be compatible as the rear element is too close and the aperture is too slow for Af. For most use I would only ever recommend teleconverters with the highest quality lenses that are fixed f2.8 or f4 glass as anything less will suffer performance wise. If getting closer is something you want to do, id look to invest in either a bag hide of save up towards a higher quality long lens as TC will not being the performance you’ll be after! Hope that helps, cheers, Tom
Great review of the bag Tom, I myself own the smaller version of this bag, the 350 AW and agree with all the pros and cons you mentioned. If I understood correctly all the extra bits in the front of your bag on this video weren't in there when you went to South America as that most surely makes your bag not fit the requirements of the airlines. I assume you had some checked luggage too for all your clothing and camera trap equipment?
You are very much correct, for my trip to Peru I had over 60kg of gear with me so I had a couple of check bags as well as my carry on. I used this as carry on and as you stated had the front compartment closed down, with just my laptop and spare hard drives in the section, along with my notebook + boarding passes etc. The bag was really good for travelling with on airlines and I haven't had any issues so far. For the rainforest I had an extra three big duffels of gear to Hal all the camera trap stuff out with me! Cheers, Tom
Oh yeah I remember now, in the first Peru vlog you mentioned you had other bags coming in later! Another thing I noticed is that if you put a big heavy tripod (I use the Gitzo 3543 XLS with wimberley head, weighing a total of 3.5kg) on the side of your bag, it will be a bit out of balance, which makes it annoying to carry. One way to combat this is by putting your heaviest camera gear on the opposite side in your photo compartment. Do you have any other tips on how you deal with this apart from adding a second tripod to the other side? Btw for anyone reading this and thinking about buying this bag....what I'm mentioning here would be an issue for any camera bag with a heavy tripod on one side and is not at all a con for this bag in particular!
Personally I most often walk with the tripod over my shoulder - the attachment I use when I arty two tripods as I often have to for filming these videos - shifting gear across can work as well to help but most of the time no matter how you weight it the tripod will cause more strain on one side and hence 90% of the time it’s over my shoulder when I’m walking and carrying around on location!
Hi Tom ... I have only recently discovered your channel and I'm slowly working my way through all of the great videos ... The latest model 450 has what looks like 2 flouro orange expansion straps running across the front ... not exactly stealthy? do you know if they are removable (without actually doing surgery on the bag)? ... I want to carry my D750 + 200-500 5.6 (with lens hood reversed) ... would that combination fit? ... and that neoprene slip-over lens hood cover? where is that available from? ... And totally off topic: what model Casio is that on your wrist? Please keep up the great inspirational and informative content. Cheers from Australia ... Greg
Hi Greg, I replied to this but I didn't save so sorry for the slow response! In regards to the 450 it does come with orange straps, I just removed mine, they simply come off the front no worries. Regarding the 750 and 200-500, my D850 and 300mm 2.3 fits down the centre attached so you shouldn't have a problem. The slip on Hood is a Hoodie by LensCoat, you can pick them up online. Lots of different sizes for various models. Casio is a F-91W. Its cheap, solid and dependable. Waterproof and has a stopwatch for when I go for a run! Lots more videos on route, although I'm currently away that has slowed me down this week. more on route soon! Cheers, Tom
Thanks for sharing! What is the height and weight of your tripod unit? I'm looking for a backpack that can carry a big Benro (35" collapsed with ball head attached) - I could buy a smaller tripod but I like this one too much to ever shoot landscapes without it. Cheers!
Another great upload, any chance you will be getting your hands on one of the new Nikon 500f5.6 PF lenses? Looks like it might be a bird/wildlife photographers dream lens....
I’m working on getting one into my hands as soon as possible to get a review done for you guys. The lens looks a real treat for us wildlife photographers and I’m certainly keen to test it out and check the performance for myself! Hopefully it will be in the near future!
Great video. Did you use normal spray paint to rough up your bag Tom? How are you finding the Fjallraven trousers in terms of durability/value for money now that you've been wearing them for a bit.
Iain, I used normal spray paint for the bag, its starting to come off a little now ( the nylon material means it slowly peels off) but on the fabric its well held, I can just reapply idf I want too, but its done the job of making it look "well used". The Fjallraven trousers are brilliant. I picked mine up in Canada a few years ago when the pound was strong against the dollar, so for the price I paid they are simply brilliant - TBH full price I think they offer the best all round performance - the heavy weight material feels like it will last and I'm not worried about roughing them up like I would be with shell style type trousers. Highly recommend them! Cheers, Tom
I work with the 70-200 with a TC often, the 1.4 III works brilliantly and I have no issues, its best to try and work without but sometimes the extra magnification is helpful and especially when you don't want to tote an extra larger, longer lens. Cheers, Tom
Most of the time it will be fine (depends on the airline) I've rarely had any issues with hand luggage when using the bag and often would carry even on lower budget airlines. Don't do up the straps, keep it looking loose and small and TBH I've rarely had an issue. Cheers, Tom
How much does it weighs, fully loaded like that? I have the Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW, it weighs about 10kg with lot of photo equipment. After a longer hike, about 6 hours, my shoulders are screaming for mercy. How comfortable is your bag? Do you have problems like that with more than 10kg, on long hikes?
Sometimes I have 20kg with me in terms of gear and I find the bag to be pretty comfortable. With the hip belt done up tightly it helps to support the weight. One thing I wish it had was a adjustable back system for a better fit, but I find it fits me well I’m 5,10” . With all bags they get heavy eventually so I always try to only carry what I know I’ll need for any assignment! Thanks for watching, Tom
@@dutchvideoshooter Personally haven't had any issues flying so far. Long haul not an issue, however on short haul you'll want to make sure there no stretch to the bag and you have priority booking etc on a Ryanair style flight to ensure its with you in the cabin. Its been great to travel with so far!
I’ve owned the Bumblebee and find the Whistler far more practical for working in the field, especially with extra kit, the Shimoda looks OK and the Atlas is interesting however the F-stop range is another I’d like to try however right now I’m looking into real hiking bags I can convert for the best possible feature set/comfort and style. Love my Osprey baa and think I’ll be looking at some of there rear entry ski packs for a future bag update, however right now the Whistler is doing great and for most occasions I have few complaints - only it’s a little heavy and I’d like a slightly more padded hip belt/suspension system! Cheers, Tom
Nice bag. But there is no such thing as a *best* bag. Needs vary by person and by the trip. For me, this is a great travel bag. For wildlife photography, you need to be out there. My day outings involve hikes between 5 and 15 Miles. For that, you need water bottle holders or a pocket for a bladder. I don’t see one on here. Also, wildlife doesn’t sit still. You better have your camera out and ready, with preferred lens mounted. Lastly, when you have to hike any distance, a pack with better ventilation is soooo much more comfortable. So a good bag for me is very different from a good bag for you.
Totally agree there is no perfect bag, this however does have a hydration bladder section (in the back pocket) that’s really good for longer hikes. I too also find for long hikes I’ll often work with real trekking bags with camera inserts, however this is perfect for hauling a large amount of gear especially for travelling. Day to day I’ll often use this but of course have far less inside, tailoring my gear to the job in hand. What’s your recommended pack brand? I also really like Osprey bags for hiking! Cheers, Tom
Tom Mason Interesting that the product description says nothing about the water storage. I have the Gregory Mountain Products Zulu 30. I work on the move, documenting what I see on hikes, so my camera is mounted on my chest with a 100-400 zoom to capture critters. If I do decide to do a landscape photo, I have a light tripod, a 10 mm lens and a 17-50mm lens in the body of the backpack. The access is not convenient, like your LowePro, but with just a few items and emphasis on the hiking functionality, not a problem. Thanx for the videos. Like your channel a lot.
Yes that sounds like a good system too, personally I always have the camera out when I am on location, but when looking for specific images I tend to hike to where I know Ill be working , however for landscape trips etc a mountain pack with an insert I find works well instead of a real camera bag as they are just developed better for long hauls hikes! I've always sworn by Osprey bags and really love them for hiking. Looking forward to having one of the Z series cameras to make things even lighter in the future for my landscape work! Really glad you enjoy the channel! Cheers, Tom
This is what I would love from every review. Real usage. Awesome job Tom. Thanks for this!
Nice review! Never thought about it but by removing those extra protection boards along the sides I finally managed to fit all my camera gear into this bag. Thanks! Amazing backpack!
Have had this bag for 2 months and only just saw your video and especially the recommendation to remove the large plastic and foam protectors in the sides of the inner bag (2 simple slits at the base of the inner with a box cutter and they are gone). The increase in useable space was as you say extraordinary - I went further and removed the zip inner curtain that I never use and I find I fit more gear and since I am never going to use it with skis or snowboards I will not miss the additional protection. I commend your review for its accuracy and thoroughness for those in the wild. Only downside is weight, but that is what you pay for durability and waterproofness in a bag.
just ordered, the comments about air travel sealed it for me. Going to Alaska and got 2 flights to get there. cheers for this.
By far the best review of this bag I have seen and I sincerely don't know how one can top this as well.
I was just torn between this and the Lowepro Pro Trekker 450 AW but whistler looks way more suitable to my needs.
Thank you, this helped me save a lot of money!
Thank you! The whistler is a great bag and having used them for a good few years now I'm pretty happy, a few things id change but finding the perfect bag is a never ending struggle!
This is the video that I was looking for good job and nice rewiew I need exactly something like this cause I have to travel to Mexico for work so thank you for the video.
I have had this bag for two years now for landscape photography across Dartmoor in all weather and I can’t fault it.
It certainly is a great bag...Although I do have my eye on a new one thats just come out! #neverendingperfectbaghunting
Great video! It is awsome to follow your work.
Thanks dude!
I’ve been saying it for 2 years now! It’s an amazing backpack, for both sports and wildlife!
It certainly is a great bag for wildlife and adventure shoots!
Does 400mm f2.8 is iii with extender and camera fit in the bag??
I also love this bag. It fits my D500 with my Sigma 300mm f2.8 (with lens hood mounded) or my Sigma150-600 attached and a spare body plus two lenses and flash. It's very rugged and has so much room that I tend to overload it a bit. I think I need to do the hack with the insert you(Tom) did!
It’s a great bag, the hack is quite easy, you just pick the stitching at the two sides of the inset and pull the plastic out, there is some foam as well that I replaced inside, gives a soft sided compartment that’s far more roomy!
Hi, Tom! This was the most awesome and usefull review about this backpack. Fantastic !!! And, it helped me to decided in favor of this model for short trips with only one Carry-on Bag 🙌🏻 I just received it for using in a Long Exposure Workshop on the Beach (Boiçucanga SP - Brazil) next week and, as you have mentioned, it fits ALL the Equipament, as well as personal items 🤙🏻 See ya, blue skies 📷🍀
Nice review. I just got the Manfrotto off road (the larger one) for an absolute steal of $80 on a sale. It is not suitable for a lens as large as yours but I moved to Micro 4/3 so it will take my Oly EM1 Mk2 and 300mm F4. The reason I like it over my Lowepro is it looks more like a hiking bag and more importantly wears more like one with ventilation and hiking straps.
Often the right bag takes a lot of looking and searching for what works for you. I have a large number of bags for all different reasons, however the 450 I do like a lot! Cheers, Tom
I was just going to ask you what camera bag you preferred so I'm glad I stumbled upon this. I am going to keep this in consideration. Thanks for the video Tom!
Great stuff. I've needed a review like this for some time. Thanks
i realize it's quite randomly asking but do anybody know a good place to watch new series online ?
@Edwin Ishaan try FlixZone. You can find it by googling =)
Hi Tom. Thanks for this video.
I'm going to go the MLC in December for a 2 months volunteering mission (I've already been there in the past). I will bring some camera equipment of course.
Lowepro is now selling a new version of the Whistler series bags (AW II). Looks like they improved it by adding some nice additional features (laptop dedicated section for example). They however decided to get rid of the removable inside section.
In my opinion, I think it's a must have.
I think I will want to remove it in case I want to use the backpack with no camera equipment (or ). Also I think that this "camera only box" is very useful to tidy up the equipment (in the bed room for example) or to easily carry stuff around camp. As you said it may also be helpful in small planes.
Do you agree? Do you often extract the inside box?
I'm not sure whether I should purchase the new version or the previous one.
Also I only own moderately large equipment (ie. no full frame camera and 300mm and 500mm ED lenses + other smaller lenses). How small is the 350 in comparison? Should I still purchase the 450 version even if it will look a bit empty. I had the opportunity to test it and its depth is just impressive.
Thanks a lot.
Great review, so is this as well made as the Gitzo? I have a Vertex 200 AW and the build quality is shocking. Just as well I can repair straps with fishing line or it would have died a year ago. Thanks for posting.
That spray paint job looks really awesome....I've got a Whistler coming in and seriously considering this!
Cheers dude, worked really quite well and even now after a year it’s holding up good, will probably do it to all my bags going forwards 😂
Nice real review ! I have a 350 version which is best sized for me. How did you paint it ? which material/method did you use to make it a natural look of a durty bag ? At the begining I just thought it was natural dust.
Hey Fred, I just used some simple sand brown spray pain, applied to the outside in short bursts to adhere it to the material. It cracks a little bit, but in a good way as it takes on the natural dirty look, that is perfect for making it look less expensive! hope that helps, Tom
thank you for your answer
I looked at that bag but I ended up buying the Mindshift Backlight 26L. The shoulder straps are so comfortable and that's important to me. I even bought the larger 36L although I don't use it as much
Sounds like a good pack also, That's the thing with camera bags, one will never work for everyone or everything. For myself the Whistler 450 is just a great compromise on all fronts! Thanks for watching
@@TomMasonPhoto i bought the 36 and returned it cause it didn't fit right and i hated the shoulder straps. they would cut into the shoulders. The customization pads inside the bag were too stiff and annoying although the space in the bag was a lot better and the weight was superb for the size on the mindshift when i tried this one on the trek its just carried sooo much better and i ended up keeping this just because of the fit.
Because I have to put my bag oh the back of my scooter the ones that open from the back are no use to me. That doesn’t stop me thinking they are a great idea, especially in more 'challenging' environments. It looks a well thought out bag, a great video Tom.
Totally understand that for some people they won’t work, what do you find suits you for when your working in the field?
Tom Mason I have a Katu Bumblebee that’s about 5 years old and still as good as new, Manfrotto own them now so they’ve probably doubled in price. It’s the perfect size for my seat back.
My "working in the field" is totally different for others as I can only go where my mobility scooter allows me to go, or where I can use the car as a hide. If I’m laid in the grass somewhere either a few meters from my scooter or from the car I can’t use a bag as I can't carry one and I often have to crawl on all fours back to my scooter so I can get back up again. I have had random strangers stop their car to offer me help, whilst my hemiparuplegic wife gets dirty looks in the car. We find this quite amusing, but two disabled people together you have to have a strange sense of humour. If I’m crawling into a stream, for a landscape shot, I have a really old Miranda shoulder bag, a photographic name from the past, I can tie round my neck. It’s totally knackered but it has a really firm bottom that I can use as a shelf for putting on filters etc. in case I drop anything. It’s also somewhere I can attach my stick, which experience has taught me has to be metal as it’s quite disheartening to see a £40 wooden stick float down a river. My greatest photography accessory has the be my waders...or maybe it’s my mobility scooter and hoist.
Does this have a built in rain cover? Sorry if I missed in comments.
An wonderfull vlog
Do you think you could review your Nikon 300 f2.8? I am stuck between that and a longer prime. If you happen to make this video, could you review how it does with teleconverters? Thanks!!
That video is currently in the works!
A little late to the dance, but have you tried [the considerably cheaper and much, much lighter] Nikon 200-500? Yes, it's slower, but it punches so far above its weight you would not believe it.
Hi Tom can you take the 45l on a plane as hand luggage cheers sorry Tom should have watched the whole vid before asking that question
Hey Andrew, Ive flown to a number of locations now with the bag and never had an issue, flying to Peru, Finland, back and forth to Ireland as well as Africa, its never given me a problem!
Hi Tom! Is there any laptop compartment in this backpack?
Hey federico, the bag doesn't have a dedicated compartment however the back general gear section is where I put mine, it's big enough for a 15" easily and I often just use a laptop sleeve to keep it a little more protected. Largely I don' need a laptop on most days unless i'm travelling and so when flying etc it works perfectly for that
also try osprey Kamber 42 or mammut trion pro 50+7 with pacsafe large ICU. works better than most dedicated camera packs as these help distribute the weight better as dedicated hiking back packs. i have an fstop tilopa, but prefer the hiking packs (rear open backflap) with camera icu
The perfect backpack is something I'm always on the look out for! The Kamber Ive had my eye on for a while but the Pro 50 looks good as well, certainly loving the ICU style camera systems - I hope we see something int he future from Lowepro as well!
Hi been watching the videos for a while now, i am 15 and just getting into wildlife photography, i notice you said that you used a 1.4x teleconverter. What teleconverter would you suggest for a beginner shooting with Nikon, as i want a bit extra vocal length with my 70-300mm lens.
Hey Finley, for most 70/300 lenses that are F5.6 at their widest teleconverters won’t be compatible as the rear element is too close and the aperture is too slow for Af. For most use I would only ever recommend teleconverters with the highest quality lenses that are fixed f2.8 or f4 glass as anything less will suffer performance wise. If getting closer is something you want to do, id look to invest in either a bag hide of save up towards a higher quality long lens as TC will not being the performance you’ll be after! Hope that helps, cheers, Tom
Tom Mason Thanks for the great advice and keep making videos, can’t wait till the next one !!
Great review of the bag Tom, I myself own the smaller version of this bag, the 350 AW and agree with all the pros and cons you mentioned. If I understood correctly all the extra bits in the front of your bag on this video weren't in there when you went to South America as that most surely makes your bag not fit the requirements of the airlines. I assume you had some checked luggage too for all your clothing and camera trap equipment?
You are very much correct, for my trip to Peru I had over 60kg of gear with me so I had a couple of check bags as well as my carry on. I used this as carry on and as you stated had the front compartment closed down, with just my laptop and spare hard drives in the section, along with my notebook + boarding passes etc. The bag was really good for travelling with on airlines and I haven't had any issues so far. For the rainforest I had an extra three big duffels of gear to Hal all the camera trap stuff out with me! Cheers, Tom
Oh yeah I remember now, in the first Peru vlog you mentioned you had other bags coming in later! Another thing I noticed is that if you put a big heavy tripod (I use the Gitzo 3543 XLS with wimberley head, weighing a total of 3.5kg) on the side of your bag, it will be a bit out of balance, which makes it annoying to carry. One way to combat this is by putting your heaviest camera gear on the opposite side in your photo compartment. Do you have any other tips on how you deal with this apart from adding a second tripod to the other side? Btw for anyone reading this and thinking about buying this bag....what I'm mentioning here would be an issue for any camera bag with a heavy tripod on one side and is not at all a con for this bag in particular!
Personally I most often walk with the tripod over my shoulder - the attachment I use when I arty two tripods as I often have to for filming these videos - shifting gear across can work as well to help but most of the time no matter how you weight it the tripod will cause more strain on one side and hence 90% of the time it’s over my shoulder when I’m walking and carrying around on location!
Hi Tom ... I have only recently discovered your channel and I'm slowly working my way through all of the great videos ... The latest model 450 has what looks like 2 flouro orange expansion straps running across the front ... not exactly stealthy? do you know if they are removable (without actually doing surgery on the bag)? ... I want to carry my D750 + 200-500 5.6 (with lens hood reversed) ... would that combination fit? ... and that neoprene slip-over lens hood cover? where is that available from? ... And totally off topic: what model Casio is that on your wrist?
Please keep up the great inspirational and informative content.
Cheers from Australia ... Greg
Hi Greg, I replied to this but I didn't save so sorry for the slow response!
In regards to the 450 it does come with orange straps, I just removed mine, they simply come off the front no worries. Regarding the 750 and 200-500, my D850 and 300mm 2.3 fits down the centre attached so you shouldn't have a problem. The slip on Hood is a Hoodie by LensCoat, you can pick them up online. Lots of different sizes for various models.
Casio is a F-91W. Its cheap, solid and dependable. Waterproof and has a stopwatch for when I go for a run!
Lots more videos on route, although I'm currently away that has slowed me down this week. more on route soon! Cheers, Tom
Thanks for the info Tom.
Thanks for sharing! What is the height and weight of your tripod unit? I'm looking for a backpack that can carry a big Benro (35" collapsed with ball head attached) - I could buy a smaller tripod but I like this one too much to ever shoot landscapes without it. Cheers!
Very good video!
i have the same bag, but find it very heavy even empty. Would you say that removing the side plastics makes a big difference weigh wise ?
The plastic inserts are very light weight. Removing them doesn't really effect the overall weight by more than a few grams.
Another great upload, any chance you will be getting your hands on one of the new Nikon 500f5.6 PF lenses? Looks like it might be a bird/wildlife photographers dream lens....
I’m working on getting one into my hands as soon as possible to get a review done for you guys. The lens looks a real treat for us wildlife photographers and I’m certainly keen to test it out and check the performance for myself! Hopefully it will be in the near future!
You mentioned about flash gun, can i know which one you using for wildlife?
I Currently use the SB 700 - small and light, I'm only using for fill when shooting wides really. Cheers, Tom
Great video. Did you use normal spray paint to rough up your bag Tom? How are you finding the Fjallraven trousers in terms of durability/value for money now that you've been wearing them for a bit.
Iain, I used normal spray paint for the bag, its starting to come off a little now ( the nylon material means it slowly peels off) but on the fabric its well held, I can just reapply idf I want too, but its done the job of making it look "well used". The Fjallraven trousers are brilliant. I picked mine up in Canada a few years ago when the pound was strong against the dollar, so for the price I paid they are simply brilliant - TBH full price I think they offer the best all round performance - the heavy weight material feels like it will last and I'm not worried about roughing them up like I would be with shell style type trousers. Highly recommend them! Cheers, Tom
Thanks Tom. Will be picking up a pair soon (hopefully).
Hi Tom. One question about lens. I always use a 700-20mm nikkor lens with a teleconverter. Is that right ? Any problem on thotos with that ? Thks
I work with the 70-200 with a TC often, the 1.4 III works brilliantly and I have no issues, its best to try and work without but sometimes the extra magnification is helpful and especially when you don't want to tote an extra larger, longer lens. Cheers, Tom
Thks Tom, best regards.
Tom! what do you think about gitzo fluid gimbal head? That you’re using.
It’s very good indeed, I’ve swapped over from the Wimberley. I’ll do a tripod update soon and a full review!
I just got this & really wanna bring it as carry-on. However it measures too big when still having all the plastic inside.
Do you think i'll be fine?
Most of the time it will be fine (depends on the airline) I've rarely had any issues with hand luggage when using the bag and often would carry even on lower budget airlines. Don't do up the straps, keep it looking loose and small and TBH I've rarely had an issue. Cheers, Tom
How much does it weighs, fully loaded like that? I have the Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW, it weighs about 10kg with lot of photo equipment. After a longer hike, about 6 hours, my shoulders are screaming for mercy. How comfortable is your bag? Do you have problems like that with more than 10kg, on long hikes?
Sometimes I have 20kg with me in terms of gear and I find the bag to be pretty comfortable. With the hip belt done up tightly it helps to support the weight. One thing I wish it had was a adjustable back system for a better fit, but I find it fits me well I’m 5,10” . With all bags they get heavy eventually so I always try to only carry what I know I’ll need for any assignment! Thanks for watching, Tom
Every time I watch a Tom Mason video my overdraft doubles
Sorry about that!
Thank You!
You're welcome!
Nice! I made a review of the versions II of the backpack :D
Enjoy the new pack!
@@TomMasonPhoto Thanks! The review is uploaded on my channel.
You say you travel alot with it. did they ever measure the bag or weight it?
@@dutchvideoshooter Personally haven't had any issues flying so far. Long haul not an issue, however on short haul you'll want to make sure there no stretch to the bag and you have priority booking etc on a Ryanair style flight to ensure its with you in the cabin. Its been great to travel with so far!
what type of spray paint works best?
I just purchased some green and sand coloured stuff off amazon, looked for ones that said affix well to textiles!
@@TomMasonPhoto cheers :-)
My bag is around 33 pounds with a tripod is that normal? Lol
How do you make money as a wildlife photographer?
Best camera bag ? How about, Shimoda, Atlas or Manfrotto Bumblebee ? Check those out and compare that with this one ;-)
I’ve owned the Bumblebee and find the Whistler far more practical for working in the field, especially with extra kit, the Shimoda looks OK and the Atlas is interesting however the F-stop range is another I’d like to try however right now I’m looking into real hiking bags I can convert for the best possible feature set/comfort and style. Love my Osprey baa and think I’ll be looking at some of there rear entry ski packs for a future bag update, however right now the Whistler is doing great and for most occasions I have few complaints - only it’s a little heavy and I’d like a slightly more padded hip belt/suspension system! Cheers, Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto how are you managing the water carry solution ?
Nice bag. But there is no such thing as a *best* bag. Needs vary by person and by the trip. For me, this is a great travel bag. For wildlife photography, you need to be out there. My day outings involve hikes between 5 and 15 Miles. For that, you need water bottle holders or a pocket for a bladder. I don’t see one on here. Also, wildlife doesn’t sit still. You better have your camera out and ready, with preferred lens mounted. Lastly, when you have to hike any distance, a pack with better ventilation is soooo much more comfortable. So a good bag for me is very different from a good bag for you.
Totally agree there is no perfect bag, this however does have a hydration bladder section (in the back pocket) that’s really good for longer hikes. I too also find for long hikes I’ll often work with real trekking bags with camera inserts, however this is perfect for hauling a large amount of gear especially for travelling. Day to day I’ll often use this but of course have far less inside, tailoring my gear to the job in hand. What’s your recommended pack brand? I also really like Osprey bags for hiking! Cheers, Tom
Tom Mason Interesting that the product description says nothing about the water storage. I have the Gregory Mountain Products Zulu 30. I work on the move, documenting what I see on hikes, so my camera is mounted on my chest with a 100-400 zoom to capture critters. If I do decide to do a landscape photo, I have a light tripod, a 10 mm lens and a 17-50mm lens in the body of the backpack. The access is not convenient, like your LowePro, but with just a few items and emphasis on the hiking functionality, not a problem. Thanx for the videos. Like your channel a lot.
Yes that sounds like a good system too, personally I always have the camera out when I am on location, but when looking for specific images I tend to hike to where I know Ill be working , however for landscape trips etc a mountain pack with an insert I find works well instead of a real camera bag as they are just developed better for long hauls hikes! I've always sworn by Osprey bags and really love them for hiking. Looking forward to having one of the Z series cameras to make things even lighter in the future for my landscape work! Really glad you enjoy the channel! Cheers, Tom
I can't stand the music