Recently, I started looking for a “quick draw” bag to hold my Canon 40D. My list of options was fairly short.
Tamrac Velocity Series
Lowepro SlingShot 100 AW
Lowepro Fastpack 100
No local stores carried the Tamrac, but I did try the Lowepros at my local Best Buy. They were a little more cumbersome than I had hoped. My goal was to find the smallest bag possible to hold the 40D and maybe an extra lens. I decided to try the Velocity 7x anyway… based on the size specs and a few sparse reviews around the web.
After a few weeks using it, I can report that it works, but only barely. Getting the camera in and out is really a two-handed operation.
Your free hand must stretch the bag open at the top to prevent the flash shoe from catching on the fabric. In fact, the thread has started pulling away from the fabric where I wasn’t careful a few times.
With the camera removed, you can almost see how the two “columns” on each side can be used to store other lenses, etc.
The front pocket can hold a good bit of “flat” stuff. Many CF cards, a GPS device, cables, etc. The bag fits really good over the shoulder and rides high on my back (I’m an average size guy). It’s pretty comfortable.
Summary: I wish I had gone with the Velocity 8x or another bag.
Now I’m bag shopping again. I find myself taking the camera to work everyday (along with my Laptop Bag holding my 15″ MacBook Pro). So I’m considering a backpack to carry both.
I’m seriously considering the Crumpler Sinking Barge. Will keep you posted.
I recently took a 2 week trip to Alaska where I needed to take a laptop, and camera along with the misc stuff for all that. I picked up a Tamrac Adventure 9 for that so I wouldn’t have to handle multiple bags for the equipment given the current airline carry-on rules. It work out great!
I carried an IBM X41T (although it would have fit anything up to a 17″ notebook), a Nikon D200 with battery grip and 18-200mm lens attached, 70-300mm lens, flash and innumerable misc stuff. I did use an iPod to double as a storage device where I kept all the photograph files backed-up as well as the laptop.
Unfortunately, it’s too big for “day to day” use (like our trip to the museum this morning) which is why I’m on your site looking at your experience with the Velocity 7x. Great information! It tells me that I’ll probably need the 8x or 9x.