Podcast #76 – Conversation with David Ziser – Choosing the right aperture
February 26, 2010 – 8:42 am | One Comment

This week I sat down with David Ziser to discuss a handful of topics including how to choose the right aperture for a particular shot, determining the depth of field for a particular shot, when …

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Important Note:
Due to our hosting company, BlueHost.com, not having redundant drives or even backups, during a recent hard drive failure all of the images in the articles here have been lost. The originals are available and are being re-edited and uploaded as fast as I can. I apologize for the inconvenience. -Kerry

Home » Product Reviews

Think Tank Photo Change Up Bag Review

Submitted by KerryG on September 1, 2007 – 7:38 am4 Comments

Think Tank Photo Change Up BagIt seems like every day there is another company popping up making camera bags and accessories. For the most part, these other bags are cheap imports that you wouldn’t dare trust to secure your precious equipment nor are they designed with how you work in mind. The folks are Think Tank Photo separate themselves from the pack with extremely high quality bags designed by professional photographers. Not only are the founders well known photographers in their own right, their global design board is some of the top talent available. Think Tank Photo is the epitome of the phrase “lfor photographers by photographers”. We were first turned on to Think Tank Photo products by our good friend David from Esquire Photography who swears by his Modulus Pro System, Airport Security, Airport Check In, and Humongous Bazooka. After over 20 years in the industry, David won’t buy anything else but TTP carrying systems because of the durability, versatility, and affordability.


Summary
Think Tank Photo Change Up BagThink Tank Photo’s latest bag, the Change Up is a perfect example of TTP’s design approach. At first glance, the Change Up looks like a basic small camera bag to hold DSLR with a lens on and another medium size lens. What makes the Change Up special is the flexibility of how you can wear it. The bag comes with two shoulder straps so you can wear it over one shoulder like a regular small bag, or use two straps crossed to have it sit level under your chest, or pull out the hidden belt system and strap it around your waist. As a belt, you can also use all of the other Modulus belt accessories. (note: Don’t ask me why but our dog Lola couldn’t stop posing with the Change Up)

Inside the Change Up is an inner pack that you can pull out to make organizing it easier and a large assortment of small and large dividers giving you a large choice of options for how you want to arrange the bag. As with many of the Think Tank Photo components the Change Up comes with a rain cover you can pull out if things are getting a little damp or extra dirty.

Features
Thnk Tank Photo Change Up BagAs we have already mentioned, the Change Up can morph from a beltpack, to a shoulder bag, to a front load bag supported by a chest harness.

Internal Dimensions: 10.5″ W x 4″ D x 9″ H
External Dimensions: 11″ W x 4.375″ D x 9.5″ H
Weight: 1 lbs 9 oz 2 lbs 6 oz
(Weight dependent upon accessories used)

  • Can be used as a belt pack
  • Can be used as a shoulder bag
  • Can be used with a chest harness
  • Modulus components attach to belt
  • Stretch front pockets
  • Stretch side pockets
  • Front pocket organizer
  • Removable foam padded insert
  • Rear pocket for accessories
  • Tuck away waist belt
  • Top handle
  • Seam-sealed raincover

First Impressions
We have gone through our share of camera bags and to be honest, it has always been tough to look at a bag and instantly have any real opinion of it, after all, a bag is a bag right? Well, this time it was a little different. This bag simply screams quality at you. From high quality, double layered construction, to the little details like strong strings on the zippers to provide a non-slip surface. There is not a single thing about the construction that doesn’t just ooze with quality. I really can’t stress this point enough, this is a serious quality product. Once you dig into it some more, you start to find all the details like the stretch pockets on the front and sides, the organizer pocket in the front with the built-in pen holders, the rear pocket good for papers, books, filters, or other gadgets, to the built-in rain cover. You can tell this bag was designed by working photographers.

Usage
We really like the versatility of the Change Up bag, when you just need your camera, maybe a second lens, and a few accessories like a flash, filters, batteries, and a few basics, you can just grab the Change Up and throw it over your shoulder. If you need a few more components, pull the belt straps out of their hiding place and attach a few Modulus pieces and kick it like the best pros out there.

Like the Speed belt, modulus components can either move around on the belt or be locked into place. The Change Up bag itself can’t move but you can easily spin the belt around your waist.

Results
There are certainly other big names in the market these days but the products from Think Tank Photo are not only exceptional quality, but are priced to be affordable by not just Pros, but also by all levels of photographers. At a list price of $130 you are getting the equivalent of the bag and the Modulus Speed Belt. You can then easily add to the entire system by purchasing other Modulus components as you need them.

Features: 4
Quality: 5
Results: 5
Price: 4
Value: 5
Overall: 4.6

Website: http://thinktankphoto.com

Popularity: 3%

About the Author: Kerry Garrison is a wedding, portrait, and product photographer living in southern California. With 10 years of experience shooting products and 3 years of experience in the wedding industry, Kerry brings a good deal of technical know-how and can explain topics in easy-to-understand terms. Kerry's work can be found at http://kerrygarrison.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/KerryGarrison

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