Why a big tripod

A big sturdy tripod platform has several benefits over a smaller model. The main advantages are that it is more stable and can raise up higher. The downside is that a large tripod is going to be heavy. The Auctus Plus 324AT is not a tripod that you will likely strap to you backpack for an afternoon hike. But when you need a big, seriously stable platform, this is where the Auctus Plus 324AT shines.

Features

The Auctus Plus 324AT is more than just three legs and a mounting plate, like other Vanguard tripods, the Auctus Plus 324AT has some unique features that make it sand out from the rest.

How good is it?

Large Plastic Feet

Hidden Spikes

Summary

I have been a fan of Vanguard products for a while and the Vanguard Auctus Plus 324AT Tripod certainly did not disappoint on any level. If you need a high quality, large tripod base, be sure and check out the Vanguard Auctus series and see if there is one that will suite your requirements.

Vanguard Website: http://vanguardusa.com/

Online Ordering

Amazon.com $429.99
B & H Photo $429.99

The Quick Spot is a basic grid spot designed to fit over the end of your flash without needing an extra strap or Velcro. A unique feature of the Quick Spot is that is comes apart in order for you to put different colors gels (several included) in order to color balance the light or provide special effect lighting.

What is a Grid Spot

A grid spot at its most basic description is a series of straws that take the light from the flash and confine it to keep it from spreading out like a bare flash would. The smaller the size of the straws, the more confined the beam of light will be.

Some people have tried to simply use the Zoom function on their flash to create a similar effect but it doesn’t really do the same thing. Let’s take a look at how the zoom function works.

Flash Zoomed at 24mm

Flash Zoomed to 105mm

As you can see at 24mm almost the entire frame is filled with light and at 105mm we get distinctly smaller source  but it still has a pretty large pattern.

When you want a much tighter pattern with less light fall-off then a grid spot can be your best choice. Harbor Digital Design has the Quick Spot in both 1/4” and 1/8” patterns. The system is designed to custom fit most popular speedlites. I ordered the units for the Canon 580 EX/EX II and was very pleasantly surprised to find that it fit perfect on the YN560 as well.

Let’s look at the light pattern when using the Quick Spots.

1/8” Quick Spot

1/4” Quick Spot

For portrait work, grid spots work great for hair lighting so you can get a nice shine on the hair without spilling the light into places you don’t want. With product photography you can really control where you want the lighting to be.

For an example of using the Quick Spots, check out the following article:
http://cameradojo.com/2010/12/18/using-multiple-flashes-evolution-of-a-shot/

At first glance, $34.95 might seem a little much for a small piece of plastic but considering it is close to $10 less than competing brands when you factor in extra straps you need.  Also consider you also get a decent gel kit to go along with it and you have yourself a pretty good bargain. If you need to attach the Quick Spot to different flashes, you can order just the adapter piece for about $13 and just interchange the outer Quick Spot attachment.

Harbor Digital Design may not be a household name but if they continue to make innovative products like the Quick Spot I am sure you will hear about them more and more.

I am quite happy with the Quick Spots and certainly recommend them as an inexpensive accessory that you should have in your camera bag.

Harbor Digital Design
http://www.harbordigitaldesign.com

ExpoImaging

The ExpoImagaing team knows that if something doesn’t “just work” and doesn’t provide clear advantages, it stays in the bag or worse, doesn’t go in it.  FlashBenders are exactly what you might expect from the name, but with unexpected simplicity and control.  FlashBenders are designed for people who hate inconvenience – they’re all-in-one, flash-mount light shaping tools that take any shape and hold it until it’s time for them lay flat and go back in the bag.

Features:

• Unique patent-pending positionable design allows for unparalleled light control
• Fits any standard shoe-mount flash
• Durable, top-quality materials
• Won’t change the color temperature of reflected flash
• Reflective surfaces may be wiped down
• Packs flat for portability

These bendable units mean you can really shape the bounce or flag side into whatever your want. If you want a snoot, flag, gobo, bounce card, catchlight, or any other type of shape, just bend it to suite your situation and start shooting.

For more information, check out:

http://www.expoimaging.com/product-detail.php?cat_id=13&product_id=21

At first look, the sling style would allow you to rotate the back to your front to have access your gear and then fling it back over your shoulder where it acts like a normal backpack.

As someone who does a variety of different types of shooting, I figured that I could really put the Pampas 57 bag to the test and see if this was going to be something I would really use on a regular basis.

Let’s get into it and look at the bag and then see what I thought of it.

Features

The Pampas bags are designed for comfort and functionality by allowing you to wear the bag as a regular backpack and then rotate the bag over your shoulder to your front for access to your gear. The Pampas bag has a good number of access points points and the build quality is top notch.

The back is covered in a nice breathable material over nice thick padding to help keep the bag comfortable on you and reduce sweating.

• Sling style design
• High Quality 600D x 600D Strong Polyester
• Secure Side Opening
• Extra padded inside dividers
• Contact areas offer breathable fabrics
• “Grab and shoot” quick access pocket
• Opens from front and side for instant access
• Front and top pockets for accessories

Usage

The Pampas bag certainly was comfortable as I used it during several small shoots as well as a 10 hour wedding shoot. Inside the dividers come setup for a handful of lenses and a DSLR body with a small size lens attached. I found that this wasn’t the optimum setup for me since once I am shooting I need access to the lenses and the main section was empty without the camera in it. Since the dividers can be arranged for your particular style, you can easily change it to match how you work.

Access to equipment from the side access section is very easy once you rotate the bag around to your front. However, getting to items that are further into the bag proves to be a little more challenging. While the large back section opens wide for easy access to the rest of your gear, I found myself quite nervous about having something fall out of the bag while it was open like that. To help prevent any issues like that, the side opening stays attached via some clever side webbing, but it just felt a little weird, this is probably something I will get over with more use of the bag.

I tended to keep my CF cards in the top outside pocket since it is pretty small but my CF card holder fit into it perfectly and was easy to get to. In the large top pocket I kept a container of batteries and my second flash head. Inside the main body I could have a 17-40, 24-70, 12-24, 50mm, and a Lensbaby Composer and still had room to spare.

Results

The Pampas bag did prove to be quite comfortable and the side access area was very easy to get to. I really only had some issues with the larger rear access area since it felt a little awkward getting to the equipment but not so much that I wouldn’t continue to use the bag. At weddings I normally have been using a Think Tank Photo Modulus Speed Belt which has worked out really well for me with one main exception. The speed belt fits lower on you around your waist and adds a good six inches of width on each side of you so navigating quickly between tight chairs in a reception can sometimes be difficult. With the Pampas bag sitting higher on your back I didn’t have as much problem squeezing through chairs at the receptions and I tended to carry more lenses in the Pampas bag simply because I could without adding any additional size. Where I really like the Pampas bag is when hiking or other situations that require lots of walking around between shots, I can put the entire camera with a lens on it into the backpack and not have to worry about the camera swinging around into things.

One of the best things about the Pampas 57 is the price you can get it for. While it is a good deal at the list price of $108, I found it online  Amazon for only $69.99. While it is to small to be my complete camera bag, it is certainly a great bag for keeping your most used items on you, its a great day bag or hiking bag, and its certainly a great bag for when I need to travel and want to take a good selection of gear without taking my entire kit.

Product Score Card

Product Website: http://www.vanguardworld.com
Author: Kerry Garrison
Photographs by John Loyola

Canon’s new EOS Rebel T1i is packed with features, both refined and new. In addition to its admirable performance with an all-new 15.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Image Processor, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, and compatibility with the EOS System of lenses and Speedlites, the EOS Rebel T1i adds remarkable Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080. An HDMI port allows for quick connections to high definition TVs and monitors for easy viewing of your stills and video. The entire operation is simple and easy even if you are a beginner. You’ll have uncompromised EOS Digital performance with power and flexibility right in the palm of your hand.

• New 15.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor for faster processing of fine detail and natural color reproduction, 14-bit A/D conversion for smooth color tones and gradations.
• Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with HDMI output for HD viewing of stills and video.
• Live View Function for stills (Quick, Live and Face Detection AF modes) and video.
• 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings for improved viewing and smudge protection.
• Auto Lighting Optimizer for superior highlight-shadow control.
• Wide range ISO setting 100-3200 (ISO expansion: 6400, 12800).
• Creative Auto goes a step beyond auto allowing control over frequently-changed settings.
• Compatible with over 60 Canon EF/EF-S lenses and most EOS System accessories.

Suggested Retail Price: $899.99

Website: http://www.usa.canon.com

Unlike traditional tripods, Alta Pro’s Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) System allows users to move the central column as needed from zero to 130-degree angles in variable vertical and horizontal positions. This allows more angle possibilities than any tripod on the market but its solid design maintains its stability.

Its Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System feature allows photographers to securely reposition the central column in one simple movement, in just a few seconds, with maintaining the tripod’s stability. Designed to support an array of camera types including DSLR and video cameras, camera setup is quick and easy.Alta Pro’s design also enables macro photography and special wide-angle shots with additional attachments that can be mounted to either end of the central column. Alta Pro is one of many new-for-2009 products introduced by VANGUARD at PMA 09, including :

• SBH ball heads – A lightweight line of stable magnesium alloy-constructed ball heads with tilting and ultra smooth movement, designed to support heavy equipment
• Kenline i-Pro bags – With three patents and lots of why-didn’t-I-think-of-that features, this line of soft-sided photo-video bags was designed for professional and amateur photographers by photographers
• Pampas bags – Line of durable and convenient sling-style, soft-sided camera and accessories bags for on-the-go photography
• Endeavor, Spirit, and Sereno binoculars – Industry-leading protective coatings, enhanced durability and special features are uniquely designed for an array of professionals

Alta Pro Multi Angle

Kenline Bags

Source: Vanguard USA

Want to make your shooting easier so you do less cropping in post production? CropLines has the answer with engraved focus screens for 8×10, Rue of thirds, school portrait, or other designs so that you can nail your image in-camera.

Many photographers use or are considering flash brackets so that you can keep your accessory flash above your camera regardless of whether or not you have your camera in its vertical or horizontal position. The Reporter Flash Ring is one of the simplest flash brackets I have ever seen Instead of a series of hinges and brackets, the Reporter Flash Ring has a rong around the lens that doesn’t move and the flash slides around on the ring on a set of rollers. The design is simple and effective.

While not everyone wants their own photobooth, if you are looking to make you own, check out the new photobooth software from TOFURIOS. Their photobooth software is the best I have seen so far.

Stay tuned, more to come!

Watsonville, CA (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 — ExpoImaging Inc. (www.ExpoImaging.net), developer and marketer of innovative camera accessories, including the Ray Flash Ring Light Adapter, ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter and the ExpoAperture2 Depth-of-Field Guide, today announced that it is now the exclusive U.S. distributor of Honl Photo Professional Products.

Developed by veteran photojournalist David Honl, The Honl Photo Speed System is a collection of lightweight, durable and affordable light modifiers for shoe-mount flashes including an assortment of grids, snoots, reflectors, gobos and gels. With retail prices ranging from $9.95 to $29.95, these practical tools were designed to universally fit all shoe-mount flashes without the use of annoying adhesives. As photographers increasingly take advantage of the power and flexibility of modern portable shoe-mount flashes, the Honl Photo Speed System allows them to affordably bring studio-style lighting effects into the field.

“With more than two decades of professional experience, David Honl’s work has been published worldwide,” said Erik Sowder, president of ExpoImaging. “David developed and field tested the Speed System while traveling on assignment under very challenging conditions. We firmly believe that there are no similar products available that are more practical or easy-to-use. And we are pleased that David recognized our sales and marketing success and chose ExpoImaging to be his exclusive U.S. distributor. We look forward to representing these innovative and unique lighting products.”

The Honl Photo Speed System consists of:
· The Honl Speed Strap: a simple, non-slip velcro strap that wraps around the flash head and attaches and removes in seconds. The Speed Strap avoids rubber bands, tape and sticky residue, and universally fits any shoe-mount flash. The Speed Strap provides a large wraparound surface area to quickly attach Speed Grids, Speed Gobos/Bounce Cards, Speed Snoots or Honl Gels. The Honl Speed Strap retails for $9.95.

· Honl Photo Speed Grids (patent pending): weighting just 3 oz and available in 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch grid, the honeycomb-like cells narrow the beam of light from a portable flash unit, producing a small circle of light on a subject. Perfect for dramatic lighting effects, Speed Grids fit any shoe-mount and most handle-mount portable strobes and attach quickly and easily to a Speed Strap. Honl Photo Speed Grids retail for $29.95.

· The Honl Photo Speed Gobo/Bounce Card: a versatile gobo made of black ballistic nylon on one side and white polymer on the other. The black side can be used to keep light from flaring into a lens when using a flash as a background or hair light. The white side can be used as a bounce card. Utilizing two gobos, photographers can create a barn door setup. The Honl Speed Gobo/Bounce Card attaches quickly with a Speed Strap. The Honl Photo Speed Gobo/Bounce Card retails for $14.95.

· The Honl Photo Speed Snoot/Reflector (patent pending): available as a 5-inch “Shorty” or 8-inch “Regular”, this snoot is constructed of black, ballistic nylon with a gray interior that produces a soft falloff. The snoot can be shaped to concentrate the light from a shoe-mount flash for dramatic cinematic lighting or opened-up to use as a flash bouncer/reflector. Ideal in a variety of settings, from basic portraits to dramatic background lighting, the Speed Snoot/Reflector attaches and removes in seconds using a Speed Strap. The Honl Photo Speed Snoot/Reflector retails for $29.95.

· The Honl Photo Gel Kit: colors strobes to correct for tungsten, fluorescent or daylight lighting environments or adds artistic color effects to images. These superior quality gels are pre-cut and have attached strips of velcro to secure quickly to a Speed Strap, and can be used in conjunction with Honl Snoots, Gobos and Grids. The usable gel area is 2.5 inches by 4 inches (approx. 64mm by 102mm) and can be trimmed to fit individual strobes. The Honl Photo Gel Kit retails for $29.95.

“We feel fortunate for the opportunity to partner with ExpoImaging,” said David Honl. “We chose to work with ExpoImaging because they’re good at marketing and they have a great reputation in the industry. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial business relationship.”

The addition of the Honl Photo line further solidifies ExpoImaging’s position as a leading supplier of unique and exciting products that meet the needs of photographers at all levels.

Honl Photo Professional Speed System Products are now available at photo dealers nationwide and online by visiting www.ExpoImaging.net.

About ExpoImaging, Inc.

ExpoImaging Inc. markets and develops innovative camera accessories and is the pioneer in digital white balance filters. Ray Flash: The Ring Light Adapter, Honl Photo Speed System, ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filters, and the ExpoAperture2 Depth-of-Field Guide are available at select photography dealers worldwide, or online at www.ExpoImaging.net.

###
David Griffin
Matter Communications — Providence
401-351-9504 (direct)
508-648-1176 (mobile)
dgriffinmatter (AIM)
david@matternow.com
www.matternow.com

Overview

The VerteX is designed to give the ultimate in lighting control from a typical speedlight by allowing almost an infinite amount of adjustment. The VerteX is a mechanical device that can accept one or two panels on it to allow you to send the light in the specific direction(s) that you want.

The VerteX works by having a swinging arm that can have either one or two flaps attached to it that can rotate 360 degrees. Each flap has a mirrored side and a white diffusion side.  By adjusting the swing arm and the flaps you can split the light coming out of your accessory flash and send the light in different directions. Nothing else on the market today gives you this much control over your lighting.

Setup

Normally I would go into a real lengthy section and maybe even some step-by-step pics showing how to assemble a product. Bust seriously, the VerteX takes about 30 seconds to setup, you will spend more time reading this paragraph than you will spend setting the VerteX up. You take the two arms and snap them into place in the holes on the sides of the rubber band, push them together over the cross piece, and push the flaps into place, which are held there with magnets. That’s it. I find it easier to get onto the flash if you attach the rubber band to the flash head right after putting the two arms on and before attaching the cross bean and flaps. In under a minute you are ready to start taking pictures with the VerteX.

Usage

I am going to be really honest here, if you really don’t understand lighting, you may have trouble previsualizing what you can achieve with the VerteX. However, if you are the type of person who can look at a scene and know, for example,  that you want a slight shadow from one direction, a little fill up front, and some top lighting, then you will be able to use the VerteX to it’s full potential. Since you can split the light and send some forward, some up to bounce off the ceiling, some left to bounce off a wall, you can achieve lighting effects that otherwise would have required multiple strobes.

Results

Before getting into wedding photography I did mostly product photography so using multiple lights was second nature, getting into wedding photography felt very limiting as it really isn’t practical on most shoots to lug around multiple light sources, radio remotes, light stands, etc and the current light modifiers on the market work very well in specific situations, but there hasn’t been a product that could really give you the flexibility of multiple light sources from a single strobe head until the VerteX. Here are a few shots from a recent wedding where I used the VerteX to get some really nicely lit indoor shots.

Summary

While the VerteX may look like a homing beacon for an alien spacecraft, it does exactly what it is intended to do. I am thrilled with the control over the light that it gives me and enables lighting that simply wasn’t possible before.  For $49.95, it isn’t any more than other brand-name modifiers but it does give you a level of control that other products do not. I have used the VerteX at several weddings now and it has not come off my flash yet. The only real negative thing I can say is that if you happen to bump something and one of the flaps comes off, they are so light that you stand a good chance of not noticing since you usually wont hear it hit the ground. Most of the time I use it as pictured in the image to the right with only one flap, so if I actually lost one for good, I could get by for a while, so keep an eye on the panels wqhen you are moving your equipment around.

Here is a little video showing more about the VerteX and how I use it.

VerteX Light Modifer from Presslite from Kerry Garrison on Vimeo.

Product Review Scorecard

Product Page: http://www.presslite.com/vertexinfo.php
Company Page: http://www.presslite.com

Author: Kerry Garrison

1. DIY Photography
   (http://www.diyphotography.net)
   Udi does a terrific job at bringing alternative ways of lighting, shooting, and creating light modifiers to people without unlimited budgets.
2. John Nack’s Blog
   (http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/)
   John is the product manager for Photoshop and almost every day has a new blog entry with something interesting or cool to look at.
3. Photo Business News
   (http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/)
   John Harrington writes several times a week with news and information relevant to the business of photography. This is one of my must-read blogs every week.
4. Strobist
   (http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/)
   David Hobby has several posts a week that specialize in talking about working with small accessory flash units and getting the most out of them. This is definitely one of the best sites if you are into lighting.
5. Lightroom Journal
   (http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/)
   This is the official blog from Adobe for Photoshop Lightroom. All official Lightroom news is posted here.
6. Lightroom Killer Tips
   (http://lightroomkillertips.com)
   Matt Kloskowski posts excellent tips and presets several times a week for Lightroom users.
7. Digital Pro Talk
   (http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/)
   This is the home of David Ziser, one of the top wedding photographers in the world. David is one of the most prolific bloggers around and posts awesome shooting and lighting tips virtually every day. He posts so much that its hard to keep up with all of his posts. This is another must-read site.
8. Flash Flavor
   (http://flashflavor.com/)
   Matt Adcock takes some of the most amazing photos you will see anywhere and is simply an inspiration to go through and see what he is doing and how he does it.
9. Digital Photography School
   (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/)
   This site from Darren Rowse is chock full of good tips and tutorials with new content on a regular basis.
10. Rob Galbraith DPI
    (http://www.robgalbraith.com)
    Rob always has good information and is often the first with breaking news.
11. TWIP
    (http://twipphoto.com/)
    Although known more for their podcast than their blog, the This Week in Photography blog has a new post every day. Maybe someday CameraDojo will get mentioned on their show (hint hint) – wow, CameraDojo got mentioned on their site today!
12. Photoshop Insider
    (http://scottkelby.com)
    Another site with several new posts every week from Scott as well as regular guest bloggers.
13. 1001 Noisy Cameras
    (http://www.1001noisycameras.com)
    With new info more often than you change your underwear, 1001 Noisy Cameras may never win a design excellence award but certainly is at the top of most lists of useful and informative sites.
14. Pro Photo Life
    (http://www.prophotolife.com)
    This site from Jim Talkington amazes me that I don’t see it on most “top sites” lists like this. Jim does regular video tutorials and the wealth of content on his site is awesome. If you aren’t visiting this site every week, you are missing out on some fantastic stuff.
15. PhotoJojo
    (http://photojojo.com)
    You don’t even have to remember to go to PhotoJojo, this is a twice a week newsletter that is emailed to you with cool stuff in every email. Sign up and never miss it.
16. Photo Walk Pro
    (http://www.revellphotography.com/blog/)
    Jeff Revell’s site is another often-0verlooked site since many people think it is just about photo walking. Jeff also does a good amount of tips and tutorials for shooting and for working with Photoshop.
17. The Pioneer Woman
    (http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/)
    Ree Drummond must be the most amazing woman on the planet, with multiple blogs about her life including photography, cooking, home and garden, and more she is a non-stop blogging phenomenon. While her sites appeal mostly to women, her photography stuff appeals to everyone.
18. Lighting Essentials
    (http://www.lighting-essentials.com)
    This is another excellent site for tutorials on lighting. Don Giannatti is an awesome photographer and is bringing his knowledge and experience into this website.
19. DPReview
    (http://dpreview.com)
    If you just have to know everything there is to know about camera bodies and lenses, DPReview is the encyclopedia of all camera knowledge when it comes to specs and unbiased technical reviews.
20. AllTop
    (http://photography.alltop.com/)
    Alltop.com is the brainchild of Guy Kawasaki and the photography section is filling up with a great list of photography sites. Bookmark this page there and never have a lack of reading material.

While there are dozens of other sites out there that are all worthy of being on any list like this, I decided I was going to stick to the top 20 sites that I personally use. Please add your own favorites into the comments.

A common complaint of female photographers is that photo backpack shoulder harnesses are designed for average-sized men. The shoulder straps on the StreetWalker have been specifically engineered to fit a wider range of sizes for both genders.  Women in particular will appreciate the StreetWalker’s very narrow and vertical profile, especially when combined with the shoulder harness design.

The three new StreetWalker backpacks are:

• StreetWalker — This slim, lightweight backpack will hold a Pro Size DSLR with 70-200 2.8 attached and hood in position. It includes a monopod/tripod mounting system, a contoured harness and air channel for increased comfort, and lots of pockets and organizers for customization.
• StreetWalker Pro — This backpack is designed for a Pro Size DSLR with up to a 400 2.8 attached, or a 70-200 2.8 attached and hood in position. It also includes the monopod/tripod mounting system, the contoured harness and air channel, and lots of pockets and organizers.
• StreetWalker HardDrive — This backpack will hold most 15″ laptops and a Pro Size DSLR with 70-200 2.8 attached and hood in position. It also includes the monopod/tripod mounting system, the contoured harness and air channel, and lots of pockets and organizers.

The StreetWalker backpacks were designed by veteran camera bag designer Lily
Fisher.  “First and foremost  these lightweight backpacks give photographers quick access to their gear while allowing them to maneuver easily through crowds,” said Fisher.  “Additional benefits are the slim profile and adjustable sternum straps.  These backpacks also offer a unique benefit to women photographers, which is that the shoulder harness has been designed to  fit our unique body types.”

Specifications:

StreetWalker
Internal Dimensions:  8.5″ W x 16″ H x 5.5″ D  (22 x 41 x 14 cm)
External Dimensions:  9.5″ W x 17″ H x 6″ D (24 x 43 x 15 cm)
Weight:  2 lbs – 2.8 lbs (0.9kg – 1.3 kg) (Varies based on accessories used)
Price:  $139.00

StreetWalker Pro
Internal Dimensions: 9.5″ W x 16.5″ H x 7″ D (24 x 42 18 cm)
External Dimensions: 10″ W x 17.5″ H x 7.5″ D (25 x 45 x 19 cm)
Weight:  2.6 lbs – 3.4 lbs (1.2kg – 1.5kg)  (Varies based on accessories used)
Price:  $159.00

StreetWalker HardDrive
Internal Dimensions: 11″ W x 17″ H x 6-7″ D (28 x 43 x 15-18 cm)
External Dimensions: 11.5″ W x 18″ H x 8.5″ D (29 x 46 x 22 cm)
Weight:  3.6 lbs – 4.4 lbs (1.6kg – 2kg)  (Varies based on accessories used)
Price:  $179.00

Source: Think Tank Photo

I have had the hardest time dealing with camera bags over the years, from my first backback that got so heavy I couldn’t lug it around anymore to my uber cool Airport International 2.0 which is great for big jobs but what about when I want to go a little lighter? My old backback is too large, and my Airport International is too big, and my Modulous Speed Belt can’t hold enough nor is appropriate when traveling. So what does that leave? Fortunately, Think Tank Photo’s Mike Sturm has come to the rescue. Mike is the designer responsible for the newest and coolest backpack design from Think Tank Photo, the revolutionary ShapeShifter.

Why is the ShapeShifter so cool?
The problem with most camera bags is that they are designed for particular purpose, either trying to be lightweight and carry minimal equipment or being big enough to carry a large amount of gear. The ShapeShifter is designed for both, in expanded mode it can carry a couple of full size DSLR bodies, a few large pieces of glass, a good amount of accessories, AND a 17″ laptop.

Ok great, you can haul a bunch of stuff with you and your laptop easily, so what, the bigger rollers from Think Tank Photo allow you to do that easily enough. What is different with the ShapeShifter is that oncd your camera gear comes out (possibly moved to your Speed Belt) you can pull a zipper around and compress the backpack down to about three inches thick with your laptop still in it.

Features include:

• It can be compressed to 3 inches in width once your equipment is removed.
• Dedicated neoprene pockets for 2 pro size DSLR’s, 70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, wide angle 2.8, and strobes.
• Holds up to a 17” laptop in rear compartment.
• Front pocket organizers for your digital essentials.
• It can carry tripods and monopods.
• The Pro Speed Belt can be attached and quickly released.
• After your gear is removed, you can continue to carry your laptop and accessories, but in a much smaller package.

Who is the ShapeShifter for?
Since neoprene equipment bags inside the ShapeShifter don’t provide a lot of padding, the ShapeShifter is certainly not the best solution for travelers if there is any chance that your bag may have to get checked as luggage. For domestic flights the ShapeShifter is a great solution since domestic flights allow for a carry-on bag and a personal item such as a camera bag or laptop case. Since the ShapeShifter can hold you basic gear as well as your laptop you should always be able to carry it on and stuff it overhead or even under a seat.

Sports photographers who want an easy way to get their gear down onto the field but then want to compress the bag so there is a smaller profile to interfere with other photographers and easier maneuverability.

For photographers that use a modular belt system, you can remove most of your gear and still keep a few accessories and flashes in the backpack and still compress it to save space.

Any photographer that has to carry a laptop around safely as well as a decent selection of gear but doesn’t need a large backpack just to carry the laptop after the gear is taken out.

How well does it work?
I am super impressed with the versatility of the Shapeshifter already and have had it less than a week. I can carry a good selection of equipment comfortably and securely. The first day I got it I packed it up for a wedding with my Airport International Roller keeping the lesser used equipment and spares locked safely away, I could keep a small amount of gear with me at all times. The next day I took off to shoot a protest rally and loaded up with lenses and strapped my tripod onto the back. Out in the sun for a couple of hours all the extra shoulder and back padding made very comfortable to haul around a day pack of gear. A few days later I needed to make a day trip to San Fransisco to give a talk and I wanted a minimul set of gear along with my laptop. Even with a camera body, flash, several lenses, and my laptop I was able to compress the Shapeshifter down to the smaller size making it very easy to walk through the airports, take the BART into downtown, and walk to the convention center. Without the Shapeshifter I would have taken a large laptop case and probably not have taken any camera gear, or I would have taken a small camera bag that could hold a body and one lens. Thanks to the Shapeshifter I was able to take a 30D with battery grip, a 17-40 lens, a 24-70 lens, a 12-24 lens, and a 70-300 lens, and a 580 EX II. I could have taken some larger glass but then I wouldnt have been able to compress the bag down as much. Also in the Shapeshifter is the power supply for the laptop, a Zoom H2 audio recorder, and Jobo DSLR tripod.

The Shapeshifter isn’t going to be for everyone as there are some people who take too much gear everywhere they go and while the Shapeshifter can hold a decent amount of gear, it certainly can’t hold as much as the roller cases from Think Tank Photo. But if you need mobility and a roller is too inconvienent, the Shapeshifter is a great solution.

The bottom line
It didn’t take long for me to be a complete convert to the Shapeshifter for most of the assignments that I do although there are certain situations when I would rather have my larger roller with me. For the typical day assignment, for traveling, vacations, business trips, sports shooting, and many other situations, the Shapeshifter will be loaded up and hanging off my back.

The Think Tank Photo Shapeshifter backpack is scheduled for released in December of 2008 with a price of $249 US. If you have a photographer in the family that needs something like this, the Shapeshifter is an excellent Christmas gift.

Review Points

Setup
There is basically no setup of the Shapeshifter, open the zippers, load your equipment, adjust the straps, and off you go. If you want to use the monopod/tripod straps they are included inside the bag and will need to be attached to the outside before use. I keep the short sider attached at all times and when I am not using the long adjustable side I detach them and put them into a pocket in the bag to keep them out of the way.

Features
The Shapeshifter is like no other bag available today, loaded with more pockets than you would imagine and the ability to hold large equipment and compress down for smaller gear as well as having a padded laptop area that can take a 17″ laptop, the Shapeshifter is the ultimate in photographic mobility. Pockets galore! There are more pockets in this thing than you can count. The quality of the construction is simply incredible, I have full confidence this bag is going to last for many years.

Usage
Your biggest issue with the Shapeshifter is going to be deciding on what pocket of the dozens of available are you going to put your accessories in. Obviously this large number of pockets, holders, built-in bags, etc was built for someone with a better memory than me because there are so many places to put things you may well forget where something is. I am certainly a big fan of the Shapeshifter now and have taken it around to show all my friends.

Results
Sure, you can get a camera backpack on eBay for $30 and you may even be happy with it, but the ones I have bough have fallen apart, had the shoulder straps break, and are big and bulky. At $249 the Shapeshifter is not cheap, but neither is the contruction quality. Camera bags of this caliber are not designed for the budget-minded hobbiest, these are serious tools designed with professional photographers in mind. If you want to spend once on a backpack that will outlast several cheap ebay bags and you want to be sure you are not going to have zippers pop, seams break, and have it wear out prematurely then the Shapeshifter is the right choice.

Product Review Scorecard

Product Page: http://thinktankphoto.com/shapeshifter
Company Page: http://thinktankphoto.com

—-

Think Tank Photo Shapeshifter Camera Bag from Kerry Garrison on Vimeo.

• It can be compressed to 3 inches in width once your equipment is removed.
• Dedicated neoprene pockets for 2 pro size DSLR’s, 70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, wide angle 2.8, and strobes.
• Holds up to a 17″ laptop in rear compartment.
• Front pocket organizers for your digital essentials.
• It can carry tripods and monopods.
• The Pro Speed Belt can be attached and quickly released.

After your gear is removed, you can continue to carry your laptop and accessories, but in a much smaller package.