Reviews for Nikon D70 / D100 / D200 / D300 / D700
Review #1
Equipment list in bag:
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G
Nikon 70-200mm F/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR
SB 800 Speedlight
Batteries
Earbuds
Wallet
iPhone
Gel filters for speedlight
Car key
Office keys
Lens cleaning clothes
Cables
The importance of thinness cannot be overstated. This bag is thin and comfortable enough that I don’t mind wearing it like a pregnancy. I can pack more gear than you would ever believe it this bag—no camera, but when I can pack two lenses and the flash, and throw another lens on the belt (using modular components from Think Tank such as the Lens Changer 75 or the Large Lens Drop In), and step on the scale and see that this package (which also includes holding the camera in my hand) increases my body weight by 16-20 pounds, but I am not tipping like Pisa… well, I’m not complaining one bit.
The bag comes with many more dividers than one person could possibly need—I took all of them out and put only two of the taller ones back in to separate the three main things I put in this section:
• 70-200mm f/2.8—yes it does fit—without the hood, though it does push up against the zipper, but Think Tank claims their zippers are filed and sanded and should not cause damage—anyway, the zipper isn’t really abrading against the lens, it’s riding on the end cap
• 14-24mm f/2.8. Yeah, it’s a fat lens, but this bag swallows it gracefully and gives it a cushy ride
• SB-800 Speedlight
I could shove more in there if I wanted to, but I don’t really want to. I want my lenses to have a little breathing room. Plus I like to have some room for my hand to get in there to extract a lens or the Speedlight with ease.
There is a wonderful zipper at the back of the bag that opens into a pillowy compartment—a nice cushy place for your delicates—earbuds, iPhone… They will be suspended between two soft and puffy layers once you zip it up.
Behind that is the normal stretch pocket that is on the you-side of all Think Tank beltpacks—provides a cushion between you and the bag—but also serves as functional, accessible storage; with a fabric pen holder. This is a nice place to tuck something thin and small or thin and flexible—a map, a Moleskin notebook, reporter pad…
On either side of the Change Up is a fabric pocket that expands. I do not like these as much as I like the mesh pockets on the outside of the Speed Demon Beltpack from Think Tank. The Demon also has expandable fabric pockets, but the mesh pockets are more useful for stuff you need instant access to. Though I do admit, the stretchy fabric pockets are good for concealing things. Like money.
On the front of the Change Up there are two more refined stretchy fabric pockets—a wallet will fit here or in the side pockets. An iPhone is also a perfect fit either front of bag or side of bag. A little case with flash gel filters will fit, or you can stick your electronic car key into one of these front pockets—they really will take anything about iPhone size or smaller.
There is one zipper across the front that opens to reveal the typical organizational pocket you find in Think Tank bags. It’s not as deep as the same pocket on the Speed Demon, and does not hinge outward as the Demon’s pocket does. Still you could fit some small personal items here. Hidden inside this pocket is another pocket where you might hide some larger bills, say if you were traveling and you wanted your money in a place where no stealthy pickpocket could ever pinch it.
All in all, as usual on Think Tank products, there are an extraordinary number of useful places on this bag to stow your sundries discreetly.
The bag is beautiful, like all Think Tank products. I love my Speed Demon beltpack, but when I want to carry more than a basic kit without a lot of other things hanging off the modular belt, the Change Up is perfect. A lot of gear looks like a small package with the Change Up.
I can carry 2 lenses and a speedlight, or 3 lenses. If I took the fifth battery off the side of my SB 800, I could probably fit 3 lenses in the Change Up and the SB-800 could squeeze into one of the expandable side pockets.
I also have some of the modular components that would allow me to carry ALL my gear with the Change Up. I could stick the Speedlight into the Lightening Fast, the 70-200 in the Lens Changer 75, and the 14-24 in the large Lens Drop In—you get the idea—I would not even have to employ all these extra bags at once—just moving two things out of the bag to the belt would let me carry my entire 20 pound kit effortlessly.
If I need to haul the Nikon D700 and not carry it in my hand, I can attach the Digital Holster 20 to the belt--you can see the Change Up and the Holster together on me in one of the photos.
This is the most comfortable and easy to use bag I’ve ever tried for real world shooting. It may be a bit much to strap on to haul your gear to the office or a child's birthday party, but if you do, you’ll be so comfy you won’t care how it looks.
As on the Speed Demon, the Change Up has an integrated belt that can be tucked away, but why would you? Read the instructions on how get the harness on and then just practice for a few minutes--you'll get it. Once it’s on and hooked up—well, your gear feels like it just lost 20 pounds. You can also remove the harness and wear it as a belt pack.
You can move and work while wearing it—you can even drive your car with it on—just pull the harness straps and lift the bag up a bit toward your chest. Seriously, you will want to wear your gear all the time and never take it off. It becomes “like you” once you’ve got it all hooked up.
The first time I used it I attached the Digital Holster 20 to the belt with the D700 and 50mm f/1.4 inside it, and the 70-200, 14-24 and the SB 800 in the Change up. I was wearing the whole thing. Just to try it out, I unzipped the holster, pulled out the camera and was ready to shoot. Lens caps also tuck nicely into those stretchy little front pockets so maybe you don’t want your iPhone there after all.
So there I was, ready to shoot my dogs on the living room floor. Wearing this whole thing I was able to get all the way down to my knees, and then to the floor—my chin and the camera right on the floor, getting Buddha's face to fill the frame. It was kind of dark. I sat up, unzipped and whipped out the SB 800 and put it on, and even got out a gel filter for it and got it on, all without taking anything off or setting anything down – it was easy.
A few nice photos came of that. Then I turned and saw a wild rabbit just outside the front door. Unzip, unscrew, I put the 70-200 on the camera—again, not setting anything down, not taking anything off – it was easy. Got some great shots of the bunny too.
(Remember, it was just a little practice session in my living room.)
So you definitely don’t look like you are just carrying a 20-pound purse around. But you won’t be needing a chiropractor (or sympathetic spouse) at the end of the day either. Also this is good for me because my spouse is not sympathetic. When I complain about the weight of all this gear he says simply, and I think a little maliciously, “you wanted it.”
Thankfully, there is Think Tank to help me carry it.
Likes about the bag:
THIN. Flexible. Moves with me. Doesn't tip me sideways
Dislikes about the bag:
Won't fit the D700, but if it could, it wouldn't be thin anymore
Thanks to NikonJunkieGirl for review.
