Reviews for Nikon D50 / D80 / D90 / D90
Review #1
(Added 4th Oct 2008)
Photos contain:
1. Nikon D90 + Nikon 18-200mm VR F/3.5-5.6G IF-ED +
Optech Neck Strap
2. Nikon 180mm f/2.8 D ED-IF AF
3. Tokina 12-24mm f/4
4. Tamron SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di Macro
5. Nikon SB-800
6. Kenko Pro 300 x2 TC
plus Cleaning materials and Accessories.
This is the M-Rock Everglade 518 shoulder bag. Its a reasonably large shoulder bag that has enough room for an SLR plus 4-6 lenses.
Front view. Hidden under the flap , which incidentally opens away from your body for easier access, is a front pocket. This contains the waterproof cover , a set of elasticated mesh pockets and a small buckle, too attach your keys to.
The Waterproof cover is attached to the bag with a piece of cord and covers the bag leaving a hole just for the top handle. Not quite as neat as the "hidden" lowepro raincovers but a nice feature.
Top View. Showing top pocket which has enough room for small accessories ie filters, memory cards, cleaning supplies. Also a comfortable handle on top.
Inside the lid.
There is a mesh pocket which contains a soft cloth attached with a cord, this can be used as an lcd protector or lens cloth. Also two spare dividers for extra configurations inside the main bag compartment. Nice to have extra dividers to hand.
The mesh has some elastic fixings at the sides to give plenty of room for accessories.
Round the back is a thin pocket secured with Velcro. Probably enough room for a notepad, manual or magazine.
Notice the four D Rings at the top and bottom. There are six of these in total and allow you to attach the two supplied shoulder straps into different configurations. More on that later.
Side view. Another D-ring for the shoulder strap. Also three smaller rings that attach to the lens bags in the M-Rock range.
Close up of the side. The strap clips are made of plastic. Although strong I would fear that unclipping them frequently would reduce the strength of the thin plastic fastener holding the clip in place. But then again I wouldn't expect to remove these that often.
Bottom of the bag
Some elasticated cords for extra strength. Also two D-Rings for attaching shoulder straps to turn the bag into a backpack.
Empty Interior of the bag. All dividers are detachable with Velcro fasteners. Nice and thick material used on these.
Also included is the padded lens cradle which is handy for laying the camera and a long lens flat in the bag.
Camera gear inside the bag. Plenty of depth to the bag. The 180mm is 17cm (6 3/4 in) and still had 7.5cm (3 1/2 in) of room above it. The manufacturers measurements state 22.5cm (9 in) height. But I found that 24cm is possible.
1. Nikon D90 + Nikon 18-200mm VR F/3.5-5.6G IF-ED +
Optech Neck Strap
2. Nikon 180mm f/2.8 D ED-IF AF
3. Tokina 12-24mm f/4
4. Tamron SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di Macro
5. Nikon SB-800
6. Kenko Pro 300 x2 TC
plus Cleaning materials and Accessories.
Gear outside the bag. Probably could have fitted another small lens in there like the 50mm.
The weather proof jacket..
Its always nice to have these waterproof covers and its something I often look for when buying a bag as its extra protection from rain and dust. Lowepro have got this system just right and its a shame that on the M-Rock its a little more cumbersome.
The jacket is stored in the front pocket on a piece of cord, this has to be removed and fitted from underneath encompassing the bag leaving just the top handle showing, which means its not possible of using it with the shoulder straps. So the bag must be carried by the top handle.
Also the fact that it is stored in a pocket used for other accessories means that you really need to make sure the jacket is dust free and dry before putting it back. Something the lowepro bags don't suffer from as the waterproof jacket has attached to its own pocket and can be quickly stored or removed.
I would've preferred using the thin rear pocket on this bag for this weatherproof jacket.
Wearing the bag, first as standard shoulder. Feels comfortable with a well padded shoulder strap.
Here configured the shoulder straps to work as a backpack. Perhaps I didn't adjust it enough (although it felt tight) but the bag had a tendency to lean into your middle back. OK for short distances but it would cause discomfort after a while.
This is the first M-Rock bag that I have had a chance to look at and I`m pleasantly surprised by what it has to offer. The materials used feel strong, has plenty of good storage space and some well thought out additions.
The interior sides of the bag have a thin piece of plastic material and behind that a centimetre thick piece of foam. Giving good protection from knocks and any moisture.
The bag has lots of small features that are well thought out. Like the lens cloth , the attachment system for the M-Rock lens cases. Also the padded lens cradle is a unique feature for placing the camera flat inside the bag making it easier to remove and also added protection. The weatherproof jacket is also handy, although could`ve been slightly better designed.
On the negative side, I would have also preferred the plastic clips for the shoulder strap to be made of metal for a bag of this size.
Overall , I can recommend this bag to anyone wanting a large capacity shoulder bag. Its certainly up there with the other large bag manufacturers when it comes to features.
Likes about the bag:
Attractive design, lots of room, good materials, plenty of storage pockets. Top lid opens outwards for easier access. Supplied padded lens cradle. Comes with 2 shoulder straps.
Dislikes:
Clips made of plastic. Weather proof jacket could be better designed for easier use.
Video Tour
Recorded with Nikon D90 , hence substituted with Nikon D70 for video.
Review by Paul @ Cambags.com
With thanks to Michael at M-rock for sample.
