On a recent trip, one of my Tamrac bags gave out. I have several, but
this one was the only one that could be carried comfortably, yet with
enough room for body, four lenses (included mounted lens), flash,
batteries, etc. But unlike most Tamrac bags, this one was a cheapie and
I've been waiting for a good reason to upgrade. With a split out seam,
broken buckle, and broken zipper pull all within a few days of each
other, it's time.
I replaced it with a Tamrac Adventure 3 photo-pack. I just wanted to
offer my assessment.
It snugly accommodates (almost exactly) the following gear:
Inside:
*ist-DS body
AF-330FTZ flash
SMCP-DA 16-45 f/4 ED AL
SMCP-FA 50mm f/1.4
SMCP-FA 28-105mm f/3.2-4.5 IF AL
SMCP-FA 135mm f/2.8 IF
Spare batteries
Spare SD media
Cell phone
Other assorted small things like lens cloth, pen, etc.
Three hard hoods (nested) and a flash diffuser.
Strapped to back:
Ten inch (when extended) tripod
Strapped to sides via Tamrac's Modular system:
Pouch with SMCP-FA 80-320mm f/4.5-5.6
Pouch with water bottle
It's very configurable such that I can use it to "go light" with just a
body and a spare lens, or heavy with all the equipment listed above.
IMHO, the detachable modular pouches (purchased separately) are a
beneficial feature since they allow me more flexibility in scaling back
or extending what I carry.
Comfort is also pretty good. The main shoulder straps are padded,
tapered to fit humans, and have neoprene on the underside to prevent
slipping. The body-side of the bag has some extra foam placed in a way
that adds to the wearer's comfort too.
Durability seems on par with Tamrac's "Pro" series of bags. The
shoulder straps seem to have webbing inside for extra reinforcement.
Seams are double-reinforced. The perimeter of the bag is wrapped in
webbing for reinforcement. The top handle is stitched into webbing.
Inside the velcro for partition adjustment is wide and well secured.
The bag is rigid enough to hold its shape well with or without equipment
and from any carry position. (my old mid-sized bag was a lot more flimsy
feeling)
Gear protection seems quite good too. Zippers are protected by wide
rainflaps that stay in position like they should. Exterior nylon is as
strong as my large pro bag, and inside the partitions are well placed,
secure, and adequate to keep every piece of gear from touching any other
piece of gear. The partitions can be adjusted easily. Padding is
excellent all around.
Space inside is tight. Tamrac says this bag will hold a body and three
additional lenses plus a flash. They aren't kidding. When I fill it
with the above equipment, there isn't a spare millimeter between any of
the partitions. The lenses and equipment all fit very snugly. With the
DA16-45 mounted on the body, the body and lens fit snugly enough that
I'm certain no lens of larger diameter could fit into the center
position in its place. If you plan to carry a FA80-200 f/2.8, you'll
need a bigger bag. The DA16-45 does also fit fine standing up in one of
the other partition areas for when a different lens is mounted.
So in the "ready to use" position, the thickest lens you could fit in
this bag is approximately the 16-45. In unmounted position, the longest
lens you could fit into the bag standing up is the 16-45. If you have a
longer lens, you will have to remove one partition and lay it on its
side instead. My 80-320 is the same size as my 16-45, and thus can also
fit into either the ready-to-use (mounted) or unmounted partition areas
of the bag.
On the outside, the modular accessory mounts are secure, and as I
mentioned before, pretty convenient. I since I do a lot of hiking I
like the water bottle option. There are also mounts on the shoulder
straps for Tamrac's shoulder accessory line of attachments. But
currently I can't find a good reason to carry extra batteries, filters,
memory, or my cell phone on the strap; there is plenty of room in the
pocket areas of the main bag.
The pocket areas are easily accessible and have spaces for memory cards,
batteries, and other essentials. My cell phone fits nicely, as well as
sunglasses.
I see now on Tamrac's website that the Adventure 3 is no longer shown.
It's been replaced by an updated looking Adventure 4. I suspect it's at
least as good as the 3.
I was personally a little skeptical about photo backpacks. They always
either looked too big/heavy, or too dinky to be of much use. And I
wasn't convinced of their convenience either, coming from the standpoint
of someone who has become accustomed to hip-mount bags. But after
putting this bag through the paces for a few days the configuration has
begun growing on me.
Though I used to buy photo equipment for a chain of stores, it's been a
few years since I last had a vested interest in seeing any particular
product sell. Those stores have changed hands several times and gave up
selling cameras somewhere along the way. I've changed careers too. So
my only interest at this point is as an enthusiast and end user. I hope
others find this review helpful.
