kaiser
01-03-2009, 12:24pm
Well after much shopping around for a backpack to take overseas in May I finally settled on the Naneu Pro K3L photo backpack. I had looked at several other contenders, namely:
-Lowerpro Fastback 250
-Kata DR 467
I was after a backpack as opposed to the sling style purely for comfort reason, as I would be carrying this bag around for 8-10 hrs a day for 4 weeks. I was also after a backpack that would have room for stuff other then my photo gear ie. sweater, book, sun glasses and other small items. And lastly it had to fit a 15.4" laptop.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3317130037_7219959193.jpg
First thing I noticed when I picked up the bag was that it was quite heavy - about 2.4kgs. This is in part due to the very generous amounts of padding provided in the lower camera section and secondly due to the steel mesh frame on the rear of the pack.
The frame is actually quite a cool feature in that it prevents the bulk of the backpack rom touching your back, meaning no sweaty back syndrome. The disadvantage of this is that I makes the backpack stick out further, and the bag cannot be compressed when empty.
You will probably be pushed to fit this bag as carry on luggage even on international flights. Depends how lax your security staff are at the time.
Below is the rear of the pack. Note the generous padding and the two vertical bars which kinda act as leaf springs to keep the pack off your back.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3317957172_4c6b9f0675_o.jpg
All the straps are of high quality and the ballistic nylon fabric used for the bags exterior seems on par, if not better, than Lowepro and Kata offerings. The stitching was neat and generally quality levels felt high. Heaps of padding in shoulder straps and hip/kidney area if you're inclined to use the waist harness. Sternum strap is also included. Metal D-rings are fitted to the shoulder straps to attached accesories or a camera strap.
Now onto the compartments. Starting at the rear of the bag you have the laptop compartment, good for a 15.4" lappy and/or some A3 size documents. Moderately padded with velcro strap to secure the lappy.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3317130591_0afebd350e.jpg
Note the 'water resistant' zippers and the terribly outdated headphone grommet. Personally I'd Gaffa tape over this to prevent dirt and stuff from getting in.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3317957436_1405782cdb.jpg
Next is your main "day compartment" for general stuff. Zippered mesh pocket at the back. The foam bottom is only velcroed in and can be lifted to reveal the camera section.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3317957782_d4f3c40a9c_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3317130849_768d0e270a.jpg
On the outside front you have a couple of velco pockets, one of which flips down as shown and can be used to seat a tripod. A securing strap near the top of the bag couples with this to strap the tripod against the bag. This prevents access to the camera compartment.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3317131065_4baa3bdfb5.jpg
Front bottom pocket is good for a few batteries, cords and other small items. I found once the camera section was loaded up, even filters were a tight fit in this section so I'd put them somewhere else where they're less exposed to impact.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3317131473_670b007cfc.jpg
Side pockets are of a similar size.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/3317958348_5d1789a0a4.jpg
The camera compartment is accessed by pulling two zippers all the way down and the whole foam section pivots outwards. The inside is bright orange so you can find things easily. The fabric is soft and camera friendly, although can snag on any sharp edged objects. The padded is velcro rip out type and is fully adjustable. Unlike other bags this whole compartment is sewn in and cannot be removed. Below is the section fitted out with D90 + attached 18-200VR (hood reveresed), 10-20mm Siggy, 50mm prime, SB-800 flash and a camcorder. This was a tight but comfortable fit.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3317131683_fb3ccd63ed.jpg
An All weather cover is included and has its own concealed zippered section on the bottom of the bag.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3318086828_a5b4d01ca1.jpg
Apologies for iPhone picture quality :p
Overall I found the quality of the bag to be excellent. The straps and padding worked really well and even fully loaded I did not feel like I was carrying much weight at all.
At present it is on special at Ted's for $99.95 (One of those weird and very rare good value deals at Ted's) which puts it quite a bit below the competition and I think is great value.
Only downsides for me was that its size is too big for carry on luggage and it is a bit bulky/less stream lined than the Kata bags which you might find an issue on public transport, confined areas.
Thanks to MagnusAgrenPhotography for answering my questions before I went ahead and purchased this bag :)
Hope this can help people out there looking for s similar type of bag.
cheers,
matt.
-Lowerpro Fastback 250
-Kata DR 467
I was after a backpack as opposed to the sling style purely for comfort reason, as I would be carrying this bag around for 8-10 hrs a day for 4 weeks. I was also after a backpack that would have room for stuff other then my photo gear ie. sweater, book, sun glasses and other small items. And lastly it had to fit a 15.4" laptop.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3317130037_7219959193.jpg
First thing I noticed when I picked up the bag was that it was quite heavy - about 2.4kgs. This is in part due to the very generous amounts of padding provided in the lower camera section and secondly due to the steel mesh frame on the rear of the pack.
The frame is actually quite a cool feature in that it prevents the bulk of the backpack rom touching your back, meaning no sweaty back syndrome. The disadvantage of this is that I makes the backpack stick out further, and the bag cannot be compressed when empty.
You will probably be pushed to fit this bag as carry on luggage even on international flights. Depends how lax your security staff are at the time.
Below is the rear of the pack. Note the generous padding and the two vertical bars which kinda act as leaf springs to keep the pack off your back.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3317957172_4c6b9f0675_o.jpg
All the straps are of high quality and the ballistic nylon fabric used for the bags exterior seems on par, if not better, than Lowepro and Kata offerings. The stitching was neat and generally quality levels felt high. Heaps of padding in shoulder straps and hip/kidney area if you're inclined to use the waist harness. Sternum strap is also included. Metal D-rings are fitted to the shoulder straps to attached accesories or a camera strap.
Now onto the compartments. Starting at the rear of the bag you have the laptop compartment, good for a 15.4" lappy and/or some A3 size documents. Moderately padded with velcro strap to secure the lappy.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3317130591_0afebd350e.jpg
Note the 'water resistant' zippers and the terribly outdated headphone grommet. Personally I'd Gaffa tape over this to prevent dirt and stuff from getting in.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3317957436_1405782cdb.jpg
Next is your main "day compartment" for general stuff. Zippered mesh pocket at the back. The foam bottom is only velcroed in and can be lifted to reveal the camera section.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3317957782_d4f3c40a9c_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3317130849_768d0e270a.jpg
On the outside front you have a couple of velco pockets, one of which flips down as shown and can be used to seat a tripod. A securing strap near the top of the bag couples with this to strap the tripod against the bag. This prevents access to the camera compartment.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3317131065_4baa3bdfb5.jpg
Front bottom pocket is good for a few batteries, cords and other small items. I found once the camera section was loaded up, even filters were a tight fit in this section so I'd put them somewhere else where they're less exposed to impact.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3317131473_670b007cfc.jpg
Side pockets are of a similar size.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/3317958348_5d1789a0a4.jpg
The camera compartment is accessed by pulling two zippers all the way down and the whole foam section pivots outwards. The inside is bright orange so you can find things easily. The fabric is soft and camera friendly, although can snag on any sharp edged objects. The padded is velcro rip out type and is fully adjustable. Unlike other bags this whole compartment is sewn in and cannot be removed. Below is the section fitted out with D90 + attached 18-200VR (hood reveresed), 10-20mm Siggy, 50mm prime, SB-800 flash and a camcorder. This was a tight but comfortable fit.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3317131683_fb3ccd63ed.jpg
An All weather cover is included and has its own concealed zippered section on the bottom of the bag.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3318086828_a5b4d01ca1.jpg
Apologies for iPhone picture quality :p
Overall I found the quality of the bag to be excellent. The straps and padding worked really well and even fully loaded I did not feel like I was carrying much weight at all.
At present it is on special at Ted's for $99.95 (One of those weird and very rare good value deals at Ted's) which puts it quite a bit below the competition and I think is great value.
Only downsides for me was that its size is too big for carry on luggage and it is a bit bulky/less stream lined than the Kata bags which you might find an issue on public transport, confined areas.
Thanks to MagnusAgrenPhotography for answering my questions before I went ahead and purchased this bag :)
Hope this can help people out there looking for s similar type of bag.
cheers,
matt.