Customer Reviews

Lowepro Magnum DV 4000 AW Shoulder Bag (Black)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This case looks fantastic and exudes quality! We professionally produce videos for my wife's business and often have to move our cameras out of our studio to customer locations. Using the Lowepro Magnum DV 4000 AW case significantly simplifies the process of transporting my equipment and gives me piece of mind that everything will arrive in one piece.

This is a fairly large bag that easily fits my big Canon GL2 (see customer pictures) and all of its associated accessories (charger, headphones, cables, tapes, etc). There are so many pockets that there is a place for everything I carry and then some!

The features I like the best are:
+ Well padded Walls and floor to protect the equipment
+ Adjustable padding makes customizing easy
+ High quality zippers are very smooth
+ Attached Rain Cover easily deploys over the bag
+ Shoulder strap is VERY comfortable and lives up to the hype
+ Hand cart straps allows for attaching to handle of luggage for easy transporting

This case is exactly what I was looking for in a professional video camera bag!

Highly Recommended!

Length:: 2:56 Mins

As you can see in the video, this bag will hold a ton and a half of video gear. It's the perfect bag to haul a 3-chip camera kit with mics and on-camera lights to a job. That said, if you shoot run-and-gun and have to keep your bag on your shoulder while you work, this bag may not be the best choice unless you are pretty burly.

You can see in the video just how big it is. I'm not very big (but I'm stronger than I look... really ;D ) but even so, the LowePro Magnum DV4000 has become my go-to bag for interviews - there's more than enough room and enough pads to cushion every single piece of my gear without having to cram anything in. And though it is fairly heavy when it's packed, as long as I'm just taking it from the car into a job, it's fine. I have smaller bags for when I need to be stealthier.

This is a great bag for the price.

PS - It always makes my day to know that people find these reviews helpful. So, please vote (The "Was this review helpful to you: Yes or No" buttons) and leave a comment if you'd like, even if it's just to say, "Hi!" I respond to all comments so feel free to ask a question about the product. Also, when you leave a comment, I will go to your reviews and pay you the same courtesy.

Thanks, Claire

UPDATE - I originally gave it 4 stars because there was what looked like a rip in the bottom pad. Chris H. let me know that what I thought was a rip is really an access slot so the pad can be replaced. Based on that info I have upgraded my rating to 5 stars. That makes me happy because I really hated giving this bag only 4 stars. I really love it.

This is a fine bag for those who need its features. It may be overkill for some.

Construction is excellent; this is clearly a bag designed for hard work and rough handling. The fabric is a heavy nylon weave that looks bombproof. Zippers, pulls, and buckles are all top quality. Construction details are not overlooked and all areas subject to stress are heavily stitched and reinforced. Attachment loops abound, both inside and outside. External pockets are good sized and are ruggedly stitched into place rather than attached with Velcro. The interior padding is firm and should be ample to protect equipment from the ordinary bangs and bumps of travel and heavy use. A sufficient number of dividers and spacers is provided to allow the user to configure the bag to his/her needs.

This bag was clearly designed with the needs of a pro or prosumer videographer in mind. It is BIG. A lot bigger than I expected. Based on its stated dimensions, it complies with airport carry-on regulations but it may not fit comfortably under the seat in front of you, especially if you have long legs or big feet.

Being big means being heavy and the DV 4000 AW weighs in at almost 12 pounds empty. By the time a prosumer video camera is in place along with spare batteries, charger, hard drives, lights, more batteries, and other odds and ends, this will be a shoulder full. Fortunately, the shoulder strap is well and heavily padded, with just enough grip stuff to prevent it slipping off without feeling glued to your shoulder. The carry handle is also well padded.

A friend with two babies looked enviously and said that it would make a perfect diaper bag. In that context, it occurs to me that the DV 4000 really could be used for a variety of purposes other than videography. If one were travelling with a couple of still camera bodies and a gaggle of lenses, it would work quite well. I can even see it being used as an overnight bag or a picnic basket.

Things I don't like: Really, my only dislike is the method of opening the bag. Under the wrapped handle is another, two-piece handle. Pulling the pieces toward opposite ends of the bag opens zippers down both long sides. One then pulls apart a Velcro fastener in the center to gain access to the main compartment. Personally, I would prefer a wrap-around zipper but others may find the pull-and-Velcro system perfectly suited to their needs.

In summary, this bag is well designed and very soundly constructed. I recommend it without reservation to those whose needs it will serve.

The Magnum DV4000 AW bag is a bag that not only serves the videographer who uses medium-large size video camcorders, it serves perfectly as a still-camera photo bag as well. This is a big bag that's made to hold a LOT of gear and protect each piece of gear superbly from shock and abrading against other items in your bag. It's fully customizable with well made and very thick nylon//foam dividers (they include plenty!) using a velcro fastening system that's easy to change and yet holds extremely well even with heavy gear in each compartment. you can customize your compartments very quickly. This large and professional bag (I've owned several Lowepro bags; all were excellent) does not disappoint at all with it's heavy duty construction, quality of construction and as importantly, it;s ease and convenience of use, either for video or still photo gear. The top of the bag has two major flaps on top which are zipper secured (and quite resistant to rain coming through) along with a velcro tab on the top flaps if you want to keep the flaps closed, but, available for quick access. For transporting your gear, a buckle system is added on the top to further secure the top of the bag and offer relief from stressing the bag when carrying/transporting your heavy gear. The bag will easily -swallow- two Digital SLR bodies, power grip.4 large lenses, a flash, a pile of cables, batteries, charger, filer and more. While it is made for video gear, there is no way to say it can't be used for still gear. In fact, it is perfect for either. The bag offers several storage areas of varying sizes, offering abundant storage of accessories and items you may be traveling with (I believe it fits and qualifies as a "Carry-on" for airlines as well. The bag is pricey, but, you do get what you pay for and in fact, much more. I've used this bag a lot, traveled with it, dropped it a few times on hard floors.....etc.....with gentle cleaning ....and a vacuuming inside now and them it still looks as new as the day i got it. If you're looking for one bag that will take all you need along, this is it. Highly recommended. If you have never purchased a Lowepro product before (or even if you have!). Be ready for a very pleasant experience! This is a keeper and anyone who buys one will be very happy with their purchase. I used to carry my gear using two medium sized shoulder bags. Now it is this one only and it still has room for more gear. If you have so much gear that most medium-large sized bags might not work, give this one a try! It will do the job.

I've been using Lowepro camera bags for many, many years starting with on of their earliest top loading bags for my old Nikon F5. Since then I've owned a few more, only replacing the bags when they eventually wore out, or were no longer ideal for my purposes. That said, this is my first Lowepro shoulder bag, since I've just started using video gear and the top loaders are superior for film camera with a zoom lens attached.

My first impression of the bag was that it was very well made as is typical of Lowepro in my opinion. Close examination confirmed this was a VERY well made bag with double stitching throughout, webbed support straps around the exterior at strategic places, hefty clasps where needed, heavy gauge zippers, and very thick padding on the interior. All that quality also means weight; this is a heavy bag at 12 pounds. The build quality is remarkably good, and while it might not be as completely safe as a hard case, for most uses it is totally adequate.

At 18" X 14" X 12" it 'feels' larger than it actually is. This is due in part to the well organized interior which allows you to move compartments and dividers around using a Velcro fastening system. This allows you to accommodate a broad variety of types of cameras, lenses, and equipment. Virtually anything you have you can arrange in a way that makes sense. The customizability of the bag is great, especially if you use different gear for different situations and don't want more than 1 bag. It can even be used for camera gear, even if it's not perfectly suited for that purpose. (I actually use it for my D700 and lenses as well as my video camera).

If you want a serious, professional camera gear bag that is made to withstand everything but a nuclear war, this is great choice. I've had great experience with Lowepro through the years, and I'm happy to have this bag added to my arsenal for when I want a lot of equipment at my finger tips. I still use my top loader most often, but this bag will serve me well for those occasions when I want to have 'everything but the kitchen sink' with me.

When you set expectations based on country of origin often you'll find a surprise. While loads of sub-par electronics come ashore daily, the quality and construction of this bag is not sacrificed in the least. It is well engineered to handle today's smaller cameras, customizable with velcro movable inserts, and even features a removable small parts organizer and a rain cover for the bag should a sudden downpour hit while you are outside. Someone put alot of thought into the features people would want in a professional camera bag then produced an excellent design. If you travel carry on, this has two hidden straps to tie it to the vertical elements of your rolling luggage getting on and off the plane. Having used a backpack style camera bag in the past I'd prefer this as the narrow isles today make it easy to smack into chairs/people with a backpack and not know it, while the bag can be tied to your carry on and roll with it.

Inside is stowed a shoulder strap which is removable if you prefer the top handle. Side pockets hold cables and adapters well (on the long ends) while on the wide side there is pouch to organize supplies as well as the rain cover when not in use.

The top closure is fast to open yet sturdy and rugged. It can be closed quickly with a small velcro tab, or zipped shut with 2 zippers. The handle also features a flap with snaps to tie everything shut.

Every feature and stitch speaks to the quality of the workmanship put into this - you can not compare it to other camera bags made in china as they will fall short in the padding, durability, and closures. Although on the higher end of the price scale, you definitely get what you pay for here in professional equipment.

Note re: Multiple Uses.
I've found this bag stores all my camera gear AND my laptop. Beyond that, a family member wants it to store and carry his video game systems. So, yes, it is great for a large camera + gear + editing laptop, but could have many other uses as well.

*****
I have a Canon XH A1s and it isn't easy to find a large enough camcorder bag. I already have the Kata CC-193 which isn't bad for the price (about half of the Lowepro cost), but has its own disadvantages.

A comparison of the two bags may be helpful to others with large camcorders. The good features of the Kata are that it is somewhat smaller than a small dufflebag and doesn't draw attention to itself (as in "Look! Expensive camera equipment!") The disadvantages are: not a whole lot of storage space (one side compartment and a couple of outside pockets) and very little padding, especially (mystifyingly) on the bottom of the bag. It is fairly lightweight and would probably pass as a carryon bag easier than the larger and bulkier Lowepro (whose dimension -do- conform to what most airlines say a carryon should be, but might not if it was firmly filled to the top.)

The construction quality of the Lowepro is a definite strength, as is the well-padded design (and lots of extra pads. Just putting all the pads into my Kata bag--so the camcorder wasn't rattling around in all that empty space--greatly improved the smaller bag. Definitely one should buy or make pads for that bag. The Lowepro has quite a few, all with velcro, and they move around easily.

There's no question the Lowepro is well-thought out and well-designed. The handle has a soft, cushioned grip that really helps carrying it compared to a fabric strap. The shoulder strap is also padded and comfortable. There are many compartments--inside and out--and a waterproof "poncho" that is small when folded but serves well as a rain protector as needed. This was a great idea and just one example of the extra thought put into this bag.

If it has a drawback for me, it is the size. Although, compared side-by-side with the Kata bag, it doesn't seem more than an inch or so higher, it is considerably wider. And, with its square shape and padding it looks a bit bulky, like a portable cooler. Lots of good interior storage space, but not an easy bag to carry around with you.

However, there's no question that the Lowepro would do a much better job of protecting equipment--it probably would survive being dropped a short distance, for example, and that is not likely at all with the Kata bag.

Overall, a great bag, a great product and if one wants a small bag to quickly "grab and go", then the choice of camcorder and gear is probably the consideration, not the storage container. Storage-wise, and design-wise, this bag would be great storage for storing cameras and gear, though not the choice if you're walking around much with it. Highly recommended.

One of the hardest things about having high end cameras is the need for cases to protect them from the elements and traveling. Hard Cases are the best but they are so cumbersome and not the best for daily use. Soft cases can be too soft and limited.

The Lowepro Magnum DV4000 AW is a good balance of both. The fact that it has adjustable padding and lots of compartments will keep any accessory fiend happy, but the slick use of a built in rain coat makes it shine. On first glance the camera bag is rather blocky, but the strange dimensions may be useful to some in smaller areas and stacking.

I did not give it 5 stars because it has some issues, I for one think its a little too expensive, it should be priced around $150 where it would fit perfectly be affordable for most users that need a bag like this. I don't think this camera matches Porta Brace in quality to justify it's price. I know this is a matter of personal choice, but I prefer the suede shoulder straps of Porta Brace.

All in all, you really have a solid product that should work for prosumers, but professionals might be a little more demanding.

Length:: 5:25 Mins

I recommend if you're looking for a sturdy bag for your videography equipment, this Lowepro Magnum 4000 is a good choice. I discuss it in the attached video. I gave it 3 stars, which doesn't suggest it's not worth buying, but it's missing a few practical features that I thought should have been included with a bag such as this.

Let me start by saying I am not going to review the bag in such a technical manner as to discuss the polymer material used in the material of the bag. There are other reviews that go in depth in this type of review. I am a prosumer DSLR user who carries lots of gear and has owned camera and equipment bags ranging from $20.00 to $350.00.

This bag is large. In fact, the picture does not do it justice in terms of size. The bag is clearly designed for prosumer to pro HD Camcorders and comes pre-configured in that regard (although you can easily adjust it). The bag is VERY DEEP. Once again, Lowepro designed it this way on purpose since the bag is designed for videographers rather than DSLR users. Lowepro includes a number of very cushioned pads to customize the interior compartments. There are a large number of pockets throughout the bag to store all the sundry items such as lens cleaners, wipes, cloth's, pens, filters, etc..... This top loading bag uses a redundant overlapping velcro and dual zipper system. There is no way the bag could be accidentally opened. Furthermore, as one reviewer stated, the zippers are luxurious and apparently designed with the end user in mind. They are very large and smooth to operate. The bag comes with an all weather cover of incomparable quality as well as a shoulder strap obviously designed with ergonomics in mind. However, the bag seems cumbershome to carry with a shoulder strap.

This bag reminds me of some range bags (for shooting) I have used in the past from companies such as BlackHawk. The bag seems virtually indestructible and has so much padding both internally and externally that I would venture to say you could throw a fully loaded DV 4000 camera bag out of a moving car at 60 mph and your gear would remain safe. I am not embellishing this point.

All that being said, I believe the bag is best suited for video equipment use and not DSLR equipment. The compartments are optimized for video gear (deep and long) as opposed to DSLR gear such as flashes, small lenses (primes), and other items specific to DSLR use. However, I did manager to customize the internal compartments so that I could carry two DSLR cameras, two flashes, 4 lenses of varying sizes, battery chargers, two mini tripods, manuals, 6 batteries, two SB-200's, a netbook, and a ton of assorted items- with room still to spare. The major drawback was that some gear was stacked on top of each other.

If you are a video guy, this bag is for you. If you are a DSLR guy, you may want to look around. If you are both and need to carry both types of gear..........then get this bag. Something tells me the pro's probably own this bag already.