Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great camera pack, March 13, 2007
I'll be honest and say that part of what drew me to this pack was the appearance. I liked the colors and style. I also knew that Tamrac was a great brand and I could count on the quality of the bag. I have found that the pack is a good size, but for travel the top of the bag could be a bit bigger, but for daily use it is really perfect. The bottom section where my camera goes is a decent size, but not enough room for much extra equipment. I was able to fit my Nikon D40 with my 18-200 lens attached in the bottom and I have been able to squeeze my compact mini dv recorder in there as well, but it is a very tight fit. The pouches on the sides are decent sized and great for putting items that you need to access easily. The front section has pockets for cards, etc, and has the appearance of an organizer wallet. The flap can be a bit of a hinderence, but I knew that going in. There isn't much room inside the flap as you would imagine, but you can fit airline tickets and maybe a couple of magazines in there easily. I have also found that I can manuever around the flap to get to open the top section of the bag to get to my personal items there without having to unclip the flap, which is nice. Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase. I'm very glad that I went with this type of bag in which I am able to carry my personal items in the bag as well and leave my purse behind.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good bag for my needs, August 8, 2007
I own and have invested money in cameras for one purpose only: travel photography. This bag is very good for my needs. It is good as a carry-on when you fly because you can easily store all your travel photography items (body, 2 lenses - but being creative I think with 4/3 system lenses I could fit about 4 if I really had to - cards cables charger etc), plus things you might like to have with you on the plane such as a book or two, an ipod, an inflatable pillow, and of course your tickets and documentation. And as a daypack when in your destination you can fit maps, a small bottle of water and some food, or for example even the massive Lonely Planet India Guide fits with room to spare in the upper compartment.
The quality seems good. Zippers are smooth and the camera area seems well padded. It is frustrating to adjust the velcro-attached interior dividers but you should only have to do this once (or only once in a very long while) and it's because each one has 5 attachment points, which means that they they wont be falling out. The camera area also seems (though I obviously haven't had the chance to test this) to be well insulated against the elements, especially rain.
I would say there are only two cons:
1) You cannot adjust the buckle on the flap to tighten it. If your pack isn't completely full it is loose.
2) Due to the fact that the top half is in essence a compartment attached to what would be the top flap of a normal medium-sized camera bag, it must flip backwards in order for the camera to be removed or put inside, meaning you have to take the backpack off entirely.
For me this isn't a problem, I value the comfort of a backpack style, with weight distributed on both shoulders, more than I do quick/easy access. You can also wear it comfortably in the front, if you, like me, travel with a real backpack on your back. The lack of access, however, is something to take into account.
It's true that this looks more like a normal backpack than a camera bag, though it is smaller than a normal backpack, and looks almost petit on me (I am 6'1").
Finally, I should say that although I liked the look of the Khaki more than the Black-on-black, if you plan on traveling to places similar to where I go - developing countries - or if you plan on using public transportation anywhere, I would recommend the black version. In general black is much less conspicuous and much less prone to getting obviously dirty!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
no emphasis on what's inside, June 19, 2007
I purchased this item for three reasons:
1) It's both stylish and durable.
2) The size and compartment space fit my needs.
3) It doesn't look like a "camera bag"!
I really wanted something that wouldn't stand out as having expensive content. With its low profile, the Tamrac Express Pack 8 can be passed off as a book bag - so I look like a student as opposed to a tourist.
The camera/lens compartment, if manipulated correctly, can actually fit a third (small) lens. It may be a snug fit, but that will create less space for movement. The top compartment is perfect for lens hoods, wallet, keys, and a snack. The front compartment has a pocket that's perfect for an ipod or other mp3 player, and pockets for a couple of memory cards. There's also a zipper compartment inside.
Overall a good quality bag for those who only need a few lenses nearby.
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