Expedition 8

Based on the previous reviews here, I bought this pack. I just returned from a 10-week trip to South America, and I am thoroughly pleased with my purchase. After using just about any product, I can usually think of ways it could be improved. This one is an exception. It is large enough to handle my Canon with 500mm IS f4 and 1.4X teleconverter in the main center compartment, with the surrounding compartments full of flash, standard lens, extension tubes, and even binoculars if need be. The transparent pockets on the inside of the lid will organize a mess of small items, and the outside pockets are good for chips and batteries. It is so well padded that I even got brave enough to check it as a piece of luggage for the 3 flights home. (I got one of those airport lobby plastic wrap jobs for $7.) It arrived at the luggage carousel without a scratch.

The tripod attachment on the back handles my big Gitzo with aplomb, and a really nice feature is an additional compartment running the full length and width of the back that you can stuff a piece of clothing in as the day warms up.

While travelling on the road, I lay the Tamron flat on the back seat. It provides great protection and access to the camera on short notice when a subject appears.

I've always tried to make do with an assortment of camera bags and standard day packs before, and have been frustrated. This is the solution to the problem. I have not tried any of the direct competition (e.g., LowePro), but I'm not motivated to. I plan to use this for a very long time. :t::t::t:

POSTSCRIPT: The positive experience I had in checking the bag full of camera gear as luggage on a flight was negated by my next attempt. With enough determined effort, luggage handlers can destroy just about anything, and they did. The second time I checked it as luggage, the camera came out with serious damage. I didn't discover it until later, so no claim against the airline was possible - I simply had to pay for an expensive repair that involved replacing the entire body shell (kudos to Canon, the camera still functioned perfectly with the damage). The purpose of this postscript is to disuade anyone from checking soft luggage with expensive camera gear as luggage on an airline flight. Another advantage of this pack is that it is (just barely) legal as a carryon, even with its substantial capacity. That is what I do now.

I upgraded to this from a Lowepro and haven't regretted it. I found I was running out of room and needed the comfort when having to trek long distances. The padding and comfort are first class.
Also it can hold a large 500mm attached to body and still room for more than required.
Overall fantastic
Richard

When I changed to a Canon 500 f4 I need to get a larger camera bag as I like to carry my camera attached to the lens. After some research it was a choice of this or the equivilent Lowepro, the Tamrac was a good deal cheaper so I thought I'd give it a go.

My initial impression was that it was a well designed and well made bag. After a bit of fiddling with the moveable dividers in the main section I got it right for my gear. I can easily fit in my 500 f4 with both a camera and 1.4x tc attached, and there's still room for a second body and four more lenses! The front pockets are great for memory cards and spare batteries as they are easy to access quickly when needed. A large front pocket hold my flash, portable harddrive and a waterproof jacket.

Fully loaded my bag weighs over 12kg! However the excellent, well padded harness means that I can comfortably carry it for a full days birding. From my experience the Tamrac harness is better and more comfortable than the Lowepro. I'd recommend this bag (and it's smaller siblings) to anyone looking for a new camera bag.