Camera bags are one of those things that are hard to get just right. If they're compact and sleek, they won't hold all of your stuff, and when they do, often times they're too big to carry around with you everywhere. Backpacks are comfortable, but they tend to be big and you have to take them off to access your gear. Shoulder bags are convenient, but are a pain in the neck. And the list goes on and on. But I've found what seems like a good compromise, in the form of the Incase DSLR Sling Pack. See the full review after the jump!
Design and Cost
The Incase is a medium-sized sling-type bag, and you can get it in any color so long as it's black. It can be had from Amazon for about $80 (and if you do decide to buy it, please do it using the link at the bottom of this review!). This is actually Incase's first foray into camera bags, but it is quite a looker compared to the likes of Lowepro, et.al.
It is pretty minimalistic looking - no obscene pockets, straps, or logos - and is constructed mostly from nice-looking high-denier nylon. The straps look like they were pulled from airline seatbelts - a nice touch. It has soft padding pretty much everywhere, and straps on the side so you can carry a tripod.
Compartments and Capacity
The Incase has a grand total of. . . . two compartments! Frankly, only one of these really matters, and that is the main compartment. That said, the small size of the bag is really quite deceiving, it can swallow up my Pentax 67 with room for more!
With some Tetris practice, I can fit my 67, OM-2 + Winder, 2 extra lenses, and various filters and other goodies. It looks a little overstuffed at this point, but the zipper will still close without excessive force.
Sadly, the cavernous nature of the main compartment doesn't carry over to the slash pocket on the front of the bag. It doesn't expand very much, so the most you can hold is a few pens and a piece of paper folded in half.
Sadly, the cavernous nature of the main compartment doesn't carry over to the slash pocket on the front of the bag. It doesn't expand very much, so the most you can hold is a few pens and a piece of paper folded in half.
Those tripod straps that I mentioned earlier will accommodate a tripod of just about any size, but anything bigger than a travel-size tripod (think Benro Travel Angel) will unbalance the bag and make it very uncomfortable. That, and you'll probably end up hitting yourself or others in the head with it.
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| This is more comfortable, although such a dinky tripod rarely does any good. |
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| Holding a big tripod is possible, but it will probably prove painful. |
My old shoulder bag was a painful experience, which made it unlikely for me to take my gear with me anywhere. The Incase improves on this quite a lot by distributing the weight on your shoulder and your back. A heavy bag can be uncomfortable to take off and put on, but there is a nice big nylon buckle in the middle of the strap to help with this.
You can't shoot quite as spontaneously as with a shoulder bag, since you must "sling" the bag, unzip it, grab your stuff, zip it closed, and "sling" it back again. Also, the slinging action will give you a bad case of the "bacon collar" if you're not careful. But these things seem to be in the nature of the sling bag, and it's still more convenient than a backpack.
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| Yes, that is a Taylor Swift calendar in the background. . . No, it's not mine. |
Long Term
I've had this bag for about a month, and I find myself taking it everywhere. It's even just the right size to fit under an airplane seat. Living in two of the rainiest places in the world (Hilo, Hawaii and Portland, Oregon), you won't want to be caught in a sudden downpour with a bag full of gadgets - but raindrops bead right off! Walking across rocky lava beaches for a couple of hours was no problem either, it stayed on my back and didn't display a propensity to slide off of my back when leaning over or contorting myself into various positions.
My main complaint is that it's a camera bag and little else - for goodness sake, you can't even hold papers in it without having to fold them in half! So, no - you can't carry your laptop (or netbook) and textbooks in it.
Conclusion
$80 will buy you a Lowepro Classified Sling, or something comparable from a reputable camera bag manufacturer. Those bags might be better suited for professional photographers who know exactly when they are going on assignment, but the Incase seems to be built for the rambling photographer. It's small, discreet, comfortable, and it doesn't take its design from a cardboard box. If you're in the market for a new camera bag, I would would give a wholehearted recommendation to the Incase DSLR Sling. If you do buy it, please do so using the following link - it would really help me out!
My main complaint is that it's a camera bag and little else - for goodness sake, you can't even hold papers in it without having to fold them in half! So, no - you can't carry your laptop (or netbook) and textbooks in it.
Conclusion
$80 will buy you a Lowepro Classified Sling, or something comparable from a reputable camera bag manufacturer. Those bags might be better suited for professional photographers who know exactly when they are going on assignment, but the Incase seems to be built for the rambling photographer. It's small, discreet, comfortable, and it doesn't take its design from a cardboard box. If you're in the market for a new camera bag, I would would give a wholehearted recommendation to the Incase DSLR Sling. If you do buy it, please do so using the following link - it would really help me out!
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