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| Click photo to see images of all the Editor's Choice 2007 products. |
What could possibly be new in camera bags? More than you think. The move to digital has had a big influence on design, with both backpacks and shoulder bags incorporating slots for laptop computers and dedicated pocket systems for memory card management. But as this year's Editor's Choice group shows, comfort and practicality are also big concerns of bagmakers. In some cases, basic bag architecture has been radically rearranged for speedier access to your gear, the latter aided by increasing modularity both in the bag itself and its accessory systems. Last but not least, many lines are being more carefully scaled so that a bag isn't too big or too small for your gear or your frame. We feature some of the more commodious models here, but many come in downsampled versions that offer pretty much the same feature set. Take your pick.
Camera Bag of the Year: Think Tank Rotation360°
At first glance, this new model doesn't appear dramatically different from other full-size camera backpacks. When you take a closer look, though, it's really quite amazing in the innovation it brings to bag design. The basics: Think Tank's Rotation360° is big enough to hold a fast 300mm f/2.8 supertele and a pro-class D-SLR, or two, in its upper compartment; a couple of compact lenses and a spare body fit comfortably in the lower compartment. Need to haul more gear? Expand your storage space by adding a Think Tank "Modulus" (there are at least a dozen) either to the upper half's side rails or to the waist belt's rails. Another option: Haul a ton of lenses inside the bag, and attach two SLRs to the shoulder straps. You can do that if you're using Think Tank camera straps (see sidebar), because they have O-rings that sync with the dog-leash clips on the straps.
Beautifully built, the Rotation360° also has a hidden tripod pocket, integrated rain covers, and tons of small details that impressed us. But that's not the half of it, literally. With a couple of quick motions, the bottom half of the bag (which is attached to the waist belt) unlocks and can be spun around quickly to the front -- giving immediate access to gear both in that section and in whatever moduli you've mounted on the rails. You never have to drop the bag off the shoulders, and that can mean the difference between getting a shot and not. About $290. thinktankphoto.com
Dimensions
Backpack (exterior): 11(w)x9.5(d)x19.5(h) inches; 28x24x50 cm
Upper compartment (interior): 9.5x6.5x9.5 inches; 24x16.5x24 cm
Beltpack (exterior): 11x6x7.5 inches; 28x15x19 cm
Beltpack interior: 9.75x5x6.5 inches; 25x13x16.5 cm
American PHOTO Editor's Choice 2007
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