Cameralogical Baggage - Incase DSLR Sling Pack (Long term)

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.

**Some of the material here is from a review I did on a forum some time ago - I do try to cover the long term implications of owning this bag, so please, read on! Also, we are neither sponsored nor paid to do these reviews or promote products by third parties.

The Incase is a medium-sized sling-type bag, and it can be yours in any color so long as it's black. It can be had from Amazon for under $70 (and if you do decide to buy it, please do it using the link at the bottom of this review!). I think it's quite a looker compared to the chunky sling bags from Lowepro, ThinkTank, et.al. 

It's constructed from high-denier nylon, and tough-feeling padding, which has proven to be both durable and water-resistant on more than one occasion. Toting the Incase between classes and assignments, tossing it in the car trunk, and laying it down on rough lava fields has shown it to be well-suited to the daily rigors of life. I've used it at least two or three times a week for seven months now, and it's still looking pretty darned fine.

I was a big fan of shoulder bags and satchels, for their sheer convenience, but they were literally a pain in the neck. The Incase, despite still only having one strap, manages to distribute the load more evenly and thus is more comfortable on longer treks. However, 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 bacon collar if you're not careful. But that's just in the nature of the sling bag, and it's still more convenient to me than a backpack.

It also has a big buckle on the strap so you can take it off without hoisting it over your head. Nice touch!

So, what can you stuff in this bad boy? Kind of a lot, it turns out. I can fit my entire film or digital kit in it at once: 

-Pentax 67 w/ TTL Prism + 105mm f/2.4 Takumar

-Olympus OM-2 + 55mm f/1.2 + Winder 2

-Tamron 28mm f/2.5, Olympus 100mm f/2.8

-Filters and Film

-Pentax K5 + 58mm f/1.4 Nokton

-Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, Zeiss Contax 85mm f/1.4, Nikon 135mm f/2

-Vivitar 285HV + Ebay radio triggers

-3 x Cokin P filters

All of this junk will fit with a minimal amount of "stuffing" - the bag closes without a fuss. The same can't be said about the front slash pocket. Some papers, pens, and maybe a charger or two will fit in there - I just use it to hold my filters.

There are two external straps to hold a tripod or monopod. They work well enough, but keep in mind that a heavy tripod will unbalance the bag and you'll probably end up smacking yourself or others in the head with it.

It's not a huge bag, but that is a huge tripod.

The bottom line for me is that this is quite a nice camera bag. It won't hold your iPad, laptop, or your textbooks, but it does a stupendous job of carrying camera stuff around. It's comfortable and easy to shoot from, and doesn't take its design cues from a cardboard box (ahem, Lowepro). It gains my wholehearted recommendation, for whatever that's worth.


Pros:
+ Well made, discreet, and nicely designed
+ Carries a lot of camera gear 
+ Lots of padding for shoulder and back, very comfortable


Cons:
- Really only carries camera stuff
- Front slash pocket is doesn't expand


If you do decide to purchase one, please do so using the following link - it would really help me out!