Which LowePro Slingshot for me?

GraphyFotoz

Well I have a 75 AW Top Loader which will hold my 20D with Grip and my Sigy 80-400mm (Hood Reversed)
Problem with the 75 AW is it don't hold extras like I'd like it to.
Mainly a 4 batts Cf card case and that's about it.
Hafta carry my 24-70 in it's case on the outside which is a PITA. :huh

20D With Grip and QR Plate is about 6 1/2in Tall.
20D with 80-400 (Hood reversed) is about 11in Long.


Looking at a 200 AW or a 300 AW Slingshot for a alternate bag.
Cuz of stowage.

Thinking a 300 AW (Maybe even trade my LN 75 AW for a one)
Seeing that B&H has em both for about the same price new.

Any input? :dunno

Rhuarc

I tired both the 200 and 300 out before settling on the 300. The 200 can be a tight squeeze for the XTi with my 70-300 on it. The 300 has tons of room for me to grow also. Here is everything I have in it:

Main Compartment:
XTi w/ Grip w/ 70-300
Canon 24-105
Canon 18-55 kit
Canon 50.1.8
Canon 420EX flash
Packs with up to 16AA batteries
52mm and 58mm collapsible lens hoods
XTi AA adapter

Extra Compartment:
Extra lens caps and body caps
Assorted cords and chargers (for XTi batteries and AA batteries)
Nintendo DS
Dell Axim X5
Small bag with contact solution and extra contacts (I'm paranoid about my eyes!!)
Card reader
Extra batteries

I can easily make room in this pack for 2 more largish lenses (70-200L and slightly larger). One other thing is that the 200 does not have the hip belt, only the 300 does. I've discovered that on long trips, especially hiking, the belt really helps to stabilize the weight. I also have a water bottle holder from lowepro on the hip belt.

Anyway, hope this helps! Let us know what you think of whichever one you get!

Edit: I'm actually going to probably be getting the 75AW for times when I just want my camera with the lens that is on it. More of just a protective case for the camera than something to carry lots of stuff in. My problem has been finding a small bag like that that will take the camera with the grip. The 75AW holds your 20D with grip nicely?

GraphyFotoz

Rhuarc wrote:

Edit: I'm actually going to probably be getting the 75AW for times when I just want my camera with the lens that is on it. More of just a protective case for the camera than something to carry lots of stuff in. My problem has been finding a small bag like that that will take the camera with the grip. The 75AW holds your 20D with grip nicely?

Like a glove!
I'm real "tossed" dunno if I should keep mine ot trade for a 300 AW.
Really like the 75 AW just can't carry what I'd like to short of lugging my Field and Street BP around!

Zanotti

Go to http://www.cambags.com/

They have practically every bag and camera combination known with photos and reviews. I cant imaging a combination that they dont have a photo for.......

Its very helpful when deciding between different bags, but beware it will lead to you wanting more......

Z

Zanotti

OVER 400 REVIEWS AND 1700 PHOTOS OF CAMERA BAGS FOR CANON & NIKON AND OTHER DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

GraphyFotoz

Zanotti wrote:

OVER 400 REVIEWS AND 1700 PHOTOS OF CAMERA BAGS FOR CANON & NIKON AND OTHER DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

Niiiiice THANX!!

evoryware

I have the Slingshot 300AW. It can carry most of my camera equipment at the same time. Currently I have in it my 28-135, 18-55, 430EX, 580EX, Fong Lightsphere, filters, battery chargers, and my XTi with 70-200 attached. It still has space for manuals, flash meters, and another lens or two and I can hang my tripod off of it. It's looks much more comfortable and is much less stressful on my back to carry than my top loading Tamrac. Also, it has a hidden raincover that comes out the bottom. I've put it on, got on my bike, rode to and around Central park w/ it among other things. I had it set up so I can have the 580EX on the camera in the bag w/ my 70/200 for easy access during Fashion Week. The Slingshot 200AW I had and it was way too small to be practical so I bought it back.

So my two points of caution with this bag:
1. It's not a top loader so if you forget to zipper it properly and pick it up, you will end up with a lens in two pieces.


2. The strap that you throw over your neck has a clamp that IMO is in the wrong place. When I Slingshot the bag around to grab my camera, I invariably grab this strap and clip. When you hit the clip, it can open and your bag will start to fall! This may be really bad if you are say standing on a bridge, or at the subway tracks about to put your camera away. If the clip was on the top of the bag, this would not be an issue. This is what the process looks like...










thump.

Fred Maurer

I have the 200 and the 300. I can fit a 5D with a 70-200 in each, but there is room for alot more stuff in in the 300. I use the 200 if I just want to carry the camera and not extra lens, flash, etc. They both have their place, but if I had to keep only 1, it would be the 300.

Art Scott

I had a 300 for a bit and could not fit both 7D's with 24-70 and 70-210 in the bag.....so I opted for 2-75AW's on a military pistol belt with matching "y" suspenders....in 1- 75AW is the fillowing: camera with 24-70 lens and hood on ...alonside is the 5600HS flash in out side pocket is 5 NP 400 batteries(will hold 8......in the lid pouch is my extra cf cards and some extra AA batts for the falsh and GPS.....ahh yes the GPS unit is also next to the camera.......both lenses are f2.8.....same is in the 2nd 75 AW lewss the flash and GPS unit......I find this "GONSLINGER" set up great expecially when on my bike as I have nothing that is hard to get too and the weight is on both shoulders and back ....this is really the best system I have found and the belt was a mere 9.5$ and the suspenders were $11.95 (free shipping) no tax as I bought online......I was looking at Lowes vest and belt system and this is so much less expensive......HOOOOOOO YA for the Militaty supluses out there!!!!!!!

Lex

devil's advocate:
I really don't care for bags like the slingshots that put all the weight on one pressure point. Convenient to open and access, sure. But a little dangerous too as one poster indicated.

If you are going to carry any gear at all for any distance, weight distribution is much better. full backpack design or shoulder waist belt design is much better to me... I did try a slingshot 200 for a while, just decided not for me and I found that multiple shoulder bags/straps was horrible, like putting your neck in a vice of straps.

claudermilk

IMHO the danger worries are a little overblown. I've been using a SS200 for about a year now & have never, ever had any issue with the buckles. You just cannot accidentally brush it and unbuckle. I've had the bag up in some hazardous places, too (hanging from a cable 300' in the air, up in the canopy of a jungle--everyhting was perfectly secure & no other bag would have done the job as well).

If you overload the bag (a common problem & hard to resist), it will drag on your shoulder a bit, and will start to deform. Keep the load lighter & it works well. Another thing I've noticed is a tendency to make the strap too long--shorten it up & the bag sits better and is more comfortable. Also remember to use the stabilizer strap--that helps a lot. These are not intended as a kitchen sink type of bag, but a quick-access kit.

For the OP's gear, I think the SS300 will fit better. The SS200 will fit a 20D with grip & L-plate with a 24-70 mounted. Something the size of a 70-200 will fit, but not mounted--that's where the 300 comes in.

evoryware

I don't know about the ss200 I took it back. I'm talking about the 300.
I've slung the bag and 2 times had the latch come loose. I happened to catch the strap as in picture 3 (and only the strap) w/ the bag and the camera stuff inside an inch from the ground. Well padded or not, it's still something to be careful of. 3 strikes and it's out.

blalor

I've got the 200 and am very happy with it. It holds my Canon 350D (*sigh* "Rebel XT", if you must), 50mm ƒ/1.8, Sigma 70-300, Canon 10-22, and 18-55 kit lenses, as well as a 6-filter wallet, 4 or 6 card CompactFlash safe (I forget which) and a grey card that I cut down, all in the main compartment. Honestly, I hardly ever use the 18-55 or 50, but they're in there. If I dump one or both of those lenses, I'll have room for a flash (which still *might* fit in there...). In the front pocket is a small notebook, pencil, dust brush, remote release and extension cord for it. Up top is the hood for the 10-22, a hotshoe level, pocket blaster (rocket? dust blower thingie) and a microfibre rag I keep around for wiping things down. I changed the partition configuration around so that all of the lenses are accessible with the bag swung around in front of me, so I think I'll never have a need to open the flap all the way around, again.

I bought the bag because I outgrew my Crumpler $4M Home and needed something that would allow me easy access to the camera while holding onto two dog leashes. I haven't had any issues with the buckle coming undone. Even as well-packed as mine is (it's not bulging at the seams) I think everything's well-protected and padded.

claudermilk

I wonder if the additional width of the 300 is causing the problem. Lowepro made it based on the many requests for a wider one to allow the 70-200 sized lenses to fit mounted, but IMHO the 300 has become too large for the sort of function intended--the SS200 is the just-right size of the three.

I think most of us who really use these bags change the dividers so that the wells are all pointing to the side opening. That's the way it should be.

blalor

claudermilk wrote:

I think most of us who really use these bags change the dividers so that the wells are all pointing to the side opening. That's the way it should be.

I agree, but it's obvious the dividers aren't meant to work that way. It all fits, but they're at slightly wonky angles.

GraphyFotoz

Well thanx for the overwelming feedback!

I purchased a 300 AW today and will see how it works out for me.
If I'm out shooting wildlife and have the 80-400mm mounted (Hood Backwards) I'm hoping it'll be about the size of the mounted 70-200 L.

Hoping it'll be more comfortable than my LowePro Rover has been also.

I'll let ya know once I get it.

Oh yeah as for the buckle bit.....IF I have any problem there.....black zip tie should solve that!

claudermilk

I was also thinking black gaffers tape. Wonderful stuff, no camera is complete without a piece on it somewhere.

Hmm, let's see, 80-400 is 7.6" long & 1750g, Canon's 70-200 ranges from 6.8" & 705g for the f4 to 7.8" & 1470g for the f2.8 IS. Ought to fit just fine. As an aside, interestingly the f4 IS & non-IS are the same length, but the f2.8 gains 0.2" for the IS?

King of Canada

I have the 200. In my bag is usually my xti with grip and 70-200 F4L mounted. I also carry my Tamron 17-35mm, and 50 1.8 as well as a 550EX, extra batteries, filters, blower, cloth, charger, and battery tray for the grip. It all fits nicely, but as soon as I get any bigger lenses I'll be looking at something else.

All in all it's a great bag and very comfortable to wear, even with all of the weight.

Miguel Delinquento

blalor wrote:

I agree, but it's obvious the dividers aren't meant to work that way. It all fits, but they're at slightly wonky angles.

I like the idea of reconfiguring my SS200 this way, but I didn't do all that well on the spatial relationships part of the IQ test. Could someone please post a photo that illustrates a workable open side up divider setup?
Thanks
M

GraphyFotoz

Opppssss forgot to update this!!

Well there is no doubt I like the Slingshot 300 AW more than the BP!!
It's layout for me is much handier and it's much more comfortable to carry.
Access to my camera is much easier also organizing my stuff is a snap.
What I carry....
20D with Grip
Sigma EX DG 24-70mm
Sigma EX DG 105mm
Gepe 4 CF Card holder
82mm Circ Pol for the 24-70.
6 Batts with travel charger
Rocket Blower/lens Pen
Wired remote
Petersens Bird Guide....compass and some other small stuff.
My Sigma EX DG APO OS 80-400 I prefer to carry in it's own case.
Quite heavy to have in bag if not on camera.
BTW: There is room for it on my camera it fits great with hood reversed!!
My only beef is I wish they offered various colors.
Black bag makes me nervous cuz black attracts heat....camo woulda been a nice option.
Lowepro definitely has a hit with the Slingshot series!!

Wanna thank everyone for their input!

claudermilk

Miguel Delinquento wrote:

I like the idea of reconfiguring my SS200 this way, but I didn't do all that well on the spatial relationships part of the IQ test. Could someone please post a photo that illustrates a workable open side up divider setup?
Thanks
M

You can check cambags.com for several examples. Also, here's a few shots of how I just redid mine. I haven't tested it like this yet, but it seems like it will work better.

Miguel Delinquento

Great-thanks.
Chris,
Thank you so much for the examples and additional links. My 7- year old son will show me how it's done.
Folks like you make Dgrin such a great community.
M