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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Lowepro Compact ILC Courier 70 is a basic shoulder/belt bag designed for smaller interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) such as the Olympus micro 4/3 "Pen" cameras (E-PL1, E-PL2, E-PL3, etc.) or the Sony NEX cameras. The primary benefits of this case are that it's small, lightweight and has a few extra accessory pockets (including a detachable lens pouch) for these smaller cameras.
It turns out I'm an ideal person to review this bag because I own both an Olympus E-PL1 and a Sony NEX-3 with multiple lenses for both cameras. The case works fine with my E-PL1 with 14-42mm kit lens stored in the main camera compartment and the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens stored in the detachable lens pouch.
Unfortunately, the fit for the NEX was less than ideal. The paper tag on the Lowepro Courier 70 specifically says, "Fits Sony NEX camera with 18-55mm lens attached; pancake/16mm lens in the lens pouch." However, it's VERY difficult to get the Sony 16mm pancake lens (with front and rear protective caps) into and out of the lens pouch. The lens pouch is slightly too small for the 16mm lens so you either have to "force" the lens into the pouch and then struggle to pull it out when you need it, or you have to leave either the front or rear protective cap off of the lens so that it will easily slide into and out of the pouch.
Whoever was responsible for designing the lens pouch to work with the 16mm lens at Lowepro FAILED at his or her job.
Another minor thing related to the lens pouch that I dislike about this case is that although it was designed to work as a belt pack there is NO WAY to connect the lens pouch to the main bag if you remove the shoulder strap. Obviously, if you're going to use the camera on your belt then you don't want the shoulder strap attached ... but then you can't use the lens pouch.
My only other complaint is that the zipper pulls are too thin/small. Lowepro used thin rope/string as the zipper pulls on this bag and it's hard to grab them quickly. It would have been much better if they used standard metal zipper pulls or larger paracord zipper pulls.
Overall, if you want a very basic and very compact bag for your Olympus Pen camera or Sony NEX camera then this will do the job, but there are many better camera bags out there if you're willing to use a slightly larger bag.
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I have been looking for a good case for my Sony NEX-6 and have found that the ones recommended are either too large or too small. What I look for in a case is a good fit, protection, a belt loop so it doesn't swing around and is always where I expect it to be, right at my waist.I bought the NEX-6 because it has an excellent viewfinder, reasonably good image quality due to the relatively large sensor which also gives it amazing low light capabilities all in a very compact and convenient package. I therefore wanted a case that didn't add to the bulk of the camera which would defeat some of it's advantages. The Courier 70 is just large enough so that the NEX-6 fits both sideways (vertically) or face down. The case has both a zippered opening which I don't routinely use and a flap closure which goes over the zippered portion and attaches to the front of the case using a velcro closure. I like to be able to get my camera in and out of the bag quickly so I don't miss a shot and that is why I usually use the top flap and not the zippered portion below it. The case also has room for an extra battery and a compartment for the lens cap. It isn't the most heavily padded case but you will find that it is sturdy and padded sufficiently to protect your camera.
Now, for those of you who own the Sony NEX-6 and also bought the optional long zoom lens, the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 Lens for Sony NEX Cameras, the Courier 70 will accommodate the NEX-6 with the 55-210 lens on the camera however, you can not zip it shut but you can close it using the flap which goes over the zipped portion of the case and yes, it can still reach the velcro closure making it secure. You can of course zip it shut with the standard pancake 16-50mm lens without any difficulty.
For those of you who do own the longer 55-210 optional lens and were wondering what case you could use to carry it with you, Lowepro does make a smaller pouch case that it will fit in perfectly, (as will the NEX-6 vertically) the Lowepro Rezo 60 Camera Case (Black) which also has a belt loop and will fit nicely beside the Courier 70. The lens fits perfectly in the Rezo 60 with the lens shade reversed over the lens and the case has enough padding to protect the lens. Buy them both and you'll be covered. For those times that you only wish to use the pancake lens, the NEX-6 does fit in the Rezo 60 which makes for a very compact package.
Hoped this helped my fellow NEX-6 owners.
Best Deals for Lowepro Compact ILC Courier 70 Digital Micro Four-Thirds Camera
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Lowepro Compact ILC Courier 70 Digital Micro Four-Thirds Camera Case is a good small camera bag for products such as the Sony NEX series, Olympus PEN Series, Panasonic Lumix GF series, Samsung NX 100.Pros:
Well padded interior
Accessory pocket for SD / CF cards or other small items
Includes small lens pouch that attaches to the camera bag strap.
Cons:
May not be fully weather resistant. The main compartment zipper is partially exposed, even when the cover flap is closed, so water could get into the bag if you are caught out in the rain.
As a side note, I got this bag hoping to use it with a small Canon DSLR but the bag is far too small to serve that purpose. Make sure to check your camera size against the dimensions of this bag (interior size: 5.1 x 2.8 x 5.3 in. or 13 x 7 x 11.5 cm) before purchasing.
Honest reviews on Lowepro Compact ILC Courier 70 Digital Micro Four-Thirds Camera
I'll start with the bad part, perhaps saving you from having to read more than is necessary and also from buying a case you can't use...Despite all the great features described below, I've found after several trips "in the field" that it is useless. The problem is the opening. It is too narrow to get a grip on my Fujifilm X-A1 (very nice camera, btw) and to remove it without a struggle against it catching on one side or the other. This would still be a nice and secure way to transport a small camera. However, if your goal is as mine was, to have a case that provided quick and convenient access, then you should look elsewhere.
Now, for the rest...
The fit is good, tending toward snug. That's OK for me. A nice thing is I can make the case roomier by taking out the padded insert. That leaves me with a much roomier nylon bag if I want to have that as an option. It also means I can use the padded insert by itself if I want to carry my camera in a briefcase, backpack, messenger bag, etc without having to take the whole camera case.
This bag has four compartments:
The big space where I put my camera.
The SD card holder.
A large pouch that makes up the entire back of the bag. It's where the microfiber cloth is stored and is large enough to hold a spare battery, a lens pen, and a fair amount of additional stuff.
The add-on pouch that's designed for a small lens and can also be used for filters.
The shoulder strap is a basic nylon web strap whose best feature is that it's removable. What I found works perfectly with this case is a NITE IZE S Biner Ahhh clip. It's just the right size to fit on the case's wide belt loop. The other end goes to my pants belt loop of attaches to my backpack or messenger bag. (And, in a pinch I can use it to open a bottle of... beverage.)
When I use the case without the shoulder strap (which is always) the two end flaps (where the strap attached) tuck under the flap making for a compact package.
BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've gotten from other reviewers and continue to return the favor as best as I can.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lowepro Compact ILC Courier 70 Digital Micro Four-Thirds Camera
This bag works extremely well for carrying around Micro 4/3rd systems. In particular, my Olympus EPL2 with kit zoom fit in the main pocket very well, and my 17mm prime lens fit into the lens pouch. Note that you can't do it the other way around (the zoom doesn't fit into the lens pouch).I really like the minimalist, extremely lightweight nature of the bag, which fits very well with the general idea of M4/3rds cameras. My criticism mainly involves the lens pouch, as it's not large enough to fit most kit zooms and seems like an afterthought more than anything, with zero padding and a flimsy velcro attachment.
My other criticism of this bag is that unlike other Lowepros, the zipper design for the main pouch makes it extremely difficult to take your camera out with any amount of speed and finesse (which eliminates the possibility of quick point and shoot situations and also the ability to shoot the camera without fiddling with a strap and leaving it in the bag most of the time).
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