Lowepro Santiago 20 Compact Camera Case Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I have a "Canon S95" and also the "Caselogic TBC-302" case which I love but at the suggestion of another reviewer I bought this case just to try it out. I found it to be a good case and made well but there is not any padding inside and no room for anything in there but an extra SD card if positioned right. I like to keep a couple extra batteries in the case so I prefer the "Caselogic TBC-302". See my review there.

You can find it here:Caselogic TBC-302 FFP Compact Camera Case (Black)

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Lowepro's LP3663 Santiago 20 case is the same as the regular Santiago 20 case, except for the gray color. That being the case, why it should cost over 30% more is a bit baffling.

Typical for Lowepro, build quality is mostly good. The case is stiffened to hold its shape under a reasonable about of pressure, and has what feels like a nylon covering over a stiff but flexible EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) shell. The case isn't "crushproof", but it should hold up fairly well under most general use conditions. There are no external pockets or compartments.

The belt loop is made of some kind of thin synthetic material. At only 1.5" wide and 3" across, the loop is too loose for my taste. If you have a narrower belt, which is typically true for most people, the case will slide around quite a bit. Widening the loop and tightening it up to 2" across would be a better idea. The case has two sets of zipper handles, so when worn on your belt, it's generally more convenient to open the case using both hands.

The case also comes with a thin nylon shoulder strap. The strap has a thin plastic clip which could easily break. This is an example of skimping by Lowepro, who have a troubling tendency to use plastic parts in critical applications, for many of their cases, such as their Toploader series.

Inside, the Santiago 20 has a pocket on the front side of the case. Depending on your camera, you might be able to squeeze a memory card, battery, or both in this space. There is an elastic strap, on the belt loop side of the case, that can be used secure the camera in place. The case is designed to open only about 60 degrees, which helps keep your camera from accidentally spilling out.

I got this case specifically for a Canon S95 point and shoot, a camera with straight sides and relatively sharp corners. I already had a softer case with more padding, which was fine for basic protection, but was looking for a rigid case for added protection. Although it's possible to squeeze both a spare battery and SD card inside the case, closing the zipper was a little tough, so I usually just put the camera in.

Overall, while this is a well constructed case, I found that it was a bit small for the S95, and I ended up giving the case to someone who had a slightly smaller camera. If you have any doubt whether this case is big enough, it's highly advisable that you physically verify that your camera fits by testing it out in a store. Unless gray is worth paying a premium, you might want to look at the regular black Santiago 20 case. If this case is too small, you might take a look at Lowepro's Santiago 30 case.

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This case is great. I like that it's hard, so it protects my camera, also it arrived in 3 days. I am very happy with this purchase.