Kata KT CS-17 CS Camera Satchel Review

Customer Ratings:

This bag is one of the few that is designed for carrying a 17 inch laptop and a basic set of camera equipment in one bag. The product description states that "the Kata CS-17 Camera Satchel holds a D/SLR Camera with lens attached, up to 2 lenses (the largest being a 70-200mm 2.8 with reversed hood), accessories and up to a 17-Inch laptop computer."

Unfortunately, the bag suffers from some design issues. Beginning with the point of contact. The bag's ( Gecko ) shoulder pad has small suction grips that prevent it from slipping. These also make it uncomfortable. Even when the bag is only half full, the "Gecko" pad cuts into your shoulder. If you fill the bag completely as per their product description (as shown in the images) it becomes very uncomfortable to carry the bag around. That totally defeats the point of advertising it as a "Camera Satchel". If you're not comfortable carrying your bag around with your equipment in it , you're probably not going to carry it around a lot.

Kata also put plastic hooks on the side of the bag to which the shoulder strap attaches to. Metal hooks are more durable. Saving a few dollars but putting the customers equipment at possible risk is not a smart decision.

On the outside, the bag has 2 external pockets, one which is small and can only be used for storing a set of keys ( it has a key chain clip ) and a packet of gum which may have been their design decision but is limiting for daily use. However, the second pocket is large enough to be useful and a pair of earphones, a cellphone, battery chargers and various cables (ipod, USB, firewire etc etc) can easily fit in there.

Some positive design aspects of the bag are

Inside, there is a dedicated laptop slot with adequate padding, A 17 inch notebook should fit in there and will be well protected. A 15 inch or 13 inch will fit easily with room to spare. On the right side of the laptop slot, there are 2 pen holders and a mobile phone slot.

There's a large middle pocket.This is where you store the camera insert. The camera insert is a large rectangular pouch. A camera with a 70-200mm lens attached, another lens, battery charger + flash will fit in the camera insert. Even with the camera insert inside, there's space for a 2.5 inch portable hard drive or a book in the middle pocket.

There's a third flat pocket for smaller items like notepads, MP3 players etc. At the back there's a document pocket which is useful for storing magazines and files. An expansion zipper runs across the bottom and sides of the bag. This is used to expand the width of the bag to allow it to hold extra gear. In real world use, it helps but not that much.

The bag seals up completely. Some other messenger bags have flaps which are open from the sides, so rain water can leak in and damage your equipment. The Kata CS-17 isn't like that. It has a 2 zipper system which will prevent water from leaking into the bag if you're ever caught in a downpour. Internally it is made out of Yelloop the bright yellow soft fabric that all Kata bags are made out of. The bright yellow fabric allows you to locate items more easily in dim lighting.

It has a comfortable and sturdy carrying handle. A lot of messenger bags are designed without handles. This can be inconvenient as you're forced to use the shoulder strap all the time. Kata smartly allows you to carry the bag as you see fit in briefcase mode or messenger mode. Near the handle, there's a quick access zipper opening on top which is convenient and allows you to insert and remove items out of the bag without having to open it up completely every time.

Included with the bag is Kata's double sided all weather protection cover which can be used to protect the bag in the event of rainfall or snow or used as a makeshift reflector.

This bag was designed to meet the needs of those who need a sling bag in which they can carry a large laptop and their basic camera kit. Unfortunately, due to a few design decisions, Kata has made a 4 / 5 star product into an average 3 star product. I'd recommend ordering it and seeing if it works for you, if it does, well and good. If not then return it.

Hope this helps!

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This bag replaced a bag that came with my laptop. I bought this so I can take my camera with me on my business trips.

I can put a large 17" laptop, Nikon D80 w the 18-200mm lens and a flash. The only thing missing is a dedicated space for the laptop/business stuff like power pack, mouse, phone charger pad.

Cheap Pelican 1042 Pick N' Pluck Foam Set for 1040 Micro-Case (Grey)

Customer Ratings:

The photo is deceiving, the squares are approximately 3/8" x 3/8". They also project all the way through so if you want to only remove half way down you have to get the razor blade out. Foam serves it's purpose

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I use this along with my Pelican case 1040 for the storage and protection of my external hard drives. Perfect fit and reliable construction.

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If you need to keep breakable item safe then this will do the trick. It is made for the pelican 1040.

Honest reviews on Pelican 1042 Pick N' Pluck Foam Set for 1040 Micro-Case (Grey)

Works great with Pelican case. Comes prepunched so you can pull out these little squares until you get the fit you need

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If you put it into the case that it's intended for it does not fit well, foam is a little too big, and if you remove the rubber "seal" then you have a unsealed pelican case, worthless to me. It works, let's just put it that way and takes up unneeded space if that's what you're getting it for

Cheap Lowepro Luxe Camera Case (Pink)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $9.95
Today's Bonus: 75% Off

This is a great little camera case! It's the perfect size for my Nikon S220 digital camera. The satin microfiber lining is a perfect match for my plum color camera. It is sturdy and protective, such a nice quality leather case that it can double as a wristlet for a night out with the girls. I can slip a credit card and some cash in it and go. A while ago I had my camera stolen and it was in this case. It took me a while to find another one but I was so pleased with it that another brand would not do. Well, I found it and I am happy again. I always get compliments on my pink leather camera case and people ask where I bought it because it is so different from most of the nylon and soft leather cases in regular stores.

If your camera will fit inside, I definitely recommend it!

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i love the colorthe material is good might now be the perfect size but looks like in picture

Best Evecase Universal Blue DSLR Large Camera and Lens Carrying Pouch Deals

Customer Ratings:

Ample amounts of padding where it's needed. Good, strong seams and zippers. Adjustable interior pads to customize lens/camera fit. Plenty of pockets and webbing to stay organized and access things quickly. Compact design, but ample space for camera and 2-4 lenses. Took it to Jamaica and it kept things dry and insulated. Absolute value for the money.

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Neoprene Sleeve Case (Orange) for Canon PowerShot SD960IS Digital Reviews

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List Price: $22.98
Sale Price: $9.68
Today's Bonus: 58% Off

This case, which includes recycled materials, provides simple yet ample storage and protection for my camera.

Fits easily into my purse and is easy to locate thanks to the bright color. Not water proof, but not advertised as such.

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Discount Think Tank Hubba Hubba Hiney Large Belt Pack with Multiple

Customer Ratings:

I've been looking for a small bag for my Micro 4/3 kit for a couple of years, and I've tried a lot of bags of different sizes and shapes. Most camera bags are too large, and most courier-style bags are too tall.

The TTP Hubba Hubba Hiney is perfect for what I need. It's just the right size for a Panasonic GH2 with the 12-35/2.8 attached, and two to four other lenses -I have my 20/1.7 and my 45/1.8 stacked, and the 45-200 zoom. I could carry the 7-14 in lieu of the two primes. In the zippered front pocket I have a spare battery and a polarizing filter.

The bag comes with a nice shoulder strap that easily clips to two small loops on the top. The strap has a sliding shoulder pad that is quite sticky on one side, and adjustable for shoulder or bandolier style carry.

This bag is part of the Think Tank modular component system, so it fits on several belts and belt packs. I tried it on my Pro Speed Belt and it works very well not too large, not too small. It would make a good main pouch for a belt system, along with a lens pouch and a flash pouch for a sports photographer or photojournalist. The bag is large enough to hold a couple of larger Canon lenses like the 24-105/4 with the hood extended, and the 35/1.4 with the hood. It's not tall enough for the 70-200 though, even with the hood reversed. The 70-200/4 fits lying down, but takes up most of the inside room. I would use the bag mounted to the belt when I wanted to be a little less conspicuous when traveling.

I do wish it had a built-in waist belt that could hide inside a flap in the back, rather than requiring a large dedicated belt. Also, the two open stretchy mesh pouches on the very front aren't that useful for anything beyond a lens cap anything heavier or more valuable would fall out.

This bag easily fits inside my carry-on computer bag for air travel. In fact, two of these would fit vertically inside the bag, a Mountainsmith computer satchel, meaning I can carry my wife's camera system too.

Overall it's a nice little bag with some good features for a reasonable price. TTP stuff is very well made and I expect it to last a long time.

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Nice belt pack.

Using it with a Fuji XE1 and I can get the camera with lens mounted, more lenses and some stuff in easily. Have not worn it for hiking but should be OK.

This is a lightly built piece not heavily padded or with much dimensional support.

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I own a Lumix GH3 which I pack here with 4 lenses and an external mic! Quite crowded... but they fit! Bag design is nice, comfortable to wear and great for carrying a micro 4/3 system lightly. Highly recommended. Absolutely

Honest reviews on Think Tank Hubba Hubba Hiney Large Belt Pack with Multiple

As I am aging I find that backpack camera bags are a bit tough on my lower back. I decided to switch to this belt pack with removable dividers, which changes the pressure points and is much easier now that the weight is distributed around my waist and hips. I carry three lenses in this pouch (100mm, 14mm, and 50mm) and carry my camera (5D Mark III) in a second, smaller pouch that I purchased separately. I don't use the strap.

To accomplish this purpose I bought the Think Tank Speed Changer V2.0 Multi-Use Belt Pouch (for the camera) and Think Tank Pro Speed Belt Version 2.0 (for the sake of my lower back).

Between the two pouches there is enough room for two ND filters, extra battery, several extra flash cards, and a baseball cap for sunny days. I could easily put a few more small items in the pouches (not lenses), but I don't try to cram things in.

I've been caught in a couple of unexpected downpours and the built-in rain protection worked flawlessly (I got pretty soaked with only a ball cap for protection, but the camera and lenses were completely dry.)

I am delighted with the combination and consider the money well spent.

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For wedding shooting I no longer have to leave my bag with the DJ. I have my bag on my belt (both hands free).

Discount Vivitar Series One Digital SLR Camera/Laptop Sling Backpack - Large

Customer Ratings:

Bought this kit from Amazon three weeks ago.

About the seller: Fast shipping. Arrived on the 5th or 6th business day as promised. Good packaging. I would recommend and buy from again in the future.

Note to the seller: On Amazon, I found the backpack + cleaning kit priced for 69.95 and the back pack, cleaning kit + tripod priced for 69.95. I chose the latter and if this is a price mistake, please correct it.

About the item: The bag is fabulous. It has space for my 15.4 laptop with an extended battery and I was able to fit another netbook in the sleeve compartment. I believe it will fit a 17" laptop perfectly. I carried my Nikon D5100 with a 18-55mm stock lens, a telephoto lens, camcorder, and cleaning kit, along with the power cables and all related accessories. The padding is excellent and the lens as well as the DSLR were well protected. I have not taken it on a hike yet, but I was able to take the backpack on a 24 hr long international flight to India and it met travel requirements by airline. At least no airline asked me to check it in. In fact I carried most of my travel documents as well in this backpack. This should give you an adequate idea of it's capacity. The chest and waist straps are a nice plus and distribute weight well.

There is a rain cover included and the backpack can also be fitted on top of a roll-aboard luggage. There is a sleeve on the laptop which makes it extremely convenient.

Cons:

1. There is a tripod loop as well, but this loop was not effective as somewhere along my journey the spider tripod that was part of this kit fell off. For larger tripods it might be more effective as there is a tripod base pocket included. More on the tripod later.

2. The shoulder adjustment buckle sits exactly at the point below the shoulder ball and socket joint and this might cause some chafing to some people particularly on long hikes. This is a very individual specific con and it might be better for most other people.

For the price, I think this backpack blows away the competition.

Cleaning kit: Not much to say. Hurricane blower + Lenspen. Nice accessory bundle. Fairly comprehensive.

Tripod: I carried this tripod with me because I did not want to carry something larger on a family vacation. This tripod is just a gimmick and it was useful for my camcorder, but definitely not with a DSLR. It is meant for small handheld cameras and camcorders and does not hold up well under the weight of a DSLR. It was definitely useful for my camcorder though. As I mentioned it dropped off somewhere along the way and is not something I will miss for the DSLR.

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After about 4 hours of use one day the computer laptop/ iPad compartment zipper failed, It is made in such a way that the zipper takes all the weight of the bag. I had to resort to sewing it closed with heavy duty truing. It still doe not hold the weight right. Total dis appointment. It sits in my closet now.

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Perfect, exatcly as it says on picture! I love it! very good looking, fits my equipment perfectly! thank you!

=D

Discount Riva Case 8160 - Notebook-Rucksack - 16"

Customer Ratings:

The RIvaCase 8160 is sort of small backpack but yet it should have more than enough room for what you need to take to class on a daily basis.

I really like the back and straps. If you've ever walked any distance with a full backpack then you'll know things get hot and you sweat, the 8160 is made to allow airflow behind the bag and between it and your back so it should help keep you cooler. The straps are mesh as well and the padding has holes in it for airflow.

The bag itself is made of a thick polyester material so it certainly feels sturdy to me. The bag, new, is very stiff from the thick material, but I'm sure with use it should relax and get softer.

The laptop compartment is well padded so it should offer a lot of protection for your laptop while traveling.

The price varies where you look but it's about $75 on average,on Amazon it's less, so it's not what I would call inexpensive and for that you do get a nice quality bag. I'm giving it to one of my kids for school to use everyday and I'm confident it will last all year and longer.

Pros:

+Small and compact bag

+Very well made

+Several pockets

+Soft and padded straps and back

Cons:

-Might be considered small by some

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Delkin DDSPROC550D-B Snug-it Pro Protective Camera Skin for Canon Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

I like the protection that the skin gives my Canon SLR, but there are several points I would like to share.

DESCRIPTION: the skin is easy to install, slipping over the camera body. It has cut-outs at the bottom, over the SD card port, the flash, the dial, and over other strategic areas.

One of the cut-outs is positioned over the video-out port. Since I do a lot of macro photography, I stick a penny in there to provide scaling in my botany photographs (in case I forget to bring my little ruler).

The skin has a slight, protruding lip surrounding the base of the lens where it is inserted into the camera body. This lip provides a nice seal at the juncture.

When removing the battery from its compartment, I use a finger to pull back the edge of the skin, to keep it from obstructing or damaging the hinge on the battery compartment cover.

After applying the skin, I started getting an error message (about an obstruction) when pressing the button (unsuccessfully) to open the onboard flash. The skin turned out to be the culprit, but the fix--as it turned out--was easy.

PROS:

* The heavy rubber skin provides a nice, solid grip.

* It is solidly made, and can be removed from the camera and reapplied as needed.

* All controls covered by the skin are responsive, although they seem to take a tad more pressure to operate.

* The cutout allows unobstructed access to the SD card port.

CONS:

* The raised, textured surfaces allow you to see WHERE all the buttons and controls are, but not WHAT they are. Since I don't use the camera on a daily basis, this is a problem. I get around it by carrying a cheat sheet for my camera model (I like the diagram on the Blue Crane Digital cheat sheet). You could also print out the diagram from the camera manual.

* There is a rubber flap that covers the hot shoe, which was the cause of the problem I was having in attempting to open the onboard flash. I discovered that pulling the flap back before pressing the flash button made the problem disappear.

* The kit comes with a plastic LCD cover. I couldn't get it to stay in place, and did not like peering through the extra layer of plastic. Since I am no fan of digital camera LCD's, this was not an important issue. I never use the cover.

CONCLUSIONS: I recommend the Delkin skin and leave it on my camera at all times. The only serious drawback is the inability to identify the buttons. The need to pull back the hot shoe flap (or the battery compartment surround) is no longer a problem once you understand the issue and get in the habit of doing so. Forget the LCD cover.

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Here is some of my opinions!

Pros:

Skin feels smooth but grippy and I like how it feels in my hands.

Comes with rear view lcd protection film and a plastic cover that is mounted in the skin, Dual Layers!

Gives me peace of mind especially with some of the sunny and rainy weather we have here in beautiful Hawaii.

It is not meant to weather-proof your camera, but I feel a little safer bringing the camera to the beach or hiking or shooting in the rain.

May also help reduce wear and tear , but it heavily depends on what you do.

Buttons on skin are labeled, so you won't have to "guess"

Cons:

M.Func button a bit tougher to distinguish and feel out feels almost part of the skin. I wished that they made it more grooved or bumpy, so it is easier to find when shooting. But after a while I got used to finding the button with the skin on.

Adds Bulk.

I wished Delkin provided a top lcd protection film and plastic cover also.

Covers receiver for wireless remote.

May not play nicely with battery grips

Expensive, I do not understand why this skin is much more expensive than other skins for other cameras.

I love this skin.

It was hard for me to make a decision in buying this, but would have been easier for me (& other potential buyers) to buy this if it was cheaper.

Thats why the 4 stars.

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Not only do I not have problems finding buttons with this silicone sleeve over my Canon, but they are also labeled. I am not sure if they changed the design or if other reviewers just can't see the symbols (they are a little dark). Either way, if you don't know where the buttons on your expensive Canon are, then you should probably have that figured out by now.

This sleeve has sustained a few drops on many backpacking trips. I have owned it for 6 months now, and it has been on top of mountains and in wet locations, as well as in the desert in blowing sand. I couple this sleeve with a plastic grocery bag wrapped around my camera for areas with fine dust and sand, such as Antelope Canyon in AZ. Worked like a charm, and a few other cameramen in the cramped canyon commented on it.

Pretty handy thing to have. I haven't taken it off my camera yet in the six months I have owned it.

Honest reviews on Delkin DDSPROC550D-B Snug-it Pro Protective Camera Skin for Canon

If you just use the camera by itself and have been using your camera for a while so you know where all the buttons areits a cool product. Its attractive, functions well, and is snug!

If you use your camera with a viewfinder or a battery gripthis is NOT the product for you. It doesnt fitnot even close. Some folks advised cutting it with a razortried that and its not easy and just never fits right. I ended up ripping mine.

They really should state that this product is NOT compatible with grips and viewfinders. It ended up being a waste of money for me.

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This cover fit my Canon Rebel T2i like a glove. As you can see from the video the buttons are clearly marked (some reviewers said they weren't). And there is a hole pre-cut for the remote sensor (again, some reviews said they had to make a hole).

This case offers great protection for the camera. I take it everywhere and usually have it hanging from my shoulder just by the strap without the case. My wife really wanted some protection from dings and scraps and this fits the bill.

The lens was a little hard to change, it took about 30 seconds, but with practice I think it will get easier. It is not difficult to change the lens at all, just a little time consuming as you maneuver around the silicone cover.

It is very snug and has access for the memory card and av port. It was easy to put on too. The hard screen protector fits very well and I haven't had any issues with it. It also comes with a very nice one that you apply to the screen if you would rather not use the hard plastic one.I would definitely recommend this product.

Please note that this is for the Rebel T2i so I can't speak for the other models as each is probably slightly different.

Buy Tamrac 5315 Black Travel Zoom 5 Camera Bag

Customer Ratings:

I recently purchased the black with grey piping version of this bag for hiking or traveling light with my D200 with 18-200 mm zoom. When the hood is inverted, the camera with lens attached fits snugly into the holster. There is room for the shoulder strap to fold up and sit next to the lens. I carry an extra battery in one side pocket and a bulb style air blower and tissue in the other. The front pocket holds a 72 mm Quantaray Professional circular polarizer and extra PQI 133x 2 GB compact flash card.

For security, the top can be both zipped closed and clipped. For quicker access, I simply clip it.

I've found the removable dividers in other bags troublesome, so I like it that the camera with lens fits tightly in its own compartment and can't bang against other objects.

The double belt loops are another feature I like. I use them when carrying the camera on my bike. To attach the bag to my bike, I use 3 Kable Keepers 8 inch black velcro straps. Two tie the plastic clip shoulder stap loops to the handlebar. Since velcro doesn't always hold and a camera is an expensive tool to drop at 40 mph, I attach a third through the belt loops and around the stem. Wrapped this way, the bag top is above the handle bars, so it can be opened without removing it from the bike.

I'm not a fan of grey piping or multi-colored bags. A black Sharpie cured the problem and also subdued the Tamrac label.

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