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I would describe myself as an enthusiastic amateur photographer/videographer who frequently travels with a lot of equipment.
This series of backpacks has been given high ratings by a number of users which prompted my initial interest. I live in a small town and was unable to get a "hands on" look at this backpack, although my local vendor did carry the Aero series of packs.
Prior to purchase I was looking for:
1) Protection for my 2008 15in MacBook Pro (LED series)
2) Protection for my Canon EOS 40D with multiple lenses
3) The ability to bring my Sony HDV Handycam
4) Plenty of room for accessories and additional small items
5) A sturdy external construction that would survive travel and hiking
6) A bag would serve as a carry-on for flights
This bag meets and exceeds my expectations. I am able to fit the bag under the seat of regional and large jets. On regional jets, it won't always fit in an overhead compartment...but I'm sure that this can vary among airlines.
In addition to the expectations above there are several other pluses:
1) The waste-strap provides plenty of extra support when you load up this bag
2) The inside may be customized in a number of configurations to suit your equipment needs with well designed velcro pads (keeps wasted space to a minimum)
3) There is room for later expansion with Tamrac's SAS and MAS systems
Be Aware:
1) This is a large backpack as others have suggested. Though it would appear to work well in a plane, it barely makes it under some seats. When there is a tight fit in an airplane you will have some difficulty getting access to your laptop without a bit of work.
2) This is probably not a bag to be used for short trips with a small amount of stuff...this bag is designed to be a carry-all.
3) It would appear that the zippers on laptop access portion of this bag are similar to the waterproof/rubberized zippers that have been given low ratings on other Tamrac bags in the past. I have not experienced any issues with these so far, though my time with this bag has been short to date.
I highly recommend this bag to those that have expectations similar to mine.
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I am not sure how it happened but the amount of photographic equipment and accessories I've accumulated has blossomed like a mushroom cloud. I found myself carrying two or three bags of equipment with me when I went out on a photo shoot. This became cumbersome and frustrating. I decided what I needed was a bag that could hold my gear and keep it protected while I was out in the field. I looked at several before finally deciding on the Tamrac 5587 photo backpack.
Part of the problem with buying a bag over the Internet is that you never quite know how big it really is. I read the description of this bag but still did not have a clear vision of the size. I placed an order thinking I knew how big it was but when it arrived I was slightly stunned. This is by no means a small bag. It is large enough to require a waist belt and for good reason. The bag itself is capable of holding quite a lot of equipment. To give you an idea let me share with you what I had in the bag during my last assignment.
I was able to include a Nikon D300 camera with a Nikkor 80-400mm lens, a Nikon D200 camera with a Nikkor 18-200mm lens, a Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 lens, two Nikon SB800 flash units, a Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 lens, a Gitzo GM3551 monopod (strapped to the outside), an assortment of batteries, filters, lens caps, cleaning supplies, 12 Compact Flash memory cards, an Apple MacBook Pro 15", and the power cables and connections for the computer. All of this gear fit comfortably in the backpack. Once loaded it was by no means lightweight but I at least felt like the gear was protected and I could carry everything I needed in 1 bag.
The construction of the bag is first rate. The zippers are heavy duty and the velcro seems to be top notch. There are several adjustments that can be made to make the bag fit well. Fully loaded the weight seems to be distributed well so it was not overly painful to carry it. I would not want to hike for days with this on my back but over the course of several hours covering a soccer tournament it worked pretty well. The base is fairly square so it stands up on the ground pretty well. While I like the waist strap for carrying it, it does get in the way when you are not wearing the backpack. I wish there was a way of removing the waist strap but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be possible. Overall I like the idea, just be aware that it is pretty large so don't be too surprised by the large box it is delivered in.
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I actually didn't expect this bag/backpack to be so big. However, it makes sense and it holds allot of equipment and the Sony 15.4" laptop all in one bag with good solid construction and padding along with some light rain guard on the outer areas. It fits well, is very adjustable, comfy but heavy especially when filled. However, to me that is a no brainer. If you are looking for light weight this is NOT it. It does what it should and does it well and it moves well with you when hiking or on uneven terrain it doesn't throw you off balance as some other more stiffly attached ones do. Remember this bag/backpack comes in a larger one (Expedition 9x) and 2-3 smaller ones (Expedition 3x & 5x). These are usually on display at larger camera specialty shops, so go check it out before you buy it. Do search around as you can find good prices as with most items prices change often.
Honest reviews on Tamrac 5587 Expedition 7x Photo/Laptop Backpack (Black)
As a professional photojournalist, this bag does almost everything I could ask for. I have some quibbles but for the most part, they are just that...quibbles. This huge bag is pretty well designed, extremely well padded, pretty rugged and has served me quite well.
I don't remember exactly when I purchased the Tamarac Expedition. It was somewhere between 3 1/2 and 5 years ago. In that time, it has proved itself to be just exactly what I need as a photojournalist both in the field and in transit.
The first thing that I noticed about the Tamarac Expedition is its size. This thing is HUGE. If it was white, one might be mistaken for an Apollo astronaut preparing to walk on the moon. For some, the size will be too big but for me it's just right. Having a large bag like this allows me to not only carry multiple camera bodies and lenses, but it also allows me to carry a plethora of accessories into the field when necessary. The ability to carry enormous amounts of extra stuff means that I rarely find myself in need of anything if this is the bag I've grabbed on the way out the door to an assignment. In addition to all the obvious things like extra lenses, bodies, flashes, cleaning kits and so on, I also have plenty of space which is used for the bejillion little things that one always seems to need and never seems to have when something goes wrong in the field including extra lens caps, LCD covers, remote triggering accessories, a flashlight, a knife, battery packs, earplugs, gloves, camera covers and a reflective yellow safety vest.
The Tamarac Expedition has a myriad of adjustments that allow the wearer to make it comfortable. In fact, I would submit that there may be a few too many adjustments on this bag as I find myself constantly at war trying to find new and innovative ways to secure straps and pull ties that always seem to be flopping around.
One of the most important aspects of any camera transportation system is padding. Carrying expensive camera equipment has been likened to carrying a pair of jars when one is inside the other. The Tamarac Expedition 7 REALLY delivers in this area.
The padding on this bag is quite thick, chiefly because of the designer's apparent goal of user comfort. The padding and lumbar support on the back of this bag is quite thick which not only gives comfort to the wearer, but as an added bonus, gives the all important duty of keeping the contents of the bag that much more padded. In addition, since this bag is designed with a laptop pocket, that too is padded which again provides the real cargo (camera and lenses) with even MORE padding.
Inside, the Tamarac backpack continues the padding theme but on a far lessor scale. The adjustable dividers that are provided with this product are thinner than outside but quite adequate at keeping even heavy cameras and lenses separated in individually adjusted compartments. I also like, and wish there were more of, the velcro straps that allow you to "tie down" cameras or long lenses in the larger compartments.
The Tamarac backpack has a fair number of relatively small pockets and pouches. The way these are designed into the bag makes it look cool but frankly I would prefer a little more space to a little more style. One example of this is what I consider to be wasted space on the top of the bag where there is a small pocket for putting the feet of a tripod and above that empty space in between two oblong pockets where the tripod ostensibly rests. I never use this "feature" preferring to strap a tripod to the bottom of a backpack and I miss the pocket that could have been there instead.
If there is a downside to this camera bag, it is brought on only by one's own stupidity. It's possible to overload this bag so much that it would be truly a burden to carry for long periods of time. Ask me how I know this. ;-) In general, however, the big shoulder pads and heavily padded back, along with a very large waist belt system, make this camera bag quite comfortable to wear, usually. If I could change one thing about this, it would be to reduce the lumbar support by 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch because it sticks out just too far.
The only failure I've experienced with this bag is an area on the right hand side where the shell has somehow come unstitched for about 4 inches near the top flap. I don't believe that this was a user error but I really don't know how it happened, so take that for what it's worth.
All-in-all I pretty much like the Tamarac Expedition 7. From the materials it's made out of to most of its design, it is a very good backpack for those who have need of carrying large amounts of delicate equipment. The padding is outstanding (maybe a little too good in the lumbar area) but I would still recommend this product to fellow photojournalists or others who might want to take a large amount of stuff into the field. For me, the price is on the high side, but the utility of this backpack really meets my needs.
*Note: I wrote this review with my husband who is a photojournalist. All of the above opinions/words/sentiments are his.
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This is absolutely the perfect photo bag for me. It's comfortable, rides well, carries everything I could need in the field, including a tripod. I think the design is by far the best so far.
