The Photocrati Blog

Lowepro Napoli Pouches Review Round-Up

Lightweight and compact, the Napoli series of pouches are the perfect option for consumers to carry and protect their ultra-compact digital camera, such as the Nikon CoolPix L3 and the Canon PowerShot SD450. With its durable, fine-grain, nappa leather exterior and soft padded suede interior this new line of pouches protects digital cameras against scratches and impact when transported by hand, in pockets, purses or bags. READ FULL REVIEW AT SHUTTERBUG.NET

If you own or have used this bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Lowepro Napoli 10 Digital Camera Pouch – BLACK

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Nikon 80-200mm f/4 AI-S Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Ken Rockwell

This is the best manual focus telephoto zoom for Nikon. Of course if you can find one of the huge (95 mm filter) manual focus 80 – 200mm f/2.8s don’t let me stop you, but for my bag I’d get one of these if I wanted a manual focus tele zoom. “¦ READ FULL REVIEW

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Lowepro Off Road Beltpack Review Round-Up

Lowepro Off Road Beltpack: ideal for one DSLR body and 1-2 larger lenses or 3-4 primes. The Off Road is good for photojournalism, traveling, or hiking. The additional zoom lenses can be carried with the removable SlipLock cases on either side of the main compartment. If you are traveling light, you can take them off and just use the main compartment.

Each SlipLock case will also hold either a water bottle or snacks, a convenient feature for an off-road experience. If the supplied SlipLock cases aren’t the right size for your lenses, Lowepro makes about 30 different cases which can be looped on to the beltpack and compression-strapped to the main compartment. When hiking or traveling, it may not be so comfortable to fill the Off Road bag to capacity, as this puts a lot of weight on your hips. Also, I found I had to occasionally cinch the waistbelt tighter to prevent too much bouncing of the heavier bag while walking or biking. In this case, the shoulder strap comes in handy. You can have the bag strapped around your waist, as well as cross-supported over your shoulder. READ FULL REVIEW AT PHOTO.NET

If you own or have used this bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Lowepro Off Road Camera Beltpack (Black)

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Lowepro Photo Runner Review Round-Up

Lowepro Photo Runner Camera Bag: ideal for one DSLR body and a zoom or prime attached, plus one additional small prime lens. The Photo Runner is applicable for photojournalism, traveling, hiking, cycling, where only a small kit is needed.

I tested this bag in some of the most extreme dusty conditions. I spent a week in Nevada in the dusty desert, filling the Photo Runner bag with a Canon EOS 30D with a 24-70/2.8L lens attached, and a Sigma 30mm/1.4. The bag held up well. Although dusty on the outside, the zippers and durable ripstop fabric sealed the camera from dust and the elements while inside the bag. I was also able to quickly put the camera back in the waistpack. As an extra precaution, I also used a plastic ziplock bag to further protect the camera from dust when in use. …

For small photojournalism projects/assignments, this bag allows discreet and comfortable transport, although when traveling, you may be mistaken for a tourist with a fanny pack. I can also access my camera more easily than if I were to use a backpack or shoulder bag. … READ FULL REVIEW AT PHOTO.NET

If you own or have used this bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Lowepro Photo Runner Camera Bag (Black)

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Think Tank Urban Disguise 50 Review Round-Up

There are times when it’s OK, even cool, to look the part of a professional photographer, but other times, keeping a low profile is a much smarter course of action. Let’s face it, an obvious camera bag can make you a target for a soft or hard theft, and nothing ruins a vacation or business trip like losing all your gear.

That’s the thinking behind the Think Tank Urban Disguise series of camera bags. This scaled line starts small and finishes quite large, all in a subtle, non-overtly camera-bag styling. At a glance, the bags look just like ballistic nylon briefcases and laptop bags, but, really, they’re built to haul camera gear.

READ FULL REVIEW AT POPPHOTO

If you own or have used this bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Think Tank Urban Disguise 50, Plain Looking, Fully Functional Briefcase Size Shoulder Bag for Two Pro SLRs, Multiple Lenses & 15

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Nikon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-D Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Ken Rockwell

This crappy little plastic-mount $100 lens is a surprisingly excellent performer. In fact, this is the best example I’ve seen of a lens that stupider people will dismiss without even trying it, whereas in fact it is among the best midrange zooms I’ve used! READ FULL REVIEW

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Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC EX macro AF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Photo Zone

Generally the Sigma AF 18-50mm f/2.8 DC EX macro delivered a solid performance but without being any better than the competition. The resolution results are generally very fine except at 18mm where the extreme border performance leaves something to be desired below f/5.6. Distortions as well as CAs are about in line with the rest of the gang. Typical for most dedicated APS-C lenses the vignetting could be a little better at wide-open aperture. The build quality and handling of the Sigma is fine. The Sigma offers lots of bangs for your bucks but the comparable Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 SP seems to be a better alternative. “¦ READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S Nikkor Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: Nikon 14-24MM F/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens and Accessory Outfit

Photo Zone

The Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED N is a phenomenal lens. It is the sharpest ultra-wide angle lens tested to date. The resolution figures are simply stunning and unprecedented specifically at 14mm … So far it is the only lens in this class which has the potential to scale beyond the pixel-density of 10mp APS-C sensors. And it doesn’t even stop here – distortions and lateral CAs are very well-controlled and vignetting is basically a non-issue in field conditions. Naturally even this Nikkor is not perfect in the true sense – it can flare quite a bit with streaking light sources and the bokeh can look a little rough … The immense front element may be responsible for the superb performance, but it prohibits front filters thus leaving the protruding front element quite vulnerable. … Nonetheless – taking the sum of its qualities into account the verdict can only be … highly recommended! READ FULL REVIEW

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Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II Review Round-Up

Adjustments are found all over the pack to maximize the support and comfort the Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II Backpack provides to each of our unique bodies. Perhaps the biggest and most unique adjustment involves an ingenious device called the Pack Jack. Shaped like a large, flat arrow, the thin, stiff plastic Pack Jack slides down behind the shoulder strap harness to release the hook & loop that holds it in place. Adjust the shoulder harness to your preferred ride height and slide the Pack Jack out.

The hook & loop again takes solid hold and the Pack Jack stows out of the way behind the shoulder harness (or can be removed completely). You are left with a pack customized for your back. …

The exterior of the Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II Backpack features water-resistant 600D ripstop nylon and 600D Enduraâ„¢ nylon. It is attractive and rugged with a quality feel. … A rain coat-like cover is included (stowed in a pouch under the pack) to help keep the backpack dry. READ FULL REVIEW AT DIGITAL PICTURE

If you own or have used this bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II Camera Backpack (Black)

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Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED AF-S Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Photo Zone

The Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED is a very decent standard zoom. The resolution characteristics is very good throughout the zoom range and vignetting is very well controlled whereas distortions are about average for a lens in this class. CAs are a weak spot at 24mm only. Mechanically it is good quality consumer lens with a fast and near-silent AF. All-in-all a pretty harmonious package but probably not all that attractive anymore on APS-C DSLRs where a wide-angle setting of 24mm already tends to be a little too long for a standard zoom. … READ FULL REVIEW

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