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For the Journey - Packing the gear

by Mike McNamee

Manfrotto Pro Series

These backpacks are the latest in the Manfrotto range and are the offspring of Kata bags. They come with the light but substantial construction that the Katas had and are available in three sizes:

We looked in detail at the 30-litre variant. This nominally holds a DSLR with adjustable slots/pockets for seven other items - plenty for a walk in the country, or a wedding shoot.

We wrote in detail about the requirements for the capacity of sacks in the last issue. Thirty litres is at the mid- to lower-end of the range for a mountain day-sack; the bag is almost full before you add any 'survival' gear (hats, coats, food maps, etc). Also the waist belt is not padded and should be regarded as a stability feature only. For normal backpacking the waist should bear between 70% and 80% of the total load. This bag should therefore be considered for short walks only (say up to two miles in hills or four on the flat). This covers a lot of what people might have cause to do. The walk from the car to the church or wedding reception is thus a bit of a stroll; an hour on the underground might get a little tedious on a hot day.

Let's consider two scenarios and pack the bag accordingly - a wedding and a landscape shoot.

For the wedding shoot we have packed two camera bodies, two flashguns and the 'standard' three lenses, as well as a laptop (the bag is designed for a 13" Macbook). For the landscape shoot we have lost the laptop, dropped the 70-200 and flashes but added a tripod.

The wedding kit weighs in at 11.7kg including the bag; the landscape a little lighter at 9.1kg. These are not trivial weights especially for longer walks; an expedition pack for, say, Duke of Edinburgh Bronze is recommended to be no more than 1/3 body weight or 15kg. Although these are young people, most of them are bigger than your editor! Interestingly the DoE also set a recommended 'height gained' limit of 500m per day - an interesting statistic alongside the 1,400ft climb your editor did up Side Pike recently packing a fulsome kit!

In Use

The Manfrotto was used away from base at Paul Gallagher's when we tested the Samyang T-S lens. Hardly strenuous, but it is surprising how simply moving out of the office and onto grass affects the way you handle a bag. The bag stayed upright and stable on the flat grass, thanks to the stiffness of the base and sides. This made top access to the camera and body combination very quick and easy. Opening the back flap fully would be OK on flat ground but could run the risk of toppling the contents out on a slope and so the bag needs to be rolled onto its back. This carries the issue of putting the shoulder straps onto the ground and thus becoming soiled, before transferring that same soiling onto your clothes! This is a major plus feature of the f-stop range discussed later in this review.

The tripod mounting arrangement fits the Manfrotto 190 very well. The lower leg pocket sits inside the base of the bag for deployment by simply pulling it out. The tripod then sits a few inches below the bag. This has disadvantages. The bag cannot be stood on its base with the tripod in place, it must be rolled onto its straps. Another issue with the location of the tripod is that you have to be very careful moving through doors and in the vicinity of cars - either can easily be scratched or chipped by swinging around too fast and too clumsily. Personally I prefer the arrangement on the f-stop bag, where the tripod is tight to your side and does not protrude below the bag at all.

Overall

This is a neat, very well made bag suitable for a great many applications from jobbing photography on a construction site, through weddings, to short-distance landscape work. It is stylish enough to drop down at a wedding reception but robust enough to wear climbing up scaffolding,

should the need arise. One thing which did trouble us was packing f2.8 zoom optics. By design these are big beasts and if set three abreast in the Manfroto Pro 30 they force the sides of the bag outwards. This looks vulnerable to a sideways blow, should one occur. The main problem is the lens hoods which have to be rather large by design

The f-stop Mountain Series While researching bags we made many visits to the f-stop website.

Paul Gallagher has been using the largest of their range for some 30 months and remains a big fan. At 62 litres it takes a huge amount of kit, with room to spare for clothing - and, bearing in mind the time Gallagher spends inside the Arctic Circle, the clothing payload is not insignificant!

Personally I can do most of what I need in the hills with about 37 litres and so the second and third of the f-stop line fit the bill: the Tilopa at 48 litres and the Loki at 37 litres.

This made for an agonising choice (bearing in mind a purchase, not loan, was planned for a new bag!) between the larger, under-employed version, or the slight stretch for the smaller Loki. The Tilopa was thus chosen as it can still be carried on to aircraft with a bit of strap tightening and the extra space for a laptop is occasionally useful.

Overall design

It is immediately obvious that the f-stop design team have taken the best features of mountaineering gear and then built in camera-holding capacity. This is best illustrated by the adjustment straps to the rear of the waist belt and those at the top of the shoulder straps - both are features found on the best mountaineering sacks.

A downside of the versatility is the number of bits dangling from the bag; you can pack almost anything in or on this bag, right up to skis and snowboards. However, it does not sit well on your back if you are attending a society wedding dressed in a morning suit, jangling like a storm-trooper - you pay your money and take your choice!

During our deliberations on carrying into the hills, we took the opportunity to chat with John Rowell. We featured John's work in May 2013 and value his thoughts because when he is not working at the Soul of Snowdonia gallery, John spends hours (days and nights!) in the hills of Snowdonia which surround his home. Here are his thoughts, more or less right from the horse's mouth! It is worth noting that he does not use wide-aperture optics and thus saves quite a bit of weight over f2.8 variants. In the landscape it is rare to use lenses wide open and so fast optics are an unnecessary burden!

"Hi Mike,

To summarise our discussion the other day about carrying equipment:

My Equipment:
A...Canon 5D
B...Canon EF 17-40mm lens
C...Canon EF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM Lens
D...Canon EF 70--300mm f4-5.6 L IS USM
E...ND Lee graduated filters x 3
F...Manfrotto 190 carbon fibre tripod
G...Manfrotto compact action tripod
H...Lowepro Mini Trekker
I...Lowepro Top Loader zoom
J...Canon G1x compact
Carrying Scenarios

If I am going on a planned shoot to a specific spot with shots that I know I can get on the trails that I know well, I will take A, B, C, D, E, F, G, approximately 8kg before including mountain gear.

The bag also holds waterproofs, light down jacket, limited food and drink. Typical places - Cwm Idwal, Artist's Wood, Llyn Glaslyn, The Carnedd y Filiast project.

If I am going into the mountains and I think conditions will be good but have no specific shots in mind I will take the 5D fitted with the 24-105 in the top loader zoom and the 190 tripod. I would then have a rucksack for other gear.

Typical places - Carneddau, Snowdon, Glyderau.

If I am going into the mountains with others or just for a wander in conditions which don't promise much, I take the Canon G1X compact and Manfrotto compact action tripod or just on its own and support it on walking poles, gate posts, rocks, etc.

My colleague from the gallery, Nick, on the other hand only ever takes his camera fitted with the 17-40 as he will not take the lens off the body for dust spot reasons. He also always takes the tripod irrespective of conditions.

His camera goes in his rucksack housed in a top-loader zoom.

John Rowell

www.chasingthelight.co.uk
www.soulofsnowdonia.co.uk

The inner heart of the f-stop system is the variable Internal Camera Unit, the ICU. ICUs

The ICUs are available in 10 variants from massive to micro in size. They may be mixed and matched either as a purchase or indeed within the same bag, thus you can pack a sack with one small ICU, two small ICUs or take both out and put a large ICU into place. The ICUs are readily removable and self-contained in as far as they have zipped openings and carry handles. For speed of access you can fold the opening ICU flap back over the top and tuck it out of the way. There are various bundled ICU deals available on purchase so it pays to buy a couple at the same time, if you decide you need them. We purchased a Medium Slope and a Large ICU.

The Large ICU has 13 slots for lenses; the Medium Slope has seven slots and a camera body slot. All ICU internal padding is modular, moveable and flexible - you can rearrange it to suit each trip if that is needed. As with all Velcro-fixed dividers they are something of a trial to mess about with - think putting an octopus into a string bag and you will be quite near.

One final thing about an ICU. If you are confronted by an overzealous security guard at the airport (and there are plenty of those lurking about!), your desperation tactic could be to remove the ICU as your carry on and let the remainder of the sack run the gauntlet of the baggage handlers - hardly ideal, but a possible way out of a fix. At least the sack itself does not scream 'camera bag - rob me' and this goes for walking about a city as well. For this reason also we chose the Malibu Blue over the more conservative options, it has more of a 'walker look' than a 'photographer look' - if you go looking for bears you might want the sage green option.

In terms of design, the Tilopa is a simple cylinder with a zipper-closed top, a front pocket, two base pockets and lots of fastening straps - indeed the bag is festooned in straps and anchor points; you can attach anything within reason and if it is too large to fit inside the pre-existing loops, there are accessory 'Gatekeeper' straps in two sizes - they will fit right around a small tent or sleeping bag. More typically you will wish to carry a tripod.

There are straps at the side and a vestige of a pocket at the side-bottom of the sack to drop the legs into. This has the supreme advantage of keeping the tripod, the heaviest piece of kit you might have, close to your back with less leverage than placing it right on the back of the pack as far away from your spine as it is possible to be. This is the one thing I might query about the design, a pocket large enough for a Sigg water bottle on one side might have been better (you could clip one to the shoulder or waist straps).

Talking of water, the Tilopa is fitted with a hydration pouch and clips for the mouth piece. Personally I dislike hydration packs, the modern human is obsessed with drinking water all the time, a victim of advertising from bottled water companies who have a lot to answer for on the beaches around our coast (rant over, but see right!). The hydration packs are designed to refresh the user without even the need to stop. Surely taking a pause, having a sip of water from a bottle and removing the pack from your back is one of the joys of mountain photography? If things are so intense that you don't have time to stop, you're doing it all wrong - as golfer, Ben Hogan said, "Stop and smell the roses you may only pass this way once." The hydration pouch also has the compartment for a laptop which swallowed our 17" model with ease. Hydration packs and laptops/camera are an uneasy combination and there is an option for a sealed bag to double-house it.

The base of the sack is reinforced with a double thickness waterproof material (the bag has a 20-year warranty by the way). This contains a zipped pouch for a rain cover (essential accessory in the mountains of the UK) and a 'pack it in pack it out' well-sealed pouch as well (don't ask!).

The fibreglass stiffening frame is fitted to the inside of the sack to maintain the shape of the pack. The back opening, a key feature of using this pack, precludes airflow-type solutions and also stops the use of back-length adjustment devices found in mountain sacks. This is a design compromise which ensures clean shoulder straps while providing good access to the camera gear. Indeed, if you keep the waist belt fastened but loose, you can swivel the bag around to your front, allow it to flop down and the access the contents without even putting the bag down.

The waist belt is the key component for comfort of a heavy pack, it does after all support the majority of the weight. The Tilopa belt is well padded and equipped with rear-fitted adjustment straps as well as a centreadjusting front buckle. The belt also has a number of accessory webbing loops for standard pouches (they are MOLLE compatible, the specification used for military, law enforcement and rescue services).

The first real trial using the bag was to go and see the Giants of Nantes visiting Liverpool. The gear would not fit the Medium Slope ICU and was changed for the Large ICU. Changing is not without a bit of a struggle especially to fit the Velcro fastening straps, but the task is only required occasionally so that is not too bad. The bag was loaded with a 300mm F4, 70-200 F2.8, 24-7-mm F2.8, TC 200, D700 with MB10, spare batteries, clothing and waterproofs. On the outside a folding stool and monopod were attached. Overall, then quite a weight (approximately 22lb) but the waist strap bore the load very well and it was comfortable walking around over several hours. It was noticeable that the shoulder straps used one at a time were a considerable stress on the shoulders and they were uncomfortable within a couple of minutes (this was with a thin summer shirt) - the strap material is quite harsh. The only new thing we found out was that the waist belt is a little 'snappy' if you don't pay attention - it trapped and blood-blistered one of my fingers! Having said that, the centred tightening of the waist belt was a dream to use.

When equipped with the large ICU the space at the top of the bag measures 11 x 6 inches in plan and 5 inches deep at the back. This is quite tight for waterproofs (top and bottoms), hat and gloves and so the front and flap-top pockets would be needed for additional things such as maps, first aid, food and water. Overall the packed, large ICU would limit the user to good days in the hills. When the Medium Slope ICU is fitted, the space at the top of the bag rises to 10 inches high along with slightly more space in the front where the slope cuts away. This allowed my Himalayan-grade duvet jacket to fit in along with a wet top and over-trousers. So with a bit of jiggling and perhaps a couple of things dangling from accessory loops, you could probably stay out over night - just!

Mountain Testing

The Tilopa was used for a week of walking the fells of the Lake District.

Nothing brings out the foibles of a system more than working with it in Lakeland weather on steep ground. Things that are simple in the studio such as putting the bag down and taking out a camera suddenly become a challenge! For example, we noted that digging out a camera and lens combo from the bottom of the bag was actually quite difficult, especially as the rather narrow 'alleys' of the bag are a bit 'grippy' on an f2.8 optic with a Lee Filters' 100mm adaptor. We ended up leaving the camera strap attached, as a means of dragging the camera out. The three-across arrangement of columns is small for f2.8 optics. In itself this is not a problem except that the widths are governed by the 3 1/4-inch dividers for three across whereas a 14-24mm f2.8 needs 4 ¼ inches. We can find no larger dividers on the f-stop website. We also found that the 14-24 was too high for the shallower end of the Medium Slope inner and it stuck out into the wearer's back. The 2 ¾-inch divider size is correct for a standard lens or short zoom of modest aperture (eg 50mm f2 or a 35-70 f 3.5). This is not particularly a criticism, it is impossible to design a bag to satisfy all needs! By the same token though, we found that the Manfrotto 190 fitted perfectly onto the bag, stayed close to the body for better stability and was very easy to release.

The bag was reasonably comfortable for up to five hours of walking when worn with only a cotton t-shirt although the shoulder straps were a little rough in texture. The back length of the Tilopa is a little long for your rather short editor (although my back is not as short as my legs!). This left the waist belt a little low on the hips.

Overall

This is an impressive bag, as indeed are the entire range of bags; the fact that they are designed by mountaineers stands out a mile. Nothing can solve the problem that DSLR gear is heavy, and if it also includes f2.8 optics, then things rapidly escalate to unmanageable proportions for all but the youngest and strongest. It is easy to see why people are so readily seduced by the new ranges of Compact System Cameras (CMCs) such as the Lumix GH4 and the Fujifilm X Pro-1 or McGillicuddy's love affair with the Olympus OMD. These cameras provide enough quality for most and if their light weight gets you up to places were DSLRs can't travel then go for it. DSLR or CSC, the f-stop bags can get you there and allow you a sleep over if needs be! They are not the cheapest but quality always comes with a premium on price.

EXPED Drybags

We mentioned drybags in the last issue of Imagemaker. In the intervening time we called into Cotswold and purchased the EXPED XXS 1 litre and XS 3 litre versions. These are featherweight, waterproof bags which work by folding the slightly stiff plastic top rimes over a few times and then clipping the little buckle together. They work a treat and can keep all sorts of gear dry at no significant weight penalty. The XXS just holds a Nikkor 14-24mm lens; the XS holds a 70-200 f2.8 Nikkor zoom. The smaller Drybag would hold an un-gripped DSLR body; the XS a pro-sized, body with grip.

At under £8 each the range of uses you might dream up are countless but if you have a spare piece of kit that is infrequently required, you can double protect it in your bag. We have also purchased some 3mm high-density foam which can be used to line the inside of the drybag and provide a bit of shock protection should the lens be placed into an uncompartmentalised climbing sack. A square yard was £9 so this too is inexpensive. For the ultimate protection you could place the pouch that many lenses come with inside the waterproof drybag - as we said, the uses are endless.

One obvious use if your camera kit has to share space with wet walking gear is to have a larger drybag to house the clothing and keep the inside of the bag pristine enough for cameras and electronic gear.

See www.cotswoldoutdoor.com

Other Options

There are vast numbers of bags on the market, although as we said when we opened the feature in the last issue, few are well suited to women. The LowePro range is as extensive as any. LowePro camera bags are originally an offshoot from the Lowe Alpine Group (who make mountaineering rucksacks) and have been around for a long time. Paul McMullin has been using a Computrekker AW for quite a few years and his bag bears the scars of near-continuous industrial-scale use. The image shows what he carries into most industrial photography situations. Invariably the bag is worn over one shoulder only (tut tut we hear the physiotherapists calling - including Mrs McMullin!). Paul is considering the Think Tank Airport as his replacement; they have a good reputation.

The number of bags available is a little overwhelming and if you are in the market you could do a lot worse than pitching up at the Convention with your shopping list of features and trying a few things on. Like ladies' handbags, camera bags are very personal, we are always looking for the one that jigs in perfectly to our requirements only to find after we've had it for months that it won't hold a new piece of kit, and finally you can never have too many of them!

Manfrotto 190 Carbon Q90-4 Section This review sits well with what has gone before in that tripods are just like camera bags - you need more than one because no single design can solve all the compromises. The Manfrotto 190 Carbon Q90-4 Section is an addition to the long-standing Manfrotto series - indeed the most popular tripod range they have ever made. The Q90 refers to the innovative head arrangement in which the central column may be lifted then turned through 90 degrees so that the column is effectively horizontal. The carbon fibre is the lightest version of the series, the most expensive and so, effectively, the flagship of the line.

There is always a compromise between maximum working height, leg section length and collapsed length. The shorter the collapsed length, the shorter the leg sections and the more unwanted flexibility in the erected tripod. However, the small tripod has to be portable - if you are getting there by car then chuck your largest tripod in the boot and have done with it! Thus the maximum comfortable length is the same as a camera rucksack, about 20 inches. In practice many landscape photographers work close to the ground, the wind is less down there and things are always more stable - if you need a higher viewpoint simply climb further up the hill!

During testing we found the small leg-spread and low height to be a real bonus, even though it was a bit back-breaking. One thing about landscape and nature/macro photography is that you go equipped for kneeling or sitting on the ground, even in wet conditions. If you need to get even lower still, the Manfrotto 190 can splay its legs into four pre-set angles, the last of which brings you almost down to ground level.

The smallest of the legs are only 12mm in diameter and for this reason the leg clamping arrangement is external rather than the neater, twist lock found on some makes. The tension of the clamp action may be adjusted with the socket head provided, which is stored, clipped to a larger leg.

This lasted just one trip and is now resident somewhere on the fells above Eskdale!

Heads

The 190 comes without a head and there is only a rotating spirit level along with a 3/8-inch spigot. Any suitable head may be chosen within the recommended weight constraints (7kg including camera gear).

For our field test we tried both the Manfrotto 410 geared head and an old Kennet ball head. The Manfrotto 410 is a beautiful head, a joy to use. It is, however, 1,250g, 75% of the weight of the tripod itself. The Kennet is just 360g.

We took the Kennet out on the field test and paid dearly; in the watery conditions around Stanley Force it would not hold the D700 24-70mm f2.8 combination in portrait format, the base mounting kept slipping round. This is a serious shortcoming although it should be recognised that the free articulation of a ball head can be a boon for nature work.

Cable Release

Arguments rage about the effect of mirror lock-up and cable releases. For peace of mind it is better to release the shutter with an electronic cable release, also ensuring that you are mechanically disconnected from the base of the tripod (boggy ground and loose floor boards are frequent culprits). At a push you can use the self-timer but this is not always convenient if you have to time the moment of exposure for wind gusting or, in nature, something like a bee landing. We used the Hama DCCS with a specific Nikon adaptor. The device will perform a number of functions including time lapse, delayed shooting and multi-shots. It is also equipped with a light on its control screen, useful for dusk and night shots. It weights 105g including two AAA batteries.

Overall

We liked this tripod a lot (we needed to, we gave Wilkinson Cameras almost £300 for it!). It carries well and was as stable as might be expected for its weight range. Working in cramped, slippery waterfall environments its small foot-print was a bonus.



Updated 27/04/2026 16:44:22 Last Modified: Monday, 27 April 2026