A well-thought and much useful camera+laptop bag | Lowepro Fastpack 250 (Arctic Blue)

Great pack, but... | Lowepro Fastpack 250 (Arctic Blue)

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	• Lowepro Fastpack 250 (Arctic Blue) Lowepro Lowepro average customer review:based on 27 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Best general bag for holding more than just your camera

When I ordered this, I was looking for a bag that would allow me to feel like I've got every thing I might need with me, and there is a thin line between "I've got every thing I need" and "This bag is too heavy." The Lowepro Fastpack 250 is the best balance I have found and has proved to be a really nifty bag.
I like to take my camera around for sightseeing, vacations, or visits to friends and family. So, I'm not camping or doing any professional work with it. But for general enthusiasts I would recommend this bag. I was able to fit my camera with lens attached, extra lens, charger brick, back up P&S, laptop, memory cards, filters, the entire contents of my purse (I didn't want to carry a back pack and a purse), small things that I purchased while walking around the city, and had plenty of room to spare in both the camera compartment and the area above it.
It was really convenient to just shrug off one shoulder strap and swing the pack around to grab my camera. I really like being able to have my camera put away and my hands free without worrying about missing a shot while getting my camera back out.
Other than the lowepro name, the bag looks like a normal backpack. It's not huge but not small. The cell phone pocket is on the small side. A LG chocolate fits great, but that's a small phone. A smart phone or feature phone would not fit in the pocket on the strap. But that is such a minor detail. If you have a larger phone put it in your pants pocket and use the strap pocket for toll money for something.

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A well-thought and much useful camera+laptop bag

This is a good bag to haul both your laptop and your camera. I put in a Sigma 70-300 telephoto, the abysmal 18-55mm kit lens, 50mm f1.8 and my camera (Rebel Xti with the Tamron 17-50mm always bolted on). And there seems to be more space for some smaller lens of the size of the 18-55mm

The compartments to adjust the space for the lens will take sometime to get used to but other configurations just don't seem to give that much space for my setting(camera and lens) other than the original configuration.

The Laptop compartment is good enough to carry a 15.4 inch laptop even with a sleeve on top of it. There are generous places to put in the memory card, chargers etc in it.

Fully loaded its the same size as my targus notebook bag (and can slip in that those small infront of you places on a plane) and that's amazing comparing that my targus bag is designed to carry just a laptop. BTW there is a nice thick protection around the laptop compartment too.

The only thing that i wished was there was a small hook or someway to hook up a tripod on the sides. Otherwise its a perfect worth-the-money bag to carry all your camera gear and that laptop...

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Great pack, but...

I love this pack. I do not use it every day, but when I do it never fails to impress.

Pros: It holds my 400D with grip and Sigma 24-60 with hood attached in the quick open area. Its tight, but it fits. It also holds my 550ex flash, 2 diffusers, a Canon 55-250 IS lens. Misc other camera equipment (cards, reader, instruction books etc) Along with that, I have had my MacBookPro 15" in it with 2: 2.5" external hard drives, 1 full size external drive, cables for just about every need, and a small toolkit for my IT work.

Cons: I wear it more like a sling than a backpack over my left shoulder. The "Lowepro" logo on the left strap has torn from the strap. Its not a big deal, as I am sure I have overloaded it for one strap carrying, but its a shame as this is the only issue with this backpack.

My day to day pack does not include a camera setup, as I am not a pro. But when I went to the beach this summer, I took this bag, and it did great out there, and the many sights we went to. My wife (gasp) even wore it for awhile, and did not complain! I got my daughter to carry it (camera equipment stated above only) and she didn't complain either! its comfortable to carry around without giving you any shoulder or back strain.

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Very well organized back pack

This is my first back pack photography bag. It holds my Nikon N70 w/ Sigma 70-300 lens and three other lens. Its obvious that Lowepro put a lot of thought into this bag. There all kinds of room for lens filters and gadgets. A great feature is you don't have to put the bag down to access your equipment, simply rotate it in front of you to change lens or grab a new roll of film. I did not consider any other brand name when I made my purchase decision. Finally another very important feature is that the bag does not look like it contains photographic equipment, thus deterring thieves.

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Not Perfect, But Very Close

Let me start off by saying that I have absolutely no prior experience with camera backpacks. I can tell you what I like/dislike about my Fastpack 250, but I'm unable to compare it to other packs on the market. With that disclaimer out of the way, let me just say I love my new Lowepro Fastpack 250! It served me well during a local photowalk and, honestly, there were times I forgot I had it own. It meets most of my requirements for a bag:

Comfort
It was extremely comfortable. It has two straps which, to me, is very important. No worrying about the bag falling off while bent over taking photographs. The straps and the bag are very well padded and the whole thing, especially the ergonomic straps, just seemed contoured to my body shape. It's important to know that I did not have a lot of gear in my Fastpack. I only carried my Nikon D40 with 18-55mm kit lens and an extra 55-200mm VR lens. The only other accessories I carried were the charger and usb cable. I also brought along my wallet, cell phone, and a bottle of water (in the side mesh pocket). Amazon lists the bag weight as 3.6 pounds. Obviously more gear will add to the weight of the bag, so keep that in mind.

Easy to Use
I found the Fastpack 250 fairly easy to get in and out of. The side entry compartment is easy to access while still wearing the pack. Just drop the strap from your right shoulder, swing the bag in front of you from your left shoulder, unzip, and grab your camera. To open the side entry compartment completely (to access compartments for extra lens, etc.) you must first unclasp the security flap and then unzip the compartment completely. This takes more time and should not be done while still wearing the bag.

Lots of Storage
That's an understatement, at least for my storage needs. It doesn't matter if I have lots of empty storage space now because I will acquire extra lenses, external flashes, etc. as time passes. I wanted a pack that I could "grow" into. There are no less than seven storage compartments. Of course, that total includes the cellphone pocket connected to one of the straps and the outside mesh pocket (that I used for holding my water bottle). The bottom storage compartment holds my D40 with attached 55-200mm VR lens quite comfortably. I have my smaller 18-55mm lens in a neighboring compartment. My charger and other cables are in another compartment, which leaves me two empty compartments for extra lenses and/or an external flash. The interior compartments are Velcro , so they are easily removable and can be reconfigured to meet your individual needs. The cellphone pocket is quite small and might not fit older, larger cell phones. Using it for a smartphone or Blackberry is out of the question. My Krazr fit well, but it is a little snug.

Security
I opted for the all black bag so, despite the Lowepro name, it does not scream camera bag. The clasped flap over the bottom compartment also provides added security.

Airline Approved
I'll be able to test this out myself during our Fall vacation but, from what I've read, others have not had a problem using it as a carry-on. Apparently it will fit under the airline seats on board. Lowepro lists it as an airline carry-on on it's website.

Able to Attach a Tripod/Monopod
Sadly this is not true. I've read under some of the Amazon reviews that there is a workaround for this using a carabiner, but this is not a technique I'm familiar with, nor have tried.

Weatherproof
The Fastpack is rain resistant, but not rain proof. For that reason, I'm thinking of picking up a rainproof cover for it or, at the very least, sliding in a kitchen-sized trash bag as backup in case I get caught in some torrential downpour.

Affordable
I think the price, for the features included, is quite reasonable for such a comfortable and durable bag.

Well, there you have it. My new Lowepro Fastpack 250 is not a bag for hauling all of your camera equipment around, but it is a great back for transporting your main gear during day trips or while traveling. Its comfort factor is through the roof and it should prove to be durable enough to last me a long, long time.

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Specially designed for today's on-the-go technology enthusiast, whether the task is photographing family travels, traversing campus, or taking a day trip around town, the Fastpack 250 has been designed to accommodate a digital SLR with attached mid-range zoom lens, 2-3 additional lenses or flash units and accessories and have a specially designed compartment for a 15.4" widescreen notebook computer, as well as extra space for additional memory cards, cables and accessories.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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