I’ve just been given the Capdase 320a bag to review. I have a number of camera bags because one size doesn’t fit all.

The right bag for the job

Any photographer knows that having the right camera bag is crucial to being efficient in taking photos by keeping everything organised and to hand.  I already have a brilliant Billingham bag that is really durable, discreet, and has plenty of space and pockets. Here’s what I typically carry in my camera bag at a wedding.

A camera bag can be used in a number of different ways. For example for landscape photography, wedding photography, travel photography or city photography. All have differing needs that define the design of the camera bag.

At a wedding I need a bag that is easy to pick up and put down, is comfortable to wear and can carry a lot of equipment. I also need it to be very easy to access quickly as I won’t have the luxury of time on my hands to fiddle with zips or velcro. I don’t however need it to be comfortable for long periods as I wouldn’t intend to be carrying it for a long time. Only to move it from one place to another over a short distance.

If I were doing landscape photography I would want exceptionally comfortable bag as I may be trudging across fields and up hills and I would probably also have a tripod attached to it. I would however have more time, so accessing and changing lenses quickly would not be of high priority. Protecting to my kit would be of greater importance if I were likely to get caught in the rain or pushing past branches walking up a hill path.

Travelling or in the city I would want a smallish bag that would carry the essentials. I’d want it to not scream it was a bag holding expensive camera gear, be comfortable, and easy to access. This bag fits that bill. I’ve been trying out this bag recently and so far I like what I see.

I’m a fan of bags that have a flap on top as I like to have a bag on my shoulder and reach inside without having to put the bag down. Say if you see a street scene and need to change lenses, I don’t want to be putting a bag on the ground. When switching lenses I then become an obstacle to people passing by, and I also make myself a bit vulnerable to thieves if I am looking down at a bag on the floor. I also don’t need to get the bottom of the bag wet or dirty.

Dimensions

External Dimensions (cm) 350 X 200 X 230 mm. Internal Dimensions (cm) 320 X 160 X 200 mm

I don’t always want to take ALL my kit and sometimes something smaller is the order of the day.  The Capdase 320a mkeeper (weird name!) is a great bag for day excursions where you want to keep kit to a minimum, but still have a few extra toys to hand.

On a pro job I take two cameras with me, but if I were to take photos for pleasure, I would still want to take good kit, I just wouldn’t bother with the extra camera.  The mkeeper allows me to take a pro body and a couple lenses as well as a flash and a few other accessories.  I could travel lighter if I wanted and the bag would not seem overly big.  If I were not filling it up with camera gear I would probably add a sunscreen/water bottle or a few snacks.  The smaller pockets on the mkeeper take care of those little items that can easily get lost in the bottom of a camera bag.

Styling

I really like the styling of the bag, it hasn’t got lots of bits hanging off of it, it looks quite funky and it has been very well thought out.  Inside it looks very much like a LowePro bag, but I am glad the outside doesn’t.

Design features

Someone has put some thought into some of the little details of the bag which is a nice touch.  For example, there is an easily removable shoulder strap that clips on and off so if you prefer, you can use the fixed shorter alternative strap or you could attach your own preferred strap.  The shoulder strap also has revolving fixings to help avoid tanglings and the pad that sits on your shoulder can easily be moved about.  Those two features could in themselves cause some problems too, but I think on balance they are positive design features making the bag more comfortable to use.

The zips on the bag are really lovely. They are chunky and they glide nicely.  Unfortunately however they don’t seem to be very strong as on two occasions I had a zip break in normal use, one for each time I took the bag out.  No matter though, I just bought some keyrings and now use them.  They are easier anyway.

The bag comes with its own raincover built into the side pocket, which is a handy feature.  The plus of this is that you are never without it, the downside is that you can’t remove it to wash it.  I have never washed a bag though so I don’t think it’s really a concern.

Other features include a secondary protective zippable flap, pockets and rubber feet.  The main large outer flap can be tucked under the smaller fixed strap whilst you have the bag set down, it’s just a shame that the larger flap doesn’t velcro to the side of the bag in a docked position when the bag is set down as you don’t really want the large flap in the way when you put the bag down.

There are plenty of protective pads that come with the bag that can be fixed in various positions against the velcro inside the main compartment.  This allows for numerous options to arrange your kit.  I have a 1 series pro Canon body and I found it easiest to take the lens off the body when in the bag and then have the camera in my hand with a half empty bag on my shoulder when shooting.  I wasn’t able to find a configuration where I should shove the camera plus lens in and out of the bag quickly.  I either have the camera out or it is packed away and separated from the lens.

As you can see, I was able to comfortably get a fair bit of kit in the bag, but it is also a nice, relatively non bulky sized bag.  It’s just about the perfect size to carry enough without it being a pain.  The smooth durable material also feels nice as it sits alongside you with no rough edges that would rub against your body.  I particularly like the shoulder strap and everything feels very balanced.

Conclusion

The Capdase 320a mkeeper is a great bag, one which I would highly recommend.  It is a nice size, not bulky or heavy, has just the right amount of padding and has some very nice design features. 

My only niggles are the poorly made zippers and the fact that the big flap will not velcro to the side of the back of the bag when tucked out of the way.  An extra design improvement which I would suggest would be to have a rigid metal frame around the rim of the opening for extra stability when the bag isn’t full and possibly a stiffer base (like Billingham bags).

If you want to get your own Capdase bag, it is available from LoveCases.co.uk