Lowepro Stealth Reporter or Slingshot

I have a 40D with a 24-70L, a 430EX and will be adding a 70-200

2.8 IS soon.

 

I am deciding between a Lowepro Stealth Reporter or Lowepro

Slingshot for a new bag. Does anyone have any experience with

either of these bags and can comment on their practicality and

storage capacity? Would the 200W size of either one comfortably

fit everything (and maybe an extra lens if needed)?

 

I'm leaning towards the Stealth Reporter because I sometimes wear

a backpack and that takes the Slingshot out of question, but I was

recommended it on its ease of access. Thanks.

<p>I'm a big fan of the <a href="http://www.gdanmitchell.com/2006/01/02/lowepro-slingshot-200-

aw">Slingshot 200 AW</a>. I can't speak for or against the Stealth Reporter bag, having no experience

with it.

 

<p>The slingshots are very convenient and easy to use, and they carry quite well. I'm pretty certain you

could get this stuff into the bag. I manage to get the following into mine: 5D, 24-105 attached (with hood

reversed), 17-40 (hood removed), 70-200mm f/4. This is tight and it requires some rearranging of the

dividers, but it works fine.

 

<p>Access is quite easy with the Slingshot. Because it only has one shoulder strap - like a backpack

missing one strap - it is very quick and easy to put on and take off. You can swing it around from your

back under your arm and open it up while wearing it for easy access to bag contents.

 

<p>Dan

Another choice for convenient use is Lowepro Fastpack 200 (or 250 with laptop compartment). It is like slingshoot but can wear like a backpack. I plan to buy it one soon.

I'm in a good position to answer since I have both. I bought the Reporter thinking I would be able to "stealthily" insert and remove items through the zipper, but I found out that it is far too small to be of any use so I use the Slingshot exclusively. The only trouble is that one feels vulnerable having one's valuables facing the back, rather than by the side.

I love my Slingshot AW 200. I'm guessing you can get a 40D with mounted 70-200/4L in the "camera slot", but if you need to, you can always attach ane external "slip lock" elns cases on the outside of the bag. I believe there are three mounts for these on the Slingshot 200. One on the strap, one on the side (opposite to the camera lid and one on the back. A "Lens case 2" on the side would work great, and free up space in the bag. ...Or you could jest step up to the Slingshot AW 300.

"The only trouble is that one feels vulnerable having one's valuables facing the back,

rather than by the side."

 

I've thought about that also. If I'm in a situation where I worry about this, I swing the

pack forward and carry in more or less like a traditional camera bag - and move it back

behind me when I can.

I Just used my Slingshot 300 for six days at Disney World. It carried a 40D mounted with a 70-200 F/4L reversed hood, 10D mounted with a 18-50 hood attached, a Canon A620 and a few filters. I had no problem accessing either camera . Weight was no issue. I have several back packs both Lowe Pro and Tamrac. The Slingshot beats both hands down.

I own a Lowepro Slingshot AW300 bag with a 40D plus the battery grip and a 24-70L lens. The gear precisely fits the width of the bag with the hood put on the lens and is carried horizontally when the bag is on the back. As was said, in order to make a shot, the bag needs to be swung around the body so that it appears to hang upon the chest with the camera aiming vertically down. Then you need to unzip the compartment and take the camera out. The whole process takes less than 5 sec. plus the same time to return the camera and the bag back. Beside quick access, another advantage of the bag is that you needn�t take it off at all while shooting sessions, easily taking the camera out and hiding it back. In addition, you have excellent support for your elbows to avoid shaking.

The AW300 has enough capacity for my 10-22 lens, 580EX II, Minolta Dynax5 film SLR with two or three lenses, filter pocket and many other stuff at the same time. Very comfortable bag for quick shooting, IMHO.

In your case, you should not buy AW200, because I guess it would hardly suit the length of your 70-200L 2.8 IS lens mounted. Even AW300 size might be too short for it with the lenshood attached (and it often needs to be attacched for faster shooting!). I may be wrong, but, anyway, you�d better measure both lengths before you buy the bag.

 

Evgeny

Not a fan of sling bags. Have you looked at LowePro's Fastpack series? Three sizes, designed like the Slingshot, but as a backpack....

Thanks for all the replies. I think I am going to do with the Slingshot 200AW. If I do need to wear a backpack (for school), I can easily carry a camera on my shoulder and put accessories in their cases and put them into my backpack. And I figured that wearing the Stealth Reporter 200AW with a backpack on would be way too bulky for "stealth" or comfort anyway.

 

As for the interior dimensions (8.7Wx5.9Dx11.8H), I have to flip that 90 degrees so it becomes 8.7Hx11.8W right? That means I can only fit the camera with the 24-70 attached. I guess I can live with that - it'll still be roomier height wise than the Stealth Reporter 200AW, which will only barely fit a 40D + 24-70 vertically.

 

Once again, thanks for all your help.

I have the Stealth Reporter 400AW. Typically I'm carrying the Canon 5D with 24-70 mounted in the center, with a 70-200 f2.8 IS in one end compartment and a 50mm (and sometimes also the 24-105) in the other end compartment.

 

It's a roomy bag and has the height for the 70-200. It's close too 2 inches higher than the SR300. You can *just* fit the 70-200 mounted, in a pinch.

 

That amount of gear, plus charger/spare battery, manual and a few other small items, is more-or-less my endurance limit. It also is a bit bulky, but maneagable.

 

My model is a bit older, it has "tube" style dividers, and an extra, small black rain cover that just goes over the lid. That apparently was discontinued when they improved the weather sealing of the lid zipper. I never use that zipper, find it too awkward.

Also, if you went with the SR300, I don't know if the 70-200 f2.8 IS would fit. It would be close, maybe with a slight bump-up of the lid. It definitely would *not* fit mounted.