Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black)

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

This is a well made product but larger then I thought. When on your back it comes out pretty far. Probably too large for under the seat in an airline seat. I'm not sure if an airline would allow you to consider this a "personal item"

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I bought this, to carry all my camera gear, on an Alaska Cruise in May. Plenty of pockets and compartments. Nice padding, to protect my lens and cameras.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Got this bag for carrying my D600, laptop and assorted lenses on the plane. It's a very solid bag, and I'm confident my gear will be safe, but would have liked something a bit smaller and lighter with the same amount of protection. Also, the back ergonomics aren't great as it feels very 'blocky' on my back. I would never take it out on the trails - I'll use my LowePro for that.

Lastly, I think it was a mistake to put the laptop pocket on the outside of the bag, rather than snug up against my back. The laptop somehow feels more exposed being carried that far away from my back, and it adds a heavy weight that pulls on my shoulder being carried that far away from my center of gravity.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Price' workmanship ' ..... Top notch

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I used to have a smaller backpack but as my lens collection increased I outgrew it and started looking for a new one. The first thing that hit me about this backpack was the quality; this thing is well built with quality material. As others have mentioned it is definitely not quick access or even close, but it is most definitely secure and safe. I do not know what else I would add to make my gear more protected. Here is my pro/con list:

PROS:
• Well-built and secure/safe/padded, rock solid design.
• Everything inside the main camera compartment is customizable even the long black strips. The whole insert where the camera goes can be removed as well just like on the 2000 version (not the 1800).
• Lots of pockets and pockets in every section of the bag. The front compartment has enough different sized dividers that everything has a place.
• There are clips in addition to zippers so that if you have to run in a hurry a clip will hold the compartment closed. That big one on the front of the bag will keep all the compartments closed although I would not recommend it being a practice.
• All three sections are independently accessible and closed: Camera, laptop, front compartment. This keeps you from flipping things out of your bag.

CONS:
• Tripod holder is horizontal underneath and not on the side. You could rig it to fit on the side because of a strap that is there but it is clearly not designed to work that way. This might not be a con to some but it is to me.
• Barely fits a Lenovo 14" computer to the point it will bust the zippers in the near future, but my wife's 13 inch Mac fits fine.
• No rain cover included and the only reason I mention it is because it is on the 2000 model

Overall I would highly recommend this backpack and for any comparison, in the camera compartment, I currently have a Canon 40D with EF 24-70 f2.8 attached, EF 70-200 f4, EF-S 10-20, EF-S 60, EF 50 f1.8, 1.4 extender and a Speedlight 580 Flash. This fits well with room for at least 3 more lenses (when I put the flash on top of the 70-200). Completely loaded the backpack was still relatively light.
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Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I ordered this for a backpack/camping trip to Yosemite and the Sierra Nevadas. I wanted to be able to carry most of my gear (Canon 7D, old Rebel, the 70-200L II IS USM, the 100 mm macro, and a 18-85 mm, plus a 2X extender. This bag holds all of these plus a 11" laptop, and all of the other little camera items needed for long day or overnight trips. In the reviews there have been some complaints of the waist straps being too short and the zippers being an issue, but I have not had a problem with either and I'm overweight. This bag is very comfortable to pack this amount of heavy equipment and I even strap on a tripod of course. Have flown with this as a carry on several times and it has room for all of the above gear plus one change of clothes. Great bag, very well made and thought out, and A GREAT PRICE! I highly recommend it!

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

If you fly, be aware that this bag WILL FIT under the seat IF you do not stuff the side pockets with incompressible things (like batteries.) The 2000 series WILL NOT; the 2000 will only fit in an overhead.Why does this matter? Because this bag counts as a "personal item" and thus you can carry it AND a small carry-on rated suitcase. Think road warrior photography. It works.This bag ALSO (from personal experience) will fit in the overhead on regional jets. The 2000 will NOT and will force a gate check on those flights, which sucks -- having 10-large+ of your camera gear being aped around by the ground crew is NOT my idea of a good time, despite the excellent protection this case provides. In short if you fly with your camera(s) and refuse to allow the air crew apes to get their paws on your gear THIS is the bag you want.I can get two bodies (60D and 7D) in here and three lenses, one attached to one body, along with the 60D grip. Be warned though -- that's tight. I also carry with my audio gear and accessories though. If I drop the second body I can get my small video camera in the bag in place of it and that's useful for times when I think I may need (or know I will need) to shoot long-format video (think speech coverage where the 12 minute clip limit on a dSLR is a crippling problem.)I tend to travel with both bodies (two is one, one is none when you're on the road if something goes wrong!) plus a ton of additional gear, including mics, body pack transmitter/receiver setup (since I shoot video as well as still), a decent-sized speedlight and three lenses, including one prime and two zooms plus cables, batteries, charger and accessories. All this fits.I'm buying a 2000 series for "on the ground" work, but this case will remain in my kit forever, because of the aforementioned flight issue -- the 2000 simply does not work if you need to carry something else on the plane (like clothes); if you check baggage then you don't care, however. I try to avoid checking baggage for one-to-three day road excursions.My Lenovo X220 fits fine in the laptop pouch on this bag; something bigger will not, so do be aware of that limitation.Construction-wise this thing is a beast; I've now been using it for nearly a year and have yet to have any trouble at all. It just works and the bright yellow is extremely functional, especially at events where you need to be able to find things efficiently with little light.DO NOT expect instant access to the contents; the double-flap/zipper design precludes that. On the other hand, access and security+protection from element insults are inverses; I find the chosen mix to be exactly what I want in a case of this design and intended use.Carrying wise it's as comfortable as one can expect given the mass of what you can stuff inside. I like the strap arrangement and have no problem hiking around for the day with it, should the need arise -- and it often does.One final thought -- unlike a company-branded bag (e.g. Canon, Nikon, etc) this does NOT scream "Very expensive camera gear inside, STEAL ME!" It's "just a backpack" and as such the fact that there's 10-large+ worth of gear inside is not instantly obvious to anyone who sees it. That's a not-insignificant consideration.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

The case is very well made. I was pleasantly surprised, all but the latches. The latches were pretty flimsy. I ended up returning the 1900 and ordering the 2000. The 1900 was suppose to have a flap for tripod feet, but did not. The 2000 does, its alittle bigger. Not that I need all that room now, but will grow into it.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I bought this backpack because with my increasing set of gear my current mono-strap pouch has gotten too small. I needed something that could hold my laptop, tripod, and all my gear. This thing is solid! I never fret once my gear is in it because it looks and feels well made. I love my lower-pro sling-shoulder bag, especially because of the rain cover, but this thing is sealed like a drum that it doesn't really need one. It is comfortable and lightweight. My only gripe is that the tripod straps tend to slack a bit while i bike around. Don't know if I'm just not strapping it in properly, but I have not problems just walking around with it. If you ask me, if you're looking for a bag that can fit your camera body, some 4-5 lenses, filters, a laptop, and a tripod without adding any extra weight of its own, this thing does the trick.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Love the bag. It has great features and plenty of room for 4 lenses plus. The only downfall I have found is the zipper. It could have been designed a little better. Gets caught in overlap but comes out easy. Overall a great bag.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I wanted a bag to fit all my lenses [24-70, 11-16, 70-200, 50mm], flash, laptop and other accessories. This bag is a perfect fit.
This bag has nice padding and its built strong. A good bag for travelling.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

It's too soon for me to give a complete and practical review because I only got my new ACPRO1900 about 10 days ago, but here are my initial comments...

I had another camera backpack that I really liked, but it wore out (prematurely) and I needed a replacement. I went through the "Goldilocks" process of trying several options: some backpacks were too big and some were too small. Then I got the ACPRO1900 and it is just right.

It is now holding my Canon 40D DSLR (gripped) with EF 24-105L lens attached, my EF 17-40L, my Speedlight 580 EX II, EF Extension Tube 25II, Battery Charger, and some other little things all in the main compartment. I thought that the fit for my camera was a little tight at first, but it seem to be fitting pretty well.

There are pockets and compartments galore, and a good place to carry my iPad.

One thing I'm not so sure that I like yet is that within the main compartment there are actually two zippered compartments: an outer compartment for holding that has a a fouple of compartment for accessories and the main, sectioned compartment for the camera, lens, etc. The outer one closes with a separate zipper and also stays closed with a Velcro strip. The problem is that you have to unzip both compartments in order to get to the camera in the main compartment, so I have found it more convenient to keep the outer compartment closed with only the Velcro. I understand the logic, becuase the entire main compartment can be removed. More on that later. The workaround, which is actually pretty good, is that the entire compartment area can also be secured using the quick-clips that are on each side, making it possible for easy access without having to use the zippers at all.

The main compartment has plenty (maybe even too many) dividers, and for some reason is completely removable, in case you want to use the backpack for some other purpose. It lets you relatively easily remove that section with camera and everything else so you can repurpose the backpack. Personally I don't see why they designed it that way - I bought it to hold my camera, not to go camping with or carry books. Plus, the extra padding as a result of the removable section adds to the tight fit of the camera when the grip is attached, which in my case is always.

The zippers were a little tight at first, but they loosened up very nicely and work great.

The backpack has a hood that easily flaps over the top, providing great environmental protection, and if that is not enough, there are integrated waterproof covers (2) that are cleverly tucked away in their compartments for easy access.

The outside flap opens easily to provide additional storage for accessories or personal items, and there are two zippered compartments on each side for additional storage with easy access. On one side, they have incorporated a way to attach a medium sized monopod or tripod, but I don't think it's practical to attach a full sized tripod. You can also attach a monopod or small tripod on the bottom using to loop closures.

The interior is Velcro, which Ape Case claims is to make it easier to see the contents. I guess that's true, but IMO it also makes it easier to get dirty.

One thing that I really like is that it has a good sturdy handgrip on the top and it stands up by itself. That, IMO, is a bonus. It also has very comfortable straps and the back is well cushioned and ventilated, so it is fairly comfortable to wear. It has a nice, wide waist strap, but I never used that on my old backpack, and I probably won't use it on this either. I wish that they had incorporated a way to tuck it away for when it is not being used.

All-in-all I like the bag so far, and I would definitely recommend it. After having tried several others, this one is just what I was looking for. I might change a few things, but it is well made and is the right size for my needs.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I needed a strong bag, that would be versatile, yet hold both my camera bodies and all of my lenses, plus laptop, extra storage, memory, and cords. This bag does that, and I'm not left overpowered by an enormous pack being a girl.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Great bag that can carry all my photography equipment, laptop, etc in one. It is durable and comfortable to wear. High quality material.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

This case is perfect for my use on moderate hikes. Right now it houses my 40D, 70-200/2.8L, a couple of prime lenses, a Rebel backup body (usually used by the kids) and a 55-250 lens usually on the Rebel. My iPad, some headphones, the tripod and other various sundries. All all kept and in place no matter how much I beat it up.

I do agree with the other review that said to flip the zipper protectors over as soon as you get it.

Great pack.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Large size but I couldn't get the blasted thing open. Zippers wouldn't cooperate. Sent it back the same day.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I shoot a lot of bands and nature photography. This product is great for my long day shoots. It carries everything I need and keeps me organized.

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

Just the right size for all my gear! Easy to find things inside the bag

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

At [$] you can't be it. At first, quality seemed a bit questionable, but honestly, it works just fine! We're not rough on our stuff, so it should hold up for a long time. We're able to fit a 50mm 1.4, 85 1.8, 50 1.8, 70-200 IS II, two Canon 430EXII's, two Canon 50D, a computer, flash cards, diffusers, Radio Poppers, chargers, extra batteries, cables... the list goes on! Tons of room in this bag. For $10 more you can get an even larger one if you need that extra room. If you're looking for a bag with tons of room for a great price, this is it!

Comments about Ape Case ACPRO1900 Digital SLR and Laptop Backpack (Black):

I have my Canon 5D Mark II with 3 lenses in varying weights and sizes and I am getting ready to travel. Knowing that I am only allowed a certain amount of carry-on, I was desperately looking for something sturdy and easy to carry as I'm also traveling with my 9 year old. I'm able to pack everything! I can reconfigure the inside to whatever I need. My computer fits fine. The front pockets can get a little tight so getting your hand in there for little things can be a problem when the inside is full, but it doesn't bother me that much. I am very happy with this purchase.