Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag - Black

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

Being an avid hiker, I needed a good solid carrying bag for my Nikon.
This bag came up trumps !!!!! Can fit a 200mm lens with hood, no problem, also extra pockets for filters etc.Weatherproof with a waterproof cover for those wet days..Shoulder strap and chest harness included, easy access to camera for those unexpected opportune shots.
I give this bag a high five !!!!!

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

I bought this bag specifically to wear while snowboarding, to provide faster access than my backpack camera bag.

Very solid construction like other LowePro products (I've owned two of their bags over the years and they are built tough). Nicely designed.

The bag is deep enough to fit my Canon 5D with a 70-200 f2.8 (with hood reversed) and with a 24-70 f2.8 with the hood on normally.

The only issue I've had is that it just barely fits a 5D body with a battery grip attached. The sturdy construction seems fine with it, and doesn't worry me at all, but it definitely strains the zipper. It seems designed for any SLR/DSLR body without a battery grip, so I'm misusing it a bit, but it doesn't seem to mind.

Lots of loops and spots to fasten stuff (like carabiners to hold my gloves so I don't lose them in the backcountry while shooting!). The chest harness straps are very secure and while I wouldn't call it heavily padded, it seems just right. I don't wear this while doing crazy stunts, but it works fantastic for keeping my gear with me while I'm shooting.

The front pouch(es) have a fold-down divider in them to make two sections or one large one -- an unexpected nice touch.

Overall great bag!

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

very well made bag and the chest strap works well. the built in rain cover is a nice touch. I can fit my d200 with attached 80-400mm lens in the main compartment and also squeeze in an 18-55 zoom in the front pocket.

Ideal for hiking.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

Will be going to London and am looking for a bag that isn't so bulky and obvious. Not sure if this is it, as my Pentax D20 with battery grip is very tight.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

My Cannon Rebel Xsi w. a 300mm telephoto fit perfectly. Interior velcro dividers make snugging the camera in easy. If you own other Lowepro bags you know what to expect. Space is a little too tight to fit another lens or else I would have given it 5/5.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

Great bag! I can easily carry Nikon D80 attached with Nikkor 24-70 F2.8. Also carry my nikon sb 800 flash and one more lens.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

I was tired of the alternatives: hiking with the camera strap around my neck, or the camera in the backpack. This bag allows me to have my 70-200 attached at all times, in an easy-to-reach location. Also, I found I can keep my D40 with kit lens attached and set that atop the capped up 70-200. Love the all-weather cover, which I had to use almost immediately. Thinking about getting another soft lens case to attach to the side of this thing.

It's very comfortable to wear. I did a bit of scrambling through some underbrush and never felt held back by the case. It is pretty big, though.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

I have had one of these for at least 10 years. It lasts and lasts and I'm still using it regularly for outdoor adventure photography. The only negative (slight) is that my new D200 with battery grip barely fits the bag. Without the grip its a perfect fit. The bag is long enough that I can usually stuff another lens in the bottom. Great bag overall.

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

This is a well built and durable camera bag. I am using for an Olympus E-500 with the 14-45mm and 40-150mm stock lenses that came with my camera. If you are a little creative you can accommodate both lenses and some additional stuff inside the main compartment. It is a tight fit, but still very workable and relatively easy to get to everything. I have even managed to get a FL-36 external flash in there with the rest of the main equipment. I keep the telephoto lens and its hood in the bottom of the main compartment and the wide angle lens attached to the camera in the top. There was enough space down the side to get the flash unit down in there also. Instead of storing the camera as most pictures show with the lens pointing straight down into the main compartment, I have mine supported and laying lengthwise at the top. The Velcro dividers allow for some creativity and freedom to make things work.I have traveled to Italy with the bag and was able to carry quite a bit around all day without having to worry about getting robbed. This was because of the 4 way chest harness that this bag comes with. Anyone who has been to Rome will tell you that the thieves looking for easy targets and having the bag square under my nose made it a very hard target. I felt very secure with the chest harness. For anyone who has any shoulder, neck, or back problems as I do, carrying around a lot of gear can be painful. The chest harness distributes the weight to both shoulders and didn't aggravate my neck, shoulders, or back in the least even after walking around all day. Plus with the chest harness all of my gear was right there in front of me and ready for me when I needed to change something on the camera for a specific shot.For when we went out to the wineries and to places where I wasn't worried about someone grabbing the bag off of my shoulders, the shoulder strap came in handy. The padded strap kept the strap in place on my shoulders so I wasn't constantly fussing with it.I have added a Lowepro Pouch and attached it to the side. The Slip Lock system is very secure and I have no fear of the additional pouch coming off of the bag. Once I get a 50 mm lens I will get an additional lens case and attach to the other side of the bag.There is enough storage in the front compartments for a mini tripod, extra batteries for the camera and flash unit, lens cloth, Lenspen, tripod mount, Sto-Fen diffuser, shoulder strap for the camera if not in use, and the lens caps for the lens in use. There is another storage compartment in the top flap to the main compartment that I keep my flash cards and remote in. The attached wet weather cover came in very handy also, and kept everything in the main compartment nice and dry. It had enough extra stretch in the elastic to even cover the external pouch's top.Overall this bag has served me well and I look forward to using it for quite some time. Obviously if you have larger, longer lenses, you won't be able to get as much in the main compartment. But for the photographer with a single telephoto and single wide angle lens, this bag offers a lot for a very reasonable price. The ease of access to the contents is another big plus. For world travelers this bag offers a lot of security in some of those wonderful European cities with pick pocket issues. This is my second Lowepro bag and I feel just as satisfied with this one as I am with my first.

Expertise: Advanced Amateur

Problems Encountered: The chest harness shouldn't be used with a shirt that is delicate. The edges of the strap might pull and damage any delicate material. Not a deal breaker in the least.

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: Lowepro reporter

Comments about Lowepro Topload Zoom AW Holster Bag:

This bag works as advertised, very tough and rugged. I use it for an eos-3 with a 70-200mm F4L, and that is about the biggest and longest this bag can hold. There is some room in the front pockets, but none inside the main compartment, hardly enough for the camera's strap to fit in. With a smaller lens though this bag would be a lot more useful for carrying more gear in. All I need is space for film and a flash. The all-weather cover is pretty nifty, it is attached to the bag so you don't lose it. The harness that comes with the bag is kind of ridiculous I think, basically it straps the case right to the center of your chest. I suppose some might need that though.

Expertise: Photography student

Problems Encountered: Nothing so far, If I had the money and the need, I would have bought a bigger model such as the Topload Pro.