Manfrotto Chicago Backpack 50 (Medium, Dark Gray)

It's a Keeper | Great | Some Improvement Potential

To start with, I'm NOT a professional photographer but I am an avid one and do lots of aviation photography and the closest thing to a photographer that my son's baseball team has. I travel for work a lot and always have my camera with me to take pics of airplanes. The right backpack is important. I needed one that can carry a laptop, notebook, other work stuff and my DSLR and a couple of lenses. I've tried multiple backpacks, 5 or so. The backpack 50 is the closest I've come to perfect. It's a nice size and easily fits under a seat. The laptop compartment is tight but holds my work laptop nicely and I like that it's suspended from the bottom. I'm not nice to technology and often juts drop a bag vs. setting it down gently. I'll often just stuff a bag under a seat vs. place it. Some said the back panel padding for laptop compartment is a bit thin. It is but boas of bag is to stand up vs. fall down so this is not much of an issue in my book. Lack of padding does affect comfort because having a stiff backpack on the back (stiff because of laptop) does not feel great but earing the straps a bit loser helps. Besides, having a lot of padding would be hot. In addition to laptop, I carry a hard cover note pad and presentations to review...etc. Again, space is tight but thus far is not limiting and space is MUCH better and better laid out than anything I've tried before. The pockets are many but each has a purpose. Still figuring out how I want to use them. One plus is there is a big pocket on the side that is big enough for a big water bottle which many backpacks don't have. There is a top little (it is little) pocket for on-the fly-items - I put a battery in it, couple lens wipes, bit of cash. Easy to get to. Bigger top pocket is awesome for a laptop charging block and mix of other essentials - big enough so I can toss stuff in without jamming in. There is a little removeable pounch that comes with it perfect for cables, batteries and other stuff. It's thoughtfully put together and is practical. Does the job. Really like it. The camera compartment is its own bag that can be inserted or taken out as needed. Quality is good enough to use as a stand along bag and even has a shoulder strap (strap is just so-so but still nice convenience). I've not yet used the bag alone but bag plus previously mentioned little pouch make a really cool combination. If I want to take out bag, lots of space to make this a weekender bag plus a good place for work stuff. My only issue is that the zipper on the internal bag are hard to find and very hard to pull in the event I need fast access. They are good quality but I can see potentially breaking. I had to turn on its side to open camera bag and use two hands. Not great for quick access. One can simply leave innter bag unzipped if needed - backpack offers enough protection but still, zipper should be more identifiable and easier to access. Kevlar bottom of back pack is awesome and the bag really does stand up when full - not common. The pass thru loop to hood on rolling luggage handle is awesome. I use that feature often and few camera/laptop bag combos have them. Some remark the bag has no chest strap - mine does and I've used when hiking thru an airport. As for hiking outside, it is a good city pack. For more adventurous travel it seems hardy enough to work (I'd certainly feel good about how the camera, lenses and other stuff is protected - especially given bag has a rain cover) but there are probably better options. As for what I carry on a trip - laptop plus notebook and papers, supporting cables, chargers...etc., a Nikon D700, an 80-250 lens, 18-400 Tamron lens. Toom for a couple others also. I generally have the 400 or 250 attached to the camera in the bag. Dividers in bag easy to adjust so could make room for a bigger lens (but probably not attached to camera). Again, protection is great! This bag really is a keeper and is a close to perfect work/travel/camera backpack. Well-built and I expect to have it for a long, long time. Company does offer a great warrantee also and the only thing I can see using for would be a broken zipper and again, because of the zipper positioning, not quality of zipper itself. Get this bag without hesitation and have a blast.