Spend any time in the media center of a sports event, and chances are you'll see a great variety of camera bags used to store and transport precious camera bodies and lenses to the stadium. So you can rest assured that a lot of "field" testing has been done on these products. Furthermore photographers are never short of an opinion about their equipment and a lot of review comments are offered, some even having been solicited!
One of the most commonly seen brands of camera bags is sold by Think Tank Photo. Think Tank sells every conceivable kind of camera bag; beltpacks, shoulder bags, backpacks, holsters and modular systems are all offered. But in media centers where equipment protection, convenience and security are paramount the rolling bag is the preferred piece of camera storage and transportation equipment. Among the brands of rolling camera bags the Think Tank products are among the most highly regarded and with good reason.
The Think Tank Photo Airport International V2.0 is one of seven different rolling bags created with the air traveler/photographer in mind. This particular bag is considered to be at the upper end of the market and, with a manufacturers price of $389.75 (as of August 2013), it is a significant investment for anyone. However if a photographer is traveling with camera equipment valued at tens of thousands of dollars the upfront cost of this bag pales in comparison and, if the bag instills confidence that the photographer’s equipment is safe and protected and then performs up to those expectations then it has done its job and is worth every penny.
The first impression that you get from looking at, and handling, the Airport International V2.0 bag is that of substance; it just looks and feels solid and durable. There is nothing about the camera bag’s body that feels flimsy. The bag has a heavy duty ballistic nylon cover while both the bottom and the back panel of the bag provide a solid plastic exo-skeleton to protect the bag and its contents, like any travel bag, from the regular battering that stairs, escalators and baggage carousels (should you check the bag) provide.
However, there should be no need to check your precious cargo as this bag is the right size to comply with both USA domestic and international carry on sizes. Other bags in the series comply with US travel requirements but are not necessarily appropriate for overseas travel. Make sure you get the right one for your travel needs!
Besides looking substantial, the Airport International V2.0 bag, looks very sleek and elegant. Its simple lines provide just a hint of the multitude of usable features before you even open the bag.
The bag’s front panel has one large stretch pocket and one zipped pocket with pouches, holders and a cable with padlock. The top panel has a handle, small zip pocket, clear business card holder and a zipped pocket that contains the pull handle. One side panel has a second handle while the other has nylon loops and a smaller stretch pocket. The back panel has one zipped pocket that contains a four feet long steel cable (with combination padlock) that provides the security system allowing the bag to be attached to an immovable object preventing opportunity theft of the entire bag and its contents.
The premise behind all Think Tank products is that they represent the best collaborative ergonomic efforts of professional photographers and designers. The exterior of the bag demonstrates just how fruitful that joint effort has been as exemplified by: The lifting handles on the side top are solid yet padded and comfortable; a supplemental handle on the bottom of the bag provides real convenience, the ergonomic design of the top panel provides a ticket / passport pocket, conveniently accessible; the pulling handle is concealed within its own zipped pocket and the security system is likewise concealed.
Open the bag up and the full functionality of the Airport International V2.0 is revealed immediately. The storage area provides more than adequate space to carry the largest of pieces of equipment. Reportedly it can accommodate a 500mm F4.0. I know it can easily accommodate two bodies (7D, 40D), a Sigma 300mm F2.8, a Canon 24-70mm F2.8L, a Canon 70-200mm F2.8L, a 50mm F1.2L, two flash units and several tele-converters as well as batteries, accessories and other equipment necessary for a days shooting. A monopod can be attached to the outside of the bag.
The inside of the lid provides all sorts of additional storage for batteries, memory cards, filters and other smaller accessories.
As is common with all these sorts of bags the interior has a large number of padded dividers that allow for a completely customizable storage area that allows for lenses to be stored either attached or independent of the camera bodies. Even the dividers are of superior quality and thickness to ensure they don’t move around and provide more than adequate buffering for each individual compartment.
Traveling with the bag anywhere can be a dream. The three handles on the bag (top panel, side panel, and nylon handle on the bottom) mean that lifting and maneuvering the bag into the overhead travel bins or in to the back of a car or SUV is easy and problem free. The sleek exterior design and fully zipped pockets provide no protruding panels that can get caught or snagged.
The roller wheels upon which the bag moves are the smoothest and quietest of any travel bag (camera or otherwise) I’ve ever owned. That fact alone would make for a pleasant experience travelling with the bag except for the problem that I experienced with the pulling handle.
My major issue with this bag is the poor-quality pulling handle. While everything else on the bag is solid and sturdy the pulling handle feels like it might break at any moment. Consisting of a comfortable handle attaching two supporting shafts or poles of four telescoping segments each, the pulling handle performs inconsistently. When the telescoping segments are fully extended and locked the bag is a dream to move around on its rollers, the wheels are silent, the bag is well balanced and feels stable due to the wide handle.
However I could rarely get the four telescoping segments to fully extend and lock. If I couldn’t get it to lock into its fully extended length any time I took my hand off the pulling handle the handle fell back down into the bag. Admittedly this is a minor inconvenience but it happened so regularly that it became down right irritating.
Security associated with the bag is very well done. Three separate combination locks provide security in the event you have to leave the bag unattended while you shoot.
The main security system attaches the entire bag to immovable objects via a four feet long steel cable secured in the body of the bag and accessible through a zippered pocket in the back of the bag. Unwanted access to the interior of the bag is prevented via a combination lock that secures the dual zipper into a lockable panel. A third combination lock is secured in the pocket on the front of the bag and is useful for securing a lap top computer to the bag as well.
Each of the combinations has a different locking mechanism and once they were worn in they became very user friendly and an extra source of comfort or confidence that my equipment would be there when I returned from the event I was shooting.
So is the Think Tank Photo Airport International V2.0 worth its hefty price?
The Airport International V2.0 is an excellent rolling camera bag. The bag provides more than adequate padding to protect any cameras or lenses it carries from the, often, jarring movements associated with present day travel. Its’ removable dividers allow you to customize the interior to suit your needs precisely. Additionally the bag provides abundant security that safeguards the photographer’s equipment against opportunity crime when the bag is left unattended for photoshoots. Finally it has sufficient capacity to transport just about any equipment you might need on an extended trip.
Most importantly, and a function of these other attributes, the bag provides a photographer with the confidence that their equipment is extremely well protected and that it will travel well.
