MindShift Gear Ultralight Dual 25L Photo Daypack (Twilight Blue)

I use my camera to photograph nature and wildlife, so photography bag that was good for the outdoors was a must. So many camera backpacks are exclusively just for camera gear and don't have room for much else. This bag provides excellent balance between a usable camera bag and space for outdoor gear such as a fleece or rain gear. I also love that this backpack can accommodate a water bladder, which I prefer for my hydration needs. A smaller bladder fits in the bag better than one of the long ones though because there isn't much space behind the camera bag at the bottom. The camera slot can be accessed as advertised without taking the whole pack off. The camera bag is long enough for a canon 80D with a 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens (non-L series). A longer lens than that attached to the camera would not really fit. There is also room for a 2nd shorter lens, so fairly reasonable given the dual purpose bag. The bag is light and has good straps. I also like that the camera bag is removable and you can drop the floor so it can be used for general outdoor adventures without a camera. My MacBook air 13 laptop fits nicely in the laptop/water bladder sleeve (note the sleeve is one or the other and not both). Thicker laptops will be tight fit when the camera bag is in place. I have taken the bag on a regional jet and it does fit under the seat for the most part. My only issue is that at 4'11", the bag is a little long for me, but I manage given it suits my needs over all and this is an issue for almost any backpack.Update 7/7/17- I recently bought a Canon EF 400mm L lens and a neoprene sleeve to protect it. The top gear compartment is tall enough that I can stand the lens up and still close the compartment easily. Was pleased to find out the backpack will accommodate a large lens in the top with ease.

So glad I made this purchase. I love this backpack. It's not as perfect as my Osprey, but I've yet to find any photo gear pack that truly fits my needs. So, as far as all 'hiking pack that carries photo gear specifically' goes, this one met meets my needs just fine. If anything, I almost wish I had bought the larger size, but for 90% of my day hikes, this covers what I need.Pros:- Can carry water bladder. It also stays snug where it is supposed to be- Straps are great, best quality of the photo packs I have tried. Whoever designed this has backpacked before. Compared to the competition in photo backpacks, these are top notch. The Manfrotto was so awful in this regard that I shipped it back the day I got it. The LowePro did not make it out of the store with me, which surprised me since I have enjoyed their other style photo bags.- This holds my Pentax K5, two lenses and some assorted gear just fine in the zippered pouch and I really like the I can pull that out and convert it to a shoulder bag. Love the ease of access in that I don't have to take the pack off, just swing it around and I'm good to go.- top part holds jacket, lunch, stuff just fine or I can stuff more lenses in there- It rides very well, it's comfortable, it's stylish enough. It's pretty durable.- I have strapped my tripod to it and my trekking poles and it worked out vey very well. I should say that I augmented the existing straps with some short ones purchased from a 3rd party.Cons:- Well. There really is no photo backpack that does exactly what I want one to do. The zippered pouch is adequate, but I spend a lot of time adjusting the inner padding. Relative to the other two photo backpacks I have tried, I can barely call this a 'con' since the other two I tried were just... terrible. The only reason it is missing a star is because I really want something better in a photo backpack, but there is not one on the market.- I would have preferred a built-in rainfly. It just takes up space having to fit it into a compartment. But, I have used the rain fly and it works exceedingly well.

I have numerous ThinkTank bags and all are superb. This is no exception. I would have given it a solid 5 stars but for two minor things: 1. Camelback insert goes inside the backpack, NOT on the exterior like Lowepro (and all Camelbacks), it is separated, but if I have delicate camera gear in the same compartment I can see how something could happen, 2. The removable bag, which is a superb feature (and why I picked it over the Lowepro) could benefit from a pocket or two, just something to hold memory cards, a cell phone, etc.I have an Olympus EM1-2 with battery grip. I can fit that with 1 lens on and 2 other lenses in the small bag.

I needed a backpack as my husband and I will be taking a biking vacation, and I wanted to be able to take my good camera on the bike with me. I also enjoy nature photography and wanted to be able to take my camera hiking, but the shoulder bag was awkward. I bought this one after reading a lot of reviews, and it is perfect! I liked the fact that it opens from the side, allowing me to take the camera out without setting the bag on the ground. It also has a removable insert that can be used as a shoulder bag, as well as a way to connect the tripod when I get one in the future. The upper section is roomy to be able to throw in a jacket or change of clothes. The pack looks to be well made, with several smaller pockets for smaller items. The pack is also comfortable to wear, with the wider straps that come around from the pack. My only suggestion would be an attachable rain cover, as others have mentioned, but that is very minor. Overall, I love it so far!

This is an unbelievable camera backpack. Light, comfortable (the hip-straps provide awesome weight distribution), flexible (useful in both configurations), and extremely robust. I carry my EM-5, four spare batteries, three lenses (two primes and one wide-angle zoom), plus a bunch of accessories. Great, great bag.

Great backpack for the most part however if you are using it with a hydration bladder beware. I like to load mine with ice and learned the hard way that when the bladder develops condensation in humid environments it will soak the entire insides of the backpack save the removable portion with the camera. lt is poor design as the bladder should be housed in a completely separate compartment and that compartment should be waterproof.