Lowepro's ProTactic 450 AW Probably One Of The Best Photographers Backpack In The World An In Depth Review

Lowepro's ProTactic 450 AW Probably One Of The Best Photographers Backpack In The World An In Depth Review

From the moment you pull it out, you know its going to be a different experience. Naturally, the loops all around the backpack gets you excited. They are literally everywhere. While you can use Lowepro's handy attachments that are available to hold additional gear, a tripod, etc., you can just as easily imagine working custom solutions with carabiners, your own heavy-duty velcro straps, a leather shoelace in a pinch... It instantly becomes apparent that the options are endless. And that's important for someone like me who goes from packing a Nikon or a Canon SLR for a portrait session and a wedding, to shooting a news assignment the next day, and finally to shooting fine art work during a night shoot with medium format film gear -- all in the same week.

Gear Protection

Despite the thin Maxi Fit system pads, the bag has quite fantastic protection. The primary internal dividers are still quite substantial. You do need some of those, and these do the trick.

The accessible top semi-hard shell flap under which I can easily stash a body with a decent-sized lens attached is a neat addition. It really assures me that should something drop on the bag,

Overall, the bag itself is quite rigid, too. It's softer than the specifically hard top, but I have no doubt that the rectangular shape that gives the bag quite a bit of its style won't ever get worn in to the point of becoming rounded -- it's a sturdy bag.

Durability

The ProTactic itself seems as though it'll last longer than your gear would if you were to actually keep it until it died rather than until the next upgrade cycle. For most Canon and Nikon systems out there -- that's a lifetime. Strong zippers have loop attachments that you can pinch in a traditional sense but that can just as easily be pulled through with a single finger. More often than not, running your fingers along the zipper line is enough for one of the loops to grab one and start unzipping the bag practically "for" you. Thankfully, the loops are thin enough and don't add unnecessary bulk and are even rubber-coated for comfort.

Lowepro s Pro tactic Backpack with built in rain cover

What Fits Into This Pro Tactic Backpack?

Lowepro claims the ProTactic 450 AW can fit 1-2 pro-level DSLRs (one with up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 attached), up to eight lenses OR speed lights, a 15" laptop, a tripod, and various accessories. Below is a list of what I could fit while still somewhat comfortably being able to close it (more on that later):

• Nikon D4 with Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art with the hood pointed out/in position (a 70-200 f/2.8 would indeed have fit perfectly)
• Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 (alone in this configuration), 35mm f/2.8, 85mm f/1.8G, 2x teleconverter, SB-900 speedlight, a pack of accessories that come with the bag (takes up as much as a wide-angle zoom lens would)
• 15" Retina MacBook Pro
• Extra dividers, a few small backup cables
• In the small accessory pockets on the side of the bag: SanDisk Firewire 800 CF card reader w/ cable, Pelican waterproof 4-compartment CF/SD card hard-case
• This was all fit internally and/or in some external zipper compartment where noted -- none of this included expandability with attachments on the outer loops

Inside look of the Lowepro s Pro Tactic Backpack

You can leave the waist strip or just use it!

Summary Final Thoughts

When I look at everything, despite its shortcomings for my own needs and although I'd only use it as a backup bag (for a smaller job), I must say this is undeniably my favorite photo backpack. It looks anywhere from decent to wicked depending on your tastes, gives full protection, and offers more flexibility in a way that acknowledges the variations in our industry than any other bag out there. From the sliding chest straps female shooters will love to the little attachment loops and even to the change into the semi-hardshell top -- they've thought of EVERYTHING. When you really think about it, the name fits: the ProTactic is everything you'd hope after simply reading the headline.

You can buy this amazing state of the art Lowepro Pro Tactic camera back HERE

Pictures are from the Fstoppers website, you can find the complete in depth review of the Lowepro Pro Tactic camera backpack HERE