lovelifey: [Photography] Review: Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack

Awesome highlights of this wild career: taking photographs, hanging out with cool clients, and producing stunning imagery.

The not-so-fun part: transporting all the cameras, lenses and bits and bobs we need from point A to point B.

If you’re like me, you know that being able to carry all of our must-haves comfortably can make or break the work day. I’m always looking for better ways to lug my gear. So when I came across the Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack I had to try it out.

The Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack

Before we get into my opinion of this strappy carrying device, let’s take a moment to discuss what this backpack is about. According to Evecase it “features a customizable interior which can hold camera bod and 2-5 lenses, a laptop compartment that holds a 14-inch laptop, Chromebook or tablet, plenty of pockets, pouches and spaces for jackets, books, a tripod and other accessories. Rain or shine, wet or dry, the removable rain cover will give your backpack the best protection. Fashionable canvas design with discreet look that won’t stand out as camera backpack.”

According to Evecase, the highlights include an easy-to-access camera compartment, discreet instant laptop access, and extended top storage. There are a slew of accessory pockets, tripod holder straps, stowaway side pockets and ergonomic shoulder straps.

Appearance

I won’t lie. The appearance of this canvas backpack is what piqued my interest in the first place. I always gravitate towards cases that don’t scream “Expensive camera equipment stored in here”, and this backpack is certainly inconspicuous enough.

This product is 15 x 12.5 x 7 inches , with the camera compartment being 9.6 x 11 x 4 inches.

The canvas fabric material has a subtle texture to it and is a rather pretty grey. The material is waterproof and weatherproof. (Well, generally. But it also comes with a waterproof case.) It looks like something you’d take on a camping trip or backpacking across Europe. The details are all black, and the color scheme can easily match whatever your style is. Much of my carrying devices and storage units are grey. (I like having all of my products match one another.)

The front of the backpack features a multitude of pockets and flaps, with bottle or beverage pockets that can be stowed away discreetly when not in use. The inside is lined with a light, slate grey that has a bit of a blue tint to it.

The backpack has a bit of weight when empty, but not enough to concern me.

Build Quality

The build quality is where other people’s reviews on this product get a little shifty. I’ve read many claims of it ripping at the seams or being rather fragile. But having used this Evecase product rigorously for more than a month, I haven’t experienced it myself.

The photography I do involves a lot of wear and tear on whatever I have with me. I photograph canine sports, exotic animals and live concerts. My daily dose of damage can include anything from animals biting my bags to a rowdy crowd unintentionally tearing at my stuff. After being put through the wringer for more than 30 days, this bag has managed to survive with almost no visible damage.

Even when it’s fully packed, I haven’t experience any ripping, tearing, or deformity of the compartments due to the weight. I even took it for a spin at the beach (being from California and all), and neither sand nor salty water caused much of an issue. Based on my experiences alone, I’d consider the build quality on this backpack to be great.

That being said, as with any product you own a bit of TLC goes a very long way in ensuring its longevity. I have weekly cleaning where I perform cleaning and basic maintenance on of my work gear. And backpacks, cases and other carrying devices are no exception.

Comfort

The main criteria for whether or not a backpack, sling, or any carrying device stays is comfort. After dueling against several alternatives, the Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack is definitely staying.

I’ve worn this backpack fully stocked with supplies for around six hours, and suffered no significant discomfort or additional pain normally associated with carrying weight for such a long time. This being said, I feel the size of this backpack and where it suits my height (5’ 5”) brilliantly. Taller people may have an issue simply there’s no real way to adjust where this backpack sits. It would also be nice to have have more padding on the shoulder straps. I think I’ll eventually mod the straps and add more padding, but if it came with some initially it would be even more rad.

As for ease of access, I like the solid build of the camera compartment. I can easily balance the backpack on my knee as a table to help switch lenses or attach something to my rig. There’s a wonderful side pocket I can pull my laptop out of if I don’t feel like opening the top and reaching the computer from there. All of the small bits and bobs I might need are also easily accessible due to the various pockets on the front of the backpack, and the beverage pockets are also within a comfortable reach.

Storage

This backpack features plenty of storage for everything I could possibly need. Of my kit, at maximum, I can fit:

either:
- three lenses (Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L USM II, Canon 50mm f/1.2L USM, and Canon 24-70mm F/2.8L USM II) and a camera body (Canon EOS 5D Mark IV)
- two camera bodies (Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Canon EOS 5D Mark II) and two lenses (Canon 50mm f/1.2L USM and Canon 24-70mm F/2.8L USM II)
my 13.5” laptop with its case on and a laptop charger
two variable ND filters
camera batteries
chargers
cards
lens cleaning kit
roll of tape
scissors
notebook
pens
contract / liability waivers / model release forms / non-disclosure documents
card reader
metal case of business cards
tripod
cellophane gel kit
my personal belongings (cell phone, portable cell battery, wallet, car keys, jacket, deodorant, makeup)
two water bottles
snacks.

That being said, a couple of the pockets in the front are a bit odd in the sense that I would have gone for something different. The size of the two small pockets in front of the camera compartment are a bit strange. The dividers inside them are a bit too large for some of the smaller electronics I’d put there, but too small for anything larger. I’d prefer them to mimic the one long pocket at the top of the backpack, as I currently have to dig deep into the dividers to pull out the small components I need to use. A couple of the flaps could make excellent pockets for paperwork or business cards, but instead they sit there as decorative elements.

Padding

The backpack features an acceptable amount of padding in both the camera and laptop sections. The camera section had significantly more padding than the laptop slot, and so I often store my laptop in its compartment with a secondary case already on it. Fortunately a secondary case fits just fine. The camera compartment includes your run-of-the-mill customizable dividers, so you can arrange that area to suit your needs.

Pros

Aesthetic and style
Not bulky
Comfortable straps
Plenty of storage space
Easy camera and laptop access
Waterproof case is a nice touch

Cons

Lack of confident padding in the laptop compartment
Some of the outer pockets are odd
Needs a better way of hiding tripod straps when not in use
Needs more buttons to the main compartment to customize size better
Forget about putting in a DSLR with the grip attached
Needs more padding on shoulder straps if you pack heavy

In conclusion, for between $40 and $60 on Amazon.com this backpack gives you a decent bang for your buck. I quite like it, and still get tremendous use out of it.

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