Mini-review: Case Logic SLR Medium Shoulder Bag (SLRC-202B)

Whenever I get my hands onto a nice product, I like to give a little shout out about it. Good quality products deserves to be mentioned. The Case Logic SLRC-2 02B is such a product. I guess I could end this blog post right here, now that you know I endorse this product 🙂  But let me just go a little bit further and explain what I like about it.

Features

• Compatible with most SLRs
• Hammock system to suspend SLR
• Memory foam interior
• 2 large side pockets for lenses & accessories
• 2 zippered compartments
• Waterproof base
• Fixed carrying strap
• Removable & padded shoulder strap

Why did I buy this bag?

I’ve been trying to move away from my big and heavy Nikon D7000 + lenses, and into the mirrorless segment. The latest mirrorless camera I’m shooting, is the Olympus OMD EM5, which is probably slightly bigger than most other mirrorless cameras, but it’s also a great camera with a great retro design. I needed a bag that would comfortable fit the OMD EM5 as well as a minimum one other lens, preferable two lenses.

Coming from DSLR with lots of gear, all my other bags were simply too big for the Olympus OMD EM5, no need to carry around on more than you actually need. Case Logic SLRC-202B fits perfectly.

The hammock system is adjustable with velcro, so you can lower it if you need more room for the camera body. This also ensures that the camera stays put in the main compartment, since you can’t adjust the side walls in this bag, as some other bags offer.

The 2 large side pockets are just about the right size too. It will hold a Tamron 18-270mm PZD VC lens for DSLR, but anything thicker than that, is not going to fit. That’s okay, because Micro Four Thirds gear is usually a bit smaller than DSLR gear, so the side pockets are perfect for M4/3 stuff.

Some people don’t understand why camera bags are yellow/orange on the inside – I’ll tell you: It’s because it makes it easier to find stuff. What color is most camera gear? Black! Imagine black accessories at the bottom of a black pocket, and you are out shooting where it might not be the best lighting conditions… it’s simply easier to find stuff with brightly colored interior. Case Logic SLRC-202B has that too.

Also note the waterproof base. It’s pretty sturdy and goes about an inch up, so if you accidentally put down the bag on a wet surface, nothing is going to happen.

Now, my main purpose with this bag was to use it with my M4/3 camera and gear – but what if you want to use it with your DSLR, will it fit? Case Logic states that it will fit most SLR’s with a zoom lens. The size is 30.5 x 12.7 x 24.1 cm and it fits devices 18 x 12 x 17 cm, so get the measurement tape out.

Conclusion

I’ll let you in on a secret: There’s no one camera bag to rule them all. Don’t buy one camera big and think you’re done with it. You might be done with it if you’re not that much into shooting or if you have no intentions of upgrading, but most people I know who got into photography, sooner or later learns that multiple bags are a must. It’s just much more convenient to use the right bag for the job, and therefor Case Logic SLRC-202B will not be the right bag for many people if you have a different need. But if you’re in the market for a bag that supports both hand-strap carriage and shoulder strap, and you need something that fits a small-medium sized DSLR or a mirrorless camera, as well as a couple of lenses and cables, batteries and memory cards, the Case Logic SLRC-202B [tp lang=”en” only=”y”]camera bag at just £34.99[/tp][tp not_in=”en”]camera bag at just £34.99[/tp] is a great buy that deserves an extra look.

As I was ready to publish this review, I was just about to leave the country on a mini-cruise to the UK, so I decided to delay the review and take the bag with me on the cruise to get some more experience with the bag, “out in the field”. It performed as expected. It was light-weight to carry around, had enough room for my camera and one lens (and a half liter bottle of water in the other side pocket – great!). TechPatio recommends this bag!