Kata 3N1-33 in my hotel room (iPhone shot).
So I’ve been back from my recent trip to Virginia for a little bit now. I used my new Kata 3N1-33 camera bag as my carry-on from San Diego to Norfolk,VA. As mentioned in my previous mini-review of this bag, the shot above shows exactly what I took on the trip. I ordered mine via B&H Photo who, after my last posting, was quick to ask why I wasn’t a big fan of them. I’ll just say no comment to that.
Anyway, I loved this bag. I was able to take what I normally take on a trip with no problem. I had plenty of room to spare although I am interested to see if the optional tripod carrier would do me any good. I was even able to stuff a copy of the New York Times in the laptop compartment along with my 13″ Macbook. I flew on both a 737 and a CRJ-700 on the way to Virginia. I always sit in the aisle so the area under the seat in front of me is always smaller. I like leg room but find myself always using the area in front of me vice the overhead compartment. Even with status I find that they get filled way before I even board.
The 3N1 fit just fine on both planes and looks like it was even designed to fit just snug. I liked the top compartment as it was easy to reach from my seat even while buckled. I really do wish they had come up with a better design for the zippers. I found that if I picked the bag up by the handle, the zippers in the top compartment would come apart sometimes causing items to fall out. I worry that the zippers at the top will fail after time with heavy use but we shall see. Another item to consider before purchasing this bag is how much weight you are willing to carry. This bag becomes very heavy when loaded and can place a strain on your back even when using the attached waist strap. While it is tempting, do not overfill this bag. Your back will feel it when you are running across a terminal trying to make a connection. Trust me!
Overall I really did love this bag. From the yellow easy-to-see interior to the well designed strap system, this bag was made with the traveling photographer in mind. I do not recommend this bag for use as a every-day camera bag. I recommend you get something smaller and easier to handle. But if you travel with your camera and want the ability to have it with you in a well-padded environment, this bag is for you. Keep in mind that the 3N1-33 version will fit up to a 15.4″ laptop. For you water drinkers, no bottle compartment or holder; you’ll have to carry that with your hands. Thanks for reading!
iPhone Photography my @$
Just checked in to my hotel a few minutes ago after a day of flying from San Diego, CA to Virginia. I used my brand new Kata 3N1-33 camera backpack as my carry-on. Packing it last night went pretty fast. It was tempting to fill the backpack with more stuff but I exercised restraint and took the following items:
Sony A900 with vertical grip attached.
Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 lens attached to the A900.
Minolta 100-200 f/4 lens.
Minolta 28 f/2.8 lens.
Minolta 50 f/1.7 lens.
Black Rapid RS-5 Strap.
Minolta 5600 HS(D) flash unit.
Sony Digital Noise Canceling Headphones (vital on flights!).
Sony A900 Book.
6″ Subway sandwich.
Battery charger with cable.
Data Transfer cable.
Two lint free cleaning cloths.
Red blower.
Keys.
iPhone Charging cable.
iPhone.
13″ Macbook.
Envelope with travel papers.
I was happy with the amount of stuff I was able to fit but my back is feeling it right now. My items were secure the entire time and this bag fit easily under the seat in front of my on both a 757 and a CRJ 700. I tend to sit in the aisle which makes the space in front of me that much smaller. The Kata fit and was not squished at all. I do not like using the overhead compartment so this was perfect for me. I’m pleased with the product so far but will compile a more in-depth review over the next week. I highly recommend this product for those who travel with photography gear, as long as you have a strong back!
P.S. I bought mine from B&H for $145. Not bad!
The best thing about going shopping with the family is being able to stop into a camera store. I went into Calumet Photo in Escondido today to look at some tripods. I never liked the customer service there and today was bad as usual, considering I was the only person in there due to the rain. I spotted the Benro Travel Angel (the Carbon Fiber version with the smaller ball head) and tested it out in the store. This was a tripod I was looking at for awhile online and it was nice to be able to touch it and check it out in person. I really like the compact design and the build feels solid. Those Chinese know how to build stuff! Anyway, I tried it out and decided to buy it when I got home. Calumet is a good place to try stuff but it’s cheaper to buy online. Do I feel bad by not supporting “local” stores? No. Got home and immediately went to Outdoor Photo Gear. Bought it for a good price there and am now waiting for it to arrive next week. I think the UPS guy is starting to think I am a shopaholic. Maybe I am…
I just bought the Kata 3N1-33 camera bag from B&H Photo. Not a huge fan of B&H but they were the only ones who had it in stock. Received it yesterday and played around with it a bit. Did a pack out with what I usually travel with and so far it’s a perfect fit for me. I’ll post an in-depth review after my trip to Virginia next week.
Landed in Hawaii yesterday afternoon. I have been traveling a lot these past few months for my job. I wish I was traveling due to my photographic skills but that is not the case, not yet. Checked in to the Hilton Prince Kuhio, where they gave me an ocean view that it pretty unobstructed. Looking forward to later this morning for sure. As much as traveling can be fun and exciting, I always miss my family and this morning I felt it more than usual. I had a dream that my daughter Marilyn was playing soccer and she fell and then started crawling around (she is 9 months old and crawling like a good little rugrat) and I woke up missing my family. At least this trip should be pretty short. There’s no amount of frequent flier miles that would make me miss my family less.
For this trip, I just brought my Sony A900 with my new Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 telephoto lens. I replaced my Minolta 70-210 f/4 with this lens and I am glad I did. The depth of field with the Sigma is awesome and lets me take advantage of less light. The hypersonic motor on the Sigma makes AF ultra quiet and pretty quick. Works just like the SSM I have on the Sony 70-400 f/4-5.6.
Hopefully I will get off of work at a decent time today in order to head to the beach and take some shots. Oh, and do some shopping for my wife. She was born and raised in Hawaii so naturally I must bring some gifts from her home. Aloha!
It can be frustrating when using a DSLR system such as Sony. There simply is not the same amount of resources for Sony shooters as Nikon or Canon shooters. Sure, gear is just gear but it helps to have a community of users who understand your joys and pains. We Sony shooters may not have a gazillion sites to go to but we do have many to choose from. In this article I will try to share some of my favorite sites to go to when it comes to Sony Alpha information.
1) Dyxum : Simply the largest gathering of Sony shooters and with that comes all the knowledge of the Sony Alpha system. Want to know if a certain lens will work on your A700? This is the place to ask that and many more questions. Known for their awesome forums, Dyxum is also a great resource when it comes to researching your next purchase. From lens reviews to photo contests, this site has it all for FREE.
2) kurtmunger.com : I take my hat off to people that take the time to share their knowledge and skills with others. Photographers are unique in that while it would be more beneficial to hold back certain knowledge, photographers share everything. This is what Kurt Mungers does. The gem of this site is the Sony/Minolta AF lens price guide. You can see what a lens is worth using real world pricing. You can see what items are going for on sites like ebay and trending data to support these prices. A absolute must visit.
3) Photoclubalpha : Another good forum site with a wealth of knowledge. A great place to ask beginner type questions and to see how good the images from Sony DSLR’s really are.
4) Sony Alpha DSLR camera’s group on Flickr : So gear talk is good and all but sometimes we need to step back and realize why we all have this gear. This is one of the largest Sony Alpha groups on Flickr. Flickr is a great way to view others work. Share your photos and look at others. The best way to improve your photography is to learn from the mistakes and successes of others.
These are just a few of the sites out there that are vital to the Sony Alpha shooter. Enjoy!
It is Friday and I have the day off. One of the perks of the place I work at. I started the morning watching an episode of Mad Men at 6:30am. Why so early? Well, that is when my daughter decided to wake up. I’m enjoying the new Apple TV we bought last week. Very good product. This week was a quiet but somewhat long week. I have started to listen to the various photography podcasts on my way to work. I listen to “This Week in Photography“, “Pro Photo Show” and “Photofocus“. Very informative shows each with their strong points. I enjoy both the gear head aspect to these shows and the artistic side. I have also started taking my DSLR to work in case I feel up to shooting during lunch. I went to Sunset Cliffs one lunch period and took this shot.
I find that by going to these new places all the time that I am learning not only the area but how to become a better photographer. All this during lunch! Needless to say I often find myself looking at the clock waiting for lunch. The days I can’t go, well, I make do. Anyway, listening to podcasts has helped me understand what I need to learn and what I need to just experiment with. I only wish I had more time in the day to go shooting but one day I will. Hopefully.
I’m sitting here the Kearney Mesa Toyota getting the 15K mile service on the Prius. I hate paying for somebody to “check” stuff but this will be the first real tune-up of the Prius so I went ahead and bit the bullet. Anyway, they at least gave me a free WIFI card and so I am doing my daily check of the photography sites I frequent. I check the San Diego DSLR site and read a thread that showcased a cool program.
It is called “The Photographer’s Ephemeris” and it is used for landscape photography in order to determine the movement of the sun and moon and how they will rise/set based on the location where you are. Check the site for a more thorough explanation. Here is the link. Now I am going to have to sit in the waiting room for another hour, at least.
Festa 2009
So I decided to give this whole blogging thing a chance. I cannot see why anybody would want to read what I write but I’ll write it anyway. Got my check today from the Little Italy Association for being the event photographer for Festa 2009. That event was two weeks ago. I spent a little over 8 hours on my feet with no sitting breaks trying to capture the mood of Festa 2009. It was very crowded and wasn’t able to hit all the shots they wanted me to get. Such is life. Looking forward to the next big event for me, whenever that is.
