Lowepro Vertex 100

The Lowepro Vertex 100.

Here I am again with another Lowepro review. As I told before I am never paid to do reviews. Lowepro is just a brand that I have learned to love because of their awesome bags. So far I own 5 Lowepro bags. I buy a certain model depending on what I need. Different photographers with different setups need different bags, and the Lowepro Vertex 100 is a bag that I will use for a light to medium setup that will allow me to carry a small laptop as well.

Like it's big brother, it's got a tripod/monopod holder.

 Let's start off with the outside features of the bag. Like the Vertex 200 and 300, the Vertex 100 has a tripod/monopod holder that is height adjustable. The Vertex 100 has a similar Glide Lock system that allows you to adjust the height of the tripod strap to however you want it according to the tripod size that you will carry on it. The bottom compartment that grabs the bottom legs of the tripod is detachable for a smaller bag size. I just like to keep it on all the time.

The zippers are sealed to keep out dust and moisture.

The Vertex 100 backpack, being considered a professional camera backpack offers weather resistant zippers for the main compartment that keeps out dust and moisture. This also gives the zippers a tighter and more secure feel.

It can hold up to a 14" laptop.

One of the main reasons I bought this bag was the laptop compartment. My Lowepro Flipside backpack doesn't have one so having this one is a bonus. It can store up to a 14" laptop securely. 

A rain cover is hidden in a pocket at the bottom.

The rain cover is perfect for making the bag water resistant.

At the bottom of the bag is a rain cover that covers up the bag when you need it. The nice thing about it is that the rain cover is a part of the bag. You can keep it in the pocket when you don't need it.

One of the front compartments in the front.

 The front left compartment of the bag has 2 zipped pockets that can hold filters or batteries or anything that is thin. It also has 3 pen holders and a pocket on top of it.  I mainly use the zipped pockets for extra batteries.

The right compartment of the bag.

The right front compartment has three small pockets that can hold cables, wipes, or anything that's thin too. Opposite of that side are three card holders that can hold cf, sd, memory sticks etc. inside their cases. Another small pocket is below the 3 card holders.

The inside of the bag.

A good amount of equipment fits inside.

 One of the main reasons why I chose the Lowepro Vertex 100 is the amount of equipment it can carry for being a smaller bag. I can fit 2 slrs with medium sized lenses attached. Shown in the photo is my Canon 50d and 5D MK2 with a 24-105mm and an 85mm lens attached in the bag facing each other, along with a 400mm f/5.6 lens on the side. On the other side is a Canon 430EX II lens and a Canon 28-135mm lens. And they all fit comfortably inside. I can also fit a 70-200mm lens attached to a body in front of another body without a lens attached...it's all up to you how you want to set this up but the Lowepro Vertex 100 can hold a lot.

The padded shoulder pads are really comfortable.

The shoulder pads are similar to the Vertex 100. Well padded and comfortable. It also features a waist strap that is padded as well. Very nice feature to have especially for long hiking trips to keep the bag flat in your back.

The nice waist strap to keep it flat on your back.

The detachable tripod catch.

The tough handle on top for carrying.

The same features of a Vertex 300 in a smaller package.

Here's a video showing the key features of the Lowepro Vertex 100:

The Vertex 100 is an exact copy of the Vertex 300 without some features of its bigger brother. The Vertex 100 doesn't have a cover that hides the shoulder straps if you don't need them. It also has a smaller inside compartment space. The thing that I don't like about the Vertex 100 is that it looks pretty bulky when carried. It looks like it protrudes more in your back than any other backpack of its class. Other than that the Lowepro Vertex 100 is an awesome backpack to have like the Vertex 300. For the best equipment protection I would get a Lowepro Vertex series bag anytime.

The Lowepro Passport Sling bag

The Lowepro Passport sling bag.

Some days when you don't want to carry a lot of camera equipment because you don't need to, you want something to put it in to keep it protected when you aren't using it. Some people don't like camera backpacks. I love mine...but for some people, they don't like a camera bag pulling down their backs. One solution is have a shoulder/sling bag.

For people who don't like carrying backpacks.

This is my third Lowepro bag that I have reviewed here on my site. I just wanted to let everybody know, Lowepro isn't paying me to do this. I have bought this bag with my own money. I have never had problems with my Lowepro bags that's why I keep on buying them.

Pockets on the side for stuff to put in

The Lowepro Passport sling has a couple of pockets around the side. You can use the pockets for holding documents such as maps, flyers, brochures, etc. This is especially useful when you're walking around lets say in a zoo where you need a map in hand. The outer pocket can also hold a small water bottle. In my sample, I am using a 16 oz water bottle with no problems at all.

Enough to hold a dslr with lens attached.

The inside of the bag has a camera compartment enough to hold a dslr with a medium telephoto zoom lens attached. In my sample shot I have my Canon 50D with a 28-135 lens attached to it. The camera can be placed on its side, or with the lcd at the bottom. It really depends on which position you are comfortable with. Next to the camera compartment, you can put an extra lens, or a speedlite, whichever you need more. In my sample shot, I used a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens.

There are 2 extra little pockets inside too.

Two extra pockets inside enable you to store 2 long items...such as a tube of lotion, lip balm, memory card readers, etc.

The side of the camera compartment has a memory card pocket.

On the side of the camera compartment you'll find a memory card pocket for carrying an extra memory card with case. Lowepro usually has these in their bags which is really useful. Both my vertex and flipside camera bags have these too.

The removable camera compartment. 

One good feature of the bag is that you can remove the inner camera compartment if you need more room inside the bag. This basically converts this into a regular shoulder bag that has no dividers inside. The inside compartment attaches to the bag using velcro strips which are easily detached.

The zipper at the end of the bag unzips for more room.

At the end of the taller side of the bag, you'll find a zipper that you can unzip if you need more room in the bag. You just unzip it and pull the two opposite sides out. This expands the bag to make it bigger. Another very useful feature of the bag.

Here's a short video of the features of the Lowepro Passport sling.

So how do I rate the Lowepro Passport sling? With all the useful features and options, Lowepro simply designed this bag magnificently. The construction is pretty good, with materials that will seem to last for a long time. The price point is pretty good for this kind of bag too. Around $45-$60 online this deal cannot be beat. 

Lowepro Vertex 300 AW Backpack

The Lowepro Vertex 300 AW backpack. Probably one of the best big travel camera backpacks ever.

Before our trip to Maine, I knew that my Lowepro Flipside 300 bag isn't enough to carry all the stuff i'm bringing in to our vacation. Maine is a pretty big area for photographs. The photo opportunities there is endless. From wildlife to landscapes...I know I need to bring a couple of my lenses to make the most out of our trip.

My Lowepro Flipside 300 backpack basically will hold one body with a large telephoto lens attached, 2 extra lenses and a speedlight. Or 2 bodies one with a telephoto attached and one extra lens and a speedlight. I need more than that on our Maine trip so I decided to look for a large travel backpack that can hold at least 2 bodies 2 large telephotos, and 2 smaller lenses plus a speedlight and a tripod. So I browsed online for a large travel slr backpack with a not so stellar price.

Both sides of the bag feature the glide lock system used to hold a tripod or a light stand.

I ended up finding the Lowepro Vertex 300 AW backpack. I found one online for less than $200, a price that I am willing to spend on a very good travel backpack. Usually it is priced around $250-$299. I was lucky I found one cheaper so I ordered it and it arrived 3 days later.

The front features a detachable tripod catch, multiple pockets and a tripod strap.

My first impression when I opened the box was that this bag is huge! I guess I got what I asked for. It is huge but not obnoxiously huge like a hiking bag. I actually can walk around with it in my back and not worry about bumping anything when I turn around. Surprisingly the bag alone is pretty light.

The back features padded shoulder straps for comfort. 

The front features a tripod strap and a tripod catch at the bottom. The tripod catch comes in unattached. It really is up to you if you want it attached or not. I find it really helpful when carrying tripods so I just leave it alone in there. The strap features a system called Glide lock which enables you to move it up and down for your tripod height. A feature not found in other bags.

The sides of the bag also has tripod straps and Glide locks. I find these really nice when you're going on a shoot and bringing in your tripod and light stands. I use the sides for light stands. It is so convenient that you don't need a separate bag for 2 stands.

The back has the padded straps for comfort. The straps are padded thickly for extra comfort during long hikes. It also has a waist strap to keep the bag steady along with your body...and those straps are padded too.

If you are not using the straps, the bag has a cover  so you can zip it up and it becomes a carry on bag.

How good is it as an outdoor camera backpack? The Vertex 300 has a built in rain cover which you can hide in the bottom compartment. This is a very nice feature when you're outdoors and carrying expensive equipment under not so good weather. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to use it so I can't tell if the rain cover is that good. By the looks of it, it seems like it's pretty weather resistant.

It has a built in rain cover.

The bottom has a compartment where you fold and keep the rain cover and also the back cover if you don't want to use the shoulder straps. Both flaps just fold into the compartment. You wouldn't even know that it's there. It closes by a strip of velcro.

The bottom pocket used to keep the rain cover and the back cover.

Now we go to the most important part...the inside of the bag. As what the photo shows below this paragraph, this bag has a ton of room for your equipment. As like other camera bags, the inside dividers are detachable using velcro. You can basically set the dividers however you want them to be. The top most part houses a body as well as the bottom part. I use the side compartments for lenses and other stuff.

The dividers are detachable for easy setup to however you want it.

The front panel of the bag that is inside has pockets that can hold your filters, manuals and anything that's flat. This is where I store my FX5 better beamer flash extender, since it stores flat.

This is where all the flat stuff goes. Filters, manuals, etc.

Now here is where the Vertex 300 shines...the room. I basically carried 2 bodies, 2 long telephotos, 3 extra lenses, a video camera, about 5 batteries, 3 chargers, a teleconverter, 1 speedlight, a shutter release, a tripod, 5 memory cards, a portable hard drive with power supply, a tablet, about 3 filters, a flash extender, a first aid kit, and I can't remember what else. It is like bringing your studio to a vacation. I love how you can carry 2 bodies with lenses attached facing each other. Now you don't have to worry about attaching the lenses when you get to your location.

The only thing that will limit you with this bag is the ability to carry it with all the stuff inside

The tripod holders are a plus with this bag. It has 3 of them!

The front pocket has 4 memory card compartments. In addition to 4 separate pockets.

The other side has 2 zipped pockets for batteries or whatever, plus a pen holder and another pocket.

The Vertex 300 has a buch of pockets in the front compartment. I use this to store my batteries, cleaners, wipes and swabs. A pen holder that can hold 3 pens is useful when you're on the go. On the other side the vertex 300 has 4 separate memory card holder. Of course, you can also put your memory cards in whatever pocket you want to.

The top front has a separate laptop sleeve that can hold a 15" laptop or a tablet.

The laptop sleeve can hold a 15" laptop or a tablet, I use this for a tablet which is really useful for seeing the previews of the photos that you take when you're on location.

There are endless pockets and compartments with this bag. Basically the only thing that will limit you with this bag is the ability to carry it with all the stuff that you can put in it. The construction is pretty tough, even the some of the zippers are protected from the elements.

Lowepro did a good job on this bag. I've always loved the Lowepro brand when it comes to bags. For the price, there is just no way to pass on this good deal.