LoweproLP36890 Photo Sport 300 AW II - An Outdoor Sport Backpack for a DSLR Camera or the DJI Mavic Pro/Mavic Pro Platinum,Black

I wanted a bag that would hold a camera and some clothing for a day out walking, rather than a day out taking photos. I bought this one on the basis of the description that said it would hold a Canon 1DX and a few lenses.That’s wildly inaccurate, I could just about cram a Canon 5D Mk3 with a lens into the camera compartment and would risk damaging something. The camera compartment is sized for a tiny camera and lens, like an EOS 400D with an 18-55 lens. The only way you could get a full size DSLR into this bag would be to put it in the unpaded top compartment where your lunch and clothes should go.The overall design is rather fussy, with lots of straps all over the place that left me wondering where things go.The bottom of the to compartment is the top of the padded camera compartment, so there’s a gap at one side where things can get lost.If you’re thinking of buying one, visit a shop and try it out first.I’ll keep this to encourage me to reduce the amount of camera gear I take.Update after using the rucksack on some walksOK, I really can't recommend this bag at all.The shoulder straps are quite thin, so if you adjust them, all of the weight is taken on the thin adjustment straps and it's hard going on the shoulders and very uncomfortable. Because the camera compartment is off to one side, the weight distribution is uneven and it slews the rucksack off to one side and on narrow hill/mountain paths that's not a good thing. In fact, it's very difficult to balance it and to undo the adjustment straps you have to take the rucksack off and you really don't want to keep doing that.

I've not fully field tested the bag yet, but it will have to work hard as my go to bag for near daily dog-walks-with-camera on the cliffs of west Cornwall and other wild landscapes .First impressions are favourable and LowePro have put their considerable design experience onto this bag. In the past, their bags at this end of the scale have been somewhat clunky - more travel/tourist-orientated than hill/mountain walker, and to be frank, boring and a bit ugly. Like most camera bag designers, they forget that the photography may be the secondary purpose of the journey, and space for 'other' is essential. But with this bag they seem to have got the balance about right, and it looks good.As for the equipment I carry, I try to travel light, with a single Olympus EM-5 MFT with the 12-40 Pro and compact 40-150, plus spare batteries, filters etc. I also carry safety kit including a small First Aid kit, McMurdo FastFind locator beacon plus extra layers according to season, and a small thermos, snacks etc, with walking poles strapped on. All this seems to fit comfortable in the various pockets, all I've added is a small Think Tank lens case on the waist belt so I don't have to unfasten the bag to change lens. I particularly like the easy access large front packet where I can stuff a waterproof. I've got bag packing down to a fine art, but other buyers might find this bag a bit on the small size and go for the 300. I'll update this when I've properly tested it in the field.

I’ve been looking for a daypack backpack that can hold my camera away from the rest of my hiking kit for ages and this really fitted my criteria. The camera section fits my NikonD7500 with an 18-200mm lens attached and had room for a second smaller lens (10-20mm) and a couple of batteries and lens cleaners. In the top section I had my iPad a spare coat and hat, an OS map and lunch for 2 people and still had room for more things. I used the side pocket for a 1.5l bottle of water and it fitted perfectly. There are a lot of straps and it took a bit of sorting out to get the adjustments working for me but having waist and chest straps was really good and meant that the backpack fitted very comfortably. We tested the bag by walking in Cornwall during Storm Dennis and the rain cover came in handy but the bag stayed waterproof when I forgot to put the cover back on after lunch. My camera was easy to get to and more importantly felt secure and well positioned in the bag making it a comfortable carry. Overall I appreciated the focus on features found in my no photographic rucksacks for hiking and found it really roomy with plenty of space for kit without the worry or damage to my camera or fumbling around to get at it when I wanted. I really like this bag and look forward to using it often!!

I went for the 300 model as I have a modest camera setup; a canon 800D and an 18-55 lens and a sigma 10-20 lens as well. I also have a Mavic Mini 2 which is tiny in comparison to its older siblings.I had hoped this would all fit in the camera section and the bottom but this area is only just big enough for a medium DSLR with a lens, and then maybe another lens next to it. I have had to sacrifice my battery grip and that just would go in attached which is a downside. If you have a large camera or a lot of gear then this might not be the bag for you? I’d recommend trying out in person if you can.I tried to see if the drone would go in as well but in the end, I’ve had to settle with it going in the top compartment instead. Not a problem, it just eats into the luggage space for day trips; I also carry a jetboil which just about fits in with all of this, but there isn’t much room for anything else.Overall the bag is a great design, solid build and everything Id expect from LP, I’d just hoped for a bit more volume or an option to go bigger than 300 in this style. All in all, a great buy but definitely smaller than I expected.

This is the second Lowepro photo rucksack that I have bought and this one is just as well made and designed as the other one, a Flipside 400. The Photo Sport Backpack is only about 20L capacity but takes a lot of kit. I can fit an EOS 100d + 18-250mm lens in to the dedicated camera section and still have room for a pair of rolled up waterproof trousers. The cube shaped compartment at the top is fairly small but additionally you can slip an assortment of items inside the full length of the bag eg a small laptop or folding walking pole/monopod. There is a large "kangaroo pouch" on the outside designed for a cycle helmet, so altogether there is a lot of storage space. The bag is so light and versatile that it has become my "go to" rucksack for hillwalking, mountain biking and birdwatching where I don't need to carry a big lens. My only complaint is the bright orange webbing used in some parts, otherwise, highly recommended.