Photographers have something of an obsession with camera bags. At least that’s what I like to tell myself because surely it can’t just be me? I’ve certainly reviewed a few camera bags on these pages and in my search to find the perfect one, I’ve come to the conclusion that like everything in photography there is no one size fits all. The perfect bag is a much more specific thing. So this review is coming from the point of view of what I require from the perfect bag as a landscape photographer, specifically something I can use to travel with when I am working overseas.

I’m quite demanding when it comes to my camera bags. When I’m working, it will get dumped on the floor and dragged around in all sorts of environments so I need something that is durable and rugged. Internally, a well protected space for my camera gear goes without saying (it is a camera bag after all) but it also needs to have room for other items… extra layers, food and drink etc and, when I am travelling, space for my laptop, chargers, cables and anything else I might need on the flight. And if it’s not too much to ask I’d like it to be as light as possible.

The F-stop system
F-stop have a different, more flexible approach than most camera bag manufacturers (although it’s no longer unique), theirs is a modular system in which you choose the individual components according to your needs.

The first step is to chose the range and size of the bag. For outdoor photographers it will be the Mountain range in which there is a choice of 5 backpacks ranging in volume from the 32 litre Lotus all the way up to the massive 80 litre Shinn, each available in a choice of 3 colours. There are also 3 stripped back, Ultralight options in the Mountain range but more on those in another review.

The backpacks have no internal compartments so once you have selected the bag you then need to choose a camera compartment, or ICU (internal camera unit) as F-stop refer to it, to go in it. With 8 different sized ICUs to chose from you can tailor the bag to your exact requirements, deciding how much of the bag you want to use for camera gear and how much for other items. You can of course buy different sized ICUs, for example a large ICU for carrying mainly camera equipment and a small ICU for hiking trips when there is only space for minimal camera equipment.

Finally there is a range of accessories available such as water bottles or straps which attach to the anchor points or molle system on the exterior or pouches for organising the interior spaces.

Overview
I chose the Tilopa backpack in a rather fetching shade of orange, along with a large pro ICU. I also added a medium and large pouch and a rain cover. The 50 litre Tilopa sits in the middle of a range which clearly aims to cater for even the most extreme needs. It is a large bag, larger than I generally need on a day to day basis but it is big enough to easily accommodate everything I travel with and I’d rather have a bit of space than have everything crammed in so tight it’s hard to get to.

First impressions are of quality and durability, a bag designed to be used in the great outdoors. The material, a laminated 420D ripstop nylon with a water resistant treatment, feels like it will take everything in its stride and I’m yet to need the raincover. The zips feel suitably heavy duty… those opening into the camera compartment are the chunkiest I’ve ever seen while those facing the top are all weather sealed and the bag positively bristles with attachment points and straps. I’ve been using the bag for around 6 months, during which time it has been to a few extreme places: Saudi Arabia, Iceland, Madeira and the USA not to mention the day to day salt, sand and mud of the East Anglian coast and {spoiler alert] it hasn’t disappointed.

Despite its size, this bag is fairly light and very comfortable to carry thanks to the inclusion of an internal aluminium frame and a quality harness, consisting of well padded, wide, adjustable hip belt and shoulder straps and a sternum strap. This feels like a proper backpack which can carry camera gear rather than a camera bag that you can carry on your back. I initially tried the two smaller bags in the range, the Lotus and Ajna, the former was too small while the latter was a nice bag and, at 40 litres, probably big enough but both had thinner straps which can become uncomfortable on longer hikes. The hip belt also serves another purpose, with it done up you can slip the shoulder straps off, rotate the bag around to your front and open the camera compartment to access gear without the need to put the bag down… very useful if standing in water or mud!

Putting the bag down, let’s explore some of the features. There is a large external pocket on the front which easily accommodates my waterproof or insulating jackets. Below this is a small pocket for the rain cover or perhaps for stashing rubbish… I use it for keeping a bungee cord which I use to anchor my tripod to the bag on windy days. There are also a number of straps, loops and attachment points for things like skis, which I don’t generally use as I don’t like extra weight there (and I dont own any skis!). Both sides of the bag feature expandable zip up pockets with room for either a drink bottle, maps, layers etc as well as attachment straps… these I do use for securely attaching my tripod on longer walks. I don’t dislike the layout of the sides but some of the F-stop backpacks feature a stretchy mesh pocket for drinks bottles on the side and it would have been nice to have one of these on one side instead of, or even over the top of, the zipped pocket for more flexibility,

On top is a fairly roomy compartment with a zip up mesh pocket in the lid and a velcroed mesh pocket on the base of the compartment as well as rather nifty quick release key holder. I use this space for personal items, keys, wallet, passport, snack bars, wipes etc. Below this top compartment is another zip which opens into the main area of the bag providing access to both the laptop compartment behind the ICU and the storage space above the ICU, there is also a zip up mesh pocket in the lid. When I am travelling I can easily fit my 15” MacBook Pro here as well as the medium pouch containing all the chargers, cables and power converters I need. The width and length of the medium and large pouches are the same dimensions as the width and depth of the ICU so they sit perfectly on top with no wasted space. The large pouch is deep enough to fit a spare mirrorless camera body and lenses and at a push I can squeeze both that and the medium pouch on top of the ICU but that would compress the top compartment somewhat and I don’t really want to be carrying everything but the kitchen sink. The laptop compartment also doubles up (when not being used by a laptop that it) as a pouch for a water bladder and there is a velcroed opening as well as clips on the strap for the hose. I never carry my laptop when out on a shoot and the top of the main compartment is used for things like hat and gloves, food, rain cover or extra filters for workshop clients.

Laying the bag down, the camera compartment is accessed from the back and it’s noticeable that when the bag is in this position, all of the zips for the side and top pockets are accessible, a nice touch. Not so impressive is the inside of the rear opening which, compared to the rest of the bag, feels like it was designed on a Friday afternoon with the pub calling. A small zip up pouch with a strangely cheap feeling zip fills the area at the top while the rest is taken up by 4 rows of molle attachment loops, their purpose a mystery. Actually they are meant to be used for attaching pouches but they will take up space in the camera compartment so why not just use the camera compartment? I think more zip up pouches for keeping flat items like lens cloths would have been a better use of the space.

No complaints about the camera compartment itself though. The ICU is basically a rectangular zip up bag with padded sides, a removable padded insert for the lid and a carrying handle and strap in case you want to remove it to carry separately. It slides into the main compartment of the bag and is attached with velcro to the aluminium frame then you just configure the velcro dividers (of which there are a lot!) to fit your gear. It’s a simple thing but it does its job well. I also have the smaller Loka Ultralight backpack for the times when I really don’t need such a large bag and when switching between the two bags, I really appreciate the flexibility of being able to easily swap the ICU with all my gear between the two bags.

For an idea of space, in my large ICU I usually carry the following:

• Canon 5D mkIV

• Canon 16-35mm f4 L, 24-70mm f2.8 L & 100-400mm f4-f5.6 L lenses

• LEE Filters holder, two pouches with graduated filters, circular polariser, Big, Little & Super stopper filters

• Canon shutter release cable

• Spare batteries & memory cards

• Loupe

Verdict

So, is this the perfect camera bag?

Well, nothing is perfect, it is hard to clean (yes I know nobody made me choose orange!), I don’t mind it looking a bit grubby but when it does need cleaning I’ve found that nothing short of scrubbing it with a brush and soapy water followed by a hose, down does the job. The inside is just as hard, any sand and debris that blows into the bag clings to the velcro fabric, but I’m yet to find a camera bag interior that is easy to clean so any tips are most welcome!

It is also a big bag - especially in orange! At 59.7 x 35.6 x 30.5cm it exceeds the required size of carry on luggage for most, if not all, airlines, so might not seem to be the best choice for somebody who flies quite often. I haven’t to date had any issues taking it on a plane but the flexibility of being able to remove the ICU and carry that and my laptop on board and check the empty bag puts my mind at ease.

F-stop bags don’t come cheap either and with no UK distributor at present you have to buy online from Europe so there is no option to try before you buy, other than to do what I did and order several and send the unwanted bags back.

None of these things affect the usability of the bag though and after six months of putting it through its paces in all manner of climates and conditions I am very impressed. Like all well made things it is a joy to use and it feels like it’s going to be serving me well for many years to come. As I said, nothing is perfect but for me this is close enough.

Pros
Flexible system
Customisable with accessories
Comfortable
Built to last

Cons
Expensive
No rain cover included
Hard to clean
No UK stockists

Visit the F-stop website