here’s some more info on the X100.

and a video:

The second camera that caught my eye is the new olympus camera. There’s very little info available on it other than it having a zoom lens made by zuiko… Well I noticed something in engadet’s video… The accessory port and hot shoe look identical to the ones used on the E-PL1… So I dropped shots of both into PS and scaled the new camera’s width to match and it looks like this “beast” is going to be a MFT sensored compact? The lens itself again looks thinner than anything I’ve seen on a MFT body which will make this a very nice size if it performs. I’m excited to see what the lens specs are and if it indeed has a MFT sensor in it… Even if it doesn’t it could be a great s90/s95 competitor…. You can read “more” about it here.

The Lens changer is an interesting bag concept for me. I’ve always felt there are two different style bags photographers need. The first is a carrying bag. These get your kit from one location to the next and protect everything. Second is a shooting solution. Shooting solutions are meant to help you work with your kit more effectively once you arrive on location. Typically bags fall into either one category or another and usually we end up getting a bag for one of those purposes as a primary reason then force it to do the other… The lens changer 3 is clearly aimed at the shooting solution market. It’s meant to be the bag you keep JUST your lenses (the name makes this very obvious) while you’re shooting. And the bag does this BRILLIANTLY. It has three main “sleeves” that can take just about any lens you’d consider using with a bag (everything but the super tele primes?). I personally use it with a 100-400 which is roughly the same size as the 70-200 2.8 IS lenses. It goes completely in the sleeve w/o issue, the sleeves are easily wide enough to handle the lens with it’s hood w/o anything sticking. It’s deep enough the lens “disappears” down into bag by an inch or two which is quite nice. If you want to store the lens with it’s hood in it’s proper position it will do this but the hood will stick up about an inch above the top of the tube. While shooting this works quite well. Now, the bag has 2 accessory pockets to go with the three lens tubes. The one on the front is perfect for a wallet and phone, a memory card wallet, or other small accessories. The pocket on the back is the same size as the pocket in the retro line, only instead of being inside the bag, it’s on the outside/back with a zipper at the top. This works quite well in practice.

The whole bag works very well as a lens “caddy” as it is, but that’s NOT why I was curious to check one out. I’m primarily a landscape and architectural shooter. When I shoot I need a few lenses and some accessories (cards, spare battery, remote and filter kit). I don’t like to have a massive bag with me but I like my kit to be easily accessibly so I can change lenses quickly w/o issue. Because of this the lens changer looked like a great shooting solution, and I felt I could “punt” with it and maybe carry a camera in there as well. Well I was right and this bag really makes for a nice streamlined bare bones carrying solution for me as well as the ideal shooting solution. It’s small, it’s thin, and it’s VERY easy to get access to whatever you’re looking for.

Here’s the specs from TT’s site:

• ID (each lens section): 4.75” Diameter x 10″ H
• OD: 15” W x 11.75″ H x 5” D
• Weight: 2.2 lbs

If you’ve watched or read my reviews before, you know I’m never completely satisfied with anything, so what’s not perfect with this bag?  Well, if you want to use it as a carrying solution, there’s NO padding.  Yes this is perfect as a shooting solution, but when you set it down, it’s thin shape makes it want to lay flat and if you set it down NOT flat gravity helps you out… clunk! This isn’t really a knock on the bag though because the POINT is to be small/thin/easy to access.  It’s more of a warning for the first time you set it down.  My other complaint is with the strap, similar to what I said in my retro 10 review.  It’s thicker than it needs to be, but DOES “break in” after a bit, it’s just heavier than needed.  Again, no swivels which some people will love and some hate (I’ve learned to like it this way).  About the only other critique I have of this bag’s design is where the straps attach.   They’re stitched onto the back of the bag which actually helps it lay flat against your body VERY well.  But the issue is the straps are on the lens side of the accessory pocket.  I’m sure this is to make the bag stronger (otherwise the zipper would hold the load) but it makes accessing the back accessory pocket difficult when you’re wearing the bag…  The weight of the bag needs to be supported to get the zipper out from behind the strap.  If you leave it unzipped this solves the problem, but it’s less than ideal.  If you’re shooting with the flap open for quick access to your lenses, the flap covers this pocket anyway.  This isn’t a huge issue though because the small accessories I store in this back pocket aren’t things I need in a hurry or often.  I’m not sure moving the straps to the side would help because they’d then compress the bag in from the sides making it harder to get the lenses out.  So it’s a trade off and it’s obviously designed to carry lenses first and everything else second.  I guess what I mean to say is that the bag is laid out very well as a lens caddy, and it works in terms of holding everything else as well, but that’s it’s secondary role.   There is really NOTHING I don’t love about this bag…

I’ve been using it for a month IN PLACE of my retro (which I still love).  Here’s what I can put in it:

• 7D w/ 24L, 10-22 below that, 100-400 to one side, filter kit and another small lens on the other side, accessories galore in the back (pixel pocket, battery, 12mm macro tube, remote, cleaning cloth, lens pen)
• replace the filters and small lens with a body w/o a lens and a small lens (5D and 10-22 below it)
• replace any one tube with 2 flashes and 16 batteries in cases

I am also a ThinkTank affiliate. This does NOT mean I’m biased in my reviews, I paid the same price you’ll pay for the bag.  What this does mean is if you’re considering buying the bag, please use my ThinkTank Affiliate link. You’ll help support this site, but you’ll also get a free gift from ThinkTank for doing so, so we BOTH get something!

ThinkTank Affiliate Link!

Lens Changer 3 direct affiliate link!

I am also a ThinkTank affiliate.  This does NOT mean I’m biased in my reviews, I paid the same price you’ll pay for the bag, but what this does mean is if you’re considering buying the bag, please use my ThinkTank Affiliate link.  You’ll help support this site, but you’ll also get a free gift from ThinkTank for doing so, so we BOTH get something!

ThinkTank Affiliate Link!

Retro 10 direct affiliate link!

This is the initial video I did with what can fit in the bag:

I converted my 10-22mm to be able to be used on FF over the weekend.  I wouldn’t call it a full conversion as it’s NOT and EF lens, and you CAN damage your FF camera (and possibly 1.3) if you’re not careful, so proceed at your own risk…  But, taking canon’s rear baffle out and adding one that will mount on any canon camera is VERY easy.  Watch the video above and you can see it takes about ~30 seconds from start to finish.  From there you just have to be careful not to shoot at wider than 12mm as the rear element can touch the mirror if you do so.

To get the part needed, call canon’s parts department at 1-866-481-2569.  I’ll add the part number here later, but I didn’t know it when I called, I just asked for the 28-75mm rear baffle and it was the right part.  It cost $11.xx including shipping and I got it the very next day (NJ to RI ground UPS is always this quick).

So part of the switch to canon meant I could downsize my filters to 4″x6″ panels.  The sigma 12-24mm and nikon 14-24mm both needed X pros in order to work.  The 11-16 I have now and the 10-20 I was considering both work well with Zs which are smaller, cheaper, lighter, but more importantly available from more manufactures than just cokin and the other filters are more neutral.  There are also a lot more options.  But the issue I have with the Zs is the filter holder.  It’s very cheap feeling compared to cokin’s own X holder.  The Z is soft bendable plastic and it’s a bunch of parts screwed together.  The Xs are much stiffer and don’t have all the parts which makes it much more solid.  I had to modify the Z holder to work at 11mm w/o seeing the holder at all, but it’s an easy fix that actually makes it smaller again, and only takes 3 minutes.  I then sanded down the bolts and plastic pins so it’s a much better fit now.

Switched back to canon.  Nikon’s are great, but the Nikon tax killed me in the end.  $2200 for the 24G specifically.  Not that some of these lenses are inexpensive, but I bought them all used and save a ton.  I’ve got a body I like and lenses I love now and so far so good.  We’ll see how long I can be happy with a cropper though.  I also picked up a mic for doing my video reviews, hopefully that helps.

Yep, I’m considering one.

The attention to detail on this bag is great.  Everything works the way it should and it carries a load VERY comfortably.  If you’re looking for a back access camera backpack, this should be at the top of a VERY short list.

Sorry about the wind noise on this shoot, I had my GF1 with me and it’s TERRIBLE even with the slightest wind (look at how flat the water is).  I usually do my video reviews unrehearsed and in ONE shot as to give the most honest review possible, this is actually TWO clips only because I hurried through one part thinking some fishermen were about to walk behind me.  All the other cuts are just to cut out sections where the wind noise completely blocks the audio.  And yes I could stand to lose ~20lbs.