Photography News 03

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Bags of quality MANFROTTO BAGS Often overlooked, but oh so vital is a bag for your kit. Manfrotto’s new range offers the perfect combination of protection for your camera and comfort for your shoulders

In the mad rush for megapixels, we often forget that our cameras need decent and comfortable protection. Thankfully Manfrotto hasn’t forgotten; it offers two ranges of bags, Advanced and Professional – that’s 37 bags to choose from. Manfrotto’s rugged Advanced range comprises 21 camera bags. And the clean lines and neat shapes of the range are just delightful. In other words, you can have the looks and the protection too. Based on your ‘real needs’, as Manfrotto puts it, these Advanced bags are designed to be easy to use. This means there’s a holder for your tripod, some sturdy protective inner pads, plenty of multi- use pockets, a rain cover and a durable High Density Nylon Fabric outer with careful stitching to ensure it lasts. Add to that the metal zips, pulls and buckles, and you’ve got yourself a great bag. Among the range, there’s a Gear Backpack, which comes in small, medium and large, and is basically a single compartment with well-padded dividers inside to keep gear secure. Meanwhile the Active Backpack (pictured) has a bottom half for camera equipment, and a top half for all the other stuff you need, which means you can go on day trips with your camera and pack in some essential extra supplies too. If you want to experiment with a variety of ways to carry your kit around, try the Tri Backpack. It can be worn in three different ways: straps on both shoulders, straps in an X formation, or one strap used as a sling. It really depends on which works for you, but having these options definitely helps you find the perfect fit. All in all, the Advanced range comprises some fantastic shoulder bags, holsters and sling bags. They’re good value for money too. Prices start at just £25 for the Advanced Shoulder Bag 1, and for the Advanced Tri Backpack large you’ll be charged less than £125. If you want something a bit tougher, check out Manfrotto’s Professional range, comprising 16

bags. These bags offer full protection for all your gear – you can rest assured that even the toughest treatment and sharpest knocks won’t dent your kit. And it’s all thanks to Manfrotto’s engineering skills, as the whole range features a clever shock- absorbing design, named Exo-Tough, to diffuse sharp impacts: the force of the impact is cleverly spread across the surface of the bag. And when you take a closer look, there’s more evidence of Manfrotto’s attention to detail. Open up one of these bags and you are greeted with the sight of 3D foam dividers in the core. These thick, shock-absorbing dividers help spread any impact around the core of the bag, which Manfrotto says gets the brunt of any shock. So your gear is nice and cocooned. Each bag is made of rip-resistant fabric and it has small feet to help keep it off the ground and out of puddles, ensuring equipment stays dry. There’s also a built-in rain cover to keep things extra dry when the wet stuff starts. And whereas many bags have fiddly zips, Manfrotto’s Professional bags have oversized ones – perfect for large hands, cold days and gloves. Stylish, down to earth and well built, the Professional range bags don’t cost the earth either. Prices start at £65 for the Holster Plus 20 Professional bag and go up to £320 for the Professional Roller bag 70.

IMAGES Every little detail has been thought about, so Manfrotto’s bags are a perfect fit for your kit.

Manfrotto’s ruggedAdvanced bags have the looks and the protection too. And they’re designed to be easy to use

π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 3