Luc - Thanks for publishing this video. I am the director of marketing here at f-stop, and I want you to know how much we appreciate the kind words. It's great to hear unsolicited comments like this from customers. This is a big part of why we do what we do. May I correct just one minor item? We are not a New Zealand based company, though we happily serve customers there. We have offices in several countries, just not New Zealand. Keep up the great work (I've looked at your site). Cheers and best wishes, Chris Osborn
Hey Chris, great to hear from you. Just spoke to Lena over at F-stop as well - not sure where I got the idea you guys were in NZ, but we cut that part. My bad! Thanks for making great stuff, and look forward to more in the future.
I just got the Shimoda action X70. It's similar in quite a few ways to the F-stop bag. I love that it can double as a bag for multi-day hikes, being able to switch out the ICUs is awesome
I instantly knew its going to be fstop backpack when I saw thumbnail. I wanted Fstop backpack since Devin Graham used it, but I have ton of gears to grab before this... and surely I will grab this backpack when shooting and travel are required.
I used to use old gas mask bags (cotton) and Domke's bags for photography gear. Cotton just feels and looks so nice compared to bags made only from plastic materials. An added bonus is that nobody will think you have a macbook pro and/or an expensive DSLR in a bag that looks like trash from outside.
Oh man, I miss the days of just shooting photos. Just a pouch or two and carry on luggage...those were the days! And good call making your stuff look beat up, I used to cover my new cameras in duct tape for the same reason.
I love the fstop bags. Super high quality and they dont look like camera bags. Big bonus points. I`ve been running a Shimoda Design explore 30 for the last few years. Basically the same bonus points as the fstop gear, a little bit lower price and waterproof without a rain cover. Looking forward to picking up their 70L bag for a fully build camera rig.
Great, new video! _slouches on my office chair_ "I'm just gonna put it out there, I have a major bag fetish" _lowers speaker volume_ Kidding aside, how to build an AC pouch is something to look forward to. I have a hard case with rollers and it has served me well. The only downside to it, as you've pointed out, is it is not portable. Although, I have yet to accept a shooting project that would require me to hike unforgiving terrains, I might purchase a video backpack soon. Thanks!
love your vids mate, keep it like that... one question out of curiosity....but really important hehe, what camera are you fimling this with? lets hope its not a sony :P
Haven't ever had an F-Stop bag but at some point in the near future I might have to invest in a more hiking oriented cam bag. On the cheaper end I've had really good luck with vanguard brand bags over the years, they hold up really well and have most of the more expensive pro features I've found in other bags. I've had my daily driver bag for almost eight years and apart from some slight sun damage cracking on a couple leather bits it's almost like new. I will say that on any of the vanguard bags I've bought I have also bought some kind of camera cube insert like you've got in your F stop bag, as most of the vanguards don't have a good one of these by default, I think all my inserts cost less than $20 and I tend to have several I can swap out quickly in the same bag for different camera loadouts. (One for my EVA 1 support kit, one for drones, one for my Panasonic S5, One for additional lenses, one for sound recorders and mics, and one for tool kits and or clothes/snacks) My daily driver bag I'll typically carry two of the inserts at any given time and four in my big bag. I have a big hiking bag I bought at wal-mart that can hold all my cubes plus a tent, bed roll, and sleeping bag, but so far I'm not happy with that solution and will probably look into something a bit more rigid the next time I have a big trek/backpacking shoot. The bane of my existence when it comes to camera bags at the moment is my gimbal (Ronin S 2) Currently I'm packing it down into the carry case it came with, but that thing's falling apart and it just doesn't fit well into any camera bag I've ever owned, typically I end up carrying it separately or strapping the gimbal bag to the outside of one of my cam bags, or for longer treks leaving it behind a the car where it isn't exactly useful.
Luc (and everyone), I've had a Tilopa bag for a while now. I'm using the large ICU, but would love a scooch more room. I've looked at f-stop's compatibility page, and wonder if a XL ICU would work well. F-stop indicates that it would fit, but it seems like it might extend up towards the top pocket and not be all that accessible. Have you compared a Tilopa with an XL ICU to a Tilopa with both a large ICU and one of the smaller (shallow?) ICUs? ThankS
I take the ICU unit out and carry it with a shoulder strap. The bag folds down and goes into checked luggage, then the unit goes back in when I land. It does fit, but I hate the stress of wondering if there will be enough space in the bins so I do this to be safe
Just wanted to clarify. Do you fit your Fx9 fully or mostly built in one of these bags? I thought you mentioned that, but in the visual I didn't see the Fx9 being packed. I'm wondering because I am a new Fx6 owner and looking for a packing solution that will let me hold my camera fully or mostly built with 2-3 lenses, a monitor and some important accessories and I'm really considering these bags. I'm also looking into more a doctor bag style, but I would love to find something like this I could carry on my back. Thanks!
I’ve been hunting for the perfect bag. Total shitshow. I’m tempted to try out ski boot backpacks as they’re made for large volumes. Those child carriers are pretty tempting as well due to the low cost and built in stands. I have yet to find a camera backpack with a back as comfortable as my cheap North Face Surge. We need a modular backpack frame with the features of a dry bag, the bells and whistles of a baby carrier (seriously, check them out), and the volume of a military style duffle bag. And removable wheels and trolley features. Seriously, how hard can this be . I’m tempted by the F-stop , but the back padding looks bad, especially considering its price. What kind of weight and distance do you normally haul in yours before it starts to suck and in which climate ?
Yeah, the perfect backpack search is never ending! I’ve had this pack for 2 years now and it’s pretty much the same as when I bought it. I’d say anything below the Tilopa and the padding does start to get very light though. The big ones are pretty comfortable though!
I've never personally used that one, but at a quick glance I'd say the Wandrd probably doesn't carry quite as much gear because of the side loading system. With the F-stops I can pull out the ICU, and fold the pack flat for transport. Both look great though, I'm sure you could be happy with either!
Do you have an email or a way to contact you regarding business things and/or collabs? You're quickly becoming an inspiration on my road to becoming a filmmaker, and I have a few ideas that I'd love to discuss with you if you have the time. I can't pay very much, but the questions I have might help with a line of content for you.
