[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

By George - K9GDT from Barrington, IL on 2/9/2008

What the Express 7 holds:
Canon 40D body and attached EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS Zoom with reversed hood.

Canon EF-S 10-22 UWA Zoom. The monster hood can be stored separately in the main zippered section.

Canon EF 70-200 f4L IS Zoom with reversed hood.

Note: I always store my lenses face down with caps on both ends. To accommodate the large hood of the EF-s 17-55, one partition will need to be moved very slightly. This will allow easy removal of the camera w/lens without snagging the reversed hood pedal on the velcro strips. Not a big deal.

67mm & 77mm CP filters are stored in the zippered flap compartment, along with a small microfiber cloth. This allows instant access without opening the flap or digging around. The zipper can be left open during the heat of a shoot and nothing will fall out, even if the main flap is raised to retrieve a lens. Nice!

The main zippered section holds:
Giottos ball tripod.
Lens cleaning accessories.
Spare battery and charger.
Lens hood for EF-s 10-22mm UWA Zoom.
Camera manual.

What it does:
Allows very quick exchange of lenses and filters without removing the bag. Once acclimated to the bag, it's user can easily retrieve items without looking, even while walking. It's as if your camera gear suddenly becomes part of you. Very nice!

In 40+ years of playing with cameras, I have never owned such a practical bag. My Tamrac Expedition backpack is great to take on camping and fishing trips, but is very cumbersome for everyday use. My Domke bag holds nearly every lens I own, but its weight is oppressive.

The Express 7 is the bag I prefer for every day use. I can take it with me everywhere and it never becomes burdensome. I'm now more likely to have a camera with me when those rare opportunities suddenly appear.

The well padded "across the body" strap is very comfortable, permitting this "Jurassic Geezer" to wear the Express 7 all day, if need be. There's no need to keep one hand on the strap to prevent it from falling off your shoulder. Both hands are always free and the bag never gets in the way. Sweet!

The Express 7 is very stylish and folks don't seem to mind it's presence.

I can't think of any real weaknesses to this product. It's not a bag for severe weather. That Tamrac used suede on the cover suggests this is true. My impression is that my gear will be well protected from any rain or snow one may see during a short walk, but probably not much else. I can live with this.

Camera bags are a lot like fishing tackle boxes in that finding that elusive 'right one' can be a daunting task. To me the Express 7 represents intelligent design at a fair price. It is ideal for those photographers who want to travel light, yet carry enough gear to handle most situations. I give it five stars!

Cheers 'n beers,
George -K9GDT

Grandkids, Fishing, Cameras, Guitars & Ham Radio. Hey, what else is there?