MindShift FirstLight 30L Backpack for DSLR Camera, Lenses, Flashes, 15" Laptop and 12" Tablet

2023-03-06T14:17:50

I was looking for absolute smallest backpack that can hold the Sony 600mm f4 without the hood (I use a collapsible travel hood) and this is it. I have the FirstLight 40 and it is just big enough to be a pain on some flights. The FL 30 will hold the 600f4, 16-35 2.8, 90 macro, 1.4x, a gripped and un-gripped body plus batteries and other necessary accessories. The folks at Think Tank have their designs dialed-in and this pack is no exception.

JOHN W.

2020-12-24T19:00:00

This bag is great. It holds a lot for its size, is well thought out, and is customizable in torso length. I had an issue with my older bag and inquired about a repair. They sent me a code for a new one! Amazing.

Stephen O.

Originally posted at

2020-10-13T20:00:00

I needed a pack that would hold my large format 4x5 camera. The 30L Mindshift FirstLight is perfect for the job. It holds the camera, 2 lenses, spot meter, filters, notebook, 4 film holders plus dark cloth and other essentials. It took awhile to configure the padding, but now everything fits! Plus the adjustable fit is one of the main reasons I bought the pack, as I am 6’5” and most other brands were too small for my torso, or too big and bulky. Thanks Thinktank for a great product!

Gary P.

Originally posted at

2020-08-31T06:11:20

I have gone through several camera bags over the years (I think I am not alone in this regard). It is always a challenge to find a bag that fits what you own, which is why there is no such thing as a perfect camera backpack for everyone. This one holds a fair amount of gear and is very well made. I like the large front pocket which I suppose is made for a tablet or small laptop, but I use it jus to throw miscellaneous stuff in (wallet, phone, glasses). My only minor criticism is the water bottle pockets on either side are a bit short and only cover about half the water bottle. A taller water bottle pocket would be nice, but this is a minor quibble and not enough to detract me from giving it five stars.

FREDERICK H.

2020-07-20T20:00:00

Overall I like the product. The internal adjustability and provided extra dividers make it very adaptable for whatever gear I need. I would have liked to see more expansion in the outer zippered storage area to make it possible to store non-camera specific things like a windbreaker or food while in transit. On my other backpack there is an open area that allows me to put anything - but it does decrease the overall gear storage a bit. The product feels solid. It is a bit heavier that I thought it would be but it really does protest the gear inside. It will take some time to work out the best configurations to use to carry my stuff but at least I feel very confident that the product is well made, feels durable, and it will protect my stuff while I’m on the go.

David E.

Originally posted at

2019-09-17T20:00:00

Just bought this bag, great for travel and daily use from shoot to shoot, fits all my gear plus the little odds and ends. The 30L was just the right size. Coming from a shoulder bag big difference love all the support and padding it provides me

Abel S.

Originally posted at

2018-06-26T05:13:49

I upgraded from my previous backpack because I wanted a bag with good hip straps. This bag is the most comfortable camera backpack I have ever owned. Just got back from Estes Park where I gave it some good hikes. Did not have the usual pain in my shoulders and neck from carrying around a lot of gear. Also added a 3liter hydration pack which made it nice to hydrate without removing the pack. Really like the way the hip and shoulder straps fold around the front. We had a truck full of gear and this get it from getting tangled up every time we loaded and unloaded. Pricey but worth the extra bucks.

allen b.

2018-06-01T20:00:00

This bag is fantastic! Holders everything I need with some room to spare. Two DSLR bodies, 3 lenses, 2 speedlights with a transmitter, a large filter set, and a ton of other small gear. The bag is comfortable with good cushy straps and back, and the hip strap is amazing for saving your shoulders as the bag can get a bit heavy when fully loaded. The downsides: the laptop compartment is VERY tight, and isn?t padded. When putting my 15? laptop in with its neoprene sleeve I have to put it in with the bag unzipped or it won?t fit. You can zip the bag up once the laptop is in place. The bag also doesn?t fit in the overhead on 2x2 planes such as a Canada regional jet. So be prepared to pull out all your batteries and the laptop if you fly on one of them.

Kimberly F.

Originally posted at

2017-04-10T20:00:00

I've had this bag for a little over a year and I can say that it has way more than exceeded my expectations. So much room and can carry everything you can think of. I have a MACBOOK Pro 15.4 inch, 2 canon HF G40 cameras, 2 Rode Video Mic Pro's, 3 gopro hero 3 & 4, 2 charge blocks for Canon Cameras, 6 large extended run time batteries, 3 Ram Mount Tough Clamps (super heavy), 3 Gopro batteries, all charge cords, 2 tripods, paperwork, snacks, keys, and on and on and on. ABSOLUTE BEST PART is the Hydration pouch pocket. I have the 3 liter pouch and it provides ample amount of water on extreme heat days that hit over 100 degrees filming offroad racing. For the money, this bag is a steal. The comfort of packing this bag around is second to none. We cover 5-8 mile courses in a very short amount of time most of the time running at full speed, and even fully loaded with the straps adjusted correctly and the side straps snapped, this bag never gets heavy. Once its on its hard to tell your even carrying it.

HammerDown P.

Originally posted at

2016-10-17T20:00:00

Holds a tremendous amount camera gear, extremely durable, comfortable and the camel back water pouch pocket is absolutely the best idea ever. Loooong hot days in the sun make it the ultimate accessory. Only flaw is the rain cover. Should have made it a fitted cover with elastic and drawstring. I used it 1 time and had 5 ft of drawn cord to worry with and it didn't fit well at all. It took a good 5 minutes to get on properly. Make the rain cover fitted to the bag with elastic edges and you have perfection in the most versatile best laid out camera bag ever.

Don B.

Originally posted at

2016-07-20T20:00:00

This pack is made extremly well. It is a well padded pack which would most likly protect your gear from most dropping. I love the way the pack feels on my back. The strpes are well engineered and well placed for men and women. The strap design works well for women on the upper body. Females I have had try it loved it. As fas as air travel, it would fit in all larger jets. It would be tight on commutter size prop or jet transports but the extra padding can be worth the extra size in bad environments. I would give this pack a A+ with no problem

Vinny C.

Originally posted at

2016-07-01T20:00:00

I've recently brought this pack on two incredibly tough shoots. One was on horseback through Patagonia for 9 days and the other was a hike to a village in a remote part of the Philippines. This bag has handled so well and held my FS5, 5dIII, A7RII and monitor/lenses/accessories perfectly for carry-on along with my laptop. Highly recommended for air travel!

Brent F.

Originally posted at

2016-06-14T20:00:00

Got this back back in January waiting for the race season to start. I follow offroad racing and we head back in to the wilderness quite a bit. First off it holds way more than i can pack. 2 canon HF G40 camcorders plus 2 Rode Mics, batteries galore, tripod and monopod, 3 gopro's plus accessories small jacket and a snack and most importantly 3L of water in the hydration pouch. An absolute must for 12-15 hr days in hot weather. You simply can not beat this back pack. Very well thought out and has way more space than you'll ever need. Thank you Mind Shift Gear for thinking of everything.

Don B.

Originally posted at

2016-02-14T19:00:00

I had the opportunity to try out this bag for one month. I love it! It fits all my regular gear - 80-400mm lens, 24-70 mm and 14-24mm. My D800 and D810 bodies plus batteries, cards, off camera flash cord and cordless shutter remote plus a 910 speed lite. Also my 15" MacBook Pro and charging wire. It is not large enough to also fit my fotodiox filters for the 14-24mm but they are super large filters. The bag itself is comfortable - I am 5'8" and the torso height can be adjusted. It fits nicely in the overhead bin, and the side handles come in very handy when lifting the bag. The only suggestion I would make to Mindshift would be to have a dedicated strap from side to side across the front of the bag. If the zipper ever breaks, all my gear will tumble out. Very expensive gear. I put my own strap around the bag just to be sure.

Colette

Originally posted at

2015-07-02T20:00:00

As a pro photographer for since 1987 I have seen them all and have used many of the brands. As time goes on designs get better. I got a chance to see this bag that a photographer had I I asked if I could try it on and found it fit well. I like the laptop feature and the way the lenses fit plus the pockets for the various things we carry. The side grip or is really different you don't see that on other bags. It's great design. I hope to get one soon.

joseph r.

Originally posted at