Pixiq

So I just unpacked from a week-long trip. I was able to go minimalist with this trip as there was no client or assignment to bog me down. This was perfect timing as Think Tank had sent me a review bag called the Retrospective 5.

The Retrospective 5 by Think Tank Photo is designed with the street photographer in mind. As a soft sided messenger style bag you've got much more space to work with than meets the eye. I was able to fit my Canon 30D with attached 50mm lens, an iPad 2 in the front pocket, cables and other accessories. I could have squeezed in another lens while keeping the iPad 2 in place and easily a third by taking out the iPad letting the bag swell.

Here's what I took on this trip

1. Canon 30D with attached 50mm 1.8
2. iPad 2 with Smart Cover
3. Extra Battery
4. Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit
5. iPad Charger
6. Earbuds
7. Skull Candy Agent Carbon Headphones
8. USB Camera Cable
9. Lens cloths and cotton swabs
10. Extra CF cards
11. Rocket Blower
12. Didn't take the dog but I'm sure she would have loved the trip!

Here's a closer view of the stuff I took.

The bag is really nice to look at and, as all things Think Tank, is built to last. The shoulder strap is thick and well stitched, and made with enough grip and length you can wear the bag in messenger style or as shoulder bag.

Of course you get dividers to customize to your needs. Here's how all the stuff fit in the bag. You can see where I could have easily added a second lens and ditched the headphones but it wasn't necessary for this trip.

The Retrospective series has various sizes and the Retrospective 5 is the smallest camera bag in the series. While you could squeeze in a standard size DSLR with 3 lenses, as I've tested, this bag works much better for the smaller cameras.

This really is made for an urban or street photographer who isn't going into the sands and rain (the bag does come with a rain cover if needed).

While this bag isn't really designed for carrying the iPad it does work although you can see it does create a gap by not allowing the top to close all the way.

So one of the coolest features is the velcro straps on the inside of the back cover. You can close them off for silent access to the bag or leave them exposed for more security. In the picture below the strap to the left near my hand is in the closed and "silent" position while the strap on the right shows the velcro exposed and ready to grip.

This option came in pretty handy for me. I had the velcro exposed while traipsing through the airport for security reasons and put them in the silent position when I was shooting in the downtown areas for easy and quick access to the bag. Pretty slick if you ask me.

All in all I really enjoyed using the bag. It did two things for me; It made me think smaller and lighter which is a long-term goal for me and it worked at carrying my iPad while being stylish and conspicuous. If I were carrying more gear or a bigger camera I would have to opt for a bigger bag but as it is I'm very happy with this one.

It's sturdy, rugged, and versatile. This shoulder strap isn't going to wear out anytime soon and neither will the bag.

My one complaint is that the iPad doesn't fit "perfectly" in the front pouch. It's easy enough to dismiss because, arguably, this bag isn't designed for that but why wouldn't it be? If this bag is for the street photographer, and mobility and connectivity is the future of street photography, and an iPad or other tablet device will likely accompany many a street photographer, I find that Think Tank missed an opportunity to market for that growing section.

As it is, I'm giving the Retrospective 5 by Think Tank Photo a very enthusiastic

4 out of 5!

You can get a Think Tank Retrospective 5 Shoulder Bag - Black at Amzon today or check out their entire line of Retrospective bags as well.