Think Tank Photo: Six Keys to Purchasing the Right Rolling Camera Bag

For photographers, having to check their gear before boarding an airline exposes them to one of their greatest fears: the theft or loss of their equipment and possibly their livelihood. To aid photographers in making this essential purchasing decision, Think Tank Photo, the world's leader in rolling camera bags/rollers, has released a white paper, "The Top Six Points When Selecting a Roller," available for free download.

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) May 13, 2009 -- For photographers, having to check their gear before boarding an airline exposes them to one of their greatest fears: the theft or loss of their equipment and possibly their livelihood. To aid photographers in making this essential purchasing decision, Think Tank Photo (http://www.thinktankphoto.com), the world's leader in rolling camera bags/rollers, has released a white paper, The Top Six Points When Selecting a Roller (http://www.thinktankphoto.com/roller) that is available for free download. In this free white paper, Think Tank's panel of experts reduced to six the essential points photographers must keep in mind when purchasing a rolling camera bag:

Does the roller fit on the airplane as carry on? Because the roller is holding thousands of dollars of delicate photography gear, photographers must be sure that its dimensions allow it to be carried on board.

Does it hold the equipment? Photographers want to be sure that the roller is designed to hold the maximum amount of equipment, including their laptops. While aesthetics are pleasing, if they decrease the roller's gear capacity they are a hindrance to photographers' workflow.

If something goes wrong, is there a warranty? The bottom line is that rollers are meant to take a beating. Are the roller's handle and wheels replaceable? Does the camera bag manufacturer's warrant the roller for the lifetime of the product?

Is it durable? A roller may appear to be a rolling suitcase, but it is, in fact, a portable office. It will be dragged up stairs, rolled through gravel, and hoisted onto tables while filled with tens of pounds of expensive, fragile equipment. With such usage a regular suitcase or poorly designed roller could quickly break. Photographers want to select a roller with professional-grade fabric, extra high wheel housings, quickly replaceable wheels, and the highest quality zippers and sliders.

Does it keep gear secure? There are ways photographers can increase their gear's security while stored in a roller. First, make sure the roller comes with zippers with built in combination locks. Second, make sure it comes with a front security cable and lock to secure the laptop or other items held in the front pocket, and a back security cable and lock that can be used to secure the entire roller to an immovable object, such as a tree or hotel room desk. And finally, should the roller be lost or stolen, make sure the manufacturer offers a lost-and-found early alert system.

Does it hold a laptop? Should photographers be carrying a full complement of gear, when a laptop is placed on top and the roller zipped closed, its dimensions may violate airline depth size requirements. If the roller comes with a front pocket, photographers can temporarily store the laptop there. Or the manufacturer should offer special inserts that allow the laptop to rest recessed inside the bag, thus not causing it to bulge.

"We have created a category of bags that did not exist before - airport travel products for photographers," said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo's founder and lead designer. "As such, we believe it is in photographers' best interests to be informed properly before making what could be one of their more expensive purchases. With this white paper we have disseminated information that has been gleaned from scores of pro photographers."

About Think Tank Photo

Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Think Tank Photo is a group of designers and professional photographers focused on studying how photographers work and developing inventive new carrying solutions that meet their needs. They are dedicated to using only the highest quality materials and design principles, and employing materials that are environmentally benign.

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