A Camera Bag That Doesn't Look Like a Camera Bag

MJ Approved: Gear Lab

ThinkTank Retrospective 5

The two best things about ThinkTank Photo's Retrospective 5 camera bag are also the most obvious: The messenger bag-style carrier is soft sided and doesn't sport any labels or logos. That makes the Retrospective 5 the most casual-looking camera bag available, which translates to feeling less conspicuous and less limited by your equipment. On the streets of New York City, it means that both travelers and locals can prepare to shoot a beautiful sunset (or meal, if we're to be honest) without feeling like total tourists.

The Retrospective 5's incognito exterior hides a professional-grade interior. Velcro dividers let photographers customize the interior to fit different cameras and lenses. It's plenty big enough to fit a chunky DSLR camera and two or three lenses along with a small point and shoot camera like a Nikon CoolPix or a Leica. It will also carry everything else from keys to credit cards so you can hit the town or trail with just one bag. The bag comes with a seam-sealed "raincoat" that's easy to throw on if the jungle weather takes a turn for the worse or you're chasing a rainbow. The metal hardware that joins the shoulder strap to the bag is built to last. [$145; thinktankphoto.com]

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