Manfrotto Manhattan Changer-20
£100 www.manfrotto.co.uk
Most camera shoulder bags follow broadly the same messenger-style template, with little to distinguish one from the other. So when I saw this very different design from Manfrotto, I couldn’t resist trying it out.
The Changer-20, which is part of the firm’s Manhattan range, adopts an unusual vertical style that promises to reduce its footprint, in a fashion that may sound welcome to anyone who has to travel on a crowded bus or train. Also, aside from the conventional shoulder strap, it can be carried in a couple of other ways. A pair of grab handles allows it to be carried in one hand, tote-style, while a set of backpack straps enables it to be used like a rucksack. These both fold away neatly into pockets on the front and back, and if you unzip the bottom of the back strap, the bag can be slipped over the handle of a wheeled suitcase. It’s all rather neatly designed.
Your camera goes into a tall and thin removable insert, which leaves space alongside it for personal items. The insert is divided into two vertical sections, with a horizontal divider included for each so you can safely stack a pair of lenses on both sides. I was able to fit in an Olympus OM- D E- M5 II with 7-14mm f/2.8, 12- 40mm f/2.8 and 40-150mm f/2.8 zooms, with room to spare for an additional small prime.
Inside the bag itself you’ll find laptop and tablet pockets on one side, and a large zipped pocket on the other that will take A4 documents or a magazine. On the outside there’s a zipped front pocket with a protective rain flap, and a small zipped pocket on the back that you could use to hold your phone or passport. But there are no other small pockets for batteries, memory cards, and so on. In the usual Manfrotto fashion the materials are of a decent standard and the base is coated to make it waterproof.