| Brand: | Lowepro | ||
| Average Rating |
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Perfect for photojournalists, the SlingShot 200 AW uses a unique sling design to go from carry mode to ready mode in just seconds. Carried comfortably on the back, it easily rotates to the front so you can get to your camera quickly. The SlingShot 200 AW holds an SLR with mid-range zoom lens attached, 3-4 extra lenses, cables and accessories, and has a full access lid to make loading it a snap. This feature-rich bag also includes a built-in memory card pouch, micro fiber LCD cloth, and two generous organizer pockets. Lowepro packs and bags with the AW (All-Weather Cover(TM)) designation include the All Weather Cover. These AW Covers are typically located in the bottom or back of the pack in a zippered, or Velcro-secured pocket. It’s certain to surprise even the most demanding photojournalists. more info
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
This is good bag
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this bag to replace my current small Lowepro bag, the new one can hold 2 additional lenses and free space for other accessories on the top section on the travel.
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Great Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We recently took a trip, via airlines, to the jungles of Central America. This bag was a life saver in carrying my camera gear (Cannon EOS, 300mm lense and accessories). Yes, it is small but everything fit including passport and small essentials. Great as my “personal carry on” or “purse” along with one carryon piece of luggage – I travel light. Everything was right there at my fingertips, easily accessed. Bag is flexible enough to use as both a day pack or camera bag. The Lowepro Slingshot is now an essential part of my traveling activities! And yes! That rain cover is ideal in those monsoons…
Great for hiking/walking
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Well constructed and handy to use while urban or country hiking, I like this bag for its comfortable strap and unique access to the camera.
It’s true that there is no camera bag that’s good for all uses and this is no exception to that. There are not enough pockets for gadgets and stuff for me, but it really is great for a specific outing where you know exactly what you need. There’s enough room for a good sized dSLR (I use an Olympus E-30) and a number of lenses, some filters, batteries, and a flash. The top pocket is fairly spacious, but a small divider would have been handy there too.
While it’s great for pulling the camera out when in the sling position, when you want to change lenses you have to unstrap and rearrange things. It works best for situations where you will be carrying a specific lens on the camera body and have the others along just in case. I can also bring the flash in the top pocket if I want.
The one shoulder strap is very comfortable and when the cross-connect strap (my term) is connected, it feels very secure and doesn’t flop around if you’re going over rough terrain. I’m a big guy and hip straps usually don’t fit me well, but this bag’s setup works great for me.
A nice feature is the sliplock attachments for other goodies – there are 3 of them available. The water bottle version is most appreciated (I have two), and I can add a lens or other attachment as desired.
The 350 was not available when I bought mine – but this one will continue to be my choice for being out and about without a giant bag.
All-in-all, a very good bag – well constructed and it’s a very comfortable setup.
Lowepro Slingshot 200
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Lowepro Slingshot 200 All weather backpack just before I left for my vacation to New York and it was one of the best decisions I made. We covered a lot of ground and walked to most of our desinations. I have the Nikkon D-60 with two lenses and this backpack was perfect. Light weight, easy access, and plenty of space.
Cons: There is no pocket for a bottle water. Keep in mind that there is enough room for the camara and accessories only, and not much for anything else.
Hot, heavy, and impractical
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
As an avid expedition traveler and photographer, I was excited about the LowePro Slingshot 200. It seemed like the perfect size and solution for my needs. Unfortunately, after taking it on a few trips, I have ditched it in favor of a more traditional camera bag.
My gear: I usually venture out with a Nikon D300 plus 2 lenses, a speedlight, and a couple of filters.
In addition, I usually have a water bottle, a small snack, and some papers (maps, pamphlets or small books). I mention these items because if your camera bag is going to double as your backpack, then you’d better hope it can handle these other needs as well.
This was my first disappointment with the LowePro Slingshot 200. When I put my camera gear in the Slingshot, it all fit nicely, but there was no obvious room left for these other small items. Even a pack of mints or a map had no logical home, other than to fold it and stuff it next to the camera gear.
The Slingshot is very stiff. You can’t crush it. So if you are traveling with it, expect the Slingshot to be your carry-on item. Fair enough, but forget putting a book in it.
My second major complaint is that the Slingshot is hot and heavy. With my D300 and extra lens aboard, the thing feels like it has 3 cameras in it. The padding is dark and thick and covers your back. Wear it outside in high heat and it’s like placing your whole back in a hot waffle iron.
In the summer of 2008, I took the Slingshot 200 on a long trip through Italy. After the first 3 days, I just ditched it and picked up a small shoulder-style bag. The relief was immediate. Returning to the states, I gave the Slingshot to my son to take on a Galapagos Islands expedition. He ditched it as well, citing the same issues, and has since picked up a Tamrac Velocity 5X, which carries a similar price tag and capacity but is much more versatile, comfortable, and user-friendly.
great bag.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
i like this bag a lot! it has enough room for my canon 7d, extra lenses, charger, filters, card reader, extra cards, extra batteries, and whatever else i need to put in there! It is well padded and i feel safe with my stuff in here. the slingshot action is awesome; a matter of seconds from on your back to shooting. the stabilizer strap is great too while hiking or climbing. it might be a LITTLE big for much climbing or long hikes though (more than a full days worth.) bt if your hiking that much you probably have better stuff already. Another great thing about this bag are the loops and extra places to put stuff! Not much to say about that other than its really handy when you need it… and you probably will need it!!
If youre considering this bag at all go ahead and get it i’m SURE you’ll be happy with it.
Best Camera Bag for your money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This bag meets all the needs. It’s lightweight and very practical. The slingshot capability gives the added benefit of just opening up a zipper and taking out your camera. AWESOME – I’ve recommended it to all my friends
Great bag all around
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I, like many, am in search of the perfect bag, or bags, because I don’t think that there’s one bag that does it all. The Slingshot 200AW is one of 3 bags I currently use, and still do not feel like I have my bases covered.
Out of my 3 bags, this is the one that I use the most. It fits a pro body or a regular body with the grip attached easily, and leaves me room for 2-3 lenses. Typically I’ll have the camera with attached wide angle zoom, 70-200, and one or two primes. Then I stick a flash and some filters in the top pocket, and batteries/chargers in the small accessory pocket.
There’s a couple of really great features about this bag that make it a must have. First it’s a sling so it doesn’t look dorky. It also is designed to flip around to your front and not only provide easy access to the main camera compartment, but it can also be used to steady your arms for slower shutter speeds. It’s nice if you are getting in and out of cars, taxis, trains, buses, subways, etc. as you can just swing it around when you sit and it’s right on your lap, safe and secure. The main pocket opens wide, but it has 2 buckles that you fasten to keep it from opening fully when you don’t want it to and dropping all your gear. I like the integrated microfiber cleaning cloth and highly adjustable dividers. It has a built in pocket on the main flap that holds 4 flash cards, and the all-weather cover (denoted on all Lowepro bags by the AW) pops up in a few seconds to protect your gear from the rain.
My only complaint with this bag is that it starts to hurt my shoulder and back after wearing it for a while. It could be because I put a lot of heavy gear in there and I hardly use the secondary strap. Regardless, this is a great back for traveling, people who do city/street photography, or people on the go.
Hey, It’s Great
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Well designed. I can get a lot more stuff in this bag than any other that I own of the same, relative size. What’s neat is that I can “swivel” the bag around and access just about anything in it. I spent the extra $bucks to get the weather protection feature.
Slingshot 200 Worked Well on Alaskan Cruise!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My Lowepro Slingshot 200 all weather backpack worked very well. I could swing it around and get the gear I needed. I have had headaches from the camera strap around my neck on hikes so I wanted to try a backpack. At age 54 it worked much better. I still had some aches with a long hike, but no headaches. If you carry more gear, this can carry camera, extra lens, flash, small handycam recorder, and all the extra items for using them. I lightened the pack of extras when I knew I would not use all the gear and that helped with the weight.
Not very good use of space
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Larger than i expected but not a very good use of the space. Telephoto lens won’t fit in this bag. I have a 55-200mm with hood attached and it’s close. Anything larger won’t fit.
the top pocket is lost space if you ask me. I don’t know yet how comfortable it will be on long trips, it should be, it’s padded and light weight.
Excellent value & construction
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The slingshot 200 provides easy access to the camera with good storage space for lenses and other items.
easy to use compare to my regular slr bag
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been looking for a camera bag, after reading the reviewed of Lowenpro slingshot 200, I decided to order it asap. I’m really having fun with it related to ease of use and comfort to my shoulder. My other SLR bag gave me too much discomfort on my shoulder. I highly recommend this one.
Great pack
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I like to go hiking in the Cascade mountains and this pack will be great for me to take the camera and equipment on the trails. I like the easy accessibility to the camera when I need it and it is out of the way on my back when I don’t need it.
Uncomfortable, strap often in the way, be careful and always zip up the pouch!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this bag for a while now, going on 2 years I think. This is my second Lowepro bag, the first being a bag that had a storage compartment above the main camera compartment. I thought my previous bag took too much time access gear, it was alson very large. I wanted a more compact, quick access bag and the Slingshot 200AW looked like the answer.
I like the built in weather protection, lens cloth and CF storage compartment. I can get a decent amount of gear in this bag and it’s not too big. Lowepro makes nice stuff.
I like to hike with my camera slung around my neck. You never know when an image will present itself, what good is a camera if it’s always in your bag? The one strap design of the Slingshot means that I often have the camera strap or the Slingshot strap in the way. Picture yourself raising your camera, but it’s trapped under the strap of the Slingshot. You get your camera back on top, now you need to get into your Slingshot, but your camera is in the way.
Mounting the Slingshot requires a lot of work compared to a conventional back pack (I’m 6’2″). Your arm, head and shoulder are inserted through the strap which then lies across your chest. I guess you could use the buckle, but I don’t. A conventional backpack is much quicker and easier to mount and won’t get in the way of your camera strap. The Slingshot annoys me when mounted. I often leave this bag in the trunk due to lack of comfort and frustration with the strap being in the way. “Where’s that ND filter?”, it’s in the bag, in the trunk the car. For me, lack of comfort defeats the purpose of this bag. I have found that hiking with a camera around your neck and the Slingshot across your back and chest is a recipe for frustration and discomfort.
Often I make the mistake of removing my camera and leaving the flap partially unzipped. This has proved a costly mistake. On more than one occasion I’ve had a lens or flash fall out of the bag and onto the floor. This is my fault, but it is something to consider. The flap looks like it’s shut, but it is not. Due to the horizontal design of the main compartment, your gear is in danger if your forget to zip the pouch fully prior to picking up the bag.
A small velcro flap would solve this by insuring the main compartment does come open even if not fully zipped shut.
In hindsight I would have been better off keeping my previous backpack. I got a lot more use out of my previous camera bag. It was a lot more comfortable to hike with, even if it took longer to get to my gear. I never dropped gear from my previous bag either. I’ve ordered another “conventional” backpack to replace my Slingshot. YMMV.
Quality is something different for this price
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Well, a nice idea does not make a camera bag a top of the line one (sorry lowe). I had this bag for five month now. A D90 with not to long lenses and little other gear fits fine in the bag. But that’s it! Forget your sandwich or raincoat, and once you have the slingshot on your back – there is no more room for another bag.
If you are not especial careful closing the zipper all the time you DSL Body will be on the ground at one point. After this happens three times I attached a string with a snap hook inside around a Velcro fixed padding and the problem was resolved. For a monopod ok, but for tripod there is not a good outside solution to fix it properly. In darker situations you will not find quickly the zipper strings, so I extended them with white cord.
I live near the ocean and the cheap zippers started oxidizing, getting the white spots already and will give up to zip soon. If you never get near the ocean the bag can be o.k. for some folks, but I gave my slingshot back two days ago.
One of the best camera bags out there!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been using this bag since the beginning of the summer and I loved it! And that was before I found out I was using it wrong….now I really love it!!!! I used it with the strap slung over my left shoulder, but the bag would slide off occasionally – no big deal as I had this issue with other bags. But when I saw the picture of how to use the strap correctly…viola!!! Everything was now different!!!!
My only complaint is that this bag is a bit too big for everyday use for me…but I am going to solve it by purchasing the Lowepro SlingShot 100. Between the two bags, I will have all my bases covered!!!
I like the way the compartments can be changed easily, zippers function flawlessly, camera is easy to take in and out, the multiple and well laid out compartments and the over all weight of the bag. But the function I truly appreciate now is the rain cover that is built into the case. We were at Disney and went on the log flume ride and everyone in our group stuffed their wallets and cell phones into my case. And good that we did – we were totally drenched exiting the ride, but everything in this Lowepro SlingShot 200 case was dry!!!!
Functional and AWESOME!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this bag on a recommendation from a collegue of mine at work. He is another Nikon lover such as myself.
I have a Nikon D5000 with an 18-200mm Lens. I also have a little Panasonic Lumix point and shoot. I purchased this bag in preparation for my 2 week vacation to Scotland.
First of all, the bag is very light. With nothing in it, it almost seems weightless. Then, after putting my new camera in and my extra strap and such, the bag was still quite light when put on your shoulder. It hardly seemed to be there.
I not only fit my camera in there, but an extra rain jacket, a can of soda, and many little trinkets I purchased along my travels.
The bag was taken hiking for 3 hours on a BIG HILL, through Castle gardens, Pallaces, rivers and waterfalls, hiking up and down the side of a mountain, and through the streets and closes of Edinburgh and it’s Castle. Not only did the bag outperform any other camera bag I have owned in comfort, but it has to be one of the most convienient bags for a camera ever! I had NO trouble swinging the bag around to unzip and quickly (and quite effortlessly) pull my camera from the bag.
Because I was in Scotland I knew that it was bound to rain. This bag is totally prepared for the rains that we saw in Bonnie Scotland. It started to rain and I just whipped out the little rain cover and viola! Instant protection. I didn’t need my big camera in the rain, but I did pull out my little point and shoot from the top compartment which was easily accessable through the rain cover (just pull it down a wee bit).
I would say the only negative to this bag is the fact that I didn’t have more camera equipment to fill it. It stood through international travel and scored a 5 star rating. It is worth every penny I invested!
If you have camera equipment you want protected but don’t want to carry a clunky case or take forever digging it out of a bag, then the Lowepro Slingsot is your answer!
Great bag , but not perfect
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Great bag, the sling is very convenient to get your camera quickly. The quality of materials is very good, the cost is right. Only problem is the one shoulder sling design. For a whole day travel with a full bag, one of your shoulder would get sore really fast. I am looking for a full backpack design that will circumvent this problem. Considering a Fastback 250 or maybe the Primus AW.
Wonderful Camera Case!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This backpack is just what I wanted. Roomy, easy to get to the camera and looks good.
Excellent walk-around bag
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My goals when purchasing a new camera bag were to replace my small, over-the-shoulder, rectangluar day bag with something a bit bigger, more comfortable, and easier to use. After deciding that I wanted a sling design, my decision came down to the Lowepro Slingshot 200 and the Kata 3N1-20. I examined each before purchasing this bag from Amazon. Both bags have similar features, and I was very intrigued by Kata’s system that allows the bag to be a sling, shoulder bag, and full backpack, but ultimately decided on the Lowepro Slingshot 200 for a few reasons:
1. I thought the wide strap on the Lowepro would provide more comfort than the narrower strap on the Kata when used in sling mode
2. The Lowepro has the ability to attach addtional components to the side of the bag and the front of the bag
3. I prefered the look of the Lowepro
After having this bag for a month and taking on it vacation, I am extremely pleased with my choice. I was able to pack quite a bit of gear into this little bag for transportation. I packed all of the following into the main compartment:
* Canon 30D body
* Canon 17-55mm f2.8 lens and hood
* Canon 50mm f1.4 lens
* Canon 1.4 extender
* Canon 70-200 f2.8 lens, hood, and case (note, the Canon 100-400mm comes in the same case and can be substituted for the 70-200mm in my review)
* Canon 430EX ii flash and case
* Pocket wizards (1 Flex TT5 and 1 Mini TT1)
Additionally, the following fit into the top pouch or front pocket:
* Filter pouch with 6 filters
* Additional filter pouch with a Singh-Ray Variable ND filter
* 2 Spare Batteries, Battery Charger
* Arctic Butterfly sensor cleaning tool and loupe
* 3 Spare Compact Flash cards in cases
* Radio trigger and remote
* Small tripod head
and probably a couple other items I don’t remember right now. Additionally, using a custom-made attachment for the side of the bag, I was able to carry a fold-flat tripod and a monopod as well. That is a LOT of gear for such a small bag. And, it weighs quite a bit as well. But, the bag never felt as though it were being stressed. When walking around with this much in the bag and using just the over-the-shoulder strap, my shoulder did get tired after 15 minutes or so, but using the cross strap provided on the bag allowed me to comfortably wear the bag for much longer. That said, I wouldn’t want to be out on a shoot with this much gear in this bag. However, when I was shooting, by carrying my 70-200 over my shoulder and on my hip, and removing some of the non-essentials, the bag was comfortable to wear all day (8+ hours).
After using the bag multiple times, I really like the sling design. It takes a bit to get used to as far as how to put it on without disconnecting the strap, but pretty soon it becomes second-nature. The sling design makes it much easier to access your camera than a standard backpack. In fact, I found myself walking around with the bag in sling mode (i.e. pulled around to the front of my body) quite often when not in crowed spaces. That manner of carrying the bag also relieves your shoulder if it is getting tired. The build quality of the bag is very high, with the zippers well constructed and the strap very securely sewed down.
Note that the main body of the bag will *not* allow you to keep your 70-200mm f2.8 lens attached to your body and store it internally in the advertised, quick access mode (i.e. simply sling the bag to the front of your body, open the top access zippers, and put the camera and lens in, lens first, so that it sits parallel to the bottom of the bag when carried on your back). However, the main body IS big enough to keep the 70-200mm lens attached and stored in the bag if you remove all the dividers and store the camera in the bag with the back of the camera body lying on the bottom of the pack with the lens pointing to the top pouch. Unfortunately, it is hard or next to impossible to put the dividers back in in such a way that your camera and lens does not regularly shift/bounce around if put in that way. Also, it is not as quick to access your camera if it is stored in the bag in this way. If you want to store your camera the 70-200 lens in the quick-access way, opt for the Lowepro Slingshot 300.
The other drawback to the bag is that there is no laptop sleeve. But, that is not what this bag is intended for– it really is for your day out, not your week-long vacation where you need your laptop with you. Again, if you want something that is large enough to carry a laptop, consider the Slingshot 300.
After all of my research, I ultimately decided that I will need 2 bags– one just isn’t enough for every situation. My goal for this bag, as already stated, was to purchase as day-shoot bag that is small and compact, comfortable, and easy to access my gear. This bag provides all of that. I will also need a bag for my long trips, where I want to bring more gear and my laptop too. I have already decided that, again, it will either be the Lowepro Slingshot 300, or the Kata 3N1-33 (not yet available, but will have a laptop pouch). I was initially worried that the Lowepro would not be comfortable enough for that much additional weight, and would opt for the additional straps provided by the Kata bag. But, after using this bag I am not so sure. Still, that decision will come later.
As you can tell, I HIGHLY recommend this bag.
Excellent well thought out bag
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
All is well – I would have preferred a small piece of paper, or even an on-line video showing different ways one can load different things as my bag is full with one lens, one flash, one camera and a bag of small things. Surely the bag can take more?
Awesome design, Poor build quality
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Love the design and convenience. The sling design is perfect.
The build quality, though, is awful. After a year of intermittent use, one zipper has failed entirely, another zipper is getting hinky, and the buckles are starting to feel weak.
Inferior Bag
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this bag several months ago for a trip I’m taking soon. I just now loaded it w/my equipment and I’m pretty disappointed. The storage is equal to smaller less expensive bags, the all weather cover is sewn wrong and has a big hole on one side because of the defect. The clips slide on the straps so I have to frequently readjust them. The balance is also poor, no matter how you load it, you have to set it on its’ side. It won’t stand upright. For less than half the money you can get much better products. I won’t buy this brand again and I would advise others against it as well. The only good thing I can say is that the cushioning is pretty decent.
Lowepro a good purchase
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got the Lowepro slingshot 200 for my husband’s birthday. He loved it. It is spacious and easy to carry. It doesn’t put too much of a strain on your shoulders and the strap is adjustable. The bag can be brought up to the front for easy camera access without actually removing the bag every time. Overall, we are happy with the bag. Wish it was a little less expensive.