Gadgets :: September 20, 2017
By Gregg Ellman
(@Greggellman)
It’s a camera bag but it’s not just a camera bag since it also holds a laptop, tablet and a whole lot more.
I’m referring to the newly released Think Tank Photo’s Spectral 15 shoulder bag, on in the new Spectral series that includes two other sizes.
Before I even started to load the bag for a flight (they are all easily carry-on friendly) I loved the magnetic Fidlock clasp.
As described, it enables one-handed opening and automatic closing with ease. The opening is cleverly designed with a small tab you pull on to release the clasp.
I was determined to load the shoulder bag with more than I could carry, simply to see what I could get in it. I got everything I needed inside and there was even room to spare.
My contents included an iPad, 13.3-inch MacBook Air with a few accessories (power adapter, card readers, adapters, etc.), two DSLR camera bodies, four lenses, flash and some camera accessories.
The inside pockets, removable closed-cell foam dividers with Velcro ends can be customized to fit what you want. There’s also a phone pocket that will hold today’s larger phones and attachments for a tripod or monopod.
Think Tank Photo uses only high quality hardware, including metal hardware, YKK RC Fuse zippers, 420D velocity nylon and a padded non-slip shoulder strap.
The exterior is water resistant and has a luggage handle pass-through to slide the bag over the handles of a rolling suitcase along with a water bottle pocket. A removable rain cover is included.
The Spectral 15 ($135.75) I tested has internal dimensions of 15.3-by-9.8-by-5.1-inches; there’s also the Spectral 10 ($119.75) with a 13-by-9.1-by-4.9-inches and Spectral 8 ($99.75) 10.2-by-7.5-by-4.9-inches.
The 8 and 10 models have many of the same features described minus the laptop compartment.
CanvasPop has a new custom photo pillow line, which I can tell you first hand makes a pillow the talk of your family room.
The 18-by-18-inch pillows are soft and snuggly, guaranteeing your comfort. What makes the pillow unique is the image you select to have printed on the front and back of the pillow.
The quality is outstanding and to ensure that, CanvasPop runs your image through quality control testing to make sure you’ll be happy with the results.
Designing your pillow is simple. Just choose your photo (which is honestly the hardest part) and upload it to the CanvasPop site. You’ll be able to zoom and rotate your image to get it exactly how you want positioned with a live preview.
You can customize your image on a color palette with any custom color. I used white to get the full impact of my sunset image.
You’ll have your choice to put the same image on the front and back or you can just have it on one side with the other a black or white finish.
It’s really simple and with a cost friendly $39.
Charging cables are a must-have in today’s life but it’s easy to have a love/hate relationship with them. You love ‘em when you need a charge but hate them when they are tangled together.
TwelveSouth has a cleaver solution for the tangle problem with the new CableSnaps.
The genuine leather straps snap closed to keep charging cables (or any cable, earbuds for that matter) neatly coiled and tangle free. They come in packs of three, two small and one large cable manager.
www.twelvesouth.com $19.99 available black, cognac or marsala
