Why I am so glad I ordered a Shutterbag! – Photography Gear Review

Wedding

Jan 31, 2017

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I want to preface this by saying that Shutterbag has no idea I am writing this and I get nothing from them for it. But when a company offers a great product, sometimes I want to review it if I think it will help other photographers when choosing their gear.

There are so many bags out there! And a female photographer, I think it’s safe to say that many of us want a bag that reflects our style, brand and presentation as well. But most of us prioritize functionality and gear safety over that. With Shutterbag I believe you get both. After receiving my bag with super fast shipping, I opened it to find a sweet hand-written card welcoming me into the Shutterbag family. “Yes! I am happy to be a part of the Shutterbag family!”

And the bag was amazing! As you can see…

And yes..the front two side pockets can hold your flashes. So let’s talk about why the construction and design of this bag is fantastic. I am going to compare it to another more popular bag so you can see how sturdy the Shutterbag is…now some of you will prefer the other brand over this and that’s fine! I just want you to be an informed consumer in case your carrying needs are closer to my own…so here goes…

The competitor’s bag may be a little bigger but you shouldn’t put more gear in that bag than the Shutterbag because it isn’t designed to safely hold more. It’s construction appears flimsy in comparison to the Shutterbag and has a “droopy” feel when you hold it while the Shutterbag feels much more secure.

As you can see…the compartment that holds a laptop is much thicker and more padded than the competitor…making me feel a lot safer about it. I never carried my laptop in the other bag because I could see how unsafe it was to have that much equipment and a laptop. And remember with both of these…they are shoulder bags…which is why I still recommend using a Think Tank Roller Derby or Lowepro or other great brand for LOTS of equipment for weddings. I personally will be using my Roller Derby in conjunction with my Shutterbag. And since the back of the Shutterbag unzips and slides right through the Roller Derby handle…well how convenient is that?! I can get everything in with ONE trip from the car!

And now onto the handles…a fabric handle vs. the Shutterbag leather handle…I prefer the thicker, sturdier leather to the fabric…

Now here is where Shutterbag gets MAJOR points!!! Look at what is holding your gear…check out the hardware that keeps your bag and gear secure (one of the most important parts of the bag!)

The quality of the hardware on the Shutterbug is exceptional for three reasons: The metal parts are MUCH thicker and heavier. The swivel is doubly enforced in the casing. The strap is being supported by more than just one point in the hardware.

And now for the fabric that holds the strap to the bag…

This is a very sturdy, thick fabric reinforced around and twice through the middle of the stud. In comparison to the competitor’s bag which has much less reinforcement…AND…

You can see how one of the straps on my bag just broke RIGHT OFF while I was using it! Look where it broke…

Truthfully, this other black bag should probably never hold more than a lightweight DSLR and a lens or two…maybe some packed clothing, etc (like a fun overnight bag or just for engagement sessions or smaller shoots). It is clearly not designed for a photographer with valuable gear who might fill the bag to capacity…which I did, to my detriment. I had one to two DSLR cameras with lenses attached and one to two other lenses, memory card holder and cleaning gear (I kept my flashes and strobies in another bag). I used it for 19 weddings and somewhere between 5-10 other shoots before it broke. Maybe that’s not bad for a lifespan of a bag like that..I’m not sure…but I need one that lasts a bit longer. Here is hoping the Shutterbag does! It does have a warranty for double the amount of time as the competitor’s bag and I am already impressed with the prompt customer service and incredibly fast shipping. I plan on one film SLR (with lens attached), one DSLR (with lens attached), one other lens and two flashes going in the bag and occasionally my laptop.

Now here is one of the features I LOVE about the Shutterbag…it has two zippers that unzip so that the bag can slip right over the handle of your airport carry-on (or in my case, Thinktank Roller Derby)…I am going to need to post a pic from the first wedding of the season so you can see.

So when it comes down to what I personally need…the Think Tank Roller Derby paired with the Shutterbag is going to be my new wedding configuration. I hope someone finds this helpful! It really is about what you need for where you are in your business. This just happens to be what works for me. And I am pretty excited about it!

Michelle Lieb with Lieb Photographic is a Charlottesville Wedding Photographer, Culpeper Wedding Photographer, Fredericksburg Wedding Photographer, Alexandria Wedding Photographer, Washington DC Wedding Photographer, Williamsburg Wedding Photographer, High Country Wedding Photographer and a wedding photographer in the surrounding areas.

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