Think Tank Retro 5

[tgray]

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The pinestone looks pretty much like it does on the ThinkTank website. It's closer to a medium lightness. Looks like worn material.

 

It's pretty soft too, but there are a lot of layers of material with all the pockets and stuff. It holds it's shape pretty well, in part due to the stiff padding at the bottom of the bag. If you took those out it would probably collapse pretty flat. I currently have 2 cameras and some lenses in mine, but it should be fine with the equipment you describe, just a bit more extra space.

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[vk2109]

Thank you very much all ! One more thing...sorry to ask you this but there is no store in NYC that has it and would like to check it before buying...

 

I was looking at the internal dimension and the internal length is 9.5'' (24cm) ...so that means that if you have some documents (letter size) you want to carry it won't fit in the bag ? :confused:

 

 

Thanks

 

Vadim

[tgray]

Correct for the most part. If you fold your 8.5" x 11" document in half to 8.5" x 5.5" (or down to a regular envelope size), the document will fit in either the front exterior pocket or in the interior pocket on the front inside wall. But it's a tight fit, particularly in the interior front pocket. It would fit in the main compartment as well except the dividers will probably preclude that. It will not fit in the two zip pockets on the back wall (one on the inside and one on the outside).

 

On the other hand you could stick them in the back exterior pocket vertically, but the tops would stick out.

[vk2109]

...that's another story then....if you had to compare it to the Billingham Hadley small

how would you rate that one ? (besides the price diff I see)

 

THanks

[tgray]

I can't give you any opinions on the Billingham. I've never used one, nor have I ever been tempted to get one.

[250swb]

As a big fan of Think Tank bags I ordered a Retro 5 which I've now had time to use. My main aim was to buy a bag that could nicely fit my M9 and a couple of lenses, but perhaps it would be good for my physically smaller IIIf outfit as well.

 

For anybody that already has one the Retro 5 is about the same size as a Billingham Hadley Small, but with far more pockets to stow bits and pieces. Its more comfortable to carry with a great soft feel and comfy strap.

 

For the IIIf and two extra lenses it's pretty good, enough space for a selection of filters and a couple of rolls of film. But for an M9 and two extra lenses its TOO SMALL. I've long been baffled why anybody would want to prove how small there camera is by packing it as tightly as possible into the smallest possible bag, but this bag is ridiculous. And I think the problem arises because Think Tank have simply downscaled the design without thought to how it would work when miniaturised. Don't get me wrong, an M9 with Summilux and two other lenses fit in the bag, but its nigh on impossible to just reach into the bag to take another lens out, or drop a lens back in without negotiating flaps here there and everywhere. A bag shouldn't get in the way of a quick lens change, and this one does, but it would be OK if you had all the patience and time in the world before the scene before you disappears. Add any other bits and pieces like a battery, some filters, cleaning materials etc (the usual stuff that accumulates in a bag) and it quickly becomes a very fat bag, further slowing down its use, and the use of the camera.

 

So it works OK with the smallest minimum kit inside. But this raises the next problem, unless the bag is stuffed with equipment when you pull the outer flap over to close the bag and keep everything secure the velcro fasteners miss by a mile, its as if they have been stitched in the wrong place or are too short. So then the only option is to loosely close the flap leaving plenty of space for things to fall out of the bag should it get inverted. A 5cm Elmar would have no problem escaping.

 

Its the 'curates egg' this bag, good in parts. I'll stick with it for my IIIf, but its not a fast bag for anything bigger and I think it really is geared more towards modern camera concepts where lens changes are minimal due to the use of zoom lenses, so for a m4/3 camera and one other lens its ideal (fantastic even). It could be considerably improved if the design was different, without the fussy internal end flaps and an inch extra on the length. And Think Tank do know how to design small bags that are easy to use (look how easy the same sized 'Change Up' bag is to negotiate a camera and lenses in and out of)

 

For the Think Tank Retrospective 5 I award 5/10 (and I never thought I'd ever say that about a TT bag but the hysteria does need damping down).

 

Steve

[tgray]

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For the Think Tank Retrospective 5 I award 5/10 (and I never thought I'd ever say that about a TT bag but the hysteria does need damping down).

 

I do agree with you some parts of the design are the result of scaling down the larger bags and should have been done away with. Particularly those little pouches on the interior sides. Put anything in them and the compartments on the side become crowded. However, I find it pretty comfortably fits two cameras and and an extra lens or one camera and two extra lenses. My bag doesn't bulge in any way with this load. The flap closes fine and the velcro hits square on. The design is a good one over all; you just can't put something in every available slot or pouch, or it *will* get overstuffed. That's fine though, just ignore the pockets you don't like and use the ones you do.

 

I've carried my exact setup in larger bags before, and sometimes that's called for, but many times I was looking for a more compact bag, but something large enough that I could fit two cameras or a couple lenses in there if I wanted. My real small bag only fits a camera. This bag fills the gap quite well.

 

Nor would I agree with the hysteria bit. It's a far better small bag than many I've seen. It's not *too* expensive and it's very well made. Judging from many of the comments of actual owners, it's the kind of bag many have been looking for for quite a while. That doesn't mean it's perfect or for everyone, but I wouldn't call the reception it's received 'hysteria' in need of 'damping down'.

 

Maybe you should have looked at the Retrospective 10?

[vk2109]

@ Steve

 

Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this. By looking at the dimension, the billingham might be a little larger ? but slimmer I would guess

 

Thanks again

 

As a big fan of Think Tank bags I ordered a Retro 5 which I've now had time to use. My main aim was to buy a bag that could nicely fit my M9 and a couple of lenses, but perhaps it would be good for my physically smaller IIIf outfit as well.

 

For anybody that already has one the Retro 5 is about the same size as a Billingham Hadley Small, but with far more pockets to stow bits and pieces. Its more comfortable to carry with a great soft feel and comfy strap.

Steve

[250swb]

That doesn't mean it's perfect or for everyone, but I wouldn't call the reception it's received 'hysteria' in need of 'damping down'.

 

Maybe you should have looked at the Retrospective 10?

 

But I don't want the Retrospective 10, that is too big, and I have other bags when I do need a bigger bag. I wanted the Retrospective 5 to be a great Leica M system bag, and like all the other bags where people say 'I can fit two bodies and two lenses' (etc) they mean it literally, they will fit, but it doesn't make the bag fit for purpose. If you have to plan ahead in which pocket you put a lens cloth, if you can't stash a sandwich or bottle of water, if you can't take all your lenses out without moving something else, or pulling as if you are trying to get a cork out the bottle, its getting in the way of photography. A bag should be an ally that keeps you going, a resource centre, a blue blanket, a home for your camera, not something to fight and that makes you weary.

 

And that is the problem with fitted bags, or bags that are cramped (same thing), and which are the ones so often advocated on LUF, they are for transporting or storing your camera in, not for using your camera with.

 

But if he could speak my IIIf would say he likes the Retro 5 very much, so all is not lost.

 

Steve

[tgray]

But if he could speak my IIIf would say he likes the Retro 5 very much, so all is not lost.

 

Haha, cool. Thanks for sharing your opinion - it is good to point out that this bag (nor any bag) isn't going to be perfect for everyone, or in every situation. I haven't had any problems with this bag, though others might. I really don't find it a tight fit for two cameras and a lens or one camera and two lenses. They drop right in their slots, I can pull them out with no problem without removing anything else, and the bag closes fine. I actually looked at the velcro this morning and the front flap has so much extra slack that the velcro on the flap almost overextends past the velcro on the bag.

 

If I need more space for a random sandwich, a water bottle, a fleece pullover, etc., I agree, this is not a good bag for that. I should point out that I have a larger messenger bag that works well in that situation and in many others, but it can be a bit... large So I view this bag as a smaller, more compact alternative to that, not as the be-all and end-all.

[Griswold]

If you bought and use a Leica so you can grab it and go this bag is perfect. With your RF body a few lenses inside... boom! out the door. Jump in the car and you can put it on the floor without having to open another door it's so compact. It won't fit a water bottle, note pad, iPad, etc but that is not what this bag is about. For monster cargo shoots grab your old Domke beater and load it up. There are lots of big bags in the world, lots of overpriced smaller bags, but this is the first smaller bag that is the right depth for the M cameras that works for me. NB: The bottom padding isn't really thick enough for Leica gear, I added a layer of foam under the existing bottom pad. Also the metal snap hook for the waterproof cover does seem a bit risky... I removed mine. All in all a great bag. We all love modifying gear a bit anyways.