CAUTION - Lowepro Slingshot owners !

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

10/20/2007 04:27:26 PM · #1

We were just at the pumpkin farm to get our annual "How Tall This Fall" shot of the kids. I pulled the bag around to my front the way it's designed to do and took out my camera for the shot. I zipped the bag up and pushed it back around, the way it's design to go, and which I've done hundreds of times, when the buckle on the shoulder strap let go.

The bag slammed like a ton of bricks onto the hard-packed, dirt parking lot while I stood there holding my camera in shock. Wow, did that ever make me feel just plain sad! Luckily I only had one lens plus my flash still in the bag, but it is my favourite and most expensive lens, my Canon 100-400 L-glass, at $2,200 CAN after taxes.

The Lowepro Slingshot 300 can only hold that lens while it's mounted on the camera, it's too long for the lens compartments, so I have to put it up in the little top compartment if there's another lens on my camera.

My flash is rattling a lot. I've never noticed exactly how much it rattles, but it still works if I hit the TEST button.

The 100-400 had the hood on, reversed, and it was knocked cockeyed, but I got it off and put on forwards OK and tested the lens. It seems to be OK, but I still feel sad. :-(

I don't know how that dumbass clip came undone, but I'm going to rig up a safety for it, as there really is no reason to ever unclip the shoulder strap.

I feel like kicking some random Lowepro employee in the groin.

Message edited by author 2007-10-20 16:27:50.

aliqui

Nikon D300s

10/20/2007 04:37:28 PM · #2

Great. Now I will live in fear.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

10/20/2007 04:42:51 PM · #3

Originally posted by aliqui:

Great. Now I will live in fear.

I'm going to tie some chord from one side of the buckle (in my hand) to the other (on the bag), so if the buckle ever lets go again, the chord will prevent the bag from falling.

It's insane to risk so much gear to a bag! I've never had any sort of bag let go like that. Not laptop bags, other camera bags, geology bags full of rocks even.

My poor lens didn't deserve that shock. :-(

Message edited by author 2007-10-20 16:43:53.

NstiG8tr

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

10/20/2007 04:44:56 PM · #4

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

I feel like kicking some random Lowepro employee in the groin.

Why? I doubt they even make the clips. I understand your frustration though.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

10/20/2007 04:51:49 PM · #5

This looks like a good job for "Crazy Glue" or "J B Weld/ J B Quick" to make the clips closed permanently.
I almost lost a camera out of the top of a backpack bag with the two zippers zipped and meeting at the top. They tend to work open, and they were almost open far enough to let the camera drop out while I was walking with the bag. I hope that your equipment is not damaged. It's a good thing that the hood was on the 400.

Node

Nikon D300

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Nikon

10/20/2007 05:03:49 PM · #6

Can you drill a hole and put a quick release pin in. IE: So you have to take that pin out before you can release the whole strap?

My outlaws just bought 2 of those for their camera gear, I'll have to worn them, I'd be letting Lowpro know what happened it could be a design problem.

10/20/2007 05:03:51 PM · #7

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

Originally posted by Strikeslip:
I feel like kicking some random Lowepro employee in the groin.

Why? I doubt they even make the clips. I understand your frustration though.

*storms off in search of the clip design engineer*

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

This looks like a good job for "Crazy Glue" or "J B Weld/ J B Quick" to make the clips closed permanently.
....

Ah, not a bad idea. More elegant than chords.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

10/20/2007 05:05:40 PM · #8

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

I almost lost a camera out of the top of a backpack bag with the two zippers zipped and meeting at the top. They tend to work open, and they were almost open far enough to let the camera drop out while I was walking with the bag.

I had that happen to me .... TWICE!

First time, I was hiking down a mountain. Jumped off a big rock (about 4 feet down to the ground). When, behind me, I heard a "thud". WHAT WAS THAT?!? I wondered. To my dismay, there lay my brand new 70-200 2.8L lens sitting on the ground.

Luckily I bought an extended warranty on it that fixed it up good as new and didn't cost me anything extra!

The next time it happened, I was hiking down another mountain. This time I felt something hit my ankle. To my dismay, there lay my brand new Canon 5D with 24-70 2.8L lens attached to it on the ground. This fall broke the hood, but nothing more.

My boy was with me on that last one. He sorta laughed at me ... told me .. DON'T ZIP BOTH ZIPPERS UP TO THE TOP, SILLY! He said, zip them down to the side instead.

And so THAT is my advice to any and all who use backpacks. ALWAYS zip down. NEVER zip up! It'll save you some expensive aggravation!

Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS USM

10/20/2007 05:06:11 PM · #9

Originally posted by Node:

That's quite a fancy solution, possible. I doubt anybody at Lowepro would care.

rider

Canon EOS-7D

10/20/2007 05:09:25 PM · #10

hey strikeslip how do you like that bag besides the strap comming off? I've been thinking about getting 1

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

10/20/2007 05:17:56 PM · #11

Originally posted by rider:

hey strikeslip how do you like that bag besides the strap comming off? I've been thinking about getting 1

I like it a lot. I bought it for the design. Carrying it on my back is preferable to on my side, and I don't like having to put a bag down to take the camera out or put it in. Sometimes I use the waist strap if I'll be hiking a long distance before my camera is going to come out.

You do have to put it down to get at the lens compartments if you're going to change lenses, though.

But be mindful of the buckle, hehe.

goc

Apple iPhone 4

10/20/2007 05:57:42 PM · #12

Tamrac rox ! :-)

wavelength

Nikon D300

10/20/2007 06:01:48 PM · #13

I have that bag and I've never had a problem with it.

I also own a Tamrac, and haven't had any problems with it.

Now that I've said that, both will break newt week :(

10/20/2007 06:21:12 PM · #14

Well, there's a contact on the Lowepro website to send them photos of your Lowepro in action. I sent them a link to this thread explaining that it contains two photos. One of me checking my lens for damage after the bag fell off my back, and another of the buckle that let loose.

Maybe it'll at least be good for a laugh over at Lowepro. Maybe they'll turn it into a new add campaign. "Auto-release bag" or some-such. :-/

tapeworm_jimmy

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/20/2007 06:33:30 PM · #15

I always wondered about those. Thanks for the warning. I dont own one, but i often questioned how easy it would be for somebody to run by, hit the buckle and snatch it if they know what they are doing...

Id secure it somehow

MikeJ

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

10/20/2007 07:00:39 PM · #16

With those clips, if there is pressure on the strap so that the clip is up tight against the side push buttons that hold it and one side gets pushed, it can go past the indent. Then if the other side gets pushed, the clip will come apart. If there is weight on the strap, it will come apart very quickly.

What I suspect is that with the weight of your camera and lens and flash on the straps and pressure on the clip indents, that during your moving the bag from from to back that one side got pushed enough to let it come past the holding indent. Then the next time you swung it around, the other button got pushed in enough to release the clip.

Those style clips are used in a lot of things, not just LowePro. Although I do have 3 LowePro bags, I've not had this happen to me, but we have these type clips on our dog harnesses and they have come un-done a few times.

Mike

Message edited by author 2007-10-20 19:02:40.

10/21/2007 08:30:48 AM · #17

Originally posted by MikeJ:

....that during your moving the bag from from to back that one side got pushed enough to let it come past the holding indent. Then the next time you swung it around, the other button got pushed in enough to release the clip....

That's the only explanation I can come up with, nice CSI work. :-)

CorySmith

10/21/2007 11:11:36 AM · #18

part of me wants to laugh, but i feel if i do than itll happen to me in the near future (agian) if i do. but ya, def zip it to the side. i wish all lenses came with a case, that way i could put them in the case and have it attached to my belt loop. NOT TO BE MISTAKEN WITH A FANNY PACK

leaf

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/21/2007 11:40:46 AM · #19

ouch!.

I was taking rock climbing pictures the other week - dangling over 30m rock cliffs with my equipment in the slingshot backpack and switching lenses and such. Glad my buckle didn't come undone :)

roby21112

Canon EOS-40D

10/21/2007 11:50:39 AM · #20

Clearly the work of terorist,

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

10/24/2007 04:43:53 PM · #21

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

No word back from Lowepro... as expected. :-P

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

10/24/2007 04:51:35 PM · #22

Originally posted by dwterry:

...

The next time it happened, I was hiking down another mountain. This time I felt something hit my ankle. To my dismay, there lay my brand new Canon 5D with 24-70 2.8L lens attached to it on the ground. This fall broke the hood, but nothing more.

My boy was with me on that last one. He sorta laughed at me ... told me .. DON'T ZIP BOTH ZIPPERS UP TO THE TOP, SILLY! He said, zip them down to the side instead.

And so THAT is my advice to any and all who use backpacks. ALWAYS zip down. NEVER zip up! It'll save you some expensive aggravation!

I was there when it happened and I still zip up. Can't.. break.. the habit.

BMacD

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Digital Zoom

10/24/2007 05:04:25 PM · #23

I've had a 100 for a couple of years. I do unclip the shoulder strap from time to time. So far, it has never come undone by its self!

Side note, I was canoeing, and got caught in the rain! Pulled out the built in rain cover, it worked great. Can't say the same for my wife, two dogs and me!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III