Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches Evaluate

I’ve preached in regards to the back-saving capabilities of digicam belt programs since capturing weddings with one whereas I used to be seven months pregnant. However, whereas I can entry my gear rapidly with out ending the day in agony, the black nylon selection left me feeling a bit like a 90s mother at Disney world, wielding sunscreen and snacks from a fanny pack. Then, I noticed that the corporate behind my favourite twin digicam strap up to date its modular system which additionally occurs to work on a belt. The Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches are designed to maintain lenses at your waist, on a Moneymaker digicam strap, or hooked up to the outside of a bigger bag.

The Holdfast Sightseer is a system of canvas and leather-based lens pouches and luggage. The lately up to date pouches could be fitted to a belt. Or, they are often worn hooked up on to the Moneymaker strap system. The pouches are additionally designed to fit onto bigger Sightseer luggage. That gives quick entry and flexibility. However, the leather-based and canvas design make the Sightseer look extra like a high-end device belt than a 90s fanny pack.

Not satisfied that sporting a photograph device belt is the best way to go? I timed a lens swap with a backpack, a messenger bag, and the Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouch on a belt — and the belt was twice as quick as a backpack.

“…the black nylon selection left me feeling a bit like a 90s mother at Disney world, wielding sunscreen and snacks from a fanny pack.”

The Huge Image

The Holdfast Gear Sightseer lens pouches are a flexible digicam carry system for quick lens swaps. Worn on a belt, photographers can carry a whole lot of lenses and equipment with out straining the again. On the Holdfast Moneymaker, the pouches can preserve two lenses and additional batteries prepared. The pouches additionally work so as to add extra capability to the Sightseer luggage.

The Sightseer Lens Pouches are made for photographers who want quick entry but snug carry for all-day put on. I might swap lenses twice as quick as utilizing a backpack. And I can customise the modular system to my gear and capturing fashion.

It’s not weather-resistant, nevertheless, and it’s pricier than a nylon device belt system. Luggage just like the Holdfast Gear Quiver are additionally designed to carry extra extras with many pockets.

The Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches are a superb possibility for photographers that want quick entry to some lenses, flashes, batteries, and different requirements. It’s particularly good for photographers who love the Holdfast Gear Moneymaker straps. If you wish to carry various lenses hooked up to the Moneymaker or need one thing that doubles as an on a regular basis bag, contemplate bigger choices with the same attachment. The Holdfast Gear Quiver lens bag or the Holdfast Gear Sightseer Modular System 2.0 bag (which the pouches can connect to) can even connect to a Moneymaker strap.

I’m giving the Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches 5 out of 5 stars. Need one? Test them out at Adorama.

Execs

• Excessive-quality supplies
• The leather-based and canvas design seems to be nice
• Quick entry to gear with magnetic closures
• Number of measurement choices
• A number of methods to hold
• Add-on pouches for batteries are additionally nice

Cons

• Not weather-resistant
• Can’t match as many extras
• Dear

Gear Used

I used the next Sightseer pouches with this gear inside throughout a 10-hour marriage ceremony:

I hooked up the Sightseer pouches to the Tanker belt. I additionally tried the pouches hooked up to the Swagg, a canvas model of the Moneymaker. I additionally examined completely different suits, together with the 50mm with the 16-80mm f4 package lens contained in the medium-wide. All gear inside is my very own. The Sightseer Lens Pouches and Tanker belt had been gifted by Holdfast Gear.

Improvements

Digicam device belts aren’t something new. However, what’s distinctive about this technique is the versatile, modular design. The Sightseer Lens Pouches could be worn on a belt, on a moneymaker, or hooked up to a standalone bag. No, it’s not the one modular system on the market. However that versatility combined with the canvas and leather-based building is a win for a lot of photographers.

Ergonomics

The Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches are single-compartment pouches with flap closure. Inside, the pouches have a inflexible insert to assist defend gear. A false backside permits for some separation when carrying a number of gadgets in a single pouch. 

Whereas there are not any pockets, the pouches are designed for personalization. The pouches themselves could be added to with utility pouches designed to suit batteries or movie. These utility pouches can connect to a leather-based patch on the aspect of the lens pouches. Or, the utility pouches can be hooked up on to the belt similar to the lens pouches.

A sturdy metallic clip on the again of every lens pouch can clip to a belt. The clip is secured with a leather-based strip that fastens over the top of the clip with two snaps. That helps preserve the clip from opening so it stays placed on the belt. Together with slipping the clip over a belt, the clip also can slip over the attachment loops on bigger suitable luggage.

After testing three completely different sizes, if I needed to decide only one, it will be medium-wide. It was really vast sufficient that I might put two primes inside. I take advantage of two digicam our bodies with three prime lenses, and I don’t want the additional width — besides that it offers me a spot to put the lens I’m eradicating earlier than I twist the brand new one on. It was additionally tall sufficient to suit a flash and nonetheless had room for a small diffuser.

As a belt system, the Sightseer Lens Pouches put weight in your hips moderately than your again and shoulders. That doesn’t imply your gear all of the sudden turns into as mild as a feather. However, personally, I’d take a little bit of muscle soreness within the legs over again ache any day. I wore a belt with the three Sightseer Lens Pouches and three utility pouches for a 10-hour marriage ceremony, and it was very snug. I solely had some minor leg soreness the next day — however that was partly from spending the ceremony in a crouch so visitors might nonetheless see over my head.

I had solely minor complaints about sporting the system this manner. The metallic hook on the Tanker belt dug into my pores and skin a bit however adjusting the place the belt sat on my hips eradicated the difficulty. Carrying the Moneymaker, my cameras cling at my hips. That meant I needed to put the pouches at my again as an alternative of my hips. (Carrying the pouches within the entrance made it more durable to maneuver round). That makes it a extra awkward attain, nevertheless it’s nonetheless doable and quick. Lastly, sliding the pouches on and off a belt — which is critical if you wish to thread the belt by way of belt loops — takes a little bit of time to arrange. I simply skipped the belt loops. (Partly as a result of the Tanker is simply too vast for the loops on girls’s pants, however the pouches can be utilized with a distinct belt.)

It’s price noting that the expertise of carrying gear in your hips can differ from individual to individual, or simply primarily based in your apparel. I like carrying my gear on my hips, however the expertise varies on what I’m sporting. I put on high-waisted gown slacks, and an undershirt tucked in after I shoot weddings. It’s knowledgeable look, but I can lay on the ground for a low-angle shot or climb on the highest of chairs for a excessive one. The system was a bit extra annoying sporting denims and a t-shirt. Whether or not or not you like a belt system could depend upon the dimensions of your hips and your apparel. Fortunately, the Sightseer Lens Pouches don’t need to be worn on a belt.

It’s attainable to put on the lens pouches at your hips with the Moneymaker — utilizing the second carry possibility. The D-shaped metallic rings will slide onto the Moneymaker straps. This places them proper at my sides as an alternative of at my again. But, my digicam nonetheless slides up and down simply, and I can nonetheless put my arms down because the pouches sit simply behind my arms. The one draw back to this carry possibility is that there are solely spots for 2 pouches, and the load is distributed in your shoulders moderately than the hips. The upside is that you would be able to entry lenses at your hips as an alternative of the small of your again, and there’s no belt system to tug at your pants.

There’s a 3rd carry possibility for photographers utilizing the Moneymaker Solo and the medium-wide pouch. The Solo Gear strap (bought individually), can connect one Sightseer Lens Pouch to the aspect of the strap reverse the digicam. The 2 smaller pouches don’t have the additional rings for this kind of carry, nevertheless.

The Sightseer Lens Pouches are extremely versatile. You possibly can select to put on it on a belt or hooked up to a Moneymaker. Combine and match completely different sizes and utility pouches to suit the form of gear that you simply need to carry with you. You possibly can carry three or extra pouches on a belt, two on a Moneymaker, or one on a Moneymaker solo. The Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches can simply be custom-made to completely different capturing kinds.

Construct High quality

The Holdfast Gear Sightseer pouches are a bit on the dear finish — however as quickly as I opened the field, I knew why. There’s not a chintzy piece in sight. There’s nary a strip of nylon. There may be nothing on the lens pouches that doesn’t really feel luxurious.

The primary a part of the bag is manufactured from canvas. The highest and again are manufactured from actual leather-based. The protecting inside inserts and false bottoms are stiff but gentle to the contact with a felt materials. It’s not a budget felt you’ll find at a craft retailer, however felt made with merino wool.

The connection {hardware} is all made with metallic — there’s a stiff and durable belt hook, in addition to metallic hooks to connect to the Holdfast Gear Moneymaker. 

The highest flap closes with a magnetic system. However, you must pull down on the highest flap to open it, so it’s not going to open on accident. The bigger two of the three pouches have two completely different latch factors, so you can also make the bag barely taller. The clasp items don’t really feel fairly as inflexible because the metallic attachment factors, however they nonetheless really feel fairly sturdy.

Canvas and leather-based are two supplies that are likely to do effectively with age. Each supplies will tackle a extra weathered patina over time. In a time the place the web is crammed with folks doing unthinkable atrocities to offer cameras a weathered look, most photographers are going to like these supplies. These lens pouches ought to look nice for years. Extra importantly, I really feel extra like knowledgeable photographer and fewer like a 90s vacationer in a fanny pack.

The one draw back to this building is that it’s not designed for rain or snow. Personally, this isn’t a dealbreaker for me. You possibly can’t swap lenses within the rain. So if I’m capturing a wet marriage ceremony, I don’t have to convey the lens pouches exterior.

Ease of Use

Having lenses proper at your hips or decrease again means lens swaps are a lot sooner than digging gear out of a backpack. I timed myself swapping lenses with the Sightseer pouches, then swapping lenses with a backpack.  I used to be capable of swap lenses in 17 seconds with the pouches. The backpack took me 34 seconds — I needed to take the bag off, put it on the ground, swap lenses, then zip again up and put it again on. The belt system was about twice as quick as a backpack.

The Holdfast Gear belt system was additionally a number of seconds sooner than utilizing a messenger bag. However that distinction was sufficiently small that it might have been only a consumer error. The Sightseer Lens Pouches will probably be sooner than a messenger that should unzip, however a flap-style opening will probably be equally as quick. The distinction between a messenger and the lens pouches is that the load could be distributed in your hips hooked up to a belt. Or, hooked up to the Moneymaker, on each shoulders, moderately than a single shoulder strap.

The mixture of getting lenses proper at your hip or decrease again and fast magnetic openings make the Sightseer Lens Pouches a really quick system to make use of. However, on the similar time, it’s very snug.

Who Ought to Purchase It?

Photographers that have to swap lenses rapidly and comfortably whereas carrying simply the necessities ought to contemplate the Holdfast Gear Sightseer Lens Pouches. They’re snug to put on on a belt or on a Moneymaker strap. Gear is quick to entry proper on the hip or small of your again, with a magnetic flap closure that’s each fast and safe. As a modular system, it’s extremely versatile to your gear and capturing fashion. Plus, they give the impression of being nice.

The lens pouches are made to carry mid-range zooms and smaller. The pouches aren’t made for bigger telephotos, so it’s not the most effective resolution for photographers that use these bigger lenses. It additionally doesn’t double as an on a regular basis bag — I nonetheless use my backpack for transporting my total system, then use the pouches for all the things I have to have instantly accessible.

Tech Specs

Holdfast Gear lists the next specs for the Sightseer Lens Pouches:

• Small lens pouch: Peak- 5.25″ x Width- 3.5″ x Depth- 3.5″
• Medium lens pouch: Peak- Adjustable from 7.5″-9″ x Width- 4″ x Depth- 3.5″
• Medium-wide lens pouch: Peak- Adjustable from 7.5″-9.125″ x Width- 5″ x Depth- 4”
• AA Pouch Dimensions: Width- 2-5/8”, Peak- 3”, Depth- 1/2”
• Battery Pouch Dimensions: Width- 4-1/4”, Peak- 3”, Depth- 1″
• Movie Pouch Dimensions: Width- 5-1/2”, Peak- 3-1/4”, Depth- 1-1/4″

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