I’ve Had An Epiphanie!

If you’re anything like me, when you buy something – especially a “large” purchase (i.e. over $100) – you like to read reviews and figure out exactly what it is you want before you buy it. The internet helps and hurts us in the world of online shopping; almost anything is available nearly instantly, however we lose the ability to really see, touch, and experience a product before we buy it.

I was slightly skeptical, although hopeful, upon ordering my Epiphanie bag. I’ve been a loyal Shootsac owner since nearly the beginning of my photographic career. While I’ve gone through many bags (such as the Domke, the Crumpler, and a few lowepro backpacks, to name a few), none have proven as popular among female photograpers as the Shootsac. So, I wondered, why isn’t the Epiphanie bag – a bag which is similarly priced and geared toward the same market – equally popular? Something important in a camera bag, to me, is having it be stylish, and not look like a camera bag; this sure doesn’t disappoint:

While I love my Shootsac, it doesn’t do some of the things I wish it would. I can’t quickly fit my camera body into it. It’s difficult for me to stuff in my memory cards or other accessories – and then to find them. Sometimes, I just want one big bag to hold everything. Typically on a portrait shoot, I’ll take my Shootsac, a small purse, and hand-hold my camera body, to try to stay as compact as possible so that I can move around from location to location as easily as possible.

So, when I found the Epiphanie bag, I was really hoping that it would do for me at my portrait shoots what my Shootsac can’t – and, I am happy to report – it does.

My “Belle” Epiphanie bag is super cute, with very realistic feeling fake leather. It’s soft and buttery, and has a beautiful color. It even smells like a leather bag. The inside is lined with the familiar velcro camera bag lining we all know and love from our larger camera bags, so your gear feels sturdy and secure. The long leather strap also feels very secure, and has such a great cushion that it didn’t bother my shoulder nearly as much as that of my Shootsac (with the padding on, as well, with even more gear in the bag!)

I was able to fit inside my 70-200, 85 1.2, 50mm, 24-70, 5D mk II, Speedlite flash, all in the main part of the bag. Next came memory cards, extra batteries, Expodisc, cell phone, small wallet, and lip gloss, thanks to the side pockets.

What I believe this bag will do is replace my Shootsac on portrait shoots where I am by myself and only able to easily carry one bag. I may still hand-hold my camera body, but keep a back-up in this bag, along with any accessories I may need, with everything in one place.

What this bag will not do is replace my Shootsac on a wedding day or large event. I still anticipate using my rolling bag to hold the bulk of my gear, and to wear my Shootsac with my lenses as I run around. I think that my Epiphanie bag may become a secondary bag which will hold my accessories and second body, while I run from place to place on wedding day. The rolling bag will take everything else on the wedding day I’m not using, safely stowed away. The Shootsac is still the fastest bag for lens changing, which is very important to me on a wedding day. I have a little more flexibility at a portrait shoot and at a portrait or engagement shoot, keeping things simple is what works best.

The cons that I found on this bag were that it doesn’t rest against the back of my hip as comfortably as I wish it did, but it’s still not bad at all. It’s pretty comparable to most camera bags out there. I wish the bag were a little deeper so that I could place my 70-200 upright and have a bit more real estate. This would also help with it leaning against my back hip. The metal clasps on the strap don’t feel as high quality as the rest of the bag, and while it’s nice that the strap is thick, it’s difficult to adjust.

However, the metal clasps swivel, so you won’t have a twisted strap and need to take off your bag (which constantly happens to me with my Shootsac). The bag is deep enough that you can throw things inside, stack your speedlite on top of your lenses, and arrange in a way that really gives you a lot of storage room.

Ultimately, the perfect bag for you depends on how you shoot. I am very pleased with my Epiphanie. If you’re the kind of photographer who wants to have her camera with her all the time, look cute and discreet about having thousands of dollars worth of gear on you, and stuff everything in one place, this bag is definitely for you and worth a try!