VANGUARD Alta Sky 66 Camera Backpack for Sony, Nikon, Canon DSLR with up to 600 mm f/4 Lens

Thought I would share my thoughts on a backpack I just received for my camera setup. It is a vanguard Alta sky 68 bought on Amazon for $298 usd. First it appears to be made of good quality materials. The padding on the back is excellent and the hip belt and chest band fit. I am large 6’4” 270# with a 42” waist and 46” chest plus size LOL this is the first backpack that actually fits my body. It will work as a carry on for airlines but is too large for an under seat bag. They make a couple slightly smaller bags as well that would work for the Sony 200-600 lens. With my Sony a7r4 with the 200-600, my Sony a7r3 with a 24-240mm my Sony a6700 with 18-105 I can access all of these cameras from the top of the bag as well as access to a large laptop pocket. several outside pockets for extra batteries filters and cleaning supplies. The back opening is large and has lots more room plenty for a drone and accessories or more lenses. On the outside is a crane gimbal and a tripod.

This camera bag is a beast. It holds all my lenses, batteries and accessories. There are pouches for additional memory cards. I have been able to carry 3 cameras within the main area. The section at the bottom will hold additional lenses or camera bodies. The Velcro partitions can be moved around to accommodate any setup you like. The zippers are sturdy and seem like they will not wear out any time soon. The padding is great and I have no concerns that my gear is well protected. The straps are padded and comfortable. They are also very durable. Overall this is a great camera bagis large and will suit your needs just fine.

This bag is almost perfect.For me at least the hip strap is too large, so I broke out the sewing machine and cut off a bit of material at the base of the strap and sowed it back on so it fits me. However I don't expect this to be a problem for most people.However, IN GENERAL THE MAIN COMPARTMENT SUFFERS FROM AN AKWARD DEPTH. For most of my lenses, they can slide around quite a bit in the extra height (when the bag is laying flat so you can access the internal compartment) when laid flat, however, I can fit even my largest zoom lens in the bag (Sigma 150-600 f6.3 Contemporary), even with the lens hood and 2x teleconverter installed. Still, I wish that there was extra padding included to fill the extra space. And even then, the included dividers are not as tall as the compartment, so small lenses can slip around the dividers when the backpack is worn or upright. However I definitely would have liked a better configuration for holding the DSLR in the top of the bag by the top accessible flap (another symptom of the main compartment being to tall/deep). Also, it would be nice to have a few more dividers to allow transport of multiple smaller lenses/items.I've solved the first problem by sewing little "blocks" of felt folded like an accordion to give them thickness, with a small patch of Velcro on each corner of the bottom (so the cushions don't fall out), to the size of each compartment/lens footprint, to take up the extra space. I've solved the second problem by using the "U" shaped dividers included to make a cradle that fits my frequented lens (Sigma 24-105 f4 Art), against the front wall of the bag, so the camera is well secured, but the remaining space is large enough to fit an entire other camera body attached to a small lens vertically below it in the depth/thickness of the pocket, along with small spaces for other gear along the sides of the pocket. I've used this space to store my film camera (Minolta 7000 Maxxim), alongside my DSLR (Nikon D610), and used the side space to hold a film container and the softbag containing extra screws for my tripod, and few lens adapters. You can use one of the dividers to separate the two cameras bodies so they don't touch. For the third problem I've bought some third party dividers of the same dimensions (but taller) to fit the bag.IF YOU HAVE LONG AND LARGE DIAMETER LENSES, YOU'LL LOVE THIS BAG. If you have smaller diameter lenses, like Olympus or others, get something else.Secondly, for a hiking backpack I really expect a pouch for a water pouch (a flexible reservoir, ie a platypus). There isn't one, and while you can use the laptop pocket, make sure that the pressure of the bag doesn't cause your mouthpiece to drop while wearing the backpack, for me it didn't, however my Osprey water bag has a backpressure prevention valve built in, most don't. However, even if this solution works, it means I can't really bring my laptop, which isn't great. I don't have a solution for this yet.Finally, I really wish that they had added side pouches on the hip support strap. They are very long as it is (a problem for people with small waists like me as they won't tighten far enough) and they could have used that space to add a zippered pocket on each side. As it is, there are no pouches easily accessible while the backpack is on. I solved this problem by purchasing kevlar-cloth zipper bags and sewing them to my modified hip straps, and appreciate the extra space and easy access on the trail.With all the problems out of the way however, I love everything else. The quality of the materials is impressive, and the padding is luxurious. I am no longer worried for my camera's safety when I hike. The side pouches are especially nice, with very stretchy fabric that slides easily, perfect for water bottles or small tripods. Not many packs can let you bring a drone, a DSLR, extra lenses, a tripod, and a water bottle. The bag is very comfortable, and I've used it on several strenuous 8+ hour hikes with significant elevation gain, and absolutely love it (with the modified hip straps at least). The rain cover works very well, however isn't quite large enough to cover my large tripod when strapped to the back of the bag vertically, however this can be solved by moving the tripod to the bottom horizontal roll mount, if you don't have something there already, but it can be a bit akward (and make sure your tripod is waterproof), but it means all the rest of your gear is protected. Even during fairly intense rain, the backpack was fairly dry, and all of my gear inside was completely dry, and not even damp (even my viewfinder didn't fog up, which is a first). There are just enough dividers included to configure the backpack to carry almost everything. The dividers have a stiff foam inside and a non-abrasive yet slick outside covering, allowing even tightly packed lenses to slide in and out of storage easily, and the inside is very well padded, especially the bottom of the bag, and covered with a thick, soft fabric. The padding on the back wall of the backpack is exceptional, even better than my dedicated hiking backpack, and the bottom of the bag has a very thick kevlar-like plastic that allows you to set the bag down even on sharp rocks, damp grass, or wet sand without worry of poking through the bag to your gear, or getting it wet. I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING BETTER, and I've hiked a combined 45 miles with it and I'VE TRIED MANY OTHER HIKING-CAMERA BACKPACKS, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE I HAVEN'T RETURNED. Even with it's flaws, it's a keeper.TLDR----------------------------------------CONS:Main compartment is maybe too tall/deep, too few dividers, no place for platypus/water reservoir, no hip pouches.PROS:Premium materials, sturdy construction, great protection for your gear, practically fully customizable, and unmatched comfort, even for strenuous hikes and long durations.

I am super picky about everything I buy, specially when it comes to my camera gear. I wanted something not too big, but not too small either. I purchased the 45D, that’s the smaller daypack version. I still find enough room for all the gear I need, without overpacking. There is enough for my 70-200m lens, my speed light, and 2 additional lenses. The bottom compartment is used by my 20-200 lens and some filters, the main compartment is for my camera and one lens, currently a 90mm macro lens. There little pockets for battery or memory card and an area for a laptop. I don’t use the laptop area for my laptop, but it’s perfect for my diffuser. I am not sure about other sizes, but the 45D has side access, which I love because it does fit my mirrorless Sony with the 70-200 attached, if needed.I was pleasantly surprised about the quality. It’s very well made and the materials used are top notch. The inside of the bag is customizable, which i feel is necessary. Various options to access the pack are also provided. So far I absolutely love it. I do wish the hip belt would be removable, but it’s not. A little pocket on the hip belt would’ve been also a great feature, and I do miss that a little. I am not sure how comfortable it is yet, but will update once I’ll find out. I am a small female and the shoulder straps feel a bit wide, due to all the padding.Update: after trying 5 different name brand camera backpacks, I decided this one is still the best, after at first returning it, I ended up reordering it. Trust me when I say, I’ve tried them all (well, I’ve tried the best), and this pack definitely is the best so far. I thought the shoulder straps would bother me after a long hike, but they actually didn’t. The pack was very comfortable. I also like that it looks like a high-quality backpack, and not like a pack that carries expensive photo gear.