Review of a Retro-Look Camera Bag
What a handbag or a pair of shoes is for some, a camera bag is for a photographer. You have one, usually more than one, that does its job, but you are still always on the lookout for the perfect bag. There is a huge selection in all sizes and colors, but finding the right one for yourself that looks good, offers enough space, is not too big and bulky, and protects the camera.
One camera bag manufacturer that wants to stand out from the crowd, like all others, is Zkin. Zkin is a brand of Shine Republic Limited, a company from Hong Kong, and is probably unknown in Germany. However, the company has a fairly large range of bags on offer.
In this review, we take a closer look at the Champ from Zkin (Amazon), a shoulder bag.
The Zkin Champ is available in three colors: Camel Brown, Wood Brown (Amazon), and Navy Grey. We looked at the Champ Navy Grey.
The shoulder bag has a retro look and does not resemble a typical camera bag. In terms of design, it goes in the direction of ONA or Billingham (Amazon). The top part is made of leather, the rest is made of a durable fabric.
The compartment layout is quite typical for a camera bag. On the back, there is a larger compartment for thin items, e.g., flyers or the like. On the front, there are two compartments for the usual small items.
The padded compartment for the camera is removable, and the layout can be adjusted with the corresponding Velcro parts according to your wishes. An iPad or laptop fits in the main compartment behind the padded part. The strap is adjustable and also padded.
The Zkin Champ offers plenty of space. I can fit at least one SLR with a zoom lens, two prime lenses, and a flash in the bag. Or a Polaroid SX-70, an SLR, and at least one compact camera like the Lomo LC-A+. Plus all the small items like films, batteries, phone, pens, notebook, etc.
Conclusion
The Zkin Champ is a stylish camera bag. It is really well made and does not have to hide behind the brand manufacturers.
The part where the camera sits is very well padded and protects it well from external influences such as bumps. However, in heavy rain, I would be a bit worried about my equipment. Although the leather is coated against water, this coating won't help against heavy rain.
The Champ is clearly not intended as a bag for hard outdoor use; a rain cover, like those known from Lowepro, would have been nice. Of course, you can easily fix this by taking a plastic bag with you and stowing the bag inside it when it rains.
Otherwise, I can only give the Zkin Champ (Amazon) a thumbs up.
By the way, the bag is named after a sea monster that supposedly lives in Lake Champlain on the US-Canadian border.
