On the field with the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12

Bags | Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12 Camera Sling Bag

On the field with the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12
On the field with the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12 (Photo by Roadworthy Man)

Choosing a camera bag requires the same care and conscientious thought as buying a camera itself. Why? It’s the one thing that would hold your precious gear. It should be tough enough to carry its weight, rugged to take everywhere and withstand the elements and to add to that growing concerns, secure enough for prying thieves. That where PacSafe comes in. I’ve been using their “anti-theft” products for years now and it does add a certain piece of mind when securing my stuff while traveling. And lately they have been extending their line to include camera bags that caters to different styles of photographers. One of the recent camera bag models they have is the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12 Camera Sling Bag. I put the bag to the test on the recent Aliwan Fiesta 2013  and here I share my impression of this camera sling bag.

The Smart Zipper Security and shoulder strap buckle
The Smart Zipper Security and shoulder strap buckle

Unlike a Camera Bag

First thing I noticed about the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12 is, it doesn’t really look like a camera bag but more of a regular sling/messenger bag which I really liked. It’s perfect if you’re street shooter trying to blend in. The design lines is subdued and simple but the whole bag incorporates Pacsafe’s Anti-theft features like:

  • The Exomesh Slashguard where the whole bag have a built-in stainless steel wire mesh between the nylon linings. It prevents bag contents from falling if ever gets slashed
  • The Slashproof Shoulder Strap where the strap is lined by a stainless steel wire to prevent from slashing. I do hope they have improved on this wire lining as I had problems with their Carrysafe 100 Camera Strap with the steel linings jutting out of the strap after a few years.
  • The Smart Zipper Security where zippers can be attached to discreetly placed hooks for the added security. At first it can be quite inconvenient to hook and unhook the zipper when accessing the bag compartments, but I also thought that this small inconvenience would also prevent theives from opening the bag easily.
  • The shoulder strap also have a releasable buckle. Oh I’ve heard horror stories of people loosing their bags when they hang them on chairs at restaurants. By buckling the strap on the chairs or tables it will slow down any attempts to steal one’s bag.
  • One of the security-risk concerns in this technological age is Identity Theft and non-cash transactions account access. These days RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices that can read micro-chip data from passports, ATMs and credit cards can easily be acquired by hi-tech thieves. PacSafe bags now have RFIDSafe pockets which uses a special material to block these RFID readers.
Inside the Camsafe V12 and the detachable camera compartment
Inside the Camsafe V12 and the detachable camera compartment

Camsafe Venture V12 Compartments

The main compartment that holds the camera is quite spacious. It has an inner pocket where my iPad can fit. The camera compartment can fit a DSLR with 1 or 2 lenses. For mirrorless cameras, it can hold a lot more. Even with the camera compartment, the bag still has enough space on the sides for books or other gadgets. It even has a zippered expansion compartment if you need extra space for those who too happy to stuff as much as they can in. The camera compartment can also be removed making the Venture V12 function as a regular bag.

The outside has a front compartment that can hold little things like pens, gums or change. Both side of the bags can hold containers for water or other drinks. This is also where the RFIDSafe pockets ate located.

The comfortable and removable padded shoulder strap
The comfortable and removable padded shoulder strap

On the Field

So I took this one to shoot for the recent Aliwan Feista 2013 and it’s quite comfortable to bring along. There was an instance I had to walk 4km since I went to the wrong venue and with the removable shoulder strap pad, it didn’t feel heavy on my shoulder. I especially like the idea that I can keep the bag at my back when I’m shooting since I’m confident enough thieves would have a hard time opening it.

Inside the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12, I was carrying my Olympus OM-D camera with a lens attached and I have 3 other lenses inside the compartment with me along with an extra shirt, some snacks, and a notebook. The space was so big I even thought I forgot where I placed my extra batteries but found it hiding in the bigger inner pocket for tablets. I’m quite satisfied with this bag, it’s perfect for travel and casual shooting in the streets. It doesn’t scream “camera bag”, multi-functional and comfortable enough to bring all day with the added peace of mind from PacSafe’s Anti-theft features.

SRP: US$ 140 (Php 6800 in the Philippines)

Disclaimer: The PacSafe Camsafe Venture V12 was provided by Pacsafe HongKong.

The front compartment with the RFIDSafe pockets
The front compartment with the RFIDSafe pockets
The Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12
The Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V12
The author in action at the recent Aliwan Fiesta 2013
The author in action at the recent Aliwan Fiesta 2013 (photo by Hapipaks)

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