|
Below is a list of manufacturers that make sewn products including: camera bags, waistpacks, photo backpacks, vests, long lens case products or bean bags for the USA market.
We introduced our first commercial product in the Spring of 1996. About two years after our product released, three other major manufactures also introduced similar competing modular photo or camera belt systems -- they were Lowepro, Tamrac and Lightware.
For other manufacturers not listed here visit this ACE Indexes page or visit this page on the B&H site (you won't find us there as B&H doesn't sell our gear).
Note: "offshore" means countries other than the US such as Korea, China, Singapore etc. and sometimes includes Mexico)
AWB Enterprises A small company owned by Alan W. Brubaker -- otherwise known as FilmHolders.com. They make soft-side and hard-side cases and pouches for the large format photographer.
Billingham They make a series of quality shoulder bags. Their penchant for using canvas & leather and funky clasps & snaps sets them apart from others. Made in the UK.
Camera Care Systems (CCS) Makers of camera backpacks, belt pouches and traditional shoulder bags. Made in the UK.
CineKinetic Makers of the CineSaddle bean bag for the video and motion picture industry.
Crumpler Bags Makers of courier bags with the "big flop over" style flap. Recently (circa 2001) they introduced padded top loader holster bags and traditional padded shoulder bags.
Domke Domke shoulder bags are the tool most photojournalists just can't seem to do without. They also make long lens cases. As a member of the Tiffen or Saunders Group, most of their products are USA made.
F.64 Camera Bags They make holster SLR cases, a few waistpacks and location bags for the lighting equipment. They also make packs, shoulder bags, tripod bags & some accessories for medium and large format gear. There gear does not seem to be of the same quality as Lowepro, Kinesis, Tamrac or Tenba. Started in about 1997.
Gara-Gear A small business in Portland Oregon offering set weights, tripod cases and protective wraps. Owned by Sam Garrsion. As of 2002 he was out of business.
Gexar Action Camera Systems A newcomer to the industry. "Hard-side Lumbar & Backpacks" is there product line. Essentially taking a hard-side Pelican case and mounting it on a waist belt or backpack. Ideal for wet water sport photogs.
Gnass Gear A company is Chino California offering specialized products for the medium- and large-format shooter. They offer pouches for 4x5" & 8x10" film holders and lenses. As of Jan. 2002 their web site was a PDF catalog download.
KATA (distributed by Bogen Products in 2002 or 2003). This company makes some of the best soft-side cases for the video and motion picture industry. They also make a modular vest/belt system (Modular Pouch System or MPS) for cine/audio professionals. A new company going after the market that Porta-Brace has held for many years. Products originated by some guys that provided gear to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Kinesis Photo Gear We have been placed in the "cottage industry" category because of our small volume, but our quality is impeccable. Design and ownership by Richard Stum. For more background information about us, including a FAQ page visit this page. All products deisgned and made in the USA.
Laird Photo A small firm in Montana making long lens rain covers and cushioned tripod leg wraps. Ann Laird is the proprietor. No website, but her products can be purchased through L.L. Rue or Kirk Enterprises.
Leonard Rue Enterprises (L.L. Rue) This specialty mail-order business was one of the first to introduce a vest specifically for the nature shooter. The company is owned and managed by the well-known father/son shooting team, Lennie (Leonard Lee Rue III) and Len Jr. (Len Rue, Jr.). They also make shooting blinds and offer other unusual products in their print catalog or Web site.
Lindcraft A small company that makes specialized gear for the motion picture and video industry. They make grip belts with assorted pouches which attach to a non-modular belt. USA made.
M-Rock Their products are made for smaller "consumer" 35mm SLRs and camcorders, rather than pro-sized cameras. Their products originally had one pouch sewn to the belt, which, in my opinion was not a true modular system. Since the original design, they have offered a "naked" belt where you can attach various pouches. Michael Rockwell, the owner, is based in Denver. Their products are made offshore.
Lightware They are noted for their semi-rigid rectangular cases for still shooters and recently (fall 1998) introduced a modular belt line called the GripStrip™. Most of their belt pouches are small in size, designed primarily for a single lenses, light meters, Polaroid® backs etc. They have no cases for a SLR with a lens attached. Their line is geared toward the commercial shooter. They also have a series of soft-side long lens cases and rain covers which they have sold for years, but do not integrate into their GripStrip belt system. Paul Peregrine is the owner. Offices and manufacturing in Denver.
Lowepro Lowepro is the sister company to Lowe Alpine who make fine mountaineering packs. Although they share a common name, oddly they have little or nothing in common. Lowepro has been the leader in the "system" backpack market, selling their ever-popular Trekkers. They released a modular belt and bag system in the spring of 1998 called Street & and Field™. The belt system is designed primarily for the 35mm shooter and have few (if any) products for the medium or large format photographer. Part of their new Street & Field™ system is a series of shoulder-bags aimed at the photojournalist market currently held by Domke. Their products are made in Korea & other offshore locations. Uwe Mummenhoff is the company president.
Moose Peterson Moose is a wildlife/nature photographer who shoots with Nikon gear. In 2003 he introduced a system backpack. I haven't had a chance to review his gear, so I cannot provide an opinion on the quality.
Newswear A new company (2002) that makes a product called the Chestvest designed for photojournalists.
OmniPod Makers of a camera support bean bag with built-in threaded screw mount. Introduced in 1998.
Op/Tech USA Makers of a quality neoprene camera straps. They also make tripod staps, small pouches for lenses, cell phones etc. All products are made in their Montana factory. The President is Terry Jackson.
OutPack Several years ago the Saunders Group bought the econo long lens case called the ScopePACK™ from the original owner and added it to the OutPack® line. George Lepp is the big-name nature shooter that puts his signature on this line. The OutPack products are made offshore, and in my opinion, do not live up to the standards of the USA-made Domke products. OutPack is a division of The Saunders Group, a large photo conglomerate.
Pelican Products Not a competitor of ours as they primarily make hard-side cases. Listed here as many photographers use their products for airline travel.
Photo-Fax Makers of long lens rain covers. This site also has a used equipment buy and sell listing. Somehow related or owned by Penn Camera.
Photoflex They make light banks and a few shoulder bags. They also make a Chestpouch bag and some lens pouches to go with it. Not a true modular system. Many outdoor shooters think their product is sweet stuff because Galen Rowell has his name plastered all over them. Most of their products are poorly-made offshore.
Porta-Brace This company has been the standard for video & motion picture soft-side camera cases for years. They make cases for practically every pro video/cine camera ever made. The quantity of models they offer is staggering -- practically custom-made. Although their products are well-made, their belt system ("system" is big complement) is nothing more than a piece of 2-inch webbing with a a few pouches that sleeve on. No products for the still shooter. All USA made with their venerable navy-blue nylon fabric.
Storm Case In 2002, they became a newcomer to the hard-side camera case lineup. They are in direct competition to Pelican, with their improved non "knuckle buster" latches. Storm Case is a division of Hardigg Industries, which has been producing cases for the military since 1954.
Sundog They sell product through outdoor retailers such as REI, Campmor etc. They don't have a modular belt system, but have some good zoom cases, backpacks & a few waistpacks designed for amateur-sized SLRs & camcorders. I haven't seen much of their system backpacks lately. At one point, they used Art Wolfe's (famous nature photographer) name on their products. I believe their products are still made in the states.
Tamrac This well-known company manufactures, dozens of quality-made, compartmentalized shoulder bags. They also make system backpacks. The bad design of their original "Half Moon Hip Pack" helped inspire me to design our modular belt system (Lowepro had a similar bag but discontinued it). In the summer of 1998 they introduced their modular belt system, called the Modular Accessory System™ (i.e. M.A.S.). It designed primarily for the 35mm shooter. Their shoulder bags seem to be better made than the M.A.S. belt system. A California-based company with products made in the USA.
Tenba They make semi-rigid rectangular bags similar to Lightware for the commercial and traveling photographer. They also make long lens cases, long lens rain covers, sytem backpacks and holster bags for SLRs, and some wimpy-looking waist packs (not modular). They recently (1999) introduced an alternative to the modular belt system called the Photo Kilt, an unusual waist bag/apron with integral suspenders and built in pouches. They are based in New York with most products made in the USA. In 2003 they merged or got bought by the photo giant Mamiya America Corporation.
Think Tank Photo A modular belt system introduced in 2005. This company was started by former Lowepro designers. Their attachment method mirrors the Lowepro Street & Field system. Their marketing emphasis is toward the photojournalist with their so-called "Modulus Speed System."
Versa-Flex Versa-Flex began in 1991. Their cases utilize a steel reinforced, corrugated polypropylene shell and sewn with upholstery grade stitching. Similar in purpose to the rectangular cases made my Lightware and Tenba. They also make some soft-side tripod and stand cases.
Vertex Photo A new company started by the former owner of Vested Interest. They sell the Molar Bean Bag and a few other products for the outdoor photographer.
Vested Interest Photo vests for video and nature photographers. Because they they only do manufacture-direct sales, you will not find their products in photo stores. In January 1999 they introduced a bean bag product with a similar name to ours: the Safari Bean Bag. John Stanford was the original owner/designer but sold the company in 2001. All products made at their Texas facility.
ZERO Haliburton Although not a competitor of ours, they manufacture the venerable aluminum hard-side cases. In Hollywood movies, a silver Haliburnton briefcase was often seeing changing hands with large sums of money enclosed!
Zing Designs (a division of Tiffen) Manufactures of neoprene pouches for consumer SLRs and point and shoots. Other products for laptop computers etc.
|
