Think Tank Photo Digital Holster Review

This review started as an inquiry to my Think Tank Photo rep. I had a photo trip planned and wanted to carry a gripped Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens mounted in a case that provided fast access yet significant protection from the rocks I expected to climb on and around.

I already had Think Tank Photo Digital Holster toploader shoulder cases in the kit. These cases are among my most used, and it seemed that the model 150 would optimally meet the need at hand.

My rep's reply: "Good timing." He had just received samples of the yet-unannounced V3 Digital Holsters and offered to send me a couple. That answer was a no-brainer. Of course!

Models

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TTP's Digital Holster lineup includes 7 models, with capacity being the primary differentiator. Here is a comparison table showing the exterior and interior dimensions and weights of the available Think Tank Photo Digital Holster bags.

Model	Exterior HxWxD (")	Interior HxWxD (")	Weight (lbs.)
5	6.5 x 6.5 x 5.25	5.5 x 5.75 x 3.75	0.60
10	8.0 - 10.75 x 7.0 x 5.5	6.5 - 9.75 x 6.25 x 4.25	0.80
20	9.75 - 13.5 x 7.75 x 5.75	8.0 - 12.25 x 7.25 x 4.25	1.00
30	13.25 - 16.5 x 7.75 x 5.75	11.0 - 14.75 x 7.25 x 4.25	1.05
40	10.0 - 12.75 x 7.75 x 8.0	8.0 - 11.5 x 7.5 x 7.75	1.05
50	12.75 -16.0 x 7.75 x 8.0	12.75 - 16.0 x 7.75 x 8.0	1.15
150	16.5 x 8.0 x 8.5	15.0 x 7.25 x 7.25	1.75

Here is the same table in metric.

Model	Exterior HxWxD (cm)	Interior HxWxD (cm)	Weight (kg)
5	16.5 x 16.5 x 13.5	14.0 x 14.5 x 9.5	0.28
10	20.5-27.5 x 17.5 x 14	16.5 - 24.5 x 15.5 x 10.5	0.38
20	25 - 34.5 x 19.5 x 14.5	20.5 - 31.0 x 18.5 x 10.5	0.44
30	33.5 - 42 x 19.5 x 14.5	28.0 - 37.5 x 18.5 x 10.5	0.48
40	25.5 - 32.5 x 19.5 x 20.5	20.5 - 29.0 x 19.0 x 19.5	0.48
50	32.5 - 40.5 x 19.5 x 20.5	28.0 - 37.5 x 19.0 x 19.5	0.52
150	42.0 x 20.5 x 21.5	38.0 x 18.5 x 18.5	0.80

Basically, the 5 is tiny (cute), and the 150 is big, with the intermediate options covering a vast range of camera and lens combinations. Measure your camera with the lens mounted, and determine which bag has sufficient capacity to carry it.

Next, we'll look at the features of these cases.

Features

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While toploader-style cases are relatively compact, the Digital Holsters are still feature-filled, and as usual, the models in a series have significant commonality. Here is the list of the shared features.

• Form-fitting to camera and lens combinations conforming to interior case size
• Convenient zippered front case-size-matching pocket (the 30, 50, and 150 have two)
• Zippered accessory pocket on top outside lid
• Accessory pocket inside the lid is ideal for spare memory cards, lens caps, etc.
• Holster lid opens away from the body for access convenience
• Removable interior soft divider included to protect camera LCD screen from the camera's strap
• A divider to accommodate a body with two smaller lenses is provided
• Removable non-slip shoulder strap with metal attachment, padded top handle
• Smooth-functioning, strong YKK® RC Fuse zippers with thumb pulls on sliders
• Attachment on back for connection to any Think Tank Photo belt or belt pack, and select backpack waist belts
• Attachment rail compatible with most Think Tank Modular Pouches
• Weather-resistant construction with seam-sealed rain cover included (stores in the outside lid pocket, wraps around case in use)

The models except the 5 and 150 add:

• Super useful zipper-expandable ("pop down") feature enables larger lenses or the lens hood installed in the shooting position to fit

Another difference is that the 150 is expected to carry a heavier load, and its shoulder strap is more substantially padded. The 150's strap doesn't lay flat, but it doesn't consume much additional storage space if placed around the case.

Visual Tour

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Let's take a visual tour of the Digital Holsters. Here is the front of the 30:

The 30's extension feature is illustrated:

The larger 150 is shown below.

The angle views show the space-saving contour design (30 illustrated).

The inside-the-lens view:

Materials

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The Digital Holster material construction shows that Think Tank Photo has selected the best available materials, including:

Exterior:

• Durable water-repellant (DWR) coating
• Polyurethane coating
• 600D polyester
• 420D high-density nylon
• TPU material (same as the snap top backpacks)
• YKK® RC Fuse (abrasion-resistant) zippers
• 3-ply bonded nylon thread

Interior:

• D210D nylon
• Polyurethane-backed velex liner
• 2x polyurethane-coated nylon
• 210T seam-sealed rain cover
• High-density closed-cell foam
• 3-ply bonded nylon thread

What are the Digital Holster Version 3 Changes?

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The version 2 Digital Holster cases were great, but as usual, the upgrade created an even better product. Here are some of the version 3 changes.

• More rugged front material
• The small side pocket was removed
• A strong zippered pocket replaced the front light-duty unsecured elastic pocket
• The business card holder on the lid was replaced with a more useful zippered pocket
• The back panel was redesigned to reduce friction when rotating the holster, providing smoother movement.
• Light padding has been added to the pop-down fabric
• New shoulder strap attachment hardware (quieter, more compact)
• An adjustable strap was added to the side (except on the smallest models) for stabilizing attached modular cases (or a light jacket)

While the individual changes were modest, they add up to a substantial overall improvement.

What are the advantages of a toploader case?

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Primarily, toploader style cases provide significant protection in a compact design that affords fast access to a camera with a mounted lens.

I primarily use a neck strap (BlackRapid Sport Breathe) only when carrying a large, heavy lens (super-telephotos) or when covering an event in well-controlled circumstances.

While a camera strap can be stored in the toploader case (if sized sufficiently), wrapped around the lens or stuffed above or below the camera, I find it most convenient to use no strap when actively shooting. Straps catch on obstacles, get in the way, catch wind on a tripod, and even blow into my face.

The toploader cases provide the carry strap, and with just an additional zipper to open and slightly more weight and bulk to carry, a toploader case offers nearly the same convenience but far greater protection.

The protection feature took on new meaning this week. While creating this review, I learned that my equipment insurance policy type was discontinued. The lowest competitive quote for replacement coverage was 2.5x more expensive with a 4x higher deductible, up from $250.00 to $1,000.00. Painful. I've never damaged a camera or lens, but I'll now be even more careful.

When sized just large enough for the camera and lens in use, the overall toploader case size is relatively compact, which means efficiency in stowing the loaded case in another case. When fast access to the camera is not required, my toploaders sometimes go into a larger pack, such as a hiking backpack, or a travel case, such as a Pelican 1535 AIR Hard Case with no foam or padded dividers, where the toploader offers similar protection advantages.

In Use

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My rep provided Digital Holster 30 and 150 samples.

The 30 v2 has long been my go-to for carrying an ungripped camera and telephoto zoom lens, and the v3 holds the same. The image above shows the Digital Holster 30 beside the Canon EOS R5 Mark II with the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens mounted.

Note that installed tripod feet, especially with a large tripod mounting plate installed, may make the fit snug with some camera, lens, and case combinations, including this one.

The image below illustrates the Digital Holster 30 extended beside the R5 II and 100-500mm Lens with the lens hood installed.

Retract the case and reverse the hood for compact carry and storage and extend the case to enable fast access to the ready-to-use camera and lens. The 450° case extension zipper rotation operates smoothly if the inside material is pushed inward while closing the zipper.

Note that I don't use a lens cap in toploader cases when the hood is sufficient to protect the front lens element, which saves time when putting the camera into use. Also, I remove the inner padded dividers (I don't need to protect the LCD from the neck strap and don't carry anything under the camera and mounted lens), adding them to the ever-growing collection.

A lens cap, spare batteries, and a circular polarizer filter usually go in my case pocket(s).

The image above shows the Digital Holster 30 beside the R5 II with the Canon RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens mounted. The 150 solved the gripped camera plus 100-300mm lens carry and protection quest (though I wish it had the zipper extension to accommodate the installed hood and extenders).

The centered, lid-mounted Digital Holster top handle is comfortable to hold, though the positioning makes carrying multiple cases in the same hand challenging. While the lid and zipper strength is high enough to negate concern, it seems its strength would be even greater if the handle was attached to the case instead.

Worth the Cost?

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While the Digital Holsters are moderately priced for their size, the "Limited Lifetime Warranty" indicates Think Tank Photo's expectation for the construction of this case. My daughter has put nearly 20 years of abuse on a Digital Holster that shows no signs of impending failure. When we consider the value of what we are storing in the case, the quality of this product is easily worth the insurance value.

Summary

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My long-term experience makes me consider the Think Tank Photo Digital Holsters the best toploader camera cases available, and the version 3 update extends their advantages.

There are around 10 toploader cases in my current kit covering all size configurations needed, with duplicates for some. It is not unusual to take two, three, or more on an outing.

Think Tank Photo Digital Holster cases are part of the reason I have not (yet) damaged a camera or lens.