Thoughts on the Shimoda Action X50

Sometimes I want to carry more gear than my compact, thin Atlas Athlete is designed to hold, but I didn't want to go as large as the Atlas Adventure.

I picked up a Shimoda Action X50.

It comes in a drab army green or black.  I picked green. I realized this is my fifth green pack... seems like a pattern.

The first Shimoda model, the Explore series, didn't interest me because they lack side water bottle pockets. The Action X50 added hideaway water bottle pockets.

The design seems like a copy of the Nya-Evo Fjord 60, with some nice modifications.

Modified Shimoda Action X50

The front of the pack

Features

• Adjustable torso size
• Internal frame
• Shoulder strap options (e.g. women's fit, thicker straps, etc)
• Pockets on some of the shoulder strap options
• Removable hipbelt
• Hideaway dual side water bottle pockets
• Water bladder compatible (front pocket)
• Rear access
• Side access via new Shimoda inserts
• Various camera insert sizes
• Thin side pockets
• Deep, thin front pocket
• Rolltop access to top compartment, expandable.
• Extra zippered pockets in top and front sections
• Compression straps (can attach tripods)
• Loops for gatekeeper straps
• Waterproof coating
• Stands upright
• Laptop sleeve
• Thick, cushioned carry handles on top and side.

Rolltop

Looking inside the rolltop (winter gloves shown)

Shimoda is known for having nice shoulder straps.  Users like the shape and the front pockets.  The thick straps are a bit thicker than I expected!

Thick Shimoda strap (green) next to the Atlas strap (grey with a common thickness)

The pockets on the shoulder straps are very handy.  One can hold an phone-sized item, the other can stretch enough to hold a thin water bottle or can of bear spray.

The stretchy shoulder strap pocket.

My existing F-stop pro ICUs fit nicely.  Small, Medium, and Large pro ICUs all fit.

This F-stop ICU fits snugly and doesn't pop out

Dual side water bottle pockets are a must for me.

Exposed water bottle holder

Drain holes on both sides for the front pocket

Front pocket unzipped

Side pocket with water bottle holder stowed.

The carry handles are thick and robust, but don't get in the way.

Side carry handle

Top carry handle

Fit

The adjustable torso size helps a ton to get a precise torso fit.  This helps the hipbelt stay where it is needed without slipping.

The strap options means there is likely a strap that will work for you.  

The pack is tall enough that the load lifters help remove some weight from the shoulders and transfer it to the hips.

The included removable hipbelt does a pretty good job of supporting the weight.

I find that the back is too flat for me... it doesn't quite fit me as well as a good hiking pack or my Atlas pack. The lumbar area doesn't push as deeply into my lower back as I need to fit well. But I found a simple fix for the lumbar area:  I added a piece of very dense closed cell foam, about 1/2" thick, inside the lumbar area. That did the trick for pushing the lumbar area nicely against my back.

The thick straps push into my shoulder blades on the back side. The standard thin straps fit fine.  Ian Millar said the thick straps are meant for a much bigger person (I wish they'd specified this up front).  But I've seen smaller guys using the thick straps and enjoying them.

Out of the box, the fit isn't good enough for me for a long hike. I did the same hike (a few miles between 9000-10000 feet) within a couple days of each other to compare the X50 vs the Athlete, carrying the same gear.  I felt sore and beaten up after using the X50 out-of-the-box, while I have always felt fine using the Athlete.  But your back isn't just like mine, so you'll have to try it for yourself.  As I mentioned above, adding the padding to the lumbar area helped.

Modifications

I like the easy access of the Shimoda rolltop for the personal gear, but missed having a top lid, so I added one from Seek Outside.  The color isn't quite a match, but it's close enough if you aren't too picky.  I was lucky that the X50 has loops in just the right places to add gatekeeper straps, which is how I attached the top lid.  The top lid lets me get to some smaller, often-used items quickly.

Seek Outside top lid sitting on the Shimoda Action X50

Gatekeeper and buckles hold the front of the top lid.

Attached on the back

Anyone paying attention to the images above may have noticed the gray hipbelt.  This is from Atlas, their Adventure hipbelt.  Even though the velcro is on the opposite side from the Shimoda, it fits and stays in place.  This combination doesn't seem to work as well for me as using the belts in their respective packs, but I thought it was worth a try.  It squeaked with every step.  My birder friends couldn't stand walking with me when I tried that configuration.

What I like about it:

• Adjustable torso size
• Thick shoulder straps available
• Thick straps have mesh
• Women's shoulder straps available
• Removable belt
• Quick and easy rear access to camera
• Side water bottle holders are deep, wide, and can be cinched down to the right size
• Water bladder option
• Pockets on the shoulder straps
• Stands upright on its own (easy access to the rolltop area)
• Waterproofing
• Very well padded laptop sleeve
• Extra straps and loops
• Rolltop is quick and easy to use
• Thick top and side handles
• F-stop pro ICUs fit perfectly
• Many gatekeeper loops!  I was able to easily fit a top lid/pocket from Seek Outside
• I was able to adapt my favorite hipbelt; the Atlas Adventure belt.
• I was able to get the lumbar support to work via additional foam padding.

What I don't like:

• Standard straps could use mesh
• Thick straps are crazy thick and pushed into my shoulder blades uncomfortably; a little thinner close to the shoulder attachment area would fit me better. 
• Hard to see and find small items in the rolltop section
• Front pocket is on the thin side, and doesn't unzip far.
• Boxy looking (adding a top lid helped with that)
• Back of pack would benefit from mesh/better airflow.  I sweat with this pack even on cool days.
• Belt is on the thin side (could use a firmer layer on the outside and more padding against the body), and could also use mesh.
• The drab green is a little too military looking; I would prefer pine green.  
• The side pockets (behind the water bottle holders) are a bit thin.
• Attachment rings on shoulder straps are plastic (but can be replaced with metal rings)
• The keyring is a propriety design and is hard to locate in one of the pockets inside the rolltop.  A clip, closer to the top, would have been just fine.
• Due to the way the camera cores are held in the pack, the items on the sides of the camera cores can be harder to reach.
• As sold, I couldn't get a good enough fit for longer hikes.  My back and shoulders felt beaten up after a few miles. Adding padding to the lumbar area helped some, but it still doesn't fit perfectly.

I will also note that I am indifferent to the side access. When I shoot landscapes, I hike to a spot and set the pack down. But the Shimoda does manage to offer many features without too many compromises.

Summary

Overall it's a very well-designed pack, even if you don't modify it.  

I still prefer the Atlas Athlete design and fit, but obviously the Athlete isn't perfect for every use case or I wouldn't have tried the Shimoda. If it fits you well and meets your other needs, you'll be happy with it.  Good fit is essential.

The final configuration that fits best for me is to use the standard straps, the Shimoda belt, and add thick padding in the lumbar area.

The Arca-Swiss P0 ballhead

When I bought a smaller travel/hiking tripod, I wanted a smaller lighter ballhead that would match it well.  I love FLM ballheads and nearly bought the CB-32F or CB-38F, but a friend convinced me to give the Arca-Swiss P0 a try.

The head is different from the average ballhead because the mechanism is inverted.  The stem mounts on the tripod and the mechanism sits on top.   This upside-down design prevents water and snow from getting inside.

The main locking control is a bit unusual too... instead of a knob or lever like most heads, it has a ring that wraps around the entire head.  This means you don't need to worry about the orientation of the head.  A quick twist tightens or loosens the head.  It's the same from any angle.

Mine didn't come with a quick release and I ended up using an FLM SRB-60 clamp, which is round and matches the size of the P0 perfectly. The knob is short and doesn't poke out too far either, which was important to me in keeping the overall package as small as possible. I had to modify the clamp to use an M6 screw flush in the clamp, and raised the clamp a bit using fender washers to keep the P0's pano knob from hitting the clamp's knob.

Removing the included screw took just a little force from an 11mm socket.

Be careful what you put on top. When I put a clamp directly on it, I hadn't realized the bottom of the clamp had a protrusion that would dig into the rotating platform.

A gripe I have about traditional ballhead controls is when I want to shoot the sky.  I need the drop notch to face me in that case.  Normally, I'd look down for macros, so I want the main knob to my left while the drop notch is opposite from me.  But when I want to aim up, a normal head has to be turned around, and suddenly using the knob is awkward.  The P0 solves this easily since the orientation doesn't matter.

Also, built in to the head is a rotating platform on top.  This makes panoramas easy... just level the head and rotate the top.  No need to spend more on a leveling base or a panning clamp.  The rotation is smooth and well-damped.

Opposite the pan lock lever is a drop notch that allows the head to be tilted up to 90 degrees if desired. Unlike the Arca-Swiss Z1 that I had for a few years, when I tilt the head into the drop-notch, I can feel the increased resistance from the aspherical ball as it tilts.  So the aspherical ball really seems to work.

I intended the P0 for smaller lenses and landscape use, but I found it plenty strong to hold a 100-400 mounted without slipping.

But here is the big surprise for me... the P0 doesn't shift as it is locked down, which is one of the big features I love about my FLM head.  It makes lining up shots very easy.  It makes precise compositions very easy, particularly for closeups where any shifting is very noticeable.  I haven't compared them directly but I think the P0 may be just as shift-free as my FLM CB-48F.

In a nutshell, I was surprised by how much I like the P0.

Leofoto LS-284C travel tripod

Leofoto is a name that I've seen come up quite often in forums and reviews.  So when I decided to get a compact travel tripod for hiking, I researched the Leofoto LS-284C.  I compared it against several brands and in the end, decided it had the best bang for buck, being at most one-third the price of the equivalent Really Right Stuff but nearly as stiff according to the Center Column.  It's actually #2 in the travel tripod stiffness ranking, behind RRS and just above Gitzo.  Impressive!

It arrived in a nicely made, padded case.  The case has enough room for a head mounted as well as the tripod itself, which is a nice touch.  I wish the case had webbing to make it easier to attach to a backpack.

The tripod came with spikes for certain terrain, and they happen to fit many other tripods via standard 3/8" threads.  To use them, remove the rubber feet on each leg and screw in the spikes.  Try not to stab anyone.

It came with a carabiner to hang your bag for extra stability, which you have to screw in yourself.  I used a little loctite to hold it in place.

There was a nice multi-tool included as well, but the parts have a hard time reaching some of the tripod screws, so I assume it is a generic tool.  It's a cool idea but not actually useful as designed.  You'll need to keep your existing hex wrenches handy.

The build quality on the LS-284C appears to be as good as anything I've seen from any other maker, including my own Gitzo and a friend's RRS. I've read of quality control issues in a couple of Leofoto tripods but mine works beautifully.

The LS-284C has 4 leg sections.  The leg locks take an easy quarter turn or so to loosen and retighten.

Fully extended on a flat surface, the tripod is only about 4' tall.

The legs spread independently which is useful for uneven terrain. It can spread wide and go to nearly ground level.  The leg stops are spring loaded and easy to use.  Just pull them out and they lock open so you can widen the legs and get lower. When you move the leg out to the widest setting, they automatically snap back into position, and snap to the next stops as you close the leg back up.

As low as it can go

Stop pulled out, ready to adjust.

It did not come with a center column.  For my intended use of shooting landscapes while hiking, I didn't need one.

The apex is quite small at about 47mm in diameter.  My FLM CB-48F head is just a little too big for it.  It works fine, but I ended up with a smaller ballhead.  The apex is so small that with the hook hanging and the legs at the narrowest angle, my pack won't hang directly on the hook.

My only real gripe is something I read about from several other reviewers... the legs feel a bit narrow on the tallest setting.  So the first thing I did was take the legs off and void my warranty by filing the stops.  This widened the stance a bit, making it more stable, at the cost of a little less maximum height.

The tripod is very light, and compared to my bigger Gitzo, feels weightless.  Put a small, lightweight (but sturdy!) head on top and you have a winner for hikes.   Given how light it is, I pay close attention when it is windy.  I don't quite trust it in wind as much as my 3-series Gitzo (which was nearly blown over in a very strong wind just once - I caught it).  I will hang my backpack from the apex once I extend the hook.  And maybe I'll widen the stance just a little more.

It was a very good purchase.  If you need a solid travel tripod, take a look.

Camera backpack options

Since there is no such thing as "one size fits all" with backpacks, much less camera backpacks, I thought I'd list a bunch that I became aware of during my searches.  I'll list them alphabetically by brand, and mention features that I think may be relevant to some of you.

One thing I don't take very seriously is volume.  Some companies have very similar sized bags (dimensions), but list very different volumes in Liters.

Atlas

Athlete (adjusts from 20L to 40L)

• Rear loading. 
• Two torso lengths available
• Multiple removable belt options and sizes.
• Dual water bottle pockets
• Hydration compatible
• Adjustable camera core size (non-removable)
• Tripod carry system
• small/thin laptop sleeve

Adventure (adjusts from 50L to 70L)

• Rear loading. 
• Two torso lengths available
• Adjustable torso height
• Removable shoulder straps
• Removable belt with multiple sizes.
• Dual water bottle pockets
• Hydration compatible
• Adjustable camera core size (non-removable)
• Tripod carry system
• laptop sleeve
• room for large telephoto lenses

Burton

F-stop (model name) 28L

• Front loading
• Adjustable torso size
• Dual water bottle pockets
• Removable insert (one size)
• no laptop sleeve

F-stop (brand name)

• Several models in various sizes (32L, 40L, 50L, 70L, 80L)
• Torso sizes are fixed
• Non-removable hipbelts
• Removable camera inserts
• some have room for large telephoto lenses
• Dual side zip pockets
• Hydration compatible

Lowe Pro

• Several backpack models with various features and sizes
• Very few have features I require, such as side water bottle pockets

Mountainsmith

• Various sizes, front loaders
• Some with removable inserts
• Side water bottle pockets

Naneu

• some side loading models, one front/bottom loader
• 35L, 50L, and 80L packs
• Water bottle holders
• fixed torso lengths
• One with laptop sleeve

Nya-evo

Fjord 60-C (adjusts from 44L to 60L)

• Adjustable torso size
• Rear loading
• Dual water bottle pockets
• Removable inserts of various sizes (appears to match F-stop ICU sizes)
• Fixed hipbelt
• tripod carry
• laptop sleeve
• space above the inserts for personal gear

Shimoda

Explore series (40L and 60L models)

• Rear loading, side loading
• Adjustable torso sizes
• no water bottle pockets on sides (small pocket in harness)
• removable inserts
• tripod carry

Action X series (30L, 50L, and 70L models)

• Rear loading, side loading
• Adjustable torso sizes
• Women's harnesses available
• Extra thick men's harness available
• Removable hipbelt
• Dual side water bottle pockets
• Hydration compatible
• removable inserts
• laptop sleeve
• tripod carry

Tamrac

• Several backpack models with various features and sizes

Thinktank

Backlight series (18L, 26L, 36L, 45L models)

• Rear loading
• Fixed torso lengths
• Most have fixed hipbelts (except 45L)
• Most have non-removable camera sections (except 45L)
• Dual side water bottle pockets
• 45L has hydration section
• 36L and 45L have room for large telephotos
• tripod carry
• laptop sleeves 

Many other ThinkTank backpack series are available



Know of another brand or model?  Let me know and I'll add it.

Using a Nikon film digitizer with a crop sensor camera

I've owned two film scanners at different times, one Nikon and one Canon.  Both died eventually.  So when I wanted to scan more slides, a friend suggested I take a look at the Nikon film digitizers, the ES-1 and ES-2.

However, they are meant for "full frame" (FX to Nikon users), 35mm equivalent size sensors, and a 50-60mm macro.  Well, I have an APS-C camera and an 80mm macro lens.  But I did a little thinking and calculation, some searching for an extra couple of parts, and I ended up with the ES-2.  

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/miscellaneous/es-2-film-digitizing-adapter-set.html

Since the Nikon site does not describe the parts included or what they do, I shall:
 
The package includes a 35mm negative strip holder, a slide holder (2 slides), a telescoping/rotating film adapter, and both 52 and 62mm rings (Nikon mostly uses those two sizes, particularly for macro lenses).

Here is what I did:

Since 35mm slides are bigger than 1:1 on APS-C, I knew I would need more distance between the lens and the slide holder.  Since my APS-C sensor has a crop factor of about 1.5x, I estimated I would need about 50% more distance than is offered by the slide copier.  That isn't exact because my macro is internal focusing, effectively becoming a short focal length at closer focus distances. But the 80mm focal length, being longer than the 60mm required by the stock ES-2, also required more distance from the lens to the slide.

Given those factors, I knew I would need additional extension a bit over 30m. I guessed about 35mm.  I then measured the distance from the lens to a slide that filled the frame, subtracted the length of the ES-2 (my friend already had one and could supply the range of the length), and found I'd been in the ballpark with my estimate.

To get that extension, I hoped to use my old Minolta extension tube set, but learned Minolta had used an oddball 57mm diameter.  That was unfortunate!  Had it been a standard 58mm at least, the tubes would have done the trick, paired with stepping rings.

Minolta extension tube set with odd 57mm diameter rings.  Fail!

Since those old tubes didn't work, I next thought I'd need to buy a bunch of cheap filters, remove the glass, and stack the rings. Doable, but annoying.

With some searching I found 62mm spacer rings, and bought one 37mm long.  I went ahead and picked up a few old used, cheap filters as well and removed the glass to give myself some leeway.  Also, the ES-2 itself has an adjustable distance so I didn't have to be exact, just within range.

62mm spacer ring and old filter rings.

I put the parts together, and voila, the big spacer ring worked with no need for the extra filter rings.

Final product, telescoping film holder with extension.

I'm not sure that the ES-2 works quite as well as a nice scanner, but the scanners haven't been supported for awhile anyway.

If you do something like this, be prepared to clean off your film first, and probably use a spot healing brush on the digital copy.  You will probably need to straighten and crop the image as well.

What I found... 

1) 30 year old slide film doesn't stand up to modern sensors for detail and noise handling, not by a long shot.  

2) Most of my old lenses don't stand up to modern lenses.

3) Since a number of my old slides appear to be misfocused, modern AF is truly useful.

Eagles in the snow at the Chilkat River, Haines, Alaska, November 1989, Kodachrome 200 slide film

Bald Eagle, Kodachrome 200 slide film, November 1989

Here is what happens if you don't pay attention to alignment of the slide in the holder:

Possum babies, made with one of the few old lenses I own that can stand up against modern lenses... a Kiron 100mm macro.