I’ve been working hard to reduce the amount of photo gear I lug around. Often I’m only taking a couple lenses, or a mirrorless camera instead of a DSLR. Sometimes I’m even working with just a tablet instead of my large laptop. So I needed to find the right bag to use when I didn’t need to load up one of my Urban Disguise briefcases. Fortunately, at the same time, Thinktank came out with a great bag suited for just this purpose, the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 30i…

Featherlight bag for lightweight rigs

The Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 30i is the largest of the Mover line (if you have even less gear or don’t need to also stash a tablet, you can consider the Mirrorless Mover 20 or the 10), but it is still amazingly light for what you get. The bag can carry my entire “radically mobile” mirrorless rig, that I’ve written about previously – a Sony NEX-6, several lenses, a flash, my Wacom-enabled tablet with SD card adapter, and chargers for everything. There is still room for the included ThinkTank rain cover (which I made good use of when I was in New York recently) and other small items – like an external battery pack for my phone, a stack of business cards and a pair of reading glasses in the outside zippered pouch. A water bottle fits in an elastic pouch at one end, and something small will fit in the other end’s less elastic version.

The bag’s interior features an extra-thin version of ThinkTank’s adjustable dividers, conveniently allowing storage of various sizes of items. I found the default arrangement very usable, with the widest opening for a camera+lens, the other wide opening for a large lens like the Sony 18-200mm lens, and the narrower openings either for a “pancake” lens set in sideways, pocket binoculars, or a power adapter or charger.

The front pocket is handy for miscellaneous small items, although part of the space is taken up if you leave the (detachable) rain cover in. The front pocket, in addition to its zippered closure, is protected by a magnetically-clasped flap, so you can actually leave the zipper open if you want quick access without exposing your accessories to the elements. In the model 30i, there is a long slot for an iPad or other tablet, that could also be used for a paper notebook or guidebook. A slot for a belt rounds out the back of the bag, but unlike the larger Think Tank Speed Freak 2.0, the bag doesn’t have yet another pouch in the back, so it keeps its very slim profile.

Surprisingly capable of handling a DSLR

While the bag isn’t targeted at DSLR users, and it certainly will not accommodate any of the full-up pro monsters, I found I could tote around models as large as my Nikon D600 or Nikon D700 in a pinch. However, it is better suited for smaller versions, like the Nikon D7100, for example.

I’ve been using it for various of my DSLRs, along with sunglasses, compact binoculars, chargers, water bottle, and books/papers in the tablet slot for daytime outings. It is delightfully light and compact for that purpose – when you don’t need to drag a bunch of other lenses along.

One downside of putting a DSLR in the bag is that it can get top heavy, so it is important to zip it before setting it down (I am forever leaving my bags around unzipped, as I always want my cameras ready to go. This is particularly amusing in Myanmar where our dutiful guides are forever zipping them up for me). With a mirrorless camera for which the bag was designed, like the Sony NEX-6, this isn’t an issue.

If you need more, upscale to a Think Tank Speed Freak 2.0 Belt Pack

The Mover series is truly designed to be ultra-low profile and very light weight. If you feel you need something a little roomier, more rugged, or with a padded belt option, then the next step up in that direction is the Think Tank Speed Freak 2.0, which we still used in the field and reviewed when it was introduced. 

Now read: What’s in my Camera Bag & Why