Thursday 30 December 2010

Camera bag showdown...

I have a few different camera bags, from small ones that just hold my camera and a lens, and 3-4 backpacks...This is just a short blog post summing up what I think of 3 of the most used bags I own.

They have all been used in anger, some for longer than others, some are better, some worse...read on to see which one I prefer for what...

First Off is the F-Stop Gear Satori.

This is my Fav bag of the 3, its my work horse and has never been anything other than perfect if not better for the job than I thought possible.
Carrying a bag full of gear can get heavy, when traveling the bag can weigh around 40 Lb's and that's a lot, but in this bag it feels half that thanks to the big soft padded straps and internal Alu framing.

Put this with padded laptop pouch, side pouches, top space great for drink/coat/cables etc, the fact its rear loading so you don't get your back all wet and dirty putting it down in the woods , non rip fabric which trust me, I have tested, its water resistant more than you will ever need, and again trust me, I have tested this, has a totally removable internal camera unit ( a small padded camera bag inside the main bag, see there site for more info on it ) which is very useful in some situations.

The padding is all very soft, in the right places, and the bag is still very light which is good news when you need to get on a plane with a bag that's already 2 times more than your allowed ( could do a whole other post on how to cheat your way through airports but like I say, another post entirely)



http://fstopgear.com/en/product/mountain/satori



http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lowepro-flipside-400-aw-backpack-black/p1028114

The second of the bags that I use on a regular basis is the Lowe Pro Flipside 500 AW

Now this is a Pro only bag which I was given as part of a group of Togs to test, but you can buy a slightly smaller version of this ( the 400, see link above ) in any good camera store.

Its a bit smaller than the Fstop, a little less comfy for hiking in, a few less straps for really tying down tripods etc if you need to ride with it. Basically its more of a bag for short walks, taking round towns, cities, internal jobs, portrait shoots, and it was the bag I used and was perfect for EuroBike.

It is rear loading like the Fstop so when you put it down in the woods you don't get your back all wet and muddy, non rip, had the all weather ( AW ) cover, a strap on the front for A tripod. Like I say, the bag I use when I'm not shooting Bikes, or need something that's a bit neater and doesn't look like I'm about to go up Everest.




http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-tamrac-expedition-8x-photo-backpack-ta5588/p1029113

This is A bag I don't use anymore, and is in fact up for sale ( email me if your interested )

I got this bag when my first bag ( A Lowe Pro photo Trekker ) just got a bit small for my growing amount of gear I needed to take on shoots.

I just needed a cheap, big, sturdy bag which is just what this is. Its pretty huge, and It says its hand luggage for planes, which it is, I have taken it on Sleazy jet flights, but if you can get it in to the little cages at sign in, you are a better man than I.

The bag does what its meant to, it doesn't do it well, its not very comfy, heavy, doesn't use the space it has well with very thick walls...

BUT! Its cheap, and HUGE. If I ever needed to take lots of gear on a shoot abroad both video and photo so Dollys, Video and photo Tripods, reflectors etc Then Its a bag like this that you could ram full and put as hold luggage that would be useful as you know with its bulk and padding your gear should be safe.

Anyway That sums it up in short...

For anything where your out in the woods shooting, or will be carrying the bag for any length of time, or when looks aren't important, then this is THE bag. Its amazing in every way and just look at the Fstop Team on there site if you need anymore people telling you how good they are, really amazing.

The Lowe pro is a bit neater, good for commercial portrait shoots, weddings etc, or going on holiday and going sight seeing in cities.

The Tamrac...the cargo plane, big, burly but not a touch on either of the others...

Hope this helps you pick a bag if your looking for one, and last thing... Have a good new years. bring on 2011!

Ta Jacob

Wednesday 29 December 2010

New Wideopen Mag

The new WO mag is out now, and another bumper issue full of MTB goodness...including a fair few shots from yours truely...Here are just a few of my shots in the new issue and a little bit of info on them...



This shot is of elite racer Rob Smith at the 2010 finals of the BDS races pinning through the root and stump fest of a top section, just one of those shots where the riders body possition, good light , and good comp says it all.



This is the Cover for issue 14, and its Sam Dale smashing in to a little rut we found, you have no idea how hard they where smashing in to this but you can get an idea from how aggresive his body position is.




This is a page from the spread about a few days I spent up with Josh and Sam while they where filming for Speedkings ( http://scott-marshall.co.uk/homepage.html ) Few good riding shots and a great portrait of Josh



This is a shot from a peice they did with Marc Beaumont, a shot from Ft Bill WC, just looks fast, and really love this shot...

Sit down, take some time out, and have a read...

Thursday 23 December 2010

DMR bikes christmas video...

If you follow me on Twitter ( @JacobGibbins ) you will have seen me tweet a few things about me filming for a funny little Xmas thing for DMR bikes with Olly Wilkins and Sam Reynolds....

Anyway now that the big day is only a few days away it was time to get the thing uploaded...

so put it up on pinkbike,mpora,youtube, its gone on dirt and with any luck will get on some more sites soon...

Anyway here is the video...and a cool photo of them riding as well...

Ta And to everyone who reads this thing, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, want to see anything new on here in the new year, let me know!

Ta



Wednesday 22 December 2010

Heath and Riffle

Just 2 more photos I found hidden away in the 1000s of images on my PC...

Was looking through for some images for a few up and coming interviews on http://factoryjackson.com/ and found these aswell...

Anyway one is from the first WC I went to last season in Maribor , and another from the last in Val Di Sole...

Leave a comment with which one your prefer...


Monday 20 December 2010

Showreel 2010 round up on PB

Got a nice story up on pinkbikes main page today, Just a short recap of some of the things I did with my year, and really just a great bit of personal marketing...

Take a look via the link bellow...

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Jacob-Gibbins-Showreel-2010.html



on a differant note, look out for a few festive things coming online in the coming days from the DMR shoot a few days ago.

Thanks

Jacob

Sunday 19 December 2010

Interview with me on HT nation

HardTail nation asked me a few questions last week, find the interview on there site via the link bellow....

http://www.hardtailnation.co.uk/?p=2442

Quick snap of me on the right side of the lens, on the bike, back in the summer...

Sunday 12 December 2010

Few interviews on FJ

Theres a new bike website sprung up a few weeks ago called Factory Jackson

factoryjackson.com

And I have been involved in getting some shots together for a few interviews and a few other projects in the pipeline with these guys.

Anyway the site takes great content on bmx, mtb , moto , clothes, art, just all good stuff really, in a nice neat site, with lots of great new parts of the site going live soon.

Anyway in the past week the have put up a few interviews with both Josh Bryceland and Danny Hart both of which have a good ammount of my work in...

So head over to the site and check them out here:


factoryjackson.com

Saturday 11 December 2010

More from my local tracks

If you follow this blog, or look at pinkbike daily you should have seen my article on there from the other day on riding in the Tamar Valley see post on it here:



Anyway I havnt stopped shooting for that project just yet...

WideOpenmag want to run a more full story on it all so im still shooting some fresh stuff over the next few weeks for that.

So went down the woods today with local hero Mullane and a load of the other local pinners and shot some stuff, im really happy with how most of them turned out, to see the rest of them you will have to keep an eye on the next WO, but here 2 to have a cheeky peek at...


Thursday 9 December 2010

Local Scene photo essay on pinkbike...

Over the past few months on spare days, days out riding etc I have taken the camera out and shot some photos with a photo essay about riding in the Tamar Valley in mind.

Anyway the last week I have finished shooting enough to put together a good article, I will carry on shooting for it and there will be a full written up article plus some fresh work in the next issue of WideOpen mag.

But till then find the new article on PBs main page here:



Have a look, comment, let me know what you think.

Ta




Tuesday 7 December 2010

Dartmoor Tree Landscapes

Went for another one of my spur of the moment walks up on the moor with the camera...

This time up around pew tor just before sun set, met a few ponys, fell over a few times, and did some off roading in my new car...

Anyway photos...