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Kata camera bags

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craighanoch

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I am interested in purchasing a Kata bag for my Canon Xti with the 18-55 mm lens. I also have a Sigma EF530 flash. Has anyone had experience with either the PB or H series cases? Have you been happy with the case?

Also, if you know the country of origin (of the case, not the company), I would be grateful.

Thanks,
Craig
 
craighanoch said:
I am interested in purchasing a Kata bag for my Canon Xti with the
18-55 mm lens. I also have a Sigma EF530 flash. Has anyone had
experience with either the PB or H series cases? Have you been happy
with the case?

Also, if you know the country of origin (of the case, not the
company), I would be grateful.

Thanks,
Craig
Click to expand...
They're made in China. Like Lowepro bags, Kata is overpriced junk made by slaves. If you are going to pay a high price, why not buy a Domke (USA made) or Billingham (British made) bag? The higher end Tamrac bags are also made in USA. I have two American Made Tamracs and three Domkes and have been very happy with them. They've travelled the country with me, the oldest one for nearly 20 years now, and they still look excellent.
--
Chris Crawford
Santa Fe, NM
Fine Art Photography of Indiana

http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com/fine_art/index.htm

Check out my new project:
http://www.plumpatrin.com
 
Chris --

Thanks so much for the help. Exactly what I wanted to know, as I try to boycott Chinese products wherever possible. Photography is a new field of interest for me, having just bought my first digital slr. I ended up buying Canon over the Nikon for just this reason, as the Nikon lenses today are made in China and the Canon lenses I bought were made in Japan.

In any case, I'll also look at the Domke cases.

Many thanks,
Craig
 
I wouldn't call Kata junk. I have a Kata R103 and a Domke F4, among others. Different kind of bags. The Domke is useful for me when traveling on airplanes, especially if I have a laptop. It's rugged and well built, the only downside really being that it is kinda heavy. The Domke is my walkaround bag, or when I'm traveling sans laptop, its main downside is that it's a shoulder bag. I was a little bummed about the Kata being made in China, I hoped it was made in Israel, to fit the hardcore image. I think most nylon bags are now made in China, almost regardless of brand.
 
14nLover said:
They're made in China. Like Lowepro bags, Kata is overpriced junk
made by slaves. If you are going to pay a high price, why not buy a
Domke (USA made) or Billingham (British made) bag? The higher end
Tamrac bags are also made in USA. I have two American Made Tamracs
and three Domkes and have been very happy with them. They've
travelled the country with me, the oldest one for nearly 20 years
now, and they still look excellent.
--
Chris Crawford
Click to expand...
--

This is a photography forum, not a political forum so lets keep out comments on like "made by slaves". It would have been enough to say they were made in China and that you thought the quality was poor.

Have you ever been to China? The factory workers there are not "slaves". Yes they are paid less than American workers but on the other hand a Coke costs a quarter and a loaf of bread a dime. Not sure based on cost of products that the Chinese worker may be paid better than American minimum wage workers. Now that is another political subject.

Bob Sheldon
Photo Gallery at
http://www.bobsheldon.com
 
Robert Sheldon said:
This is a photography forum, not a political forum so lets keep out
comments on like "made by slaves". It would have been enough to say
they were made in China and that you thought the quality was poor.

Have you ever been to China? The factory workers there are not
"slaves". Yes they are paid less than American workers but on the
other hand a Coke costs a quarter and a loaf of bread a dime. Not
sure based on cost of products that the Chinese worker may be paid
better than American minimum wage workers. Now that is another
political subject.

Bob Sheldon
Photo Gallery at
http://www.bobsheldon.com
Click to expand...
This isn't about politics, its about human decency. If you haven't got any, I'm sorry for you. Chinese workers are paid little, often live in locked dormitories with barred windows (here in the USA we call that Prison), and have no political freedom. Oops, mentioned politics. I'll continue supporting American, European, and Japanese workers, thank you very much.
--
Chris Crawford
Santa Fe, NM
Fine Art Photography of Indiana

http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com/fine_art/index.htm

Check out my new project:
http://www.plumpatrin.com
 
I have a Kata H14 which is actually quite well made (TUMI like with excellent modern synthetic textiles - ballistic nylon from Dupont...sewn on German Singer machines - by specially selected and trained artisans..who could be Chinese like Coach, or VietNamese like Nike or...)

Seriously, it is a well made bag and equally important the design is very innovative and practical. A holster type bag with room for 2 extra lens or 1 plus flash. Lots of nice modern features. Interesting sling option. Very Italian design - which is no surprise since Kata belongs to Manfrotto. Not something Billingham or Domke offer.
 
I have been to my company's offices in China, no barred windows, no jail cells, etc. and the workers appear to be quite happy. I can't speak for Kata, except that their products are well made and serve their purpose well.
 
Kata is headquartered in Israel but I think the bags themselves are made in China. That is what my K103 says on it anyway.
 
My 103 says "Made in China" on a little white tag inside the bag.
 
14nLover said:
They're made in China. Like Lowepro bags, Kata is overpriced junk
made by slaves.
Click to expand...
That is just wrong. Kata make superb professional bags. Do you think the Iraeli army would use them if not??? Kata is an Israeli company that started up making stuff for the military - if that doesn't tell you something about the quality of their gear there's not a lot else to be said.

I've used one their professional video camera bags in all sorts of environments - studio, town, up and down mountains in mud and rain, in and out of cars - it's had some crazy heavy duty punishment, and after 7 years there was not a mark or a tear or any sign of weakness on the bag. I'd recommend them to anyone. They're so good they hold their value too - my bag which cost £210 7 years ago still made £117 at auction on Ebay a few weeks ago.
 
The business and assets of Kata International Limited and Kata Professional (Kimchi & Tishler) Limited Israel were acquired in 2005 by VITEC Group PLC UK (symbol VTC on London Stock Exchange.) Vitec Group PLC also owns Manfrotto and Gitzo. Kata is part of the photographic division of which Manfrotto Group is the core.
 
Michael Bott said:
Michael Bott said:
They're made in China. Like Lowepro bags, Kata is overpriced junk
made by slaves.
Click to expand...
That is just wrong. Kata make superb professional bags. Do you think
the Iraeli army would use them if not??? Kata is an Israeli company
that started up making stuff for the military - if that doesn't tell
you something about the quality of their gear there's not a lot else
to be said.
Click to expand...
Although I don't own a Kata bag, I agree with your assessment of them from having handled them at stores... The only reason I didn't get a Kata bag for my last bag is I wanted just a big more storage space than the bags in the size I was looking at offered.

But I also wanted to say, the comment about Lowepro was also off the mark. I have one of the Slingshot bags, and is has been great for me - despite being as fully packed with camera and lenses as it could be for over a year now, none of the straps show any sign of wear from the large strain being placed on them at times. The quality is fine, and the built in weather cover has been handy from time to time.

If people want to have a political agenda and try to convince me why I shouldn't be buying any products from China (despite that meaning the purchase of almost nothing at this point) then fine. But people shouldn't bring up quality problems for products they've never even used to try and scare people into following the same ideology!

--
---> Kendall
http://InsideAperture.com
http://www.pbase.com/kgelner
http://www.pbase.com/sigmadslr/user_home
 
I've got two. I wrote a little mini review for another poster on the Oly forum a while back if anyone cares and I'd be happy to take more pictures of either the R103 or the Sens V if anyone needs them.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=25799350

And I don't care where they were made.

I don't think anyone here has a clue what the conditions in a Kata factory in China or elsewhere are like so any comments made on that are at best uninformed speculation. In most of the above cases its mostly just people with preconceived opinions talking out of their posteriors.

--
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarayan
 
I have the Kata R-103 - amazing bag - can fit quite a bit in there. I even can fit my 17" Macbook Pro inside (though snug). The arm straps are well made and comfy. Who cares where they are made. I would bet you buy more Chinese products than you are aware of even if you are trying not to...
gnarayan said:
I've got two. I wrote a little mini review for another poster on the
Oly forum a while back if anyone cares and I'd be happy to take more
pictures of either the R103 or the Sens V if anyone needs them.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=25799350

And I don't care where they were made.

I don't think anyone here has a clue what the conditions in a Kata
factory in China or elsewhere are like so any comments made on that
are at best uninformed speculation. In most of the above cases its
mostly just people with preconceived opinions talking out of their
posteriors.

--
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot
be fooled.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarayan
Click to expand...
--
'Procrastinate now, don't put it off.'

 
Yes, gnarayan . I would appreciate if you could post pictures of the Kata sensitivity V. I got a Canon 40D with 17-55 and 70-200 to pack in. Thanks.

PS: As for the origin of the bags themselves, as long as they are well built, I don't really care.
 
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