Sony LCS-VA60 Multi-Function Backpack for Most Digital Cameras and Camcorders

I bought this backpack for a weeklong trip to DisneyWorld with my three young children. I wanted something I could safely put my videocamera, digital camera, cell phone, car keys, and wallet in, while keeping my hands free. This backpack performed marvelously, and I hauled it all over DisneyWorld with no problem. It even has two exterior mesh pockets that I used to carry water bottles. I also used this backpack as my airplane carry-on, to hold my electronics and the million or so wires, adaptors, battery chargers, etc. for my electronics. What I like most about this bag is the fact that I can detach the bottom part, which becomes a self-contained camcorder bag, while the top part becomes a regular backpack. It will be handy for occasions that require a camcorder only. The two things I don't like about this backpack:

1) The name "Sony" is prominently printed on it. It's like wearing a sign that says, "Steal me, expensive electronics are in this bag!".

2) I wore it in 85 degree heat for several hours at a time, and when I took it off, the back of my shirt was drenched in sweat, which was annoying. I've seen other bags at the store that have contoured pads on the back, which allows for air circulation. Now that's a great idea!

Regardless, I haven't seen any other bags that offer such versatility (I'm referring to the detachable camcorder bag), plus I really liked the digital camera clip-on carrying case and the CD carrying case that were included with the overall backpack. I had planned on buying a digital camera case, and to have it included with this bag made it that much better a deal for me. Given a choice, I would definitely buy this bag again!

The reason I purchased this bag is because it is the ONLY bag that Sony lists on their website as being compatible with the camera I just bought (two actually), the DCR VX-2100. Let me first say that if you have a very compact camcorder and a bunch of accessories, this would probably make a great bag, and so I should also say that my grievances are really with Sony's abdominal and misleading sales of this product. As I said, this is the only bag that Sony lists on their website as being compatible with their DCR VX-2100 camcorder. Just to make sure of this I discussed it with a pre-sales representative to make sure it was an adequate bag for the two cameras, given that they are $3,000 each I wanted to make sure a had a really good bag to protect my expensive investments, and I was assured that they were. When the bags arrived I realized that the backpack is made of two compartments, a removable, well padded, camcorder case in the lower compartment, and an expandable, unpadded, accessory compartment in the top. The VX-2100 is a 16-inch long camera, and the compartment designed to hold a camcorder is only 11 inches. Being a bit shocked by this I contacted Sony via their online chats to ask them how I was supposed to fit a 16-inch camera into an 11-inch bag. The first person I spoke with, whom was a post purchase representative from Sony style.com, quickly redirected me to speak with someone from Sony Chat Support. At first they told me to go back to Sony style.com but after I told them that I had just been sent from there, they listened a little while longer. They told me to put the camera in the expanded accessory compartment. I said that since it was the accessory compartment and did not have much padding, and that the camcorder didn't fit snuggly into it and so shook around lose in the case, that that was an unacceptable solution. Their reply to my disappointment of having just bought $6000 of camcorder equipment and not having anything to safely store or transport it in was "I can understand your concern. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused. Please contact our customer information service center for information on this." My advice to anyone considering this bag, or any other Sony product, is to look for products from other brands. I have completely lost my faith in the Sony name and products. They were misleading on their website as were their pre-sales representatives. And then, I was passed from one representative to the next when I confonted them about this. Does the VX-2100 fit into the LCS-VA60 bag? Yes. Does it do so in the capacity in which the bag was designed? Does it hold and protect the camcorder, as a camcorder bag should do? NO. The fact of the matter is they are selling this product under false pretenses. Could I fit my camcorder into a plastic grocery bag, yes, but would that be a good bag to keep it in, of course not. Sony, which is a corporation that is supposed to be at the leading edge of this field, is selling a product at a very sub-par standard, which I finding not only extremely disappointing, but unethical. And if I were to ever by something from them again, which I highly doubt, I would always be wondering if a product really functioned in the full capacity to which they lead me to believe it would through their sales marketing.

I use the bag to carry my 12x-zoom Sony DSC-H1 with wide angle converter, filters, and spare batteries along with a Sony mini-DV camcorder, blank tapes, lens cloth, a windbreaker and an umbrella. The cameras are held securely in the well-paddeld zippered lower compartment. The wide angle converter is in the top compartment with the windbreaker, spare batteries, lens cloth, and spare tapes. There is room for a teleconverter which I plan to add. An external mesh pouch holds a pair of filters. It's a lovely bag.