The Coalax Lancer 300 modular photography backpack is very much a modern-day descendant of the humble camera bag. Among other things, it sports a removable power bank, solar panel, drone-carrying compartment, and extendable rotatable selfie sticks.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Lancer incorporates a metal exoskeleton upon which a number of different accessories can be mounted as desired. Some of those gizmos come standard, while others are optional extras.
At the heart of the setup is a 24-liter main camera/lens storage compartment, which has moveable internal dividers. This compartment is accessed by opening a zippered flap in its padded backrest – so yes, this means the compartment can't be accessed while the backpack is being worn.
That said, the basic Lancer 300 package does also include three other compartments that can be accessed at all times. These include a 6L drone compartment on top, an accessory pack in the middle (volume not stated), and a 5L compartment on the bottom. There's also a telescopic selfie stick on one side that can be rotated 360 degrees and extended to a maximum length of 1.5 meters (59 in).
Assuming everything works out as it should, a pledge of US$169 will get you one of these basic packages – the planned retail price is $299.
Deeper-pocketed backers may be interested in pledging $299 (retail $499) for a package in which a 336-Wh power bank takes the place of the accessory pack. That device features multiple input (bank-charging) and output (device-charging) ports, along with a 500-lumen light panel on one side.
Coalax claims that one charge of the power bank should be sufficient to charge a DSLR camera 12 to 15 times, or a quadcopter drone four to six times. The bank is IPX6 water-resistant, meaning it can withstand exposure to powerful jets of water for at least three minutes.
Optional extras – which can be ordered with either package – include a second selfie stick ($59 pledge/$99 retail) and a 25-watt solar panel ($59 pledge/$89 retail). A bit surprisingly, while the main compartment does come with external gear-carrying straps, there's nothing that's specifically designed for carrying a tripod.
The Coalax Lancer 300's capabilities are demonstrated in the video below.
Sources: Kickstarter, Coalax
