A couple of months ago I had to make a quick overnight trip where I wanted to take my camera, but also take the necessary change of clothes and gear for a hotel stay. Rather than take a small camera bag and travel duffel, I simply used my Military Ops Alpha camera backpack from Naneu Pro. With the Alpha I was able to carry my body and four lenses as well as other accessories in the padded adjustable camera area as well as my personal overnight needs in the large upper compartment. And there was plenty of room to spare for batteries, chargers, flashes, and more.

Weeks later, I went on an outdoor hike and the Alpha more than easily handled my gear and hiking supplies without getting to cumbersome or feeling like it was “in the way.” I’m a big guy and the well-padded shoulder straps fit comfortably as well as the chest and waist straps. It held my gear while I held my camera in one hand and kept up with my dog’s leash with the other. I never felt off-balance in the slightest.

The Alpha comes chock-full of nifty storage features. As mentioned the camera area is thickly padded and has a customizable “walls” that you adjust as you need. The camera area is accessed via zipper top cover that when worn is nestled against your back. This allows your body to hold it closed as added security – though the zipper is first rate and had never snagged. This can be a problem in the field because to access your gear, you have to completely remove the backpack. However for the added security, this is worth any minor inconvenience.


On the front, the Alpha has two top compartments, a larger one that I used to hold my clothing (not a suit mind you, but change of summer clothes) and inside that a smaller zippered pouch. There are two tall Velcro pouches on the lower half of the bag. I use these to hold my flash (when extended flat) or water bottles while hiking. Behind these pouches is another large zippered area that has an internal mesh pouch.

Another security feature is that the Military Ops series is that it does not look like a camera bag. It looks like a standard backpack. In fact, you can remove the entire camera area insert and actually use the Alpha as a standard backpack.

Overall, there is a ton of room in the Alpha. If you need less, there is the Alpha’s sister the Bravo. If you need more and the ability to hold a laptop, you can choose the Alpha-L bag. For its versatility of uses and maximized storage, the Naneu Pro Military Ops Alpha backpack receives a rating of HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from photographyvoice.com. The Alpha is available in black, olive green, or blue for a suggested retail of $129.99.