PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-
PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-
PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-
PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-
PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-
PRE-ORDER f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit-

f-stop Gear Small Pro Internal Camera Unit

FSGICUS

R 1,999.00
/
Tax included.

The Pro ICU's are so called because they can accommodate a pro body or normal body with battery grip across the entire length and width of the ICU. This depth is also ideal for storing most wide (16-35mm)  or normal lenses (24-70mm) in an upright position.

The Small Pro is a bit different from the rest as it is the go-to ICU when you need more non-photographic stuff than camera gear. This is usually the case when going on an overnight or multi-day hike that requires lots of food, clothing and camping gear. The Small Pro ICU is just the right size to accommodate the very basics like one body, 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and a useful amount of accessories. This leaves a ton of space in the bag for camping essentials. Please make use of the product images to get an idea of how much you can fit in a Small Pro ICU to determine if it's the right one for you. 

This ICU can be paired with any of the shells, depending on how much space you need for other items. Pair with the Ajna to make a great weekend travel bag or day hike backpack, or go to the extreme and pair it with a Sukha for a multi-night hike in the Drakensberg.

Pairing with Normal Hiking Backpacks - Hikers love pairing the small pro ICU with normal hiking backpacks to seperate their camera gear from their hiking gear. All ICU’s feature D-rings that accept any shoulder strap in order to be carried independently. Once you’ve set up camp, leave your big backpack in the tent and you can explore the area with just the ICU and your tripod in hand. 

Specifications

  • External Dimensions (cm): 17.8 Depth x 29.2 Width x 20.3 Height
  • Internal Dimensions (cm): 16.5 Depth x 26.7 Width x 17.8 Height
  • Weight: 0.42kgs
Features
  • DWR-Treated, 330D Double Ripstop Nylon with 1500mm Polyurethane coating
  • 210D Nylon Webbing
  • Industry leading, full body zipper
  • Heavy-Duty Industrial Cross Stitching
  • Water Resistant Shell Material

If you're new to the f-stop system it can be tricky figuring out what will be suited to your needs. Send us a mail via the contact page with your camera gear and we'll get back to you with a recommendation within 24 hours.   

Why are f-stop Gear products so expensive in SA?

People like to jump to the conclusion that it is because someone in the local supply chain is making a lot of money, but unfortunately for us, that is not the case. *Photo
by Brendon Wainwright

The real answer is import duty.

Virtually all backpacks or backpack systems are subject to a whopping 30% import tax. These taxes are supposed to protect local manufacturers by giving them a competitive edge against the rest of the globe. It works well to protect local businesses and jobs, but unfortunately in a situation like this, where there is no local competition for a product like fstop gear, it just enriches the tax collector.

If you consider the cost of the Tilopa in America at $399, you can calculate the correlating local price by multiplying it by x1.45 (15% VAT + 30% import duty).

$399*US price x 1.45*tax = $578
$578 x R18.40*exchange rate = R10 653
Our price R8 595

*based on prices and exchange rate as Feb 2023

We know it’s tempting to buy it in the US and have it shipped here, but you will be slapped with the same 45% taxes when it has to go through customs. It is also worth noting that in a small market like SA, importers have smaller margins because we cannot benefit from the economy of scale as similar brands can in the large first world markets.

We barely scrape a profit on this brand - we import it because like most photographers, we tried multiple bags from multiple brands and hated every single one. Fstop gear is the only company that makes a comfortable, practical, high quality backpack for adventurous photographers.