The Kata S-312 is an extremely well thought out piece of gear.  We have about half a dozen small camera bags around the RainyDayMagazine office, but after having the Kata S-312 bag for about three months, it is the first bag grabbed whenever a quick day assignment pops up.

The S-312 sling bag has pockets in three main sections: Left, Front, and Right.  The sections are all a little bit different.

The right pocket is sized for a cell phone or something of similar shape.  It has a click clasp to positively secure the content, but the pocket is deep enough that most items will stay put even if unclasped.

The front pocket is the main storage compartment.  It is well padded, has multiple zippered sections, and large enough to accommodate most palm-sized digital cameras or camcorders.

There are secondary pockets in the lid of the front-most compartment for keys, ID, and business cards.  The lid is attached by webbings on the side so it does not flop down when unzipped... a great feature which allows easy access without having to use two hands.

The center-most compartment is padded all the way around the side.  This section is designed to house the camera or DV camcorder.  It is also the largest and deepest compartment of the bag.

The last section of the center compartment is an open pocket at the very rear of the bag. This pocket is perfect for a notepad or other small flat item. This pocket will press directly against the body so items which protrude are not the best here.

The shoulder sling is adjustible. Once properly adjusted, the bag can be strapped on/off by unbuckling the large clip. This is the kind of thought and detail that we have not found on other gear in this price range.

The left-most compartment is a zippered section designed for loose items such as extra batteries, small tools, etc... Sewn into the pocket is a securely anchored swivel hook.

The attached hook is good for securing items you don't want to lose if accidentally dropped. It saved us a few times out in the field when we wanted quick access to the digital camera, but didn't have a really good grip when we pulled it out of the front pouch.

We have been using the Kata S-312 with a few our our digital setups: DV camcorder, the digital camera with the external battery pack, and the NeurosCAM.  The sling bag worked incredibly well in all those different applications.  The bag was easy to carry, the weight was evenly distributed, and the gear were all readily accessible...not much more one can ask for in a day bag!  Yes, it is also weather resistant :-)

We needed a smaller camera bag for times when we wanted to carry just a digital camera and a little bit of gear.

We knew that Kata makes a great line of professional gear bags, and were thrilled when we found the S-312 Sling bag.

This bag was everything we were looking for and more.  We think we have found the perfect day bag for our digital camera gear!

Review Summary:

Initial Impression- Rugged

Usability- Super comfortable, roomy

Durability- Test in progress

Price- $38

Related Review:

1. Kata R-102 FirstLook

2. Kata R-102 Full Pack