This is a great starter bag for photographers. We purchased this bag in July for our son who is an art school photography student. The customizable equipment compartment holds pretty much everything he needs for his camera (Nikon Z5 camera body, extra lenses, charging cables, batteries, sim cards, light meter, etc.) and also has the added ability to hold his MacBook pro and a couple folders or a notebook in a separate compartment. Many of the bags we looked at were good for his camera equipment, but not ideal for "school supplies." The exterior of the bag seems very durable and it is highly water resistant. He's carried it in some rough weather, but always uses the rain cover that came with the bag in severe downpours. One of the features he particularly likes is that with the design of this bag, his camera equipment sits in the compartment on the back of the bag, so it lays closest to his back. It would be impossible for anyone to unzip, reach in, and take the camera. (He feels more secure about this because he is a public transportation commuter student in a large metropolitan area.) He uses the front zippered compartment to hold his laptop and folders. There is no quick access compartment in this bag; you cannot get to the camera unless you take the bag off, lay it down, and unzip the back compartment. The smaller zippered slot on the front of the bag is perfect for keys, wallet, power bar, or a small book; it is very narrow/slim.As other reviewers have mentioned, the tripod holder on the side of the bag is a bit awkward. The strap that secures the tripod often loosens throughout the day, so it's not ideal, but it does work. I think there are two things that would make this bag absolutely perfect: 1. straps that would hold the tripod securely across the bottom of the bag, and 2. an exterior pocket for a water bottle. We have spent countless hours trying to jerry-rig a water bottle to the bag. Nothing we've thought of actually works. You can easily "hang" a bottle from a carabiner but that means the bottle bounces around with every step you take and that gets annoying, for sure. The bag itself is so streamlined and compact (in a great way!), but there is definitely room for a net or fabric pocket on the opposite side of the tripod holder. There are straps across the bottom front of the bag, but not on the back. If the straps were also across the back, you could maybe hook the tripod on the bottom with some short bungee-like cords.Overall, the bag was a great buy. We've looked for others that would address some of the shortcomings of this particular bag, but have yet to find one that can give him everything he wants. The bag is best for a student, a hobbyist, or for travel, probably not ideal for a more seasoned photographer with more equipment and a need for a quick/easy side access to their camera. I suspect this bag will work for our son for a year or two, and then he'll need to upgrade.