Think Tank Photo
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSanta Rosa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Think Tank Photo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Think Tank Photo
- Legal name
- Think Tank Photo
- Website
- https://thinktankphoto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Think Tank Photo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Camera Bags and Carrying Solutions
- NAICS
- Luggage and Leather Goods Retailers (45832), Photographic Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Backpacks & Travel Bags (CRAAAJAB)
Keywords
Where Think Tank Photo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Rosa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Think Tank Photo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: One-time sale of camera bags, backpacks, rollers, and accessories. Products are sold at various price points from approximately $12 to $650+. Revenue generated through direct e-commerce sales and dealer/distributor network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small Bags and Pouches |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Medium Bags and Backpacks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large Backpacks and Rollers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Production and Studio Cases |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Think Tank Photo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Think Tank Photo designs and manufactures camera bags, backpacks, rolling cases, modular belt systems, and accessories for professional photographers and filmmakers. Their portfolio includes patented designs such as the Rotation180 quick-access backpack system, airline carry-on compliant rolling cases, and the Modular Belt System, with prices ranging from roughly $12.75 for small accessories to $649.75 for production cases. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, through authorized dealers, and via international distributors in 55+ countries.
Product overview
Think Tank Photo is a camera bag and photography gear manufacturer founded in 2005, offering a comprehensive portfolio of carrying solutions for professional photographers. The product lineup centers on distinct series organized by use case: Airport rollers and carry-on cases for travel; BackLight, Rotation, FirstLight+, and DarkLight backpacks for outdoor and adventure photography; TurnStyle, Retrospective, Mirrorless Movers, PhotoCross, PressPass, and SpeedTop bags for everyday and street photography; and the Modular Belt System for customizable gear attachment. Supporting accessories include rain covers (Hydrophobia), memory card wallets, camera cubes (Stash Master), and replacement parts. The company emphasizes durability with quality components including YKK zippers, replaceable parts, and free replacement parts program, positioning toward professional photographers who demand reliable gear for demanding conditions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MindShift: MindShift is a sub-brand/series of Think Tank Photo focusing on photography gear pouches and accessories.
Products and services
- Airport Series Line of rolling camera cases and backpacks designed to fit within most U.S. and international airline carry-on requirements, including Airport Advantage, Airport Navigator V2, Airport Roller Derby V2, Airport Security V3.0, Airport International V3.0, Airport TakeOff V2.0, Airport Commuter, Airport Accelerator, and Airport Essentials for traveling photographers and filmmakers.
- BackLight Series Camera backpacks designed for outdoor photography with rear panel access for camera gear, available in sizes from 14L up to Elite 45L including BackLight Sprint, BackLight 18L, BackLight 26L, BackLight 36L, and BackLight Elite 45L for adventure and outdoor photographers.
- TurnStyle Series Convertible sling bags that can be worn as shoulder bags or belt packs, with V3 series featuring updated designs in 5L, 8L, 10L, and 11L capacities for photographers who need quick access to a body and 2-3 lenses.
- Retrospective Series Shoulder bags made from cotton canvas with a classic, understated design, available in sizes 4 through 30 plus the Retrospective Backpack 15, originally designed by in-house designer Lily and used by professional and street photographers.
- Digital Holster Series Form-fitting camera cases designed to be worn on a shoulder strap or belt, featuring the Pop Down expandable feature that allows lens hoods to remain in shooting position, available in V3 versions from size 5 up to 150.
- Mirrorless Mover Series Shoulder bags and backpacks specifically designed for mirrorless camera systems, available in sizes 5 through 30 plus a backpack option, optimized for smaller and lighter mirrorless kits.
- Rotation Series Backpacks featuring the patented Rotation180 technology that allows photographers to quickly access camera gear without removing the backpack, available in 22L, 34L, and 50L sizes for professional outdoor and travel use.
- Shape Shifter Series Expandable backpacks that compress when not fully loaded, featuring fully reconfigurable interior gear pouches and hold-down straps for customizable layouts in 25L and 37L sizes.
- FirstLight+ Series Adventure travel camera backpacks designed for outdoor use, available in 35L and 46L capacities with weather-resistant features suited to hiking and expedition photography.
- FocusPoint Series Rolltop backpacks combining weather protection with camera access, available in 22L and 30L sizes with side access and back access configurations.
- DarkLight Series Tactical-style camera backpacks with top and back access, featuring a removable waist belt and trolley passthrough, available in 14L, 20L, and 25L sizes for travel and tactical photography use.
- Walker Pro Series Professional camera backpacks designed for working photographers, available in 16L, 24L, and 30L sizes with an optional rolling backpack configuration.
- PhotoCross Series Sling bags made from tarpaulin material for high durability, available in 10L, 11L, and 14L sizes for outdoor and adventure photographers.
- PressPass Series Crossbody and sling bags designed for quick access to camera kits, available in 10L, 20L, and sling variants for photojournalists and event photographers.
- SpeedTop Series Crossbody bags with a quick-access magnetic lid that opens with one hand, available in 10L, 15L, 20L, and 30L sizes for street and event photographers.
- Modular Belt System Customizable belt-based carrying system with various pouches including Skin pouches, Lens Changers, Flash Mob, Speed Changer, and Hubba Hubba Hiney for attaching to any Think Tank belt and forming a modular photojournalist rig.
- Manager Series Rolling cases designed for production and studio use, including Production Manager 40 V2.0, Production Manager 50 V2.0, Logistics Manager 30 V2.0, and Stand Manager 52 for transporting heavy production and studio gear.
- MindShift Series Sub-brand collection of photography gear including backpacks, sling bags, and accessories designed for outdoor and adventure photography under the MindShift label.
- Stash Master Camera Cubes Padded camera cubes for organizing camera gear inside larger bags, available in Small, Medium, Large, and Pro sizes with shoulder strap attachment options.
- Hydrophobia Rain Covers Seam-sealed rain covers for cameras and lenses including Hydrophobia D 24-70, Hydrophobia D 70-200, and Hydrophobia DM 300-600 plus Emergency Rain Covers in Small, Medium, and Large sizes for protection in downpour or dust.
- Memory Card Wallets and Camera Accessories Photography accessories including Pixel Pocket Rocket V2 memory card wallets, SD Pixel Pocket Rocket V2, Secure Pixel Pocket Rocket, Cards and Power holders, Red Whips V2.0 cable management, Cable Management series, battery holders, and complementary camera accessories priced from $12.75 to $181.75.
- Urban Access Series City-style backpack with side quick access channel and full back access channel, sized to fit a 14-inch laptop computer at the 13-inch form factor for urban and travel photographers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products last multiple human lifetimes with proper care, according to professional photographer testimonials
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Think Tank Photo
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Think Tank Photo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Think Tank Photo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- International Distributors (55+ countries)coreThink Tank has established partnerships with authorized distributors in over 55 countries around the world. These distributors handle regional sales, warranty claims, and customer support in local markets.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Think Tank Photo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Peak Design: Peak Design designs premium camera bags, everyday backpacks, slings, and travel bags for photographers and everyday users. It is a direct competitor to Think Tank in the pro/enthusiast camera bag category, sharing target customer and price-point positioning, with broader D2C brand reach.
- Lowepro: Lowepro is one of the longest-established camera bag brands globally, offering backpacks, rollers, slings, and cases across professional and consumer segments. It competes directly with Think Tank across nearly every product category, and is a particularly relevant peer given Doug Murdoch's prior design role there.
- Tenba: Tenba manufactures camera bags, rolling cases, and lighting-gear transport for professional photographers and filmmakers. It directly competes with Think Tank in the pro camera bag and roller category with similar feature positioning.
- Billingham: Billingham makes premium canvas camera bags favored by photojournalists and professional photographers, including shoulder and messenger-style bags. It is a direct competitor to Think Tank's Retrospective line in the professional-grade shoulder bag segment.
- Domke: Domke is a heritage brand of rugged, journalist-style camera bags used widely by photojournalists. It competes with Think Tank in the working professional segment, particularly in shoulder bags and news-style bags.
- ONA: ONA designs premium leather and fabric camera bags for professional and enthusiast photographers. It overlaps directly with Think Tank's Retrospective and premium messenger/shoulder categories, targeting style-conscious pros.
- Shimoda Designs: Shimoda Designs makes adventure-oriented camera backpacks targeted at landscape, travel, and outdoor photographers. It directly competes with Think Tank's FirstLight+, BackLight, and DarkLight outdoor/adventure backpack lines.
Emerging players
- WANDRD: WANDRD produces the PRVKE camera bag series and broader travel/daypack line, appealing to hybrid photographer-travelers. It is an emerging competitor overlapping Think Tank's hybrid travel/photography positioning with strong D2C branding.
Broad incumbents
- Manfrotto: Manfrotto (Vitec Group) is a broad photography accessories incumbent offering tripods, lighting, and camera bags including Pro Light series rollers and backpacks. It overlaps Think Tank in camera bags but competes across a much wider portfolio under a much larger corporate parent.
- Vanguard World: Vanguard produces tripods, sporting optics, and camera bags including the Alta Pro and Skyborne series. It competes with Think Tank in camera backpacks and rollers as part of a broader photographic equipment lineup, serving both hobbyist and professional segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Think Tank Photo social profiles
Digital presenceThink Tank Photo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Think Tank Photo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Think Tank Photo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Think Tank Photo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Think Tank Photo
What does Think Tank Photo do?
Think Tank Photo designs and manufactures camera bags, backpacks, rolling cases, modular belt systems, and accessories for professional photographers and filmmakers. Their portfolio includes patented designs such as the Rotation180 quick-access backpack system, airline carry-on compliant rolling cases, and the Modular Belt System, with prices ranging from roughly $12.75 for small accessories to $649.75 for production cases. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, through authorized dealers, and via international distributors in 55+ countries.
Is Think Tank Photo a public or private company?
Think Tank Photo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Think Tank Photo founded?
Think Tank Photo was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Think Tank Photo based?
Think Tank Photo is headquartered in Santa Rosa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Think Tank Photo make money?
One revenue line is on record: hardware Sales.
Who are Think Tank Photo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Peak Design, Lowepro, Tenba, Billingham, Domke, ONA and Shimoda Designs. WANDRD is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Manfrotto and Vanguard World.
Does Think Tank Photo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Think Tank Photo.
What industry is Think Tank Photo in?
Think Tank Photo's product category is Camera Bags and Carrying Solutions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAJAB, Backpacks & Travel Bags. Its NAICS code is 45832.