As you collect more & more “Toys” to use with your camera, you will eventually need a bag (or two or three…) in which to store everything.
Although owners of small point & shoot cameras can carry their cameras in a pocket, a camera bag still makes sense. Even if you only carry extra batteries & a spare memory card or two (and if you don’t, sooner or later you will miss photo opportunities because of dead batteries or a full memory card), a camera bag puts everything together.
For the photographer that builds a collection of lenses, flash units, filters, remote shutter releases, etc. camera bags are essential. They are also probably the most frustrating piece of camera equipment you will own. They always seem either too big, too small, too difficult to organize, too difficult to quickly access gear, etc.
Some considerations when choosing a bag:
- First, accept the fact that you are going to need more than one. Unless you only have a minimal amount of add on equipment, you quickly find that any bag that holds all of it is too large to carry everywhere you go.
- I suggest a minimum of two bags. The first should be large enough to hold everything you own. In fact, if you have plans to purchase additional equipment, plan for one large enough to hold that as well. If you have a lot of equipment, this bag will probably be too large to shoot out of – it is really a method of organized storage that can be kept in your RV, or home.
- You will also need a bag to travel with. There are a number of choices, including a smaller version of the bag you use for storage. A backpack makes sense if you do most of your traveling on foot & want everything with you. The also have the advantage that many have a space for a small laptop, useful for viewing images & downloading memory cards. The disadvantage is you need to remove the backpack to get anything out of it. Some other choices include hard cases which offer the best protection for your equipment, but are sometimes difficult to configure or change configuration. Shoulder bags come in a wide range of sizes, some large enough to hold a couple of cameras and a bunch of lenses & accessories. There are also versions that are built like luggage, that is they include wheels & a pop out handle. Another option is the “Swing” or “Sling” bag, designed to go on your back, but swing to the front for easy access to your camera. Some people love them, others would rather work with a smaller “shooting” bag & keep a large “storage” bag at home or in a vehicle. If you are considering a “Sling” bag, make sure it works – it should easily move from your back to a position where you can remove your camera, and removing the camera should not allow other lenses or accessories to fall out. If you travel by air, make sure your bag meets the “carry on” rules – you don’t want to check your cameras!
The choice for your small bag really depends on how much you are willing to carry. My first suggestion is to look at belt packs. The advantage of a well designed belt pack is your camera is instantly available. Well designed “Sling” bags also provide easy access to your camera without removing the bag. Although a backpack will hold more, there will be situations where you don’t have the time to pull a camera out of a backpack before the photo opportunity is gone. Belt packs range from those designed to hold a small point & shoot with a couple of additional pockets for accessories that clip to your belt to huge packs that will hold a collection of lenses & your DSLR with a telephoto lens attached, often with additional shoulder straps to help balance weight. Again, you need to think about how much you are willing to carry – a belt pack that adds 30 lbs of camera & lenses may be comfortable for a short walk from your car or RV to the photo site, but may be a bit much for a 5 mile hike! Look for a belt pack that opens at the top. It should be deep enough so that you can store your camera with a long lens attached in the center of the bag with the camera back level with the top. You should be able to easily pull the camera out of the bag without anything else getting in the way or falling out. It should also hold the camera with shorter lenses attached without disappearing into the bottom of the bag. When shopping for a large belt pack be sure it includes, or offers as an option, a strap that go over the shoulder to take some of the pressure off your waist. - If you wish to carry more equipment that comfortably fits in you choice of belt pack, consider a small backpack bag as well, a good way to carry gear to which you don’t need immediate access.
- Consider how you plan to carry your tripod. If you do long exposures for streams, waterfalls, etc. you will need to take one with you – a tripod bag with shoulder straps keeps your hands free.
- If you have a lot of older equipment that you just can’t get rid of, consider an inexpensive shoulder type bag for your closet. It is a good place to keep the rarely used equipment readily available.
Bag Types:
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| P & S Belt Pack | Large Shoulder Bag | Back Pack |
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| Sling Bag | Hard Case | Large Belt pack (My Favorite, but Discontinued) |
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| Rolling “Luggage” Type | Large Shoulder Bag | Tripod Bag |
Another consideration is rather than purchasing a camera bag look at other options. If you shoot in an area where theft is a problem, carrying your gear in a diaper bag, a suitcase, or other bag, particularly one that does not have a camera or camera bag logo plastered across the front is often a wise idea. Although they may not have built in lens separators like a camera bag, they can be added.
Finally, if you have more than one lens you have probably spent some time with the foam padding & velcro pieces assembling the partitions in your bag. Once it is set up for all your stuff, you will have a problem if you don’t want to take everything with you. The sections will either collapse if you leave the lenses out, or the bag will be heavier than you want it you leave them in.
The solution? Go out & purchase a swimming “Noodle“, cut it pieces the same length as each of your lenses and use the pieces to replace the lenses you don’t want to carry. The noodles are light, and will hold the shape of your bag.