Ok, you’ve spent a bunch of money on a camera body, lenses, batteries, memory cards, battery chargers, etc. Now how do you get all this stuff to where you are going to use it? The trusty camera bag, that’s how. Great, but what kind of camera bag should you use? Well, like all things, bags are not a one size fits all solution. Bags come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, materials, layouts, and prices. You have to check them out and then decide which size and type of bag works best for your situation. Bags range from small bags for a single body and small lens up to messenger type bags that can carry a body and two or three lenses to small backpacks to larger backpacks and even rolling suitcase type bags.
You may, like me, “need” more than one bag for different situations. Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m somewhat of a bag junkie. I have multiple bags and briefcases for work. As a lawyer, I have several briefcases and bags that I use for work. I have the rolling catalog case for taking huge amounts of file materials to court and depositions. I have the traditional lawyer’s briefcase for carrying a laptop and smaller files around when I have to dress up, and I have the typical messenger bag for taking a laptop and iPad back and forth to work with small projects when I don’t have to wear a suit.
My camera bag progression has been similar. I started with a small sling bag that held my D3100 along with the 18-55mm and the 55-300mm lenses. It also held my memory cards and an extra battery. The sling bag also had a place to mount a tripod outside the bag. I used that bag all the time for several years. Once I got into the faster f/2.8 lenses, really the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, there was not enough room in the bag, but I did not get that lens until 2012.
Before buying the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lens (because Yaron sold his) I took the sling bag to New Orleans in 2011 with the D3100 and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and it worked great. It was lightweight, small, and I could drape a sweatshirt over the shoulder strap at my waist for when the evenings got a little chilly. I could not, however, take along a 70-200mm f/2.8 because it would not fit (luckily, I did not own one at the time so I was not tempted to try to fit one in that bag). I did bring, but did not end up using, the 55-300mm lens which was exactly what my friend Tony had predicted would happen once I bought the Tamron lens for the trip on his recommendation.
Once I bought the used Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8, I realized that I would not be able to carry that lens in the sling bag because it would not fit. So, I researched around and found a large backpack that would hold all of my gear along with a laptop. In following Yaron’s sage advice, I undertook to check for a used bag. I found one for sale from a guy who had bought the backpack for a photography trip to Hawaii. In other words, he used the bag once for about two weeks, and was done with it. I got a huge Tamrac bag for less than ½ price. (I’ll do another post about how to go about getting gear at a discount including buying used later.) After buying the large Tamrac backpack, I realized that for a small trip or just walking around town, that bag would be too big. It is amazing for travel because you can pack tons of gear and your laptop and iPad, but for just taking a walk around through town it was just too big and heavy. Again, in addition to holding all of my gear and a laptop, the bag had an outside place to carry a tripod.
Then I found the “Goldilocks” of bags, a smaller sized Tamrac backpack on sale one day while I was wandering around Costco. It can hold an iPad, a camera body with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached, and my 28-75mm f/2.8 lens as well. It also holds my waterproof point and shoot, battery chargers, batteries, and memory cards. It is a great bag for walking around all day while traveling. It is also great for being mobile and less conspicuous while walking around with camera gear. The downside to this bag is that it is too small to fit a laptop, and it does not have the ability to carry a tripod. Nevertheless, the two Tamrac bags have been my go to bags for several years. They have been durable and quite useful.
None of that is to say that Tamrac is the only company that makes a good bag. I have heard good things about many different bag companies. Tamrac just happens to be the two bags that I have and use now. I’m sure I will be branching out into other brands and models before too long. After all, I have a bag obsession, and am always searching for the perfect bag.
Things to Think About When Searching for the Perfect Camera Bag:
When searching for the perfect camera bag you’ll need to consider several factors. Size, weight, protection, and layout are all important factors to consider. First and foremost, you need to figure out what you are trying to take with you. Obviously, you need your camera body and at least one, but usually a couple, of lenses. You’ll need a spare battery or two, several memory cards, and possibly snacks and a jacket or other warmer clothing. Additionally, you may also want to be taking along a laptop, a tablet, and additional items such as lens filters.
Size:
Your bag size will depend on what it is you are taking with you and the size of those items. If you are taking along a laptop, is it a 13” or a 15”? If you are taking a camera body, is it a full sized DSLR with a grip, a smaller more compact DSLR, or a smaller mirrorless camera? How many and what types of lenses do you plan to bring? A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is quite a bit larger than the standard kit 18-55mm lens. Are you going out for a long hike into the mountains where you will need to bring snacks, water, a beanie, and a jacket? Are you just walking around a beach town in the summer and only need a bottle of water and some sunscreen?
Once you figure out what you are going to bring (and remember you don’t need to bring every piece of gear you own everywhere you go), you can determine the size of bag that you need. Also, be aware if you are traveling by air, you want to be sure the bag will pass the carry-on size limitations of your airline so that you don’t have to check your camera gear.
Weight:
The bigger the bag (and the more gear that you put into it), the heavier it will be. If you are looking at a larger sized backpack, make sure that it has good padding on the straps, good airflow on the back where it is against your body, and a waist belt to take some of the weight off of your shoulders and relocate it onto your hips. Believe me, shifting some of that weight off your shoulders is helpful if you are walking any kind of distance.
Conversely, a smaller bag will weigh less because the bag itself is smaller and there is less gear inside. A smaller backpack will not need a waist belt if the shoulder straps are reasonably well padded and well-shaped. My small backpack does great with a camera body, two lenses, a few batteries, and memory cards. The backpack goes on my back all day walking around while I explore cities where I am traveling, and it does not ever get too heavy or uncomfortable.
Protection:
Cameras and lenses are expensive. We don’t want them broken in our travels. Protection of our camera gear is probably the most important part of finding a proper camera bag. Make sure you buy a bag from a good brand. Much like other camera accessories, saving a buck on your bag is not a savings if your gear gets broken because the bag does not properly protect it. The padding inside the bag should be soft but support your gear. The bag itself should be made of durable materials. Also, be sure to check the stitching on the bag to make sure that it is also sturdy. Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and a bag is only as strong as its weakest stitch. There is a real difference between savings and value. Make sure you get the good value, but don’t risk your expensive gear to get some savings.
Layout:
Most camera bags have movable dividers inside that allow you to change the layout of the interior of the bag. These are quite handy and allow you to make room for larger zoom lenses and also make smaller spaces for smaller lenses, chargers, and flash units. Usually in a flap or upper compartment a camera bag will have space for batteries, memory cards, and chargers. Make sure you have a place in your bag for these items. When you are traveling, you can’t shoot without them, and you can’t just run back home and grab them.
An additional thing to consider about the bag layout is access to the gear. Do you access the gear through the front, side, or back of the bag? Will a thief have access to the gear on your back while you are in a crowded city street? If so, consider getting a luggage lock to keep the thieves out of your gear. Finally, if you are traveling to a wet or rainy climate, make sure you have some kind of rain cover for your bag to protect your gear from the rain.
Final Considerations:
As much as online shopping is easy, a camera bag has to work for you. For that reason, I highly recommend that you take the time to see the bags in person at a local camera store. Hold the bags in your hands. Feel the construction of the bag and inspect the materials and stitching. See the layout of the bag with your own two eyes in real life, and consider the real-world usage of the bag for your situation. Will you be able to access things in a way that is convenient and comfortable for the way you shoot? If not, the bag is not the right bag for you. It would be a shame to find a bag online and purchase it only to receive it and find out that it does not work for you.
Now that you have the ideas of what you need to look for in a camera bag, happy hunting! Let me know what bag(s) you have and how you like them in the comments below.