Just one look at the camera accessories market and you’d think we have every shape and size of camera bag available to suit every occasion. Since I began testing photography equipment for magazines professionally back in 2012 I’ve used pretty much every style and brand you could imagine including Manfrotto, Lowepro, Vanguard, Benro, Tenba, Peak Design, Billingham and Think Tank to name a few.
Not only does my amassed cornucopia of shoulder bags, backpacks, slings, holsters, hard cases and even roller bags act as a secure home in which I can organise and protect my best camera equipment when it’s not in use, they’re each suitable for different shooting scenarios and speaking from experience – you’ve got to have the right tool for the job.
I love shooting all sorts of photographic genres and when it comes to wildlife or landscapes it might make sense to use one of my largest camera backpacks such as the Lowepro Flipside 500 AW II which can easily stash a 300mm f/2.8 prime lens plus others, plus a large laptop and its front pocket is so large I’ve used it to store a collapsed 5-in-1 reflector or light tent for a paid product photography shoot in the past. These larger backpacks also usually come with some sort of hip belt and better padding to make hiking through the great outdoors with heavy equipment much less strenuous.
However, my approach for street and travel photography is very different. Partly because I use much smaller lenses, often petite primes like a 20mm or 35mm, but also for ease of use because I want to be able to get in and out of my camera bag quickly to take the shot before the moment is gone.
That’s why my go-to bag for street photography is the Bellroy Venture Sling 10L Camera Edition. It’s not cheap but it’s easily the most comfortable shoulder bag I’ve used to date. It’s not perfect though, with no space for a laptop or tablet it means editing on the go is out of the question.
Is there a camera bag solution that doesn’t cost the earth?
One of my most-used camera bags isn’t a camera bag at all – my daily driver is an inconspicuous Eastpak rucksack with a padded insert from an old Vanguard bag, though BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) inserts are also available from companies such as Tenba. This is a brilliant setup that doesn’t catch the eye and allows me to comfortably carry my camera into town or wherever I need to be that day, and I’m ready to go if a photo opportunity presents itself.
My overall advice then is try to find a bag that works with you and not against you, depending on what you’re trying to photograph. And if like many photographers you enjoy photographing lots of different types of subject matter then you may want to consider having a bag that is specialised towards each to give you the most enjoyable experience.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk
