Photography can be an expensive hobby or job. It can get even more expensive if you throw caution to the wind and cut corners on the things that matter. You think you are careful… until $1500 later a/k/a the day you drop a lens that was not in a case and had no UV filter on it. It took me years – which included a couple of mishaps like this – to realize not only how important needing to actually protect my gear was but choosing how to do it wisely.
Considerations
Choosing bags for different types of gear can be challenging. There is no such thing as a perfect one-size fits all situations and gear bag because hey, your gear can change based on what you are shooting and where you are shooting it. Below are a few considerations to think about before trekking on your journey to locate the best bag for your needs.
What Do You Shoot?
The bag(s) you choose for your gear can vary greatly depending on what you shoot.
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(What I typically like to shoot…) Street Photography. Due to the nature of capturing the moment without missing it, street photographers need bags that allow them to get to what they need in their bag instantly, without a fuss.
- Landscape/Nature Photography. Photographing landscapes and nature usually provides a little more leeway in how quickly one might need something out of their bag so fast access may not be as large of a feature to consider as others.
- Studio Photography. Studio photographers who don’t really take their gear outside of their studios might be able to save a few dollars because they may not need all the features of bags and cases that those photographers who take their equipment away from one spot would.
- People Photography on Location. On the opposite of studio photographers, there are those who take their studios with them to shoot on location, be it at their client’s location or on location outdoors. These types of shooters require more features in their equipment bags and cases.
- Travel Photographers. Like photographers that shoot on location, photographers that travel to shoot may need features like portability and wheels on their bags and cases to get them around more easily.
How Much Space Do You Need?
When you begin the search of bags and cases, don’t forget to not only consider what you have now that needs a home, but what you might also acquire in the future that will also need a home. For example, right now you might have just a camera, one battery and two memory cards. Don’t just get a small backpack that will hold only those things. At some point, you may consider purchasing a speedlight, which will also come with gels and a stand and which will also require AA batteries. Perhaps you might consider a Gary Fong for that speedlight. You might also consider a Dome Kit for that Gary Fong. As you progress with your outdoor portraits, you may find you need more than one battery and an additional memory card. Suddenly, you’ve gone from a simple camera with battery and memory card to a simple studio on wheels and you’ve already outgrown that small backpack! (Image courtesy of Shutterstock)
Overall Important Features to Seek Out and Those to Avoid…
There are several features that you should look for in a bag, whether it’s a camera bag, a lighting bag or even a memory card wallet.
Fast Access. Some types of photography like street photography, sports photography and nature photography require you to be able to easily access your gear quickly.
Ease of Use. I’ve bumped into too many bags that have too many loops, straps and buckles which can be annoying and make opening and closing the bag, a difficult task. A sleek design without all the fancy bells and whistles usually works well.
Good Sturdy Zippers. I personally prefer metal zippers with plastic grip tips as a straight plastic zipper tends to snap very quickly.
See Thru Pockets. It saves a lot of time to be able to immediately see what’s inside the pocket compared to a regular pocket where you might be searching pockets for hours. They are also easier to clean. I’m not a huge fan of mesh pockets as they can wear and break over time.
Padding. You spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on your gear… why would you store it in a case without good padding? I’m not saying super thick padding (as that can weigh a bag down), but strong durable padding is really key to protect your gear. Make sure any type of bag you purchase has adequate padding all around where your gear will sit.
Bumpers. We have to set down our bags at some point, but after a long day of shooting and humping around gear, we might forget to not drop the bags once we walk in the door. Bumpers on the bottom of the bag is a great feature to absorb the shock and protect any gear at the bottom of the bag.
Buckles. I’m a big fan of buckles, but only after I try out the bag as some lesser expensive manufacturers have more of a record of failed buckles than others. In general though, they tend to have a better grip to keep things closed than a drawstring or a zipper.
Velcro. I’m also fanatic about Velcro. Yes, it can be a hassle at first in camera and lighting bags to situate exactly how you want it because it catches so easily, but once you set it up, it’s extremely secure. Good Velcro pockets are also great to help protect against theft. You may not hear a zipper, but you sure will hear Velcro being separated!
Removable Parts. As photographers, our equipment collection will probably grow and we have the need to be able to rearrange the gear in our bags. Removable parts are key in being able to rearrange a bag rather than buying a new one.
Built-In or Included Rain Cover. An included rain cover is a great perk for a bag in case we end up stuck in a storm or other wet situation, however a built-in rain cover makes it difficult to use the rain cover on other bags we might acquire that do not have rain covers. Definitely not a deal breaker for me though.
Durability. Yes, durability is very important. There’s nothing like a bag ripping or a hole forming in the bag after only a few short months and all your gear falling out of it. It’s always a good idea to check consumer reviews on bags before you buy.
Accessibility. While some photographers have time to take off a backpack to retrieve a lens for a lens change, others work very quickly and need a bag that is simple and easily accessible. Too many loops and latches can prove to slow one down a bit.
Security. Are the zippers covered or exposed? Is there a way to lock the bag if not? What’s in your bag is very important – and expensive – and thieves know this. Make sure your bag doesn’t have easy, exposed zippers for pick-pockets’ delight.
Comfort. A good bag shouldn’t cause you any physical pain to use. If you need a large bag, get one on wheels. For smaller bags, bring a few large books with you in your existing bag and put them into potential bags in a store and then try them out. A bag should be comfortable on your back and on your shoulders. Don’t reply on reviews when it comes to comfort (unless there are many complaining of the same problem) as you may have a stronger core than some folks that may not work out.
Let’s take a closer look at cases, bags and pouches…
Camera Bags
Your camera is central to your photography. It’s also an expensive piece of gear that – unless you have a trust fund – you do not want to replace because it was not adequately protected. Below are a few key features to look for in a camera bag in addition to or more explicative of the list above.
Key Features
- Comfort. You will probably find yourself carrying a camera bag more often than any other type of gear bag, case or pouch so getting something that is comfortable is key in choosing a camera bag. If it’s not comfortable, you’ll be more tempted to leave it at home and carry something less protective instead.
- Accessibility. Being able to access your camera quickly can also be very important depending on what you shoot. If you’re a street or wildlife photographer, you’ll want quicker access than a landscape photographer who 1) probably hiking around and 2) has time to put down a bag and seek out what they need.
- Capacity/Size. You’ll want to assess your equipment that you have: the size of your camera body, your lenses, speedlights, batteries, memory cards, etc. plus other non-photographic items you might want to take with you. Keep in mind, the more serious you become with photography, the more your collection of gear will grow too so count on leaving a little extra space for potential growth.
- Appearance/Security. A key feature for me is security. I don’t like bags with “Nikon” or “Canon” or other camera brand names on it. If I have one, I tend to leave it at home because they scream, “I contain expensive equipment!!” If I leave my apartment with my camera, I go for more inconspicuous bags.
Types
There are many types of camera bags out there to choose from. They vary from holsters to hard cases and everything in between. Here are a some examples of the variety of the types with my thoughts and a few recommendations on each.
Holsters & Vests. Holsters are more commonly used when in the studio and are great for easily hooking your camera onto a belt that you wear around your waist to free your hands to reposition lighting equipment or to help pose a model. I wouldn’t recommend using a holster while outdoors as not only might you bump your camera into objects and oblivious people, but you also make yourself an easy target for theft.
Vests can be helpful when you have two cameras, to take the strain (and pain) of having two cameras (and their straps) hanging from your neck.
Backpacks. Comfort is key in actually using a camera bag and backpacks are a great answer for this as they take pressure off of the neck from a hanging camera and pressure off of the back from having a bag hanging on one side or the other.
Thule TPBP-101 Perspektiv Backpack
The only downside to backpacks is that they typically require you to stop and take it off to get anything out of it. Nowadays though, several manufacturers make backpacks that work like slings in which you can remove one strap from either shoulder and swing the bag in front of you, removing what you need from its side-entry pockets while the other strap remains on your shoulder.
Slings
Tenba Shootout Sling Bag LE Medium
Slings can be a convenient way to access your gear while storing it on your back as a backpack. Some slings have two straps where you unbuckle or just slide one strap off and swing the bag around to your side to access your gear. Others have one strap that basically works in the same fashion.
Handbags
Kelly Moore Brownlee Handbag in Indigo
Kelly Moore makes a great selection of camera handbags that accommodate cameras and lenses inconspicuously. I recently bought the Brownlee leather bag that basically looks like a big purse, but it has compartments that hold my full frame DSLR camera, a few lenses (as large as 10” in length!), a speedlight, batteries, memory cards, wallet, keys, plus other personal items like a windbreaker (for when temperatures go down later in the day), a small umbrella, etc. I have the one pictured above and I’m pretty much able to store my camera and almost my whole arsenal of lenses plus my flash.
Shoulder Bags/Messenger Bags
Many photographers like to have their gear close to their side for immediate use – for example, street photographers need to have their camera and lenses handy to not miss the moment. Shoulder bags and messenger bags work well in this instance. There is only one downside to shoulder bags: some may find that uneven weight balance to put a strain on their neck and back if the bag is too heavy.
Lowepro Protactic SH 200 AW Shoulder Bag
Some messenger bags can be fashionable yet can also inconspicuously conceal your camera and lenses.
ThinkTank Retrospective 5 Shoulder Bag/Messenger Bag
Roller Bags
Roller bags may be the perfect choice for those who travel and for those working on location, provided the grounds where they will go to and from the shoot are flat to make rolling the wheels a bit easier.
Some manufacturers got very smart with roller bags and created a roller bag/backpack combination option, such as the ApeCase bag above. I actually own this bag and I love the abundance of compartments for my lenses and the big space for my camera with attached lens. I’m able to pack my laptop and a lot of other necessary accessories plus I can attach a tripod or monopod on the side. There is a lot of room in this bag – many pockets and compartments to hold everything you would need with the convenience of wearing it or rolling it depending on your preference or the ground you are walking on.
Hard Cases
Pelican 1510SC Polycarbonate Studio Case
Hard cases are a great option if you want a great deal more durability and weatherproofing. Hard cases typically come without foam, which can be a good thing as you are then not limited to being able to pack only what spaces are carved out in the foam. You can purchase foam separately to customize your box. The Pelican case above comes with adjustable dividers so you can place them however you need to divide and protect your gear.
Lens Pouches
Key Features
- Material/Padding. What surrounds your lens is extremely important when storing your lens as accidents happen. Imagine what damage could happen if your lens is dropped or falls unexpectedly without protection. While I’m typically very careful, padding – for me – is really what determines which lens case I choose for my lenses.
- Capacity/Sizes. How big is your lens? Make sure that you get a lens case that fits your lens to the T so that there is no additional bounce inside from a case that’s too big.
Types
Lens Duffels
I only want to mention lens duffel bags here because they sometimes come with a lens. I’m not a fan of them because they really only serve to cover the lens. They do not have the padding on all sides needed to withstand the impact of a drop/fall.
Nylon Padded Cases
Pictured: Lowepro 11x14cm Lens Case and Adorama Slinger 5” x 86mm Lens Case
Nylon padded cases are the way to go in storing your lens if you do not have some sort of padded bag or case to store them. These types of lens cases are usually heavily padded to protect against accidents. Many of them can attach to a belt that you wear and are easily able to access for a lens change.
Hard Cases
If you have many lenses, you might consider getting a hard padded case to carry them. These types of cases can be customized to fit the number of lenses you might have by purchasing the accommodating foam pieces. Many of these types of cases are waterproof as well.
Speedlight Cases & Pouches
When you purchase a speedlight, it typically comes with a pouch or a soft, non-padded case of which – if you drop it – could easily damage what’s inside.
Key Features
- Material/Padding. Again, padding is very important with any bag you provide for your gear to be stored and/or transported. It doesn’t have to be extremely thick, as that could add weight to what you are carrying, but it should be able to withstand a drop or fall.
- Size. Speedlight sizes are a pretty standard across the board, however, you may also want to carry other accessories in your speedlight case such as its gels and the stand.
Types
There are a couple of types of cases to hold your speedlight when not in use. Be sure that whatever you choose has enough padding and that the speedlight fits inside without too much leeway to move around.
Cases
Again, I’m not a big fan of the cases that typically come with speedlights as they do not have enough padding for my liking plus the speedlight accessories also sitting in the case tends to move around against the speedlight body, which can cause wear after a while.
Pouches
Think Tank Strobe Stuff Padded Belt Pouch
A padded pouch is really the answer to what you can do to adequately protect your speedlight. The Think Tank Strobe Stuff Padded Belt Pouch above is a great storage unit to hold not only your speedlight, but its accessories and other potential belongings that you might want to store inside the pouch.
Battery Pouches & Caddies
You may not think about a storage case for your batteries until you get tired of digging through your bag, looking for a replacement battery for your camera or speedlight.
Key Features
- Material/Padding. Batteries are a pretty solid, necessary tool in photography. They can be dropped and still work without any damage. They do not require as much padding as other gear or accessories you may use. For me, I look for some protection in my battery cases, but mainly, I am looking more for organizational features.
- Sizes. Be sure that you obtain a battery pouch or caddy that not only holds what you currently have, but batteries that you might purchase in the future. A good rule is to count the different batteries you need for all of the things you use in the studio and multiply that by two to determine what size/capacity you will want to choose.
Types
Pouches
I really prefer pouches for my battery storage. The ones below not only have a little bit of padding (the Smith Vector a little more than the others…), but are designed in a very organized fashion and provide ample storage for what I need. I have the camera and AA battery pouches below and find them extremely handy and make finding my batteries a much easier task.
Flash Battery Pouch
Smith-Vector 12-Volt Battery Pack
Camera Battery Pouch
Think Tank Battery Holder for 4 Batteries
AA Battery Wallet Pouch
Caddies
A battery caddy can be a budget friend option to the wallet pouch above to keep your batteries all in one place. These come in different sizes/capacities for different types of batteries.
Powerpax Storacell AA Battery Caddy
Memory Card Wallets and Cases
Key Features
- Materials. You will want to look for a memory card wallet that will help you to keep your memory cards organized, not rubbing against each other or loose and that will protect them.
- Size/Capacity. Since I shoot full frame and I like to shoot on smaller memory cards, in case one fails so that I don’t lose as many images, capacity is very much high on my list.
Types
Folding Wallets
I have owned both of the Think Tank wallets below (I still own the SD version). These really do keep your cards safe and organized, but they go one step further and add a belt and clip so that you can clip the wallet to the inside of a bag or on the loop of your jeans or wherever else you might want to clip them.
Think Tank Pocket Rocket for CF Cards and Think Tank SD Pixel Pocket Rocket
Cases
If you shoot in situations where there may be a chance of water involved, such as a landscape/nature shooter or someone who likes to shoot at the beach, a case like one of the Pelican cases below might be a better option since most of them are water resistant.
Pelican CompactFlash or SD Memory Card Cases
Tripod Bags
In my recent article on tripods, I mention that you should really not cheap out on what is supporting your $1,000+ camera and lens investment. So in the spirit of that topic, it’s probably a good idea to mention you should also protect that tripod as well. Throwing it into a bag among a bunch of thrown in light stands could definitely take life off of your tripod, not to mention break certain parts of it right away!
Key Features
- Durability. It goes without saying that as with all bags, you will want something that is durable, something that will last for a while. Checking other consumer reviews on bags is typically a good idea before making a purchase.
- Material/Padding. Again, padding makes the top of my list on tripod bags as these are long instruments that could easily snap in the center if not properly padded.
Light Stand Bags and Cases
Key Features
- If you take your lights – along with light stands – on location a lot, the wrong bag will wear a lot quicker than a good one. Be sure to check out reviews on these types of bags before buying to discover any common issues other consumers might be having with durability.
- The size of a bag is an easy thing to overlook. Make sure the bag you buy actually fits the minimum size of your light stands, the number of light stands and any light stand accessories you may bring along.
- Padding. If you want your light stands to last longer, a good bag will have adequate padding on all sides to protect these long, narrow objects from snapping in half. Another good feature to look for would be organization within the bag. Throwing all of your light stands together into an unpadded and unsecured bag – the light stands may rub together and bump each other a lot in transport, lowering their life expectancy.
Types
Light Stand Bags
Light stand bags are some of the more commonly use bags by photographers because they are easy and do not take up as much room as a kit box – that has space for a light stand within it – might.
Hensel HD Bag for Stands pictured with Hensel HD Trolley for strobes
C-Stand Bags
A little lesser known bag, the C-Stand bag, works well for transporting C-stands. Make sure these have wheels since C-Stands are heavier than most regular light stands.
Strobe/Continuous Lighting Bags and Cases
If you own strobes, you need a home for them. Some strobe kits actually come with bags or cases designed for their strobe equipment… Singular strobes that you purchase mostly come to you homeless. Here are a few key features to remember to look for and just a few types of bags that make my list.
Key Features
- Sizes/Capacity. Strobe cases and bags come in different shapes and sizes. Choose a strobe case that accommodates the number of strobes you have, or that you intend to have in the near future, as you can always use the unused space for other gear in the meantime.
- Material/Padding. Water-resistant bags and cases are really important. We cannot always shoot on sunny days and putting a bag with electrical equipment into your vehicle during a wet spell can be a problem. Padding is very important here. Good strobe heads can work into the thousands of dollar each. Without good, semi-thick padding between them, they will bump, bang and rub into each other. Don’t forget – you want THICK padding on the bottom.
Types
Bags/Rolling Bags
A set of strobes can prove to be a bit heavy. Many bags do not come with wheels but some – like the bag below – come with wheels. A bag with wheels also slightly tilts the bag up and off the ground so that setting it down does not hurt what’s inside because it barely touches the ground.
Backpacks
Good ole backpacks again! Yes, they make backpacks for pairs of strobes! I’ve actually worked with the backpack below and found it to be a very convenient and comfortable way of transporting my strobes from one place to another. It leaves my hands free to carry bags of light modifiers and any other necessary items for my shoots.
Profoto Backpack M for D1 Air or B1 AirTTL
All I Really Meant to Say Here Was…
Whew! Let me catch my breath here! I covered a lot of bag types and qualities to look for in each bag here. All I really meant to say here was don’t skimp on cost or quality of the bags carrying your expensive investment as using a cheap, poorly made bag could cost you much more by having to replace your gear due to a faulty bag. Always remember, padding is key. Inventory what you have to make sure you pick the right capacity in a bag. Lastly, try it before you buy it. Find a friend that has a bag you’re considering and borrow it. Bring something heavy and try it in the store. If the bag is not comfortable, you will not use it.
