The Perfect Camera Bag
The quest to carry my gear as efficiently as possible
Over the years, I collected several camera bags in various forms and sizes. Yet, to this day, I struggle to find one for specific occasions. Lately, I came across an article online which in contrast to other articles, where the authors suggest selling the bags that you do not use, this one advised you to keep all the bags you own for when you eventually need them.
In this article, I will take a look at my bag collection and which works best for me.
My camera bag collection
We all start somewhere. We have some photography kit with cameras, lenses, etc and we start searching for the next obvious buy — how to carry them. A camera bag. Little do we know that it will not be the only bag, but the first of many!
My first camera bag was a LowePro Flipside 400 AW. This camera bag is in the form of a backpack, holds a good amount of gear, and is really great for most occasions. When I used to carry 2 DSLR bodies or more than one zoom lens like the 70–200mm, 16–25mm, etc, this bag was the only bag that fit the bill. Needless to say, it looks like a photographic bag, it is a bit bulky and if you are travelling, well for me it might be a bit too much since nowadays I prefer just carrying a film camera with 3 primes or even sticking with one lens only.
My second bag was a Kata DR 465. I got this for free when I joined a photography club. Kata used to make really great bags. The one I have has two compartments. The top compartment is for storing small items like electronics, chargers, a sandwich or a raincoat, and the bottom compartment is used for camera bodies and lenses. It will fit 1 DSLR body without grip and medium lenses or primes. Anything taller will not fit.
The issue I have with this bag is that it can be opened/stolen very easily and the space restricts its use. I would always prefer my LowePro over it. Also in this bag, you cannot fit a camera with lens attached so it’s a bit of a bummer for me.
Next, I have three shoulder bags. A Kata Access-18 PL shoulder bag, which is a very sturdy and roomy bag that I particularly use for long lenses. This one is the only bag that can fit a DSLR with a 400mm lens attached. It can also hold a flash and a smaller lens like the nifty 50mm.
The other shoulder bag I own is a LowePro Pro Messenger 160 AW shoulder bag which I rarely use but is very spacious. This bag might be the go-to bag if I am going for a photo shoot and want to take everything with me. But from my experience using it last week while on vacation, it totally isn’t fit for my purpose (i.e. street photography). It lacks quick access and when trying to get gear from inside of it, it sort of sticks to the edges all the time.
My third shoulder bag is an Ona Bowery in leather. I love this bag and is my favorite of all the ones listed here. Simply put, this is the bag that fits my current needs. I rarely carry any DSLRs and zooms, so this bag is my daily carry and I usually keep a Leica M and a smaller camera or a flash. To me, this is the ultimate compromise of weight, size and function.
Finally, I have a NG 2344 camera bag. This bag has seen its use. It changed colour and was the camera bag I used before I got the Ona Bowery. This bag is my go-to bag when I am travelling. It fits a Leica M, a couple of primes, has room for some film and keeps my passport, etc. Also compared to the Ona, this one is more secure since it has zipped compartments covered by a flap.
But there is always…a BUT!
So last week I was packing for a short trip to London. There I planned to shoot street and already decided that I would take my Leica M with a 50mm and a small video camera. For such trips, I used to prefer using my NG bag since it is the most secure and is weatherproof, tried and tested and apart from being low profile it keeps all I need.
This all changed with the addition of a video camera so I opted for the LowePro shoulder bag.
To give credit where is due, the Lowepro Access-18 PL did a fantastic job in keeping all the gear, film, rain jacket and all the things I threw at it, but it felt awfully cumbersome. The velcro made unwanted noise every time I needed to open the bag and what ruined everything was accessibility to the gear. The gear sort of stuck with all the sidewalls inside the bag which sometimes felt like the bag was fighting me instead of helping me.
The bag, when worn, sort of wraps around the gear making it very difficult to take and put gear in the bag. This doesn’t mean that the bag is not good or doesn’t have any use, it just means it is not meant for the purpose I was using it for.
So I bought another bag.
Well, one of the reasons for the trip was that I wanted to find a Billingham bag and have one of my own. I am a sucker for good bags and to keep the story short I got a Billingham SL2.
This bag fits the bill. It is a quality bag, water repellent and is the perfect size weight, and functions the way I need it to. I will be reviewing it in another post.
So what will I do with so many bags?
Well, I will use them according to my needs and purpose. GooNowadays I am usually carrying a rangefinder or SLR with or without an addition of another lens, flash or body. In these cases which are the norm for me, I can use the Bowery, the NG or the Billingham.
If I am carrying something larger like an RZ67 and a lens, the Lowepro bags will both come in handy. The Kata shoulder bag can also hold the RZ67 with a lens attached and a light meter.
If I need to carry an SLR and more than one medium to large lens, I will opt for the LowePro backpack.
Over the years when I go on short walks to photograph insects/flowers and landscapes, I usually have a body with a lens attached, usually the 100mm macro, a 180mm Macro and the 16–35mm for landscapes. The bag also has a front compartment, useful when fitting small items or even a snack to have along the way.
Conclusion
I hope you found this article of interest and if you have similar experiences let me know in the comments.
The key takeaway is that there is no perfect camera bag that does it all. When our style/interest changes or when the gear changes, the bag needs to follow suit. For me, it is a good excuse to have a small collection of quality bags.
But most importantly, I make sure that photography is something that gives me enjoyment. Be it a camera, lens, bag or anything else that makes me get out there and shoot, it all adds up to having a great photographic experience and hopefully results in me being in the right mood and equipped with the right equipment to take better photographs.