What Kind of Camera Bag Works Best?

[admin]

Last week I wrote about tripod bags and have since been asked about camera bags. This is a subject I haven't written much about before, but let's take it head on this week....

More... (http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/camera-bags.html)

[jerryph]

In addition to the info in this article, one of the 2 most important aspects in making a good choice of bag for yourself are:

1. What are you going to place in the bag
2. What are you going to use the bag for (where are you going to take it?)

What you are going to place into the bag will decide on the size you need. If all you need is the ability to hold a single P&S camera, a $5 belt pouch is often all that is needed, however at the other end of the spectrum, if you need to carry dual camera bodies and several lenses as well as a couple of tripods and/or lightstands, you need something larger like a backpack design.

There are many brands out there such as Lowepro, Think Tank, Kiesel, Canon, Nikon and on and on. I prefer to talk less about the brand and more about functionality.

- If you carry a small amount of weight, the shoulder strap style works well.

- If you carry small weight over longer distances, a small backpack design is excellent.

If you carry a moderate amount of equipment, some like the packs that go over one shoulder. This style gives you quicker access to your equipment than a full backpack, but I am really against these as they place the full weight of whatever you carry on one shoulder and this causes back issues, pain and possible neck strains and injuries over a remarkably short period of time. A small backpack is excellent.

- There are also larger full-sized backpacks that can carry multiple cameras and lenses and a surprisingly large amount of equipment as well.

For the second part, what you are going to use the bag for, this decides other factors. Above we discussed using shoulder bags and backpacks, however, if you are going to be traveling with your equipment, there are better options, especially if you are traveling by plane.

There are many cases out there that resemble travel suitcases that have wheels and can be carried on. However, if you plan to check in the luggage, it is important that it be in sturdier/stronger full plastic hard cases. In this last case, there is one brand that is acknowledged to be the absolute king of cases for camera equipment of all sizes from simple camera kits to full professional lighting setups needing to be transported, and that name is Pelican. These are hard cases that are not only sturdy but waterproof. Often they are able to float as well, if dropped into the water. They have cases of any size and can be custom tailored to securely hold near anything that you need without fearing bumps, breakage or what ever else you can think of.

Taking the time to make the right choice for your needs will give you years of good service from your equipment.

A final note... plan for the future. If you are like me, someone who is very serious about their photography and considering going professional and therefore transporting more than a simple single camera/lens... buy bigger than you need now, for the future. This saves you money over time by not needing to purchase a bigger camera holder in the future.

So, what do I use? I am at the point that if I am doing a small single room shoot, I can carry most of what I need in a single small backpack. Like our illustrious forum administrator, I also prefer the Lowepro name for reasons of good quality, longevity, all weather protection. Do expect to pay a premium for a good bag.

I've also added a couple of shoulder bags for when I do weddings. They hold my additional equipment, wires, clamps and so on... and here is where I needed to get innovative... to carry my studio heads, several lightstands, umbrellas and so on, I have used a hockey equipment bag. Something like THIS (http://www.sportchek.ca/sportchek/do/style;jsessionid=EE68FED346BBA402C9AB13CD3B51BB0D; jsessionid=EE68FED346BBA402C9AB13CD3B51BB0D.sportc hek1?menuId=57&styleId=50551) is what holds my bigger items securely.

Granted, this is for travel from location to location by automobile and I would not suggest you checking in this soft bag at the airport unless you want a mess of broken hardware by the time you arrive at your destination. However, I can put an incredible amount of gear into it and it still is easy to walk around as it has wheels and a handle and because I have added strategic placement of foam, the contents are very safe for local transport (ie: car or bus).

For airplane transport, again, look into the Pelican line of hard case containers (http://www.casesbypelican.com/pelican_Camera_cases.htm).

At the top I mentioned "one of the 2 most important aspects...". What is the second aspect? Your budget, of course! Again, I am of the "if you cannot afford what you really want right now... work hard, save longer and don't settle for #2..." frame of mind. Get good quality cases... it is holding you camera and equipment and keeping it safe and dry!

[tomhest]

Depending on what you need I have different recommendations. For all day shooting when you want a few lenses, flashes, batteries, cards and etc. on you at all times I use The One Bag (http://www.undfind.com) by Undfind. The strap is neoprene and has some padding so its very comfortable on your shoulder when you are shooting all day. I also like its sleek design and the fact that it has micro suede on the inside cover to clean your lenses. Also, it much more affordable then brands like shootsac. Usually pairing this type of bag with a pelican or hard case will be the best combo for any type of shoot. (Unless you are out hiking or biking....then definantly a lowepro or other type of backpack)