Camera bag choices – never easy, never perfect
Every new lens that is added to one’s camera gear causes a problem – transportation. How to carry around all that stuff is a tricky business that isn’t easily covered, especially not by one single solution.
There are quite a few different criteria to chose a bag or a backpack by and focusing on one of them usually comes with a tradeoff on another one. To me these criteria are (in no apparent order):
SpaceHow many lenses and camera bodies can one fit in the bag/backpack? How many does one need? Accessibility
I accessing the things stored in the bag/backpack easy? Can one do it standing, without putting the bag down? Safety
How well is the gear protected by the bag/backpack, against weather and blows as well as theft? Ergonomics
Is it possible to carry the bag/backpack for longer periods of time? Does it slow one down? Can one sit on it? Location / Occasion
What is the environment in which the bag has to perform? Build Quality
How long will it work, how sturdy is the material? Looks
Does it look like a camera bag or backpack? Most do, but they shouldn’t!
I am on my third bag, bought my second backpack just this morning and thought I might share some impressions I collected on the way.
Until a year ago I just bought a new bag when I couldn’t fit my gear in the old one any more. I ended up with a huge Tamrac Pro 12 bag, a monster of a bag that takes almost all of my gear! If I take this bag I don’t have to compromise on lens choice, everything is right with me. This however comes at the cost of slower movement and a little pain in the shoulders/back the day after. Sizing up bags isn’t a solution, getting different smaller bags or backpacks for different occasions seems to be a better way. I still use the huge Tamrac Pro 12 bag, but mainly for storing my gear and transporting it from A to B.
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