Most of us who have owned more than one camera or are even just slightly serious about photography will know the search for the perfect camera bag is a never-ending impossible one. Do you go for style over function or try and get both? Do you go for a messenger bag or back pack? My conclusion is it’s impossible to find the perfect camera bag because different bags are better suited to certain functions. It’s all very well having a hipster messenger bag but when you go traveling and are carrying around other shit, most messenger bags aren’t big enough.
My Strategy which I will never stray from (until tomorrow when I’ll probably change my mind): First up, your strategy will depend on your gear, how much of that gear you like to take around, and how you usually shoot. My strategy is based on these:
1. I think a camera bag is overrated because when you’re out taking photos, your camera’s not even in your bag. When I’m traveling or out almost anywhere, and I decide to take a camera, the camera will be out ALL the time. I’ll carry my Leica MP around my neck the whole day and only put it away when absolutely necessary, like when I get on the plane and going through security.
2. When I’m taking street shots in Hong Kong I only take one camera and that will mostly be a Leica MP or Contax T3, both are small. I don’t need a big bag.
3. When I’m traveling, which is about once a month, I’ll usually have my 4 1/2 year old boy with me and depending where the wife is, that may require taking 18 layers of clothing, 15 drinks and an emergency beacon with me. I need plenty of space for non-photography items.
So considering those, I get away with two bags for travel and one bag whilst in Hong Kong. When I’m in Hong Kong, I just carry around my Deuter Speedlite 20 back pack, it’s just over a pound (around 500gms) which is half of what most camera back packs weigh, I stick a made in China foam insert/protector (cost me HKD$25) and I’m good to go anywhere. The bag is falling apart, but it’s cheap, comfortable and looks alright.
When I’m traveling I’ll usually take my Leica MP and 35 Summicron, which goes in the pack, together with shit for on the plane, so change of clothes for my son, few snacks, tablet, earphones and that’s it. I usually take my X-Pro 2 with 16mm and one other lens, usually the 56mm or perhaps the 35mm (50mm equivalent). These, together with battery charger, spare batteries, film (I allow for 3 rolls per day, more if I’m somewhere exotic) and other shit, go in my Artisan and Artist ACAM-1100. This not the most stylish or functional bag, but it does the trick, carries all my digital stuff plus film and keeps it protected. The padding inside is Japanese nice, high quality and a bit like nice pair of boobs – very soft yet firm if you know what I mean. I carry them both on the plane, one on my back, the other over the shoulder. When I get to the destination I can swap out the Leica MP with the X-Pro 2 or if I’m going somewhere particularly photo worthy, I’ll have my MP around my neck and X-Pro 2 in the pack.
This has served me well for a few years now, I’ve got a PacSafe that’s rather functional but also rather heavy. I can pack my Leica MP, X-Pro 2 and a few lenses in there but that starts to get very heavy. I’ve used it a couple of times, once on a trip to Bhutan and India and once to Tibet. Traveling light is high on my list of priorities. At the same time, I’m always of the opinion that if you have camera gear you might as well use it, more on that on my post about my Camera Setup. With the above strategy, I cover 16-200mm on crop sensor which is enough for me. I’ve tried other camera bags, Manfrotto, Billingham, Lowepro, Ona and a bunch of others but I can’t see myself changing my current setup. There’s no such thing as the perfect camera bag so stop searching.
The whole camera bag thing is, like most other issues in Photography, extremely overrated. If you go out shooting your camera should be around your neck or shoulder the whole time right? Who really walks around with their camera inside the camera bag, ready to take it out? Yes, if you’re a Pro carrying a massive DSLR and a bunch of honkin lenses, obviously a back pack isn’t going to do the job, but for the vast majority of hobbyists, serious amateurs and otherwise, don’t worry so much about getting the perfect bag because you’ve got about as much chance as finding the perfect women or man.
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