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Digital SLR Camera Bags

A guide to finding the best camera bag

There are lots of digital SLR camera bags on the market. To find the best camera bag for you, decide on the most imporant specifications.

What sort of equipment do you have? Which locations do you most frequently shoot in?

Keen wildlife photographers who spend hours braving the elements for that killer shot might wish to prioritize waterproof camera bags. Opportunistic street snappers perhaps rely more on easy access to equipment. Meanwhile some of you may just want to find the best looking DSLR camera bag (canvas and leather camera bags are about)!

Whatever your preferences, let's run through some of the key considerations and options.

Quick tip: Always take your equipment with you when deciding on a DSLR camera bag. You need to be sure it all fits and is well protected.

Whilst there are some specialist designs out there, broadly speaking there are 2 types of digital SLR camera bags:

Shoulder bags
Backpacks

1. Shoulder Bags

Shoulder bags open from the top and have a single strap that goes over one shoulder. Their chief advantage is easy access to equipment. Just flip open the top cover, get what you need, and continue shooting without even having to remove the bag.

I use a Crumpler camera bag - The Crumpler Muffin Top 4000 - in this style which makes changing lenses, batteries and memory cards in the middle of a shoot an easy task.

If you feel impatient when taking pictures, and don't like to have any interruptions, this could be your best option.

Many shoulder bags have plenty of space for equipment. They are a very simple design, with strong padding around the bottom and sides. Removable inserts with velcro strips serve as dividers to secure various pieces of equipment in place.

Shoulder camera carrying bags can be bought with a waterproof cover that fits over the top, or are sometimes available with a stitched in waterproof lining. So they can be suitable waterproof camera bags for outdoor photogaphers.

Weaknesses of shoulder bags:

The weight contained in shoulder digital SLR camera bags is not evenly distributed across your shoulders and back. Whilst this makes it convenient to swing them round and get what you need, it is neither comfortable nor good for your shoulder to carry them on long photography walks or when travelling.

The lack of padding across the top section of most shoulder bags is a bit of a weak spot. It's important to take extra care not to damage the equipment from above.

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- Pablo Picasso

2. Backpack Digital SLR Camera Bags

Camera carrying bags designed as backpacks function just like any other backpack. Two straps fit over your shoulders (and one around your waist with the larger bags) and a zip is used for opening and closing the main section. Their major advantage over shoulder bags is ease of transportation.

I use a Lowepro camera bag in a backpack design - The Lowepro Flipside 300 - for wildlife, landscape and travel photography. It has a useful little zip section for accessories that's easily reached. There's also a netted compartment for stray items like maps and chocolate bars! A tripod carrier on the back is also an invaluable feature.

Backpack digital SLR camera bags serve a pretty important need for most photographers. Do you go out for hours at a time on a shoot? Do you ever travel with your camera and take it as hand luggage? If so, I definitely recommend checking out backpack digital SLR camera bags.

They are often better padded than shoulder bags, with thick foam covering the entire inner surface. Foam dividers can be re-positioned to create suitable compartments for your equipment.

Back packs are definitely the best camera bag design for those photographers with large, or fast growing, collections of equipment. The distribution of weight over two shoulders is comfier and healthier.

Plus (as with my Lowepro bag) there is often an attachment for securing a tripod to the outside of the bag - really handy!

For those of you who often travel with a camera and could use a DSLR camera bag with a little extra space for hand luggage (or indeed all your luggage, a laptop and perhaps a wide-screen TV!), the Lowepro Fastpack 350 seems to be able to accommodate anything you care to throw at it!

Weaknesses of backpacks:

The only real weakness of back packs is that they offer less easy access than shoulder bags. It can be a nuisance having to take it off, find somewhere to put it, change a lens, and get back to shooting. But that's a small price for all the advantages!

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Having a 'second' DSLR Camera Bag

Since certain digital SLR camera bags are so much better suited to particular situations than others, it can be worth having more than one.

You might prefer to just sling an easy access shoulder bag over your arm in the majority of situations. But for long photo walks or when travelling, your shoulder is just going to end up aching like mad!

There's no need to splash out too much on your 'second' bag though. Find a cheap but effective solution.

Some small backpacks just have enough room for a camera body with lens attached, spare lens and a few accessories. The Kata DR-461 Digital Rucksack For Small DSLR Systems would be an ideal solution.

Alternatively, if you find yourself using a larger backpack most of the time, research some small shoulder bags for situations that demand quick access to gear.

I like the Lowepro Topload Mini Case DSLR camera bag, because it's unobtrusive for close up street photography and just has enough room for a DSLR with lens attached.

How About The Sexiest Digital SLR Camera Bags!?

Let's face it, most digital SLR camera bags are designed with about 95% function, 5% style in mind! But there are 1 or 2 manufacturers who recognise that photographers are interested in the way things look!

It's obviously not most people's number 1 priority, but I like to think that one day I'll get myself a nice sophisticated Billingham bag (perhaps when National Geographic give me a call for an exciting foreign report!).

Actually, brands like Billingham don't produce 'showy' bags at all. They're just miles nicer than the usual offerings and match excellent functionality with appearance.

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Have Your Say and Share Your Photos

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Where Next?

Online Digital Photography Courses

Finding the Best Digital Photo Printers

How to Use Photoshop

If you're on a budget and have just parted with hard earned cash for some other piece of ever-expensive photography gear, I do (cautiously) recommend e-Bay

People often sell their digital SLR camera bags for a big knock-down price. But, know exactly what you want and only buy from highly rated sellers.