This is one man’s opinion and that’s all. I don’t decide the fate of an industry or even what you think, and I know this. Yet, like a vegan, I can’t help myself I have to talk about this issue.
Camera bags are terrible.
I know it’s the title but it needs repeating. I currently have not 1, not 2, not 3, but 6 camera bags. Not one of them does what I want. They all have their good bits and their neat features, but at the end of the day, they all fall short where it counts. Carrying what I need.
What did I want to carry?
Originally I desired to carry my Leica SL2, my Sofort 2, and my Lumix S9 with various lenses to shoot stills and video at events. It’s too heavy, not the bag’s fault but mine. Especially when I was also trying to carry a 14-inch Mac Book Pro, the charger for it, and various other bits and bobs. I got greedy and I know it. I got excited with the new setup and wanted everything all the time to justify the expense.
Now I want to carry my SL2 with 2-3 lenses. A Sigma 17MM, Sigma 90MM, and a 24-70 Leica zoom lens. That gives me a massive range of options to take almost any photo I need to. I can also shoot videos if I desire. To support this setup I want to carry 3 batteries, 1 wrist strap/neck strap, body and lens cap, and small things like my SD to iPhone cable, and USB-C cable. I still want to carry a laptop sometimes so that’s also a factor.
So far I have tried.
I have and still use occasionally this off-brand canvas-like bag when I want to just grab one body, one lens, and go. I have had the bag for well over a decade at this point and I doubt it’s ever leaving. Not big enough for a full setup it’s the closest to perfect for storage and carrying the bits and bobs of any bag I have owned.
The Think Tank 15L messenger bag had been my go-to with my Fuji setup. Able to store the 5-6 lenses I had, my XT-5, and all the accessories it was great. The added weight of the SL2 and full frame lenses exposed the big issue with the bag. The strap is terrible. It’s not designed to carry much weight and with that body and 24-70 zoom lens, it quickly becomes an exercise in swapping shoulders. Lovely bag otherwise and has held up well.
I also have a Lowepro Fastback BP 250 AWII backpack. It’s around 10L or so of camera space and again was great for the APS-C setup of my Fuji kit. It’s not tall or deep enough for the SL2 body. It does work well for the Lumix S9 so it’s not a lost cause. I just don’t shoot much video and the S9 isn’t grabbing my attention at the moment. More on that in another article.
I did upgrade to a hard travel case so that I can move all my gear as needed safely. The Pelican Vault V525 is a tank. Everything I have fits and allows me to move to a new location and set up a base of operations safely and easily. I may eventually outgrow it but I have been downsizing lens collections and focusing on only carrying what I know I will use. I experiment too much and end up hauling things I know I won’t use just in case.
I recently returned the Wandrd Prvke 21L backpack. I even purchased the Pro Camera Cube to organize the cameras and lenses. I don’t like it. I wish I had gotten the Everyday Cube instead and left some of the top of the bag open. There just weren’t enough areas to put the small things and I hate a wad of stuff just chilling in a pocket. Super annoying.
What’s next?
I decided to give Wandrd another shot and purchased their Rogue 9L sling bag. I have been setting it up the last day or so and it shows promise. More versatile than the Prvke for what I need, with more storage spots, and a versatility the Prvke lacked. We will see if it can finally deliver close to what I want. What bag do you use and how long did it take to find the “right” one?