Photo Project: Bags — Walking with Cameras and Moving Gear Around

Taking the plunge and buying an SLR camera usually means something of an assault on your plastic friend! But from your emails I can see that a lot of you are surprised that the spending doesn’t stop there! Bags are a particular problem. What works? What should I buy?

The starting point is some come clarity about how you are going to be using your gear

Many of us use our gear in many different ways and if you think about it there is unlikely to be one solution.

Walking

A great deal of my camera use involves walking, both on hills and in cities. For both really I want something that is comfortable to carry and reasonably light. Street photographers often have a look at camera backpacks or slings but these are not much use when hillwalking. I don’t want to buy two different systems, so what works for me?

Over many years of use I have come to realise that the best backpack for my cameras is — well — my ordinary backpack. I’m not really convinced at all that the commercial back systems are really worth it or are convenient and comfortable enough.

My current system works like this.

When backpacking and hill walking I like to carry my DSLR camera. I know many people invest in a more portable system but I prefer to work at maximum quality. I still feel the need for a proper viewfinder although I know many people are doing without one, or buying systems that have optional electronic viewfinders. Perhaps, these are the future but I don’t think they are ready yet.

My basic system for hill walking involves a simple camera carrying pouch which is carried bandolier style across my shoulder. For the last six years I have been using the same, basic, top loading Lowe system. This has just room for my camera with a moderate/standard zoom attached. A front pocket carries some basic filters. A side pocket is a good place to store a compass and whistle.

For minimalist trips the lens I choose is a Cannon 17-40 USM which is light and compact and — when installed on the camera — fits into the case nicely.

This case has a rain cover that is concealed behind the front pocket when not in use. In practice this cover has kept my camera dry and useable through day-after-day of Scottish, Welsh and Irish rain! Torrential rain at that.

The current model in the Lowe line-up that I use can be bought for about £25.

When I want to carry more gear I simply utilise my daypack. My camera remains in the top loader and my tripod sits in the lightweight backpack.  On day walks on the hills this is almost always the system I have with me. Occasionally — mainly when walking around cities — I want to take a second lens.

I have found the best way of carrying my lens is to buy a Lowepro Lens case — one with a firm bottom and sides and which has some protective padding in the side walls. These are inexpensive and provide pretty good protection for valuable lenses. The case slips easily into a lightweight rucksack.

When carrying a tripod, a cable release and hot shoe spirit level are kept in the front pocket of the top loader case.

On longer hikes and backpacking trips I still rely on lightweight packs. Most often I will leave my tripod behind but when I’m not carrying too much food I will sometimes take it with me. The tripod simply sits in one of the side pockets of the pack.

That’s my walking system. It is cheap and effective. It keeps my gear in good shape and utilises other gear that I already have.

Moving Gear Around

But there are times when I want more capacity and more protection and this is where a dedicated camera case comes in. This was the case for my recent trip to Ireland.

On occasions like the Ireland visit I want to carry much of my gear. In my bag for this trip was an SLR, two zoom lenses (17-40 and 24-105), a sizeable flash gun and an Apple Laptop (13 inch) in a protective sleeve. The bag also carried filters, memory cards and other bits and bobs.

Many photographers will want to carry more than this. But, even this load is pretty heavy.

I’m not going to recommend a particular case though I use a Billingham Bag which  is amazingly durable, and amazingly expensive!

When it comes to camera bags I think you do really benefit from buying them in a store rather than online, or at least having a good look at them in a store before placing your order — I know that’s unfair we all do it from time to time.

If you are lucky enough to be living in or close to a city then you will find a good selection in Jessops and Jacobs although it might be wort seeking out a branch of Calumet where you really will get a good selection and really good customer service.

My Billingham bag does sometimes sit on my shoulder as I walk around taking photographs and some thought needs to be given to this.

Perhaps, the main thing to look in such a bag is space! Your gear not only needs to sit in the bag it needs to be accessible quickly. You might also want to be able to slip the camera into the bag temporarily and easily.

In my experience a camera bag such as this often seems to be bigger than you need. But a bag in which everything is packed too tightly is a nightmare to use.

The bottom line. Make sure you have the space to transport everything that you need.