Where do I begin? There are so many types and options of camera bags for all the various cameras like point-and-shoot, entry DSLR, Pro DSLR, action, drones and more. 

The majority types of bags I will be talking about will fit a full frame DSLR Nikon. It doesn’t mean that you won’t find a brand that makes one for your style camera. The manufacturers will have smaller and larger camera bags to fit other types of cameras as well.

I’m going to talk about the various brands and kinds of Camera Bags and what to look for when searching. Once you get your camera, the next thing you need to figure out is how you will carry it. It needs padding to be protected when it is inside a bag, case, etc. Many brands have removable and adjustable dividers. Those come in handy so you can customize how your gear will fit inside, especially the size of the body and lens. Typical types of bags are: shoulder, sling, messenger, backpack, toploading, duffle, totes, hard cases, purses and roller. I’ve used and owned almost each type. They each have a purpose, style and location to be used at. I haven’t settled on just one as I go on different adventures from photographing a family or mom-to-be to exploring the National Parks to walking along the beautiful beaches in Florida.

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Are you looking for a purse that can carry your camera? Well you’re in luck as they make them.

A purse camera bag is nice as it is fashionable and doesn’t look like a typical bag. You can wear them when you dress up; when you are working an event or wedding; or just a day out on the town and want to take photos. Here are a few brands: Kelly Moore Bag, Jo Totes (Johansen), ONA, Think Tank PhotoLily Deanne, Jill-E Designs and Shutterbag. I personally love the Kelly Moore Bag Mimi (discontinued) and Jo Totes Missy. I’ve had my eyes on the Kelly Moore The Libby 2.0 and The Kate 2.0.

Next up are sling camera bags. These have one strap that you sling across your back and can quickly swing in front of you to access your camera with ease and quick access. Some allow you to use on either shoulder but a lot work while carrying on your left shoulder then you can swing in front of you on your right. The list of brands can be quite long but I’ll be mentioning the ones I’ve looked at online or personally used or own: LowePro, Peak Design, Tamrac, Think Tank Photo, Mindshift, Manfrotto, Mountainsmith, Pacsafe, Tenba, Timbuk2, Vanguard, and more. My favorite are: LowePro Slingshot, LowePro Passport, Peak Design Everyday Sling, Think Tank Photo Turnstyle. Each of those have different sizes available, depending on how much gear like lenses, bodies and accessories you want to carry.

Backpacks, what can I say about backpacks… there are quite a lot of choices of backpack camera bags out there from the everyday look to hiking to fashionable.

They even make padded inserts that can go inside them so you can use an every day book bag and carry your camera. Theses brands all make some: LowePro, Peak Design, Tamrac, Think Tank Photo, Mindshift, Manfrotto, and more. Padded inserts: Kattee, S-Zone, Tenba, and others. Atlas Packs Athlete and Atlas Packs Adventure are great for carrying a lot of gear and for hiking. Peak Design Every Day Backpack doesn’t look like a camera bag which is great. If you like to travel, Peak Design has a backpack with various pouches that is great for traveling. It is their Travelline Backpack.
I have a dedicated blog post all about the Peak Design Travel Backpack + Packing Line. See link below.

https://atomic-temporary-108369924.wpcomstaging.com/peak-design-travel-line-backpack/

Shoulder bags and messenger bags are other types. They basically just sit on either shoulder. Brands like LowePro, Tamrac, Think Tank Photo, Mindshift, Manfrotto, and many others make them in various shapes and sizes. The messenger bags usually can carry a larger laptop, depending on its size. Shoulder bags sometimes have a dedicated spot for small tablet or laptop. They can be a quick and casual to grab when you want to go light.

Let me know if I missed any that you love. I love learning and looking at all the different bags out there. If you need help deciding or if you have any questions, you can email me at AnaGarciaPhotos@gmail.com or leave a comment below.