Last Updated on 11/02/2016 by Chris Gampat
One of the best things that a camera bag can do for any photographer that travels often is not look like a camera bag. It has to be low profile, adaptable, accommodating, comfortable, and practical. Sometimes, you want it to look stylish while at other times you don’t necessarily care. Every photographer also wants something different from everyone else in the crowd.
We’ve gone through our database of camera bag reviews and found a new one you’ll really like and that no one will believe is a camera bag.
Disclaimer: sometimes the best thing to do is to just not use a camera bag. But camera bags provide nice features like shoulder pads and better durability because they need to carry heavy gear.
Langly Alpha Pro
In our review, we state:
“I don’t have a major complaint about the Langly Alpha Pro’s build quality except that I’d really, really love faster access to my gear than having to take the camera bag off. One solution is to the a Peak Design Capture Clip if you choose.”
Buy Now: Langly
Filson Game Bag
In our review, we state:
“The bag is overall very simple to use in real life applications. I’ve toted it around as a camera bag, an every day bag, etc. You don’t have the super quick access that you may crave, but if you’re a photographer that genuinely doesn’t need that, then you’re all fine. My work doesn’t typically require it, and the only ones that would are wedding photographers and photojournalists. Portrait photographers, landscape photographers, and hobbyist street photographers don’t genuinely have a big need for quick access. So for the most part, the bag is more than good enough. The fact that it has as many pockets as it does also lends itself to being more organized for a photographer overall.”
Buy Now: Good luck trying to get your hands on one! It’s been discontinued for years!
ZKin Yeti Camera Bag
In our review, we state:
“This bag has been with me on the NYC Subways, in the rain, up hills, down hills, through Uber car after car, etc. It’s held up to everything well. A concern of mine was how it held up in the rain. There’s a rain cover for just that sort of thing, but I found I never needed it.”
Buy Now: Lomography
Hawkesmille Sloan Street
In our review, we state:
“Tenba, ONA, Peak Design, z-Kin, and Think Tank all create well-made messenger bags; but Hawkesmill makes Well-Made messenger bags. This bag survived a slurry of rain in New York, a bit of snow, travelling through airport scanner after scanner, etc. What really impressed me though what the implementation of the turning knob. When the bag has been packed with gear, I’ll sometimes grab the suitcase handle in a hurry and the knob will turn and relieve its weight by opening up. But it’s never come apart. In some ways I prefer this, but for what it’s worth absolutely nothing is beating the Peak Design locking mechanism.”
Buy Now: Hawkesmille
Tenba Cooper 13″ Slim
In our review, we state:
“A heck of a lot of work went into the construction of these bags, and it clearly shows. It’s got leather trim, weather sealing inside, a soft to the touch feel, and can accommodate lots of mirrorless camera gear. I honestly don’t have a single complaint about this bag’s build quality as not a single piece of it feels cheaply built.
What I should also mention is that Tenba is also integrating something else into this bag: it’s called Quiet Velcro. While it isn’t completely silent, it’s quieter than normal velcro.”
Buy Now: Amazon
Artisan and Artist COV 7500N Tote Bag
In our review, we state:
“Upon initially getting the camera bag in and tugging on specific parts, I thought that the quality was a bit sub par. Indeed, the small front pocket feels a bit shoddy if you tug on it. But in real life use over the period of a couple of weeks, the COV 7500N withstood incredible abuse, including getting wet in rainstorms.
The zipper is a bit odd to use. It can either be fully opened or stopped at a specific point via a leather clasp. The zipper could have been totally eliminated and replaced with a magnetic clip system that would also allow for even quicker access to your gear. Indeed, we’ve often found the clip systems to be superior for quick access if that’s what you’re looking for.
If you’re the type of photographer who keeps their camera in their hand though, then don’t worry about this.”
Buy Now: Amazon
ONA Prince Street
In our review, we state:
“In our two weeks of testing, we found the bag to be sturdy and resilient to the elements. It was bumped around the NYC subway system by commuters while attached to my body, and protected the gear thanks to the padding that ONA supplies in the dividers. Where I believe that ONA could have improved is in the strap adjustment. As you adjust the strap, the padded area isn’t able to move to the section that you may want it at. And for that reason, we often had to keep the bag in a single position–which was usually slung around and with the bag behind us. For the extra paranoid shooter, you may want to be aware of this since the bag won’t always be in your peripheral line of sight.
To be fair, when it is hugging your body that closely, you should be able to know what’s going on.”
Buy Now: Amazon