Photofocus

It’s been two years since I originally wrote my post recommending camera bags. For me – things have changed since then. I’ve been focused on carrying less gear and reducing my carry load. So my personal favorites have changed. Here’s the list of the camera bags I now use and recommend.

NOTE:  I’ve reviewed many bags here on Photofocus, but as I often say, there is no perfect bag. Just as I wouldn’t think of owning just one camera lens, I wouldn’t think of owning just one camera bag. You need different bags for different tasks. You need bags for transporting gear to the job and bags for working from ON the job. With that in mind,  here are my favorites, in no particular order.

Tenba ProDigital 2.0 Messenger

I reviewed this bag here – http://photofocus.com/2010/01/07/tenba-prodigital-2-0-messenger-mini-review/ – it’s a great gadget or computer or compact camera bag. When you want a bag that doesn’t scream “CAMERA BAG” this is it. It works well as either a laptop/briefcase or a small gear bag for things like flashes, compact cameras and other accessories.

Gura Gear Kiboko

I reviewed this bag here – http://photofocus.com/2008/11/04/wildlife-photographer-launches-new-photo-bag-line-twip/ – it’s a traveling/transport bag. Is it my imagination or are airline overheads getting smaller? If you want a bag that (if not overstuffed) will fit in almost ANY airline’s overhead bin, the Kiboko is for you. It’s light weight and is the best bag I’ve tried at getting my gear TO the field. It also works well for simply storing gear in at my studio.

Think Tank Photo Airport Addicted V 2.0

I recently reviewed the Think Tank ~ Airport International V 2.0 at Photofocus.com. This bag is a great solution for any photographer who wants to both transport and protect their gear. The only negative (and this is a very small nit) is that in order to be tough enough to protect your gear it also has to be heavy (and expensive.) Those small nits aside this is a very safe choice

Adorama Joe Farace Reporter II Backpack

Unfortunately the only way you’ll find this bag is to buy it used or to grab one of the few originals being sold on Ebay or Amazon. I have no idea why Adorama stopped making it. It’s a great bag and I’m listing it here because this post is about the bags I like and use. Here’s the original review on Photofocus. Perhaps a letter-writing campaign to Adorama will bring it back. But it’s the best (and lightest) camera bag for the money I’ve ever seen. Period. It just works. It’s very light. It holds enough gear to work out of and it’s cheap.

ThinkTank Photo Airport 4-Sight

I recently reviewed the 4-Sight at Photofocus. This bag is very unique because it is a four-roller bag dedicated to photography. It’s super light weight and will fit in most overhead bins on airplanes – even the small ones. I’ve quickly become addicted to the easy way it rolls around and the reasonable amount of gear it holds given its small size and very light weight.

CONCLUSION

If your favorite camera bag isn’t on this list – it doesn’t mean it’s a bad bag. It just means it’s not MY favorite. But I think any of these would be a safe choice as part of the average photographer’s bag arsenal.

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