Best DSLR Camera Bags Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Virtually everyone loves quality images captured using a high-quality camera. Whether you are a professional photographer or do photography for fun, you would appreciate a good camera with high-quality lenses. This makes it even more important to carry it in a reliable bag that will ensure it remains protected from scratches and accidental falls. The bag should also feature several padded interior compartments for easy organization and extra protection.
Featured Recommendations
- Altura Medium
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Our rating - Padded Carrying Handle
- Price: See Here
- AmazonBasics Large
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Our rating - Holds Up To 3 Lenses
- Price: See Here
- Altura Sling
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Our rating - 90-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
- Price: See Here
Taking good care of your DSLR camera ensures it lasts long enough to serve all of your photography needs without thinking about replacement in the near future. With so many camera designs on the market, manufacturers of camera bags have been forced to constantly improve their designs to match those of modern-day cameras. However, these camera bags have grown in popularity and numbers and it has increasingly becoming difficult to choose the right one. If you are enthusiastic about photography, you need to get a good camera bag to help protect your expensive equipment while providing ease of movement and access on the go. Every avid photographer appreciates a good quality camera bag to hold all of the accessories and items that need to escort the camera. In addition, the safety of the camera remains a top priority when shopping for a good quality camera bag. The environment presents several harsh elements that may be harmful to your camera. For utmost protection from these elements, always do take your time when shopping for a camera bag to ensure it would serve the purpose for which it was designed. Without wasting much time, below are the best camera bags reviewed for quality.
10 Best DSLR Camera Bags
1. Altura Photo Medium
Crafted from a highly durable polyester material, the bag is definitely long-lasting. The carry handle is also fitted with reinforced padding to make it durable and comfortable to carry.
Velcro Insert
Velcro-fastened padded insert is for keeping your camera and lens separate. You can also keep any other small camera accessories separately.
Cost and Value
Crafted from polyester material to ensure the bag will serve you for longer, and Velcro-fastened padded insert for keeping camera accessories separate, this bag gives peace of mind. It is also pocket-friendly.
The polyester material makes it durable
Velcro-fastened padded insert for easy organization
Lid opens fast and away from the body for easy access
Two zippered side-pockets to keep small accessories
Zippers may become broken after a while
Shoulder straps may also become ripped if you carry several heavy items
2. AmazonBasics Large
There is no need to leave your tablet at home on your way to the wild and yet there is plenty of room left for it. The bag features a padded slot for tablet devices.
Comfort
The AmazonBasics bag provides comfort on the go using its adjustable, extra-padded, shoulder straps. It would still feel comfortable even when fully loaded with your gear.
Cost and Value
The bag provides enough space for camera and accessories, including your tablet gadget, which will enjoy a padded compartment to protect it against damage caused by impact. The bag is pocket-friendly too.
Thick, padded compartment for tablet device
Enough room for camera equipment and accessories, as well as tablet
Sturdy straps for safe-carrying
Removable interior to fit any DSLR camera body
The straps are not very durable
May not be large enough for those who carry several items
3. Altura Sling
The bag features a highly customizable interior to accommodate your camera equipment no matter the shape or size. You can pack every accessory or item in its own place.
Mesh Pockets
This sling backpack also features mesh pockets to make it easy to carry camera accessories or other items to your adventure.
Cost and Value
With a customizable and padded interior designed to make it easy to store virtually any DSLR camera equipment, you can be sure that your money will be invested in the right product.
Lightweight and durable for reliability
Padded divider compartments for easy organization
Mesh pockets to hold more accessories
Quick side entry for easy access
Bag may be small for those who need much space
The straps are not very durable
4. Altura DSLR
The thick interior padding provides safety to ensure your DSLR camera is not scratched unnecessarily. You could wrap your camera and keep it in the interior compartments where it would remain safe.
Water Repellant Exterior
It features a water repellant design to keep the water away from your equipment and accessories. The bag can take light showers without getting wet or allowing water to reach the contents inside.
Cost and Value
The exceptional interior padding and the durable water-repellant exterior are of great value to the adventurer and photographer. The price is affordable.
840D nylon exterior offers protection against rain
Removable foam-padded insets for customization
Adjustable padded shoulder straps for comfort fit
Side attachment cup for carrying a tripod stand
The zippers could come with a defective tooth
Image size on the Internet may differ slightly from actual item
5. Kattee Vintage
It comes with adjustable padded dividers for customization and interior flexibility. Put every item where it belongs or according to where you want it to be. The built-in microfiber cloth offers ultra-protection to your equipment’s LCD screen to ensure it is without a scratch.
Durable
High-density outside canvas and interior cotton liner offer both durability and comfort to your items, respectively. Featuring genuine leather trim, the bag is designed to last.
Cost and Value
With a customizable interior made from soft cotton liner, your camera and accessories will remain safe from scratches. In addition, you can enjoy the genuine leather trim if you are looking for durability. For only a few dollars, this Kattee leather canvas messenger shoulder bag can be yours.
High-density canvas and genuine leather trim exterior for maximum durability
Doubles as a casual and professional camera bag
Designed for DSLR camera and accessories
Padded dividers for organization and interior customization
Extra pockets for business cards, compact discs, memory cards, and any other small accessories you may need
Colors of the bag may rub off onto the user’s clothes
Sharp metal zippers may scratch the body of your DSLR camera if you are not too careful when placing or removing the camera equipment
6. Kattee Leather
This retro and classic style SLR camera bag is durable with a cotton liner to deliver the ultimate comfort your camera needs. It will outlast most bags on the market.
Flexible Inner Liner
With two adjustable and fully padded dividers, the bag features a flexible and highly customizable interior with a built-in microfiber cloth to help provide the protection your camera’s LCD screen needs, as nicks and scratches could ruin your shot.
Cost and Value
The interior of the camera bag is very soft and offers your equipment the protection it needs against scratches, all for a small price of a few dollars.
A cotton liner for complete care
Padded dividers for interior customization and flexibility
Microfiber cloth to offer protection to camera’s LCD screen
Simple structure to make it easy to use
Sharp metal zippers could damage your gear if not careful
May not have enough space for ‘heavy packers’
7. USA Gear DIgital
Eight pockets are designed into the bag to hold your camera, batteries, adapters, flash drives, memory cards and other equipment you might find necessary. The space is large enough to keep all the gear yet the bag remains lightweight and portable.
Padded Protection
The laptop slot is fully padded and zipped for superior protection. Accidental bumps would not harm your laptop or cause scratches to your valuable camera equipment.
Cost and Value
The bag is fully padded for complete protection from accidental bumps that may cause scratches to your pieces of equipment, and the bag is spacious and has room for everything. It is affordable too.
Reinforced straps and handle make is easy to comfortably carry the bag
Spacious room to carry laptop, camera equipment and accessories
Padded laptop compartment for safekeeping
Metal zippers for durability and ease of access
Overstuffing the bag may cause it to be short-lived
Zippers are not as longlasting as the bag itself
8. eCostConnection Medium
This is medium in size and features sturdy construction for durability and ease of movement. You can easily pack the essentials on the go.
Comfortable Carrying Handle
The bag has compact compartments to hold your camera equipment, with a carrying handle to make it easy to move around the forest while documenting the beauty of nature.
Cost and Value
The bag has 2 side pockets to hold as many accessories as the space will allow. The removable shoulder strap provides great convenience. In addition, it is affordable.
Sturdy construction to ensure durability when holding your camera equipment
2 side pockets to store camera accessories
Removable strap for great convenience
Comfortable handle for carrying with ease
Limited storage space
The straps are not sufficiently padded for extra comfort
9. Vanguard CSC
This model comes with a thick, padded insert located in the lower compartments to hold your camera equipment with lens attached. Your camera will be fully protected from unexpected impact.
Complete Coverage Rain Cover
This product comes with a total coverage rain cover to help protect it and its contents from rain. Your equipment and accessories will stay dry in the event that there is a heavy downpour.
Cost and Value
With a padded 13” laptop compartment and padded insert for the camera, the bag offers the ultimate protection your items need. The rain cover will keep the water away. In addition, the price is quite modest but higher than most bags.
Complete coverage rain cover for protection against downpour
Padded compartments for laptop and camera
Several compartments, pockets and pouches to help you stay organized
Water-bottle side pockets for complete hydration
The camera compartment may not fit very large cameras with lens
The image on the Internet may not match actual size
10. DSLR BBK 3
This product is made of waterproof material to make you worry less about the rain and focus more on the wild experience. You can be sure that your equipment will be kept from moisture.
Various Compartments
This DSLR/ SLR camera holder is designed with several compartments to hold the camera, 2 lenses, a tablet, phone, and chargers. You can even bring your flash drives and memory cards with you.
Cost and Value
The product's waterproof design ensures you never have to worry about rainfall. With several compartments to carry accessories at a humble price of a few dollars, this is the real deal.
Waterproof for complete protection from moisture and rain
Several compartments to carry various accessories
Shockproof padded camera inserts for protection against scratches
Vintage design for hiking and travel
Ideal for travel but not everyday professional photography
Compartments of this bag may be a little too small for larger camera models
For avid photographers, photojournalists, sports and news photographers, and other photography enthusiasts out there, a good quality camera can make all the difference between success and failure. Whether you have ventured into professional photography or just looking to spend your leisure time documenting the wild using skilled photography, a high-quality camera is all you need to get the job done. However, the challenge comes in when you want to transport your camera to the desired location. Carrying a camera presents numerous challenges for many people. Expensive cameras cannot be carried in just any bag; you have to invest in a good camera bag that will help protect your equipment.
Criteria Used for Evaluating the Best Camera Bags
Different manufacturers design and make different bags to suit different types of cameras and to appeal to different users. Do not be overwhelmed by a large number of camera bags available on the market today. You should take your time to select a good bag that will accommodate all of your camera accessories and the camera equipment itself. Some of the features to consider include the material used to make the bag, padded interior to provide protection to your expensive camera, bag size to accommodate all of your accessories and items, adjustable straps to fit your size, padded handle for extra comfort, pockets and compartments for easy organization, pouches to hold several different items, and tough exterior to withstand the harsh elements of weather and the environment that might damage the bag itself, your equipment, and accessories. Below are the criteria for evaluating the best camera bag for your valuable equipment, lenses, smartphone, laptop, tablet and a range of other accessories you need to make your photography work easier.
Material & Construction
This is one of the most important things to consider when shopping for your next camera bag. Whether you plan to use the camera bag for jungle trekking, hiking, or taking a stroll through the city, it is important to consider the material used to make the bag. If you are an everyday photographer, the bag should be tough enough to withstand the rigor of day-to-day use. The material should match the toughness required to withstand the harsh elements of the environment and outdoor activities. While it should be made of tough material to resist wear and tear, it should also be breathable to ensure you do not sweat so much that you feel uncomfortable carrying the material.
If you are a photographer residing in a wet city frequented by rains, then you should opt for waterproof material to keep out all the water and protect your equipment from water damage. You may also consider bags with total coverage cover to ensure you have less stress when there is a downpour. This is what makes it even more important to consider one with sealed zips to prevent water from seeping into the camera bag, as being outdoor exposes you and your equipment to various elements of weather.
Weight
Apparently, the material used determines the bag’s weight. If you like carrying lightweight then you should probably consider bags made of light material. Thick, waxed leather or canvas could significantly add to the overall weight of the bag and package. While it might not become immediately apparent how much your package weighs, the weight of the bag when empty and the weight of the equipment and accessories you are carrying will make the bag so heavy that people with back issues will worsen their condition. It is advisable to avoid heavy material if you tend to experience back issues.
The material tends to affect the durability of the camera bag as well. In this regard, camera bags made from animals skin or leather material often outlast all of the other materials in terms of durability. If leather is stitched together rather than glued, it is more likely to last longer.
Size
Contrary to popular belief, bigger is never always better. This is also the case for camera bags. Most people want bigger bags because they can be able to pack most things and move with them on the go. They can also have access to whatever they need while exploring the world of natural beauty. However, are you ready to handle the weight that comes with size? Besides the weight, another issue of concern is the number of compartments and pockets or pouches. The more pouches and pockets the better.
If you purchase a bag that has several compartments, you can have a place to store your camera equipment, lenses, laptop, tablet, phone, memory cards, flash drives, and any other accessories you may need during your field trip or crazy adventure. However, all this depends on you as a person and the nature of the photography task you intend to undertake. If you are a professional photographer, then you should go for a large bag with several compartments, pouches, and pockets, as you are probably going to need more than just camera equipment on your photography assignment. On the other hand, if you are a seasoned traveler who loves to document his or her journey and capture the beauty of nature, then you probably already know the importance of traveling light. You need to pack light and distinguish between what you want and what you will need during your field trip. In that case, you should probably choose a smaller, lighter camera bag that can accommodate your camera equipment, lenses and a few accessories you might need to make your travel complete.
Comfort and Fit
Photography can be a tiring task, especially if you are going to be doing it for a major part of the day. If you will need to walk around with your gear all day long, then you need to feel comfortable while at it. If your camera bag does not feel comfortable to carry around, then you probably won’t be doing it for longer. On the other hand, if you are an experienced photographer, then you know the importance of having multiple camera bags to suit different occasions. You can alternate between a messenger bag, a shoulder bag, and a backpack. This also depends on you as an individual, as people prefer to carry different types of backs as a matter of personal preference.
The backpack option is great for carrying several items. With two padded straps, it will be able to distribute the heavy weight evenly to allow you to carry the package more easily. You will feel comfortable carrying the bag all day long. In addition, backpacks are a lot more spacious than messenger bags. The only challenge comes in when you have to take it off your back in order to gain access to your camera equipment and other accessories. Unlike messenger bags which you can just flip the top cover over and remove your camera equipment and lenses, there is no shortcut with the backpack. If you keep changing the lenses and accessing your accessories constantly, then this option could be a little inconvenient. You probably need the messenger bag for quick and easy access to your equipment and other items.
The messenger bag is ideal for shooters who are quick and constantly change the lenses. If you will need to be accessing your bag several times as you take shots, then this option is probably good for you. All you have to do is swing the bag over, flip the top and remove your gear. Once you are done, you can then return the cover and swing it back. While this can be convenient when keeping and retrieving cameras, it can feel uncomfortable if the photographer has to spend a major part of the day walking around carrying the bag and taking photos. Therefore, it is very important to know what you will be carrying as well as how frequently you’ll need to use the items inside the camera bag.
Presentability
While this might not be important as far as the functionality of the bag is concerned, appearance does appeal to personal taste and preference. Sometimes the appearance can impact the safety of the carrier. If you are going to carry the camera in a risky area frequented by gangs and thieves, then you are better off carrying a bag that conceals what is inside. When someone looks at your bag it should not immediately become apparent that you are carrying a DSLR/ SLR camera in an expensive-looking camera bag. Flashy and fancy bags tend to attract thieves everywhere you go.
Experienced photographers know the importance of concealing your items when going to an unfamiliar place. They ensure that the camera bag does not look appealing to potential muggers. If a mugger gets the idea that the bag contains thousands of dollars’ worth of expensive gear or state-of-the-art equipment, then you risk losing your camera equipment, camera bag and all the accessories inside. You could also lose your important pieces of works or pictures you have already taken. Sometimes, looking fancy in an unfriendly neighborhood can be costly.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are camera bags?
A: These are large, sturdy construction pouches with compartments to keep camera equipment and accessories safely and retrieve them easily. If you are traveling and intend to use your camera to capture photographs and make memories, you probably need a camera bag to help protect your equipment from the harsh elements of the environment. Camera bags also feature thick, foam padding for complete protection.
Q: Why do I need a camera bag?
A: While you don’t necessarily need a camera bag to carry your camera equipment and that you can still use a regular backpack or messenger bag to easily transport your DSLR camera to where it is needed, camera bags are specially designed to carry and protect camera equipment. They are also padded to protect other items, such as laptops and tablets, and feature several compartments to help you stay organized by putting every accessory or item in place.
Q: What features does a good camera bag have?
A: If you are shopping for a camera bag, you should consider the size of the bag. You don’t want to be carrying a huge bag all day long if all you need is camera equipment, 1 or 2 lenses and a few accessories to begin with. Your comfort also matters. The bag should feel comfortable around your shoulders or on your back. This means you should consider whether the straps are padded and thick enough to provide the much-needed comfort when you are photographing all day long. In addition, look for high density and durable material that will last long while withstanding all the wear and tear as well as the rigor of day-to-day use. It should also have several compartments and pouches or pockets to help store and organize all of your accessories and equipment.
Q: Should I go for a messenger bag or a backpack?
A: Well, your choice of bag should depend on what you intend to use the bag for, including how you will be using it. For instance, if you are going to be photographing all day, then you probably need a backpack because you will feel comfortable while doing it. However, if your work will involve accessing the bag several times a day to change lenses with every shot taken, then you probably need a messenger bag because of ease of access. Personal taste and preference all do play a role in the choice of a camera bag.
Q: Where can I get a high-quality, reliable camera bag?
A: Most departmental stores across the country stock a wide variety of high-quality camera bags. However, for convenience, you can quickly log onto your personal computer or tablet and visit one of the popular e-commerce websites. You can quickly browse through the product description page and select one that meets your needs before placing your order. You can then have it delivered to you or your preferred location.
Q: How much will I be spending?
A: Camera bags vary in prices depending on features and functionalities. Some of the features that determine the cost of these bags include material, durability, size, design, compartments, padding, pockets and pouches, and so on. You can always find the price on the product description webpage.
Sources
- Medium, 7 with VII: All About Gear
- Digital Photography School, Choosing the Right Camera Bag – and Why You May Need More than One
- Rush Faster, 5 Things to Consider When Buying a Camera Bag
