Camera Bags

Part 1: Why?

So you have a nice new camera! Hooray! Have you thought about how you're going to carry it around, store it, and keep all the stuff that goes with it (and it will accumulate, no matter how hard you try) where you can find it?

Or maybe you have had a camera for a while, and have started to wonder how to keep all that stuff that you want to have with you when you're out taking pictures. Maybe that's because you forgot something really important in the mad dash to get out the door on the way to the last big event. (Hey, I know people who have forgotten their camera!)

Enter the camera bag, once upon a time (and perhaps more appropriately) known as the gadget bag. They come in all sorts of sizes, with all sorts of inside arrangements, pockets, and so on. Many of us will think of them as having shoulder straps, but they are also appearing with wheels, waist belts, various hand straps, and belt clips.

Photographers are notorious for having more bags than cameras. Some photographers I know have two or three bags for every camera—and some have more. Why so many?

Because there are a lot of different things you might do with a camera. For example, I have a small bag that I take just about everywhere. It holds a pocket camera, some cough drops and maybe a roll of Life Savers. If someone drives into your rear bumper, a couple of photos that include his license plate make excellent evidence. If something catches your eye, you can get a photo. It may not be a train, but in the long run, exercising your vision in this way will help your rail photos.

Another bag may hold an SLR with a small zoom lens. Sometimes this provides a readily-available camera if everything else is packed for a big job. For a short trip, not too far, some of us may take a long lens in a separate lens case, or another bag that holds the SLR with that lens. On a long trip, yet another bag holds the SLR and the pocket camera and a couple of radios with several lenses, and instruction books.

Hopefully you have noticed by now that these “camera bags” hold a lot more than camera stuff. That's because when you're out taking pictures, there are a lot of non-photographic items that are useful—and you may as well keep all of it together so you have it when you need it. Here's a partial list of the sort of stuff that you might find in my or some friend's bags: camera(s), lens(es), film or memory cards, compass (some come with a scale for measuring maps, and any will help you figure out where the sun will be in the sky, or serve as a guide for the directionally perplexed), watch, phone, download cable, computer (you can store pictures and program your radio with it, as well as monitor the ATCS system in some places), hard drive or disc burner, blower or brush, lens cleaning paper or microfiber cloth, rain shield or plastic bag for weather protection, small towel for cleaning splashes or wiping dirt, flashlight, two-way radio (FRS or amateur), scanner, weather radio, earphone, keys, instruction books, filters, close-up lens(es), flash, flash accessories, pencil or pen and notepad, extra batteries and chargers, utility knife or tool, small screwdriver, timetables, maps, railfan guides, books, magazines, music players, tripod or monopod and mounting plates, and identification such as TAMR membership or BNSF Citizens for Rail Security cards.

On one research trip, the book author I was working with brought a battery-powered scanner. That way, if someone had an article or other paper item, he could make a copy right there. Add in a printer, and he could give everyone a copy. These days, a lot of event photographers do the same: you can buy a copy of a wedding photo at the reception, or of the winning team as you leave the game. And all of that stuff needs some sort of bag to keep dirt out and all the attachments together.

Of course, not all of that is in one big bag. Stuff that doesn't go well with photo equipment, like food or pop or water or other liquids, goes in a separate bag. Some of us keep some items that we don't use as much in a different bag: sometimes the flash, sometimes the chargers, quite often a tripod or monopod, and maybe a hard drive or disc burner. In film days, a lot of us kept used and new film separate and in coolers. But the principle behind it all is the same: you want all of the stuff you need for a good photo trip where you can find it when you need it.

One thing you should always do is put a tag on your bag with your name, address, e-mail, and phone contact. If you are traveling on a commercial carrier (such as Amtrak, airline, or bus), this is required, even for carry-on items. A few bags have a place for this in the lid; if you go with that, make sure it can be found - otherwise it won't be very useful. The idea of this is to get the bag back to you if an honest person should find it.

We'll discuss other security matters in a later segment, but for now, don't use tags, bags, or other devices that shout “camera” or “expensive,” such as a Nikon or Canon logo. And don't use a tag that shows off your information for anyone who walks by to see, or you may find that someone has visited while you are away (or comes to visit and relieve you of your stuff later). If nothing else, turn the information side inside or cover it with a card and note something like “information inside.”

Part 2: Do you need a “camera bag”?

Now that we've looked at why you need a bag, and what to think about putting in it, we'll turn to what you might want to get.

It might seem obvious that, having decided that it's time get your photo stuff together, you would go to the camera store and get a camera bag. But that may not be the best choice, so here, we'll look at why you might want something else.

The first reason is cost. “Camera bags” tend to cost more than a lot of other bags. While there are sometimes some good reasons for that, such as padding or other protective measures, there are sometimes reasons that are not as good. There's a tendency to think that photographers, among others, will pay a lot for a name. The philosophy here is that we pay for quality, not frippery. If a bag is good, and works for what you need, it's worth more. Otherwise, it's not.

Some bags are designed by photographers, some are designed by hikers, and some are designed by people who have never used a camera. If that fits your needs, great! But you may be just as well off to use something else that you can set up to your needs.

What should you avoid? Some bags are cheap knock-offs of established brands—but are still expensive, especially for their quality. A manufacturer's bag can be a problem, too. The bag may fit very well—as it ought to. Then, it's a personal decision as to whether the good fit is worth the premium price. But some manufacturer's bags are just relabeled versions of bags that you can buy under another name, and a few defy all attempts to put their own gear inside.

One of the better alternatives, to me, is an insulated bag or soft cooler. It provides shock protection as well as insulation. It won't work that well if you leave the camera in a locked car in the sun in Texas all day, but if you need to run into 7-11 for a drink (or to drain the drink), it will help. If you're in a cooler climate, you may want one to keep your camera warm, although you need to keep in mind that moving rapidly between warm and cold may cause condensation to freeze. And they're reasonable. You can get a decent cooler for $20 or less. Sometimes you can get one with a fairly innocuous logo on it, like this one from the BNSF Store.

Coolers come in several similar sizes, usually stated by how many 12 ounce cans they will hold. I have a couple of 24-can capacity ones like the BNSF cooler. This size will hold a lot of gear, and usually will hold up for a long time. I've had one for 10 years, and it's just beginning to wear.

Another useful size is the six-pack cooler. These will will hold most SLR's and all-in-one zoom cameras, film or digital. These are often built more cheaply, especially inside. After 3 or 4 years, at most, they will usually start to come apart, especially on the inside. Don't try to tape the rips, as the material stretches, the adhesive will work its way out and make a mess. Recycle it or use if for something else; you don't want those little bits that come off floating onto your lenses or getting inside your camera.

Some coolers come in unusual designs. One design can fold up for storage, another can be made smaller (or maybe expanded, depending on how it is when you buy it). These often have Velcro or other hook-and-loop strips on the outside (or inside) that can catch on about anything, so check them out carefully. There are also vertical coolers intended to stack four six-packs. These can tip over if you put camera gear in them; it also means stacking your gear, which is often not a very good idea.

Some lunch bags can work well, too. They are usually smaller, and are sized to fit popular food containers. Keep in mind that they are not designed for the weight of a typical camera. One that closes with a hook-and-loop strip may open unexpectedly. And don't be tempted to keep your lunch, or especially liquids, in it with the camera.

Now, of course, you don't want to just throw the stuff in there and let it bang around. If you've been using lens cases and stuff like that to keep your gear safe, keeping it all together in a cooler may make perfect sense. One benefit of this is that if you don't need everything for a particular shot, you can take only what you want. If you're more concerned about concealment or weather, some camera bags, such as the Lowe-Pro Nova 3, will fit inside a 24-can cooler.

The problem of banging your gear around can be big one with a hard cooler. Be sure to use well-padded cases. One benefit is that you can have a place to sit. On the other hand, hard coolers tend to collect dirt and moisture more than others, so be sure to clean it out and keep it dry.

One of the benefits of a cooler or similar bag is that they are less tempting to thieves. You always need to be careful, but some camera bags practically shout “steal me.” Of course, a cooler can be tempting—especially to someone who is hungry or thirsty—but overall, it's less likely to attract attention. I read once of a guy whose hotel room was ransacked while he was eating in the restaurant. The thief didn't pay any attention to a plain old cooler; but it had several cameras and lenses inside. As I've noted, some camera bags will fit inside a cooler. This may be a useful diversion if you need to carry a bag into a hotel or some other place where a thief could be watching (including your own home).

A variation on this is to use a diaper bag. You may look a little silly, but very few people care to steal them. Just be sure to buy a new one, that's not a purchase where you should go to a garage sale!

Part 3: “Real” camera bags

Coming soon!