P H O T O G R A P H I Y E R ' S G U I D E

CAMERA BAGS& CASES

How to take it with youby Jack and Sue Drafahl

One thing you'll find out about photogra-phy—it ' s addict ive. Once you havemade the decision to buy a specific cam-era system, you'll find yourself constant-ly adding more goodies to your collec-

tion. The camera stores are going to love you andbefore long you'll be on a first name basis.

Right from the start you'll realize that you aregoing need some type of storage case to hold andcarry all your gear. The type of bag or case you se-lect will depend on the type of photographer youare. Don't be surprised if one bag is not enough forall photo si tuations. The more diverse yourlifestyle and shooting habits, the more bags youwill need to cover specific situations. As profes-sional photographers we have almost every type,and use them all at one time or another.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

As you look at the different types of bags, re-member that you will want get one a little largerthan you think you need. You never know whenyou will add a new piece of gear (We told youphotography was addictive!). You may also needto add a lunch, drink, notebook, or windbreaker.

By purchasing a larger bag, you will not have todecide what piece of equipment to leave behind.You remember Murphy's Law don't you?

Keep in mind that your bag doesn't necessarilyhave to hold all your equipment. As an outdoorphotographer, you may get a backpack that holdseverything, but a daypack or hip hugger that wi l lhold a flash, film and a couple of lenses.

This is why you want to consider several op-tions. Then you are able to pick the camera bag tomatch the photo situation. There is an enomous ar-ray of camera bags on the market today so it is im-portant to determine your needs before shopping.

Bags today are made of many different materi-als. They can be constructed of durable nylon orcanvas as well as high-impact plastic and metal.Many use velcro as well as plastic or metal clipsand some are even waterproof.

As you consider the purchase of a bag, you needto look closely at the versatility of the bag itself.Can you access each lens easily? Do you have toput the bag down to get into it? Is each item pro-tected from the other items in the bag? Is there achance of an item falling out and losing it? Is thebag comfortable to carry for a long period of time?

Is there storage space for smallitems like batteries, model releases,cable release, film, filters, clam-pods, extension cords, and otherphoto toys? Can the bag take thewear and tear of heavy usage andstill protect the contents from theweather?

Price may also be a factor soshop wisely to be sure and get thebest value for your dollar.

•4 Left: The new Beseler Lifestylepremium bag line features threewaterproof bags with thick protec-tive padding. They have cotton webstraps and solid brass hardware.The larger bag (BB500) may beconverted into a backpack usingaccessory straps.

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FANNY/HIP PACK

The fanny/hip pack is designed to dis-tribute the weight of the camera systemon your hips. If you move around a lotwhen shooting and a shoulder bagswings too much, then this might be thesolution.

The fanny/hip pack is similar to ashoulder bag, only smaller. It usually hasa center section for the larger items, andsmaller accessory pockets around theoutside of the pack. The disadvantage tothis pack is that it stays parallel withyour hips. When using a pack like this,be careful not to bend down unless thebag is completely closed. Things couldeasily spill out.

The best advantages of Fanny/hippacks are that the weight is carried even-ly by your hips instead of your shouldersand back and equipment is easy to get to.

DAYPACKS

Photo daypacks resemble school kids'book bags except there is some paddingto protect your camera gear and lotsmore pockets to store your accessories.This type of camera bag is great for

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short day trips, when you may not needto take all your equipment.

You would generally carry your cam-era and primary lens around your neckand the rest goes in the daypack. Whenyou needed a change, you would have tohave someone get it for you, or totallyremove the daypack to get the equip-ment you need. That makes your equip-ment not nearly as accessible as withshoulder bags.

The big advantage of the daypack isthat the weight is spread out over bothshoulders and your back. This also keepsthe bulk behind you which makes it easi-er to negotiate narrow hiking trails.

BACKPACK

For the true outdoor photographerwho makes long trips with a lot of heavygear, the photo backpack is a must.These packs are usually well designed to

•4 Top Left: Fanny or hip-packs are thehands-free alternative for active photog-raphers, or people who want to lightenthe load on their shoulder. Unlike theunpadded variety sold in general stores,photo fanny packs have protective com-partments for cameras and accessories.The large Lowepro Orion AW model hasa built-in waistbelt, lumbar support andshoulder strap. It holds one SLR withlens attached, two extra lenses, a flashand other accessories.4 Bottom Left: True photographer'sbackpacks are designed like ahiker/camper's backpack—in otherwords, for the comfortable carriage ofheavy equipment through properweight distribution. Once removed fromyour back, the Domke Outpack PhotoBackpack is designed to be accessedwhite in an upright position.> Right: If you use your camera in theworkplace or want to blend in with thebusiness world, consider a briefcase-style bag. The Billingham Hadley bagsemphasize elegance and workmanshipwith brass fittings and leather trim,straps and patches.

A Above Left and Right: As an alterna-tive to the hard-core backpack, day-packs offer an attractive option to morecasual hikers and travelers. The Tam-rac Photographer's Daypack Model 750features a handle and shoulder straps.Its center-split design allows traditionalaccess to the camera gear in the thebottom, while the the upper daypackportion is great for carrying extra gear,lunch or a windbreaker.

distribute the weight and protect all yourequipment.

To access most parts of the backpackyou must lay it down on its back. Whenyou open the main section, you'll find itvery much like a shoulder bag, exceptthat it will be more rigid. The outside ofthe backpack usually has a variety ofsmall pockets and pouches for all thenecessary little stuff. The shoulder strapsare sturdy, padded and adjustable. Mostpacks have lumbar support and waistbelts to keep the pack snug to your body.Some have attatchments for tripods ormonopods.

Photo backpacks come in a variety ofsizes designed to match the amount ofequipment you need to carry.

PHOTOVEST

A popular camera carrying device isnot a bag at all, but a jacket with lots ofpockets. The photovest looks very muchlike a fishing/hunting jacket with pouch-es and pockets covering the entire jacket.Instead of fishing lures or ammunition,you will be carrying lenses. Each item

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• Perfected Photo Products offersaccessory pouches that attach to beltsby a steel spring belt-clip and belt-loop. Pouches are available for fil-ters, battery packs and 4x5 film hold-ers as well as new pouches for all

medium format roll-film magazines(including the Mamiya 645 insert)and Polaroid backs. The poucheshave a wide web strap along the bot-tom, instead of being completelyclosed.

PHOENIX

• The stylish Phoenix FS line nowoffers black wi th gold accents,hunter green/tan, black/pink andblack/green bags. A zipper trans-

forms their small and medium back-packs into rectangular shoulder bags(with waist straps) when the back-pack section is detached.

PHOTOFLEX

• Photoflex's Galen Rowell bagsfeature removable waist belts andshoulder straps in shoulder, waistand chest pack models. The Perfor-mance series includes the shock-ab-

PORTER CASE

• The Porter Case II is a hard-shellpadded case that quickly converts in-to a rolling tote or luggage cart. Oth-er gear can be loaded on top of the

SUNDOG

• SunDog bags are available inbackpack, shoulder and waist-fannystyles. The bags come in sizes thathold one 35mm SLR and fi lm to

much larger bags that hold 2 or 3cameras and more than 6 lenses. TheFieldBag starts at a narrow 3M-inchdepth, but unzips to 6 inches.

TAMRAC

• From hard cases and photo veststo hip bags and backpacks, Tamrachas it. The new Rolling StrongboxModel 652 is a large camera-carry-ing case on wheels. The Photogra-

pher's Daypack looks and func-tions like a fashionable daypackwith shoulder straps, but the lowerhal f hides a f u l l y func t iona l ,padded camera bag.

TEN HA

• Tenba pro-oriented bags featuretheir Lens Protector Divider Sys-tem and stiff padded wooden bot-tom liners for max imum impactprotection. New styles inc lude

hands-free Bear and Cub waistpacks, Express Paks for smallSLRs and Car Cases for largerequipment, such as lights, stands,umbrellas and reflectors.

TUNDRA

• Tundra Ruff Pack and Targa linesinclude camera holsters, a Pro Bagwith built-in day-pack, padded tri-pod bags and versatile black-nylon

shoulder bags with leather handlesand attractive t r im. Tundra SeaKing ABS plastic hard cases arewaterproof down to 30 feet.

ZERO HALLIBURTON

• Zero Halliburton now offers theirpopular Zeroller Transport Case in apro textured black f in ish with amodular divider interior. Most otherZero Halliburton cases originally

supplied with foam interiors can befitted with the new modular divider.As with all Zero Halliburton cases,the Zeroller meets airline specs andcan withstand just about anything.

sorbing Reporter, the Xtreme withShow-All top, the Action with built-in waist belt and lumbar support;and the Event, which converts fromshoulder to waist bag.

case in its cart configuration (for atotal weight of up to 200 pounds) foreasy cartage. A great concept, exe-cuted well.

you carry in the photovest has its ownslightly padded pocket. The more pock-ets, the more gear you can carry.Somevests have large pockets in the back thatcan accomodate a monopod or smallertripod.

You access each piece of equipmentby simply opening one of the manypockets. You just have to rememberwhich lens is where.

Photovests on the market today areusually lightweight cotton with meshventilation and come in a variety of col-ors in addition to the traditional khaki.They are functional as well as discreetattire for photographers who are carry-ing a lot of gear.

The big advantage of a photovest isthat the weight of the contents is dis-tributed on both shoulders and back.The photovest is also very streamlined,so that you can easily move through a

A Above: Periodically, manufacturersproduce bags for special purposes or tocommemorate special events or spon-sorships. The sporty NASCAR seriesfrom Coast is perfect for the car enthusi-ast or sports photographer.

crowd without bumping into people aswith a camera bag or backpack.

This is why photovests have alwaysbeen popular with photojournalists. Ofcourse, using a vest keeps your handsfree, and you don't have to worry aboutgear slipping off your shoulder as youshoot.

TOPLOAD CAMERA BAG

The topload camera bag is dedicatedto a single camera setup and looks like agun holster. This type of setup is for thephotographer who needs to access acamera fast, and doesn't need to carry alot of equipment.

The bag is usually very well paddedand has a deep pocket to snugly hold acamera and telephoto lens. The bagstraps to your waist and has a top flapfor quick and easy access. Some areequipped with optional chest harnessesfor added stability and security. In addi-tion, some may have a waterproof shellthat can be stretched over the case.

Additional small pockets on the sideof the topload bag serve as storage forfilters, film, or smaller accessories.

These bags can be used with 35mmSLR set-ups as well as some mediumformat cameras and lenses.

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A Above: The Roll-film magazine beltpouch from Perfected Photo Productshas a steel spring belt clip to hold aroll-film camera back securely on abelt. A useful tool for photographersshooting medium or large format withmore than one film type.

A Above: The photovest is useful be-cause you can store gear in its numer-ous pockets without having to carry acamera bag—although some photogra-phers wear a vest and carry a bag.Shown here is the new World Corre-spondent's Vest by Tamrac. It is madeof 100% cotton and features 10 frontpockets as well as mesh ventilation.There are additional pockets through-out the vest, making it easy to use.*• Near Right: Quick-Draw is one ofmany small companies that sell spe-cialized photo equipment-carrying de-vices. This little item screws into thetripod socket and then attaches toyour belt via a clip with a quick-releasemechanism.*> Far Right: The Pelican ConvertibleTravel Bag and Case is a combinationhard case (Pelican Model 1520) andsoft-sided shoulder bag. It provides air-tight, hard-shell protection for traveland shipping, along with the conve-nience of a removable conventionalsoftshell camera bag.

HARD CASES

Hard shell camera cases are quite var-ied in size, construction, and serve dif-ferent purposes. The smaller, briefcasesize cases are generally designed to holda specific camera system. Many looklike a business briefcase and are heavilypadded but carry only a small amount ofcamera gear. To use these cases, youusually have to break down your systemfor transport.

The medium size hard cases are verypopular with photographers needing toprotect their gear especially when travel-ing by air. You usually have the choiceof either foam padding or dividers to or-ganize and protect your equipment.Which form of protection you select de-pends on how much gear you have andhow often you are changing what youtake in the case. The dividers make iteasy to customize the case for each trip,but once the foam is cut to size, the set-up is permanent.

The larger suitcase size cases are of-ten used by professional photographersfor carrying studio lighting gear, largeformat camera systems, light meters, orunderwater photography equipment.Some of the hard cases even have water-proof seals, so that you can protect yourgear when proximity to water may be aproblem.

Most recently, several of the manu-facturers began adding wheels and han-dles so that you can easily roll the casethrough the airports. Hard cases offer su-perior protection for your gear duringtough travel but are not suitable for easyand quick access to equipment.

ACCESSORY CASES

There are as many types of accessorycases as there are types of photo equip-ment. If you have a specific type of pho-to equipment, be assured there is some-one who makes a case for it. For exam-ple, padded filter pocket cases are avail-able to prevent breakage and hold fromI-6 filters.

These pocket cases can store in yourlarger camera bag or they can bestrapped to the side of the main case.Pockets for filters and other accessories,such as camera backs, are also availablewith clips for attatching to a belt for easyaccess.

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A Above: Topload bags are designedfor "fast-shooters," since the camera isplaced face down with the lens at-tached. The Lowepro Topload ZoomAW can fit an SLR camera with a longzoom lens, and accessories in an ex-pandable exterior pocket, an interiormesh pocket and two film loops. Thismodel features a removable chest har-ness and an All Weather cover thatcomes out of the front pocket to protectequipment. In addition, there is a re-verse-open lid for easy camera access.

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A Above: The Campack CombinationBackPack /Car ry Case features waterresistant materials and a foam paddedlower compartment. The two packs canbe used together or apart. The Shoul-der straps detatch making the bag acarry case or backpack.

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Tripod and light stand cases not onlyprotect the tripods and stands, but makethem easier to carry from one location tothe next.

Supertelephoto lenses come with oneof two types of carrying cases. The hardcase is for the very large and heavy lens-es. They do protect the lens very well,but you may need to look for an alter-nate carrying method if you take the lensinto the field. Other telephoto lenses may

A Above: Hard cases are great for trans-port, shipping and rough handling be-cause of their metal or high-impact plas-tic shells. The well-known Zero Hallibur-ton line has become part of the wheeled-luggage phenomenon by introducing theZeroller Transport System—a hard-shellcamera carrying case with built in lug-gage cart.

A Above: Filter pouches and filter wal-lets are an excellent way to keep yourfilters organized and handy in the field.This pouch by Perfected Photo Prod-ucts has slots for five large rectangularfilters (the type used for many modularsystems). It attaches to your belt via abuilt-in clip or belt loop.

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have a pouch-like carrying case that canbe strapped to the side of your camerabag or hung from a belt. This type ofcase is better suited for field work.

If you want additional protection forsome of your equipment, you can pur-chase a photo wrap. These padded clothswrap around your lens or camera bodyand secure with a Velcro tab.

BUYING YOUR FIRST BAG

When you first buy a camera bag, youprobably won't have a lot of gear, so youcould bring equipment with you to thecamera store. If you can't do this, youcan set each piece of gear down on apiece of paper and draw around it. Cutthese out and write height, width, anddepth on each cutout.

Work with a salesperson and put yourequipment or cutouts in different bagsuntil you find a good fit. Take your timeand find the right bag because the safetyof your equipment depends on it.

Try the bag on, feel the fit. Is it com-fortable? Make sure the bag is the rightsize for you to be carrying. A large bagmay fit lots of gadgets, but it's no good ifyou can't lift it or carry it around whenit's full.

If you don't have your own cameraequipment with you, ask to load some ofthe display cameras into the bag. Thiswill give you a chance to feel how thebag sits when it is full.

If you are going to be working in in-clement weather conditions, check to seethat any potential camera-bag purchase iswaterproof or at least water-resistant.

Another thing to consider is that if youhave a lot of equipment to carry withyou, you might want to carry it in twobags or cases rather than overloadingone. It's a lot more comfortable to carrytwo balanced loads, one on each side,than it is to try to cart one heavy load onone side.

In choosing the right container foryour gear, your main considerationsshould be quality of workmanship andmaterials, so you don't have a structuralfailure; capacity—it should carry whatyou generally need on a shoot; and con-venience—can you get at everything eas-ily, or do you have to sort through every-thing to find an urgently needed itemthat's on the bottom? Aside from theseconsiderations, the style of the containeris up to your taste; all sorts of styles areavailable.

A camera bag is an important part ofyour gear. It will protect your equipmentand organize the way you work whenyou take pictures. Eventually, each lenswill have it's own space and you will au-tomatically know where to reach for it.You will use the bag as often as you takepictures so it's important to find the bagthat's right for your needs. J

IA Above: Zone VI 4x5 pouches let youkeep cut-film holders and Polaroidbacks handy when shooting with alarge-format camera.

A Above: Although not technically a bag,equipment wraps can be quite handy forgiving your gear extra protection insidea camera bag or when tossed into asuitcase, briefcase or purse. DomkeProtective Wraps come in three sizesand are infinitely adjustable with theirfour Velcro tabs. Available in black, redand yellow for color-coding purposes.

A Above: This cutaway diagram of aLowepro Magnum AW shows how equip-ment fits into the typical large shoulderbag. Note that on the top is an easily ac-cessible SLR camera with zoom lens at-tached, probably already loaded withfilm so the photographer can reactquickly if needed. Internal padded di-viders are used to compartmentalizesections of the bag. The least-used lens-es and accessories are placed in bottomcompartments, above which the moresought-after equipment is placed. Meshpockets allow quick surveillance of thecontents. Removable pouches are handyfor separating high-speed film from yourequipment at airport x-ray stations.