What is the Best Camera Bag? Shoulder Bags vs. Backpacks for your Gear & My Hunt for the Perfect Camera Bag

March 12, 2022 in TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Hello friends!

I’m always on the hunt for the “perfect camera bag”! So today I wanted to chat about what is the best camera bag for you, taking you through shoulders bags, backpacks and hybrids.

As well, share with you what I have found has been the closest to the “perfect bag” for me.

Camera Bags I Own

Amazon BagSmart Camera Backpack : The first camera bag I ever bought was the Amazon BagSmart Camera Backpack for about $100 CAD.

Ona Bowery Bag : My shoulder bag, this was the second camera bag I’ve ever owned. It was more on the expensive side sitting at $300 CAD.

Peak Design Sling 6L : My hybrid bag, I bought this bag last summer for outdoor excursions that didn’t require a large backpack for about $150 CAD.

Pro’s and Con’s of Each

Camera Backpack

Camera Backpack - Con’s

Overpacking : The con with camera backpack’s is you tend to overpack, because you have extra room to work with. I do this all the time! I pack more accessories and lenses than I need because I have the room and don’t even end up using them.
Not very versatile : Camera backpack’s aren’t the most versatile. They’re great for outdoor excursions like landscape photography, wildlife photography, nature photography, etc., However, I hate bringing my camera backpack into restaurants or nice places. They’re big, bulky and often dirty.
More likely to leave the camera behind : If a camera backpack is the only means I have to carry my equipment then sometimes I am more likely to leave my camera behind because it’s big and bulky.

Camera Backpack - Pro’s

Weight distribution : With a camera backpack the weight of the bag is distributed between the two shoulder straps (some camera backpacks have a third waist strap to help distribute weight to your hips). This is great for long durations or if you’re carrying a heavier load.
You can carry a lot more : Having a camera backpack means you can pack not only your camera gear but other necessities you might need. In the Spring and Summer my husband and I love hiking. Having a backpack is great because I can carry my camera gear, our water bottles, towels, snacks, and anything else we might need.
Hands-free (with a few accessories) : The other pro with using a camera backpack is with a few accessories you can easily go hands-free. One option is to use a camera strap and sling it over your neck. I don’t love this option for long durations because it just puts weight on my neck. I prefer to use the Peak Design Capture Clip - with this accessory attached to your backpack strap you can hook your camera onto it and quickly release when you want to take a photo.

Overall, I find camera backpacks are best if you want to carry lots of gear (or all of your gear) or for outdoor excursions.

Shoulder Bags

Shoulder Bag - Con’s

A lot of weight on one shoulder : Unfortunately, with shoulder bags it can be a lot of weight on your one shoulder (no matter how you wear it).
Difficult to carry extra’s : Due to the nature of a shoulder bag it’s more difficult to carry extra’s like a water bottle or tripod.
Get in the way more : Lastly, I find shoulder bags get in the way more based off of how they hang off your body.

Shoulder Bag - Pro’s

Packing less : There are a variety of size shoulder bags that are on the market. The Ona Bowery I own can comfortably fit one camera body and a maximum of two lenses. The best part of shoulder bags is you pack less (because you have to). So this is a great option if you want to go minimal with your gear.
More Discreet : Shoulder bags are more discreet. You can keep it on your lap, tuck it under the table, hang it off a chair. In the Summer of 2020 I went on a wine tasting trip to Osoyoos, BC and this bag was perfect for what I needed.
Allowed More : If you’re spending time outdoors this isn’t a big problem but when you’re travelling certain restaurants, shops, arena’s, etc., might have a “no backpack” rule. Thus, having a shoulder bag is perfect for these situations.

Overall, I find shoulder bags are best for day trips, shorter excursions into the city or nice places.

Hybrid

Hybrid - Con’s

Limited on what you can carry : Hybrid’s aren’t full size backpack’s so you still have to be selective on what gear you are bringing.
Difficult to carry extra’s : With hybrid’s it’s still difficult to carry extra’s. It’s not as difficult because some hybrid’s have additional features like the Peak Design Sling with straps on the bottom so you can carry a water bottle, jacket, tripod on the bottom.
Weight on one shoulder : You are also still putting weight on one shoulder, unlike you wear it like a waist bag.

Hybrid - Pro’s

Multi-wear : With hybrid’s like the Peak Design 6L Sling you can wear it as a backpack, shoulder bag or waist bag.
Fit quite a bit : Depending on the brand and size you can fit quite a bit of stuff. In this video I show you exactly how much you can fit!
Fairly discreet/versatile : The low-profile nature of a hybrid is more discreet than a backpack (similar to a shoulder bag). I personally feel more comfortable walking into a restaurant or nice place using this.
Allowed More : Due to the multi-wear ability of a hybrid, if the location doesn’t allow backpacks you can simply wear it as a shoulder bag!

Perfect Camera Bag

Out of my camera backpack, shoulder bag, and hybrid I find the closest to the “perfect camera bag” is my 6L Peak Design Sling. It can fit what it needs to, it’s comfortable and it’s versatile. When we went to Vancouver Island last summer we were hiking, in and out of restaurants, on boats, and in museums and the bag was perfect for everything we were doing.

Things to Consider

So if you’re looking for a new camera bag, here are some things to consider:

Budget? Camera bags can be expensive! The most expensive one I own is $300 CAD but they can easily climb to $600 CAD.
What are you going to be doing? How do you see yourself using this bag? What are you likely photographing? These questions help me figure out what gear I actually need on the trip and thus, what the bag needs to be able to fit.

Let me know over on the channel if you have found your perfect camera bag!

I post weekly to my YouTube Channel so if you found this helpful please consider subscribing to the channel or buying me a coffee.

Beautifully Wander | Robynne MacLeod

Setting up Video on Olympus EM1 Mark II + Favourite Resources for Learning Videography

March 05, 2022 in TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

At the beginning of the year I started learning about videography! In todays video I wanted to share with you how I setup my video settings on my Olympus EM1 Mark II and some of my favourite resources for learning about videography!

What's in my New Camera Bag ft. Peak Design Everyday Sling 6L

August 21, 2021 in TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

A few videos ago I mentioned that I was in need of a new/additional camera bag that was smaller than my camera backpack but more versatile than my Ona for outdoorsy activities that I do - hiking, going out on a boat, outdoor excursions. After some researching I decided to pick up the Peak Design Everyday Sling and today episode I wanted to do an updated what’s in my camera bag and chat about my first impressions of this bag!

Happy Photographing!

Beautifully Wander | Robynne Ikesaka

Minimalistic Setup + One Lens Challenge with the Olympus 25mm F1.8

June 26, 2021 in TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

At the beginning of the month I mentioned that I was going to try a minimalistic setup for June. In this episode we chat about the benefits and challenges I had with going simple and doing a one lens challenge.

Why the minimalistic setup and the one lens challenge?

What sparked this interest in doing a minimalistic setup for this past month and the one lens challenge was a video I watched on YouTube. B&H does this amazing series called 21 Questions where they feature different kinds of photographers. A few months ago they featured Paola or @Monaris on Instagram and something from that video inspired me to try a simplistic setup for June!

Why did I choose the 25mm F1.8?

When it came down to choosing which lens for the minimalistic setup I went with the Olympus 25mm F1.8 for a couple reasons:

It is the only prime lens that I own
It’s versatile for all the kinds of photography that I was going to be doing this month

Benefits of going minimalistic?

It was very simple and easy to get out the door: Going with the simplistic setup of one camera body and one lens made for getting out the door very simple. I usually carried a handful of items (phone, wallet, keys, camera and sometimes a water bottle if it’s hot). I didn’t have to hassle with what to bring with me, if I should leave something behind because of the activity I was doing. It was so extremely easy to get out the door.
I found myself bringing my camera everywhere with me more often: Due to the lightweight, compact system of the EM1 Mark II with the 25mm F1.8 I overall found myself bringing my camera everywhere with me - into restaurants, to personal events, for evening walks.
It was discrete for public spaces: With the weather warming up in Kelowna more and more people are hitting the beaches, parks, streets. Thus, it’s been nice having a smaller setup that is more discrete in public spaces rather a camera backpack with all the lenses.
I was more aware of my surroundings, composition and perspective: Using a fixed lens overall made me more aware of my surroundings and what I needed to do to get the shot. I found it made me linger on a moment longer to make sure my composition was right, my settings were right, etc.,
It pushed me outside my comfort zone: Now that we are in full swing of summer I have been working on Summer in the Okanagan my seasonal photography collection that documents what it’s like summer in the Okanagan - how others and I experience it. Since I’ve also been only using the 25mm it’s forcing me to get closer to the scene. I can’t use the zoom of the 12-40 or the 40-150 to keep my self far away. I have to get closer which can be uncomfortable for me.

Challenges of going minimalistic?

The main challenge I had with going minimalistic this month was photographing in tight spaces. A few weeks ago my Fiance and I ate indoors at our favourite sushi restaurant which we hadn’t done since indoor dining was suspended. I brought my camera along to document the moment but I struggled because we were in a tight space. Our table was a half booth and I couldn’t physically move any farther back to get the framing that I wanted.

Most generally, I am outside with my photography. However, I have been making a more active effort in documenting the personal moments - birthdays, fathers day, moments with my family.