A large part of my camera bag collection (Billingham, Think Tank, Peak Design, NEEWER): my wife regularly makes fun of me because I eventually ended up with more camera bags than she has handbags…
How to choose the right camera bag? (last updated August 19, 2026)
Finding the perfect camera bag to carry and protect your valuable equipment is almost science fiction! Depending on the type of event you are covering, and therefore the equipment you need to take with you, one bag will be more suitable than another. So this is not really about choosing one camera bag, but several whenever possible!
A view inside a Billingham Hadley Small Pro. I carry my Fujifilm X-E5 with a 10-24mm f/4 wide-angle lens and a 50-140mm f/2.8. It is very comfortable, especially with the optional shoulder pad.
And here is the outside of my Billingham Hadley Small Pro, in Fibrenyte sage/chocolate, which I find very elegant and of exemplary quality. I mainly use this one for leisure, never for work.
The backpack (equipment transport, hiking)
This type of bag is the most common and one of the most comfortable. It offers a large carrying capacity, and the choice is extensive both in shops and online: there are options for every taste and budget. Basic models typically hold one camera body with two or three additional lenses.
The larger backpacks can carry several professional camera bodies and lenses, including a 400mm or 500mm lens, as well as a laptop and a tripod or monopod. The backpack does, however, have one major drawback: access to the equipment can be difficult, and you often need to put the bag down to use your gear. This can be partly solved by choosing a bag with a single shoulder strap that can be swung around to access the equipment, although the trade-off is poorer weight distribution across your shoulders.
When choosing a backpack, carefully check the internal height, especially if you use a DSLR with its battery grip or a professional camera body. Also beware of a look that is too obviously “photo”: thieves are not stupid, and a brand-new Lowepro ProTactic bag is rarely carrying nothing but food and water!
Brands worth considering: Lowepro, Think Tank, Manfrotto, Vanguard, Tenba, Shimoda Designs and Wandrd.
The shoulder bag (photojournalism, short trips)
This is the quintessential reporter’s bag: it offers excellent access to your equipment and therefore great responsiveness. If you have little equipment, a shoulder bag can easily be your only camera bag; after that, it is a matter of taste. The main drawback is… back pain over time.
Brands worth considering: Domke (F and J series), Think Tank (Retrospective 4, 7, 10, 20, 30), National Geographic / Manfrotto (NG E2 2360, NG E2 2370, NG E2 5168), Lowepro (ProTactic III, Nova AW II, Magnum AW), Billingham (Hadley series).
After several years with Think Tank and then Peak Design bags, I now use several Billingham bags from the Hadley series. It is an English brand whose bags have been made in England since 1973, and I particularly like their build quality, discretion and timeless character.
Today, in my Billingham Hadley Pro 2021, I carry a Canon R3 with an RF 14-35mm and an RF 100-500mm. This is the configuration I mainly use for my Canon equipment (as part of my work as a photojournalist at La Voix du Nord).
For my Fujifilm equipment (for personal use / holidays), I use an X-E5 with an XF 10-24mm f/4 and an XF 50-140mm f/2.8, which I keep in a Billingham Hadley Small. It is a more compact setup, but it allows me to cover quite a few situations while keeping the overall size down.
The principle remains the same: choose your bag according to the equipment you actually carry and the type of assignment or trip planned.
On the right is my Billingham Hadley Pro: I put a Canon R3 with an RF 14-35mm L wide-angle lens mounted, and an RF 100-500mm L telephoto standing on the left side. It is very comfortable, especially with the optional shoulder pad. It is very discreet and does not attract unwanted attention.
The rolling case (travel, equipment storage)
Rugged and spacious, this is the ideal bag for a sports photographer who transports a large amount of equipment from one stadium to another. For air travel, nothing beats a very tough Peli case. This is therefore a very specific use: it is heavy, bulky and expensive (several hundred euros).
For football (RC Lens a few years ago, and now mainly Boulogne (L2) and Dunkerque (L2)), I use this NEEWER rolling case in particular. It is relatively affordable and quite practical for carrying a large amount of equipment. I can fit an RF 100-300mm f/2.8, a Canon R3, a wide-angle lens, my computer, a seat and a monopod. It is obviously much bulkier than a standard bag, but for football matches where I have to carry all this equipment, the wheels are really useful.
Brands worth considering: Think Tank, Peli, Lowepro and NEEWER.
The Topload bag
As its name suggests, this is a bag with an opening at the top. It is practical when you only need to carry one camera body with a lens attached. It can be worn over the shoulder, carried by hand, attached to a belt or used with a chest harness. Reference brands: Lowepro, Think Tank, Vanguard, Kata, Crumpler, Tamrac, Manfrotto
The belt bag
Not particularly discreet and with limited capacity, the belt bag provides very quick access to your equipment. It is a practical solution if you already have a backpack carrying your personal belongings or a baby carrier. Reference brands: Lowepro, Think Tank, Kata
The lens pouch
Designed to carry a single type of lens, a lens pouch is particularly useful for large telephoto lenses. It usually has a shoulder strap and can be carried over the shoulder, while more compact models can often be attached to a belt or directly to certain bags. It is an interesting solution for carrying a lens separately from the rest of your equipment, especially when you want to stay light and responsive in the field.
When carrying a large telephoto lens on a short assignment, it can be very practical to carry your camera body and a few lenses in a shoulder bag, while keeping the telephoto lens in its own pouch. Once you arrive on site, the pouch can stay in the car and the telephoto lens can go directly over the photographer’s shoulder. This allows you to be much more mobile than with a large backpack.
There are now many options: Lowepro notably offers its ProTactic LCS III range, with several sizes depending on the lens. The LCS 12×24 III, for example, has an internal diameter of 12 cm and a height of 24 cm, while the LCS 13×32 III is designed for much larger lenses. These pouches feature dual-density foam and the SlipLock attachment system.
There are also pouches and protective covers from Think Tank, Vanguard, Manfrotto and K&F Concept, notably from major specialist retailers and marketplaces. The advantage is being able to choose a model that precisely matches the diameter and length of your lens rather than taking a pouch that is too large or too small.
On the left, an old Lowepro Lens Case 5 pouch and a Canon 300 f/2.8 lens.
Brands worth considering: Lowepro, Think Tank, Vanguard, Manfrotto, K&F Concept
Important points to check
A Crumpler Italian Connection backpack: the advantage is that it does not look like a camera bag, and it can hold a 15-inch laptop, 2 professional camera bodies, a 70-200mm lens, and a 16-35mm or 24-70mm wide-angle lens, along with various accessories (charger, card reader, etc.).
A Think Tank Airport International rolling case: the ideal tool for covering a football match or travelling by plane. It can hold two professional camera bodies, a 300mm or 400mm f/2.8, a 16-35mm, a 70-200mm, a 15- or 17-inch laptop, as well as numerous accessories and documents.
A shoulder bag, here the Think Tank Retrospective 30: this was my favourite everyday bag for several years. A major advantage is that it does not look like a camera bag, so it does not attract unwanted attention and allows me to remain discreet.
The weight and size of the bag (is it compatible with cabin baggage when travelling by plane?), internal capacity (especially if you use a battery grip on your camera body and fast lenses), compartment layout and modularity, resistance to rain and sand (waterproof fabric, external rain cover), carrying comfort (strap width, harnesses, breathable back material), and whether it has a tripod or monopod holder. Looks also matter: I do not like bags that look too obviously photo/video-oriented. They immediately indicate that their owner is carrying expensive equipment and can therefore attract unwanted attention: in my view, that is an invitation to theft. A discreet bag that looks more like a standard bag than a camera bag makes you much less identifiable as a photographer. Finally, check whether the bag you choose has space for personal items such as your phone, documents, GPS or a small bottle of water.
The all-purpose camera bag does not exist: if you have to choose just one bag, you will unfortunately have to make compromises. And if you are wondering how many camera bags you really need… I am probably a very bad example: I have almost ten!
As for Billingham, I use a Hadley Pro 2021 and a Hadley Small. I have also kept several Think Tank bags, notably the Retrospective 4 and 30, as well as Peak Design Everyday Sling bags in 6L and 10L. For football, I use a NEEWER rolling case, which is much better suited to carrying a large amount of equipment without hurting my back.
In short, buying a shoulder bag and a backpack can be a very good compromise to start with, but over time it is very easy to end up with a bag suited to every situation! And my wife regularly makes fun of me because I eventually ended up with more camera bags than she has handbags…
