It used to be that a man carrying a bag would attract a certain kind of attention. Now, though, I feel naked if I leave the house without my phone, iPod, camera and sundry other bits of kit. I’m still too young to buy internet pants, so man-bag it must be.
Some kinds of bags, though, have always been acceptable. Those are the bags dedicated to carrying kit. Golf bags, fishing bags, bowling bags and gym bags. And the best of all, the camera bag. Here’s a rundown of two real classics, and a rather smart newcomer.
Billingham 550 $500
A British classic, the Billingham 550 is actually an evolution of a fishing bag. Martin Billingham founded the company back in 1973 and discovered that his canvas bags were being used by photographers in New York. A photographer himself, Martin gave up on fish sacks and switched full time to camera bags.
The canvas, leather and brass bags still look traditional, but there are a few innovations under the hood. Rainproof, with a neoprene shoulder pad and nylon covered padding inside, it also comes with two detachable pockets and more can be added. The bag will probably last longer than your camera kit. I have had one for years, but to be honest, it’s a little too heavy and even in smaller sizes, quite bulky and fiddly to open. It’s also expensive, but that could just be the weak dollar.
Product page [Billingham]
Domke F-2 $190
The Domke is perhaps the US equivalent of the Billingham. It’s the default bag for most photographers, probably because it is relatively cheap, tough and easy to use. It’s also understated in a way that the country-estate style of the Billingham could never be.
The whole point of the F-2, according to the maker, Jim Domke, is that it is built to be used and not for just storage:
It was designed so that I could get at my equipment instantly, without having to take the bag from my shoulder
If you have used one, it seems perilously thin at first, but there turns out to be plenty of padding and the thinness means more space for kit. The F-2 has a whopping 12 pockets, and can hold a couple of cameras and enough glass to break your shoulder.
Product page [Tiffen]
Crumpler: The Whickey And Cox $220
To be honest, Crumpler has such a great lineup that I picked this one for the name. It’s in the middle of the range of camera rucksacks and it’ll carry a DSLR with a zoom, plus space for a flashgun a wide-angle lens. There’s also space for a notebook, something you don’t see on older bags because, well, there were no laptops when they were designed. The computer can be up to 15”, and has its own removable sleeve.
The rucksack design means that you can shoot for a day and not go home with a twisted spine. The best part, though, is that it is extremely secure: you lay the bag on its front and the inside opens up. This stops anyone sneaking a hand inside on a crowded metro when it’s on your back. It also means you keep clean: any floor dirt stays on the outside of the bag, away from your clothes. The Whickey and Cox also has a lot of external pockets and straps to stow the rest of your junk, and you can add an optional cellphone holder to the arm strap.
Product page [Crumpler]
There’s one more way to go. Instead of buying a purpose made camera bag, you can get a small padded pouch to protect it and sling it into a regular bag. There are several advantages: no bulky bag when you only need to carry one camera; it can look a lot nicer if you need a bag to match your outfit and it can be more secure. Much like purpose made notebook bags, a camera bag is an obvious target for thieves. Think of the single camera case as the neoprene laptop case of cameras.
Your turn. How do you carry your gear? Answers, as ever, in the comments.
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