Bolsas para câmeras. Quem diria que haveria tanta escolha? Eu certamente não o fiz quando dei meus primeiros passos no mundo da fotografia. Desde pequenas bolsas em forma de câmera que se adaptam perfeitamente aos contornos da sua câmera até grandes malas com rodas projetadas para armazenar e transportar toda uma gama de equipamentos fotográficos, a escolha pode ser esmagadora. Então, depois de conversar com seus amigos de fotografia e ler sobre as opções de bolsa de câmera do fotógrafo profissional, você começa a se perguntar se foi ingênuo ao pensar que uma bolsa de câmera seria perfeita.
Afinal, exatamente quantas bolsas de câmera você precisa? Não se preocupe, estamos aqui para ajudá-lo a descobrir isso.
Como a maioria das coisas, a resposta a essa pergunta aparentemente simples é, na realidade, mais complexa. A resposta curta seria que você precisa de pelo menos uma bolsa de câmera grande o suficiente para armazenar sua câmera e suas lentes. O número real de bolsas de câmera que você precisa dependerá do tamanho da sua coleção de câmeras, do tipo de fotografia que você faz, do seu orçamento e de sua preferência pessoal.
Alguns fotógrafos preferem ter uma bolsa ou estojo para guardar seu equipamento enquanto estiverem em casa e uma bolsa ou mais para quando forem fotografar. Outros usarão apenas a mesma bolsa para ambos. Alguns fotógrafos, como aqueles que viajam ou fotografam paisagens e vida selvagem, precisam de uma bolsa que seja facilmente transportável e acessível. Ou talvez eles só precisem usar certos equipamentos, então precisam de uma bolsa adequada e mais uma para guardar o restante do equipamento em casa. Por outro lado, os fotógrafos de retratos podem precisar de todo o equipamento para a sessão e, portanto, são necessários um número menor de bolsas.
Qual é o número médio de malas que os fotógrafos têm?
Uma pesquisa realizada pelo
Fórum Pentax descobriu que a maioria dos fotógrafos tem entre 3-6 bolsas de câmera. Menos de 1% dos fotógrafos pesquisados possuíam apenas 1 bolsa de câmera e havia 2 fotógrafos que possuíam mais de 15 bolsas de câmera!
Existe um consenso geral na comunidade de fotografia de que não existe a bolsa perfeita para a câmera. Em vez disso, existem bolsas que foram projetadas para atender a tipos específicos de fotografia e situações e tipos específicos de fotógrafos. Isso significa que os fotógrafos adquiriram uma coleção de bolsas para câmeras mais adequadas às suas necessidades.
Os fotógrafos que têm várias bolsas para câmeras descreveram como geralmente têm uma bolsa “principal” que usam para armazenar a maioria (se não todos) de seus equipamentos e outras bolsas menores para quando estão fora de casa. Muitos fotógrafos tendem a ter algum tipo de bolsa de câmera mochila em sua coleção, pois podem armazenar mais de uma câmera e lentes e são ótimas para quando você está em movimento.
Tipo de fotografia
Fotógrafos de longa data provavelmente trabalharam com muitos tipos diferentes de bolsas para câmeras antes de escolherem suas favoritas. O que todos eles vão te dizer é que não há realmente um estilo de bolsa que seja melhor que outro. Plus, what works great for one shoot won’t necessarily work great for the next and this is the reason why photographers end up with multiple camera bags. The different styles of camera bags can be split into two broad categories:active and passive.
Active Bags
Active bags are, believe it or not, best for shoots that involve you being active. They are great because they allow you to easily carry the equipment you need. This means you are more mobile, can respond to your environment quicker and so have a greater chance at capturing that fleeting shot.
Styles of bag that come under the active bag umbrella include backpacks, sling bags, modular systems and shoulder bags.
Passive Bags
These types of bag are best suited for storing all your photography kit when you’re not using it. They are also great for easily transporting all your equipment to and from the shooting location. Passive bags are usually larger and most often come in the form of roller bags.
Most pro-photographers will use a combination of both passive and active bags. Some even transport their equipment to the shoot using a roller bag then use a backpack or a modular system to carry extra equipment such as flash units or extra lenses but cannot carry in their hands.
Which Bags are best for Which Type of Photography?
Whether you shoot mainly portraits or prefer to capture the beauty of the natural world there will be a camera bag that will become your go to bag. Sometimes a combination of bags may work best and other times that one bag you’ve only ever used once before would be perfect for the upcoming shoot. That’s why most photographers have 3-6 bags.
Here’s a rundown on which type of photography the different styles of bag are good for to help you fine tune your collection.
Backpacks
A staple of most photographer’s backpacks and are great for those on the move. These types of bags are ideal for those shooting landscapes, wildlife and travel photography.
Pros
- Frees up your hands for your camera, using your phone or to quickly change lenses.
- The weight is evenly distributed to both shoulders and lower back (some backpacks even come with waist straps for extra support).
- Great for storing your gear when not in use.
- Varying levels of capacity to suit your needs, from full backpack to backpacks with compartment for camera equipment and compartments for personal items.
Cons
- As its on your back the contents can be slow to access
- Can be too heavy especially if you fill the entire backpack and are carrying it all day.
For a backpack that will carry both your camera gear and a small laptop check out
the Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II .
Roller Bags
Found both in soft and hard case varieties, these types of bag are great for storing your gear while not in use and for transportation. Roller bags are ideal for those photographers who are shooting in one place such as portrait and some events such as weddings.
Pros
- They can carry a large amount of camera gear
- The wheels make it super easy to transport your gear
- They are usually larger than most other bags which makes them great for storing all your gear in one place.
Cons
- Not great if you need to move around a lot while on a shoot
- Need somewhere secure to be left when not in use
For a carry-on friendly roller bag that will store and protect all your gear try the
Manfrotto Pro Light Reloader-55 .
Modular Systems
The smallest type of camera bags, these come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. With either a waist belt style or shoulder strap option these bags generally only allow you to carry a single camera and maybe an extra lens.
Modular systems are great for those on the go photographers who need to be super mobile. They are ideal for travel and street photography as well as some events such as parades.
Pros
- Provide the most mobility
- Pouches that attach to a waist belt relieve the weight from shoulders and back and transfer to the waist.
- Great for carrying extra pieces of equipment such as spare batteries, memory cards and flash units without the need for a bag on your back.
If you’re tired of carrying camera bags around but still want the flexibility of carrying extra pieces of equipment then the
Lowepro S&F Deluxe Technical Belt is right up your street.
Sling Bags
Slings bags are a hybrid between a backpack and shoulder bag and sit on your back with a single cross strap. They bring the ease of access that a shoulder bag has but with the comfort of a backpack. They are ideal for shooting landscapes, events, travel and street photography. A great example is the
Tenba Solstice Sling bag which allows you to carry both your camera, 2-3 lenses and a 10inch tablet.
Pros
- Are more comfortable than a shoulder bag when using over a prolonged period.
- Make accessing your equipment quick and easy.
- Great if you’re only taking a small amount of equipment with you.
Cons
- Generally, can’t carry as much as a backpack.
- All the weight is focused on one shoulder and lower back.
Shoulder Bags
Shoulder bags are the traditional camera bag and often the first style of bag a new photographer will opt for. Perfect for those photographers who need maximum mobility but with more equipment than a modular system will allow.
Ideal for travel, street, and some landscape photography.
Pros
- Easy access to your equipment – it’s by your side.
- Bags often just look like a regular shoulder bag and not a camera bag making it easier to blend in.
- There are varying sizes to fit your needs
- Can be great to store your gear when not in use especially for those just starting out who may not have many extra lenses or accessories yet.
Cons
- All the weight is on one shoulder which may become uncomfortable and possibly bad for your body in the long term after a while.
- Not really suitable if you want to carry larger lenses (greater than ~200mm) around.
Shoulder bags are often the most stylish of the camera bags and can even be mistaken for a normal bag which is great if you’re wanting to blend into your surroundings. Check out the
Peak Design Everyday Messenger bag for both style and practicality.
There is no right or wrong answer to how many camera bags you need. Instead you should really be asking does the camera bag(s) that I have meet my photography needs? If the answer is no then perhaps its time to invest in a new bag that fills the gaps that your current collection leaves. I hope that this article has helped you in answering this question.
Click this link to learn what to put in your camera bag.
