What’s the difference between a good quality, well priced camera bag and a bag that costs more than twelve times less? Photographer James Popsys runs you through some of the pros and cons when it comes to buying a bag on a budget.
We’re no doubt all familiar with the old adage, “buy cheap, buy twice,” but that’s only buying twice, not a massive twelve times. Clearly there are some differences in build quality, comfort, durability, and choice of materials, and no doubt a raft of features, but will you ultimately be disappointed if you don’t drop a decent amount of cash when it comes to transporting and protecting your gear?
One aspect that Popsys does not dig into is the ethics of buying cheap. Whether it’s ridiculously low-priced T-shirts or worryingly affordable frying pans, twenty-first-century culture is one of disposability, with people preferring to simply chuck and replace items without giving it a second thought.
Given the drive to push people away from fast fashion and over-consumption, you might want to consider spending your money on something that’s going to last, even if it’s economically less efficient in the long term.
Have you indulged in a cheap camera bag? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
This is one where the concept of sound reasoning comes into play. For me the main reason of buying a camera bag/backpack is to protect the equipment inside. So, after reading this article, I itemized the original cost of the equipment that I carry. That would be 2 full frame DSLR bodies, the holy trinity of 3 high quality zoom lenses, filters, releases, batteries et. al. The cost was $12,000. Intuitively, that answers the question. If you have a lot of expensive equipment to be carried, are you going to hold your head on a price of a bag?
Is price the only factor to consider, you seem to do a lot of talk about money but not consider that there may be cheaper items out there that are more than capable of doing the job. You scream of gearhead if im honest.
And???? Doesn’t make Ed’s comment any less correct. You should see what mediocre instrument/gig cases will run you....
My point is, people need to pay more attention than just 'how much does this cost' or 'this is more expensive, it must be better' when deciding on what to buy, its far from the only factor... but you cant tell people who love gear that logic.
ive been DJing for 20 years, im fully aware of how to package that type of equipment correctly to protect it, in fact Swan Flight (the famous, renowned flight case company) are based 3 miles from my house... but again the point still stands, the most expensive flight cases are not always the best, in fact they rarely are, they just have a nice brand on them that adds £100 onto the cost, see UDG etc.
Stuart, wow man... you really took a pot shot at me. I am anything but a gear head. However, I am a businessman by education and career. Therefore a cost/benefit analysis is important to me. Nevertheless, photography is my feeble attempt to perform a level of art. Those dollars i spent are precious to me. There is nothing in my quote that says that cost was my only criteria. I answered the question. For that decision, after having spent years accumulating good equipment, price was not the primary factor in the decision. Since you challenged me, rather harshly, my major considerations were protection of my equipment, comfort in carrying the bag, the ability to take it on airplanes without checking it, and whether the bag would withstand harsh conditions. After I found two bags that met those criteria, I purchased both of them. One bag is a backpack that allows me to carry it all. The other is a nice shoulder bag for a smaller rig which is also stylish when I go on short hikes with one of my cool looking hats. Yep, I like to look good too. if that makes me an inflexible gear head, then so be it.
Honestly my statement was more generalised and not directed solely at you, I just see all too often people justifying massively expensive purchases of accessories for cameras (I would never question camera or lens purchases unless people are upgrading camera bodies every 6 months when the next big thing appears) like tripods, bags, straps etc and then look in derision (again not directed at you) at anything cheaper as being inferior.
My honest opinion is I don’t think the cost of the equipment you are carrying around should factor at all into how much you spend on the bag to carry it, but then my stuff is only worth half of yours so perhaps I’m not in a good position to say so.
I would never recommend the £18 bag in James’ video for obvious reasons but I do honestly believe something like an Amazon Basics backpack is more than capable of carrying pro gear around. I have one of their shoulder bags that carry’s a single DSLR from when I was a beginner and it’s solid, almost bombproof I would say. Similarly their braided iPhone cable is 10x better than the Apple one that’s 4x the price.
Stuart, I don't know dude. Go back and re-read your reply to me.... It came across, to me, as an attack. I think that my post was limited to answering a question. I am an old guy; I've been around photography for 40 years. I had inexpensive things, including equipment and bags early on. I've gotten to a point where I am able to afford decent stuff. I don't just throw money at things. Before purchasing my bag, I did a lot of research. I've also traveled around a good bit with some outstanding photographers/teachers. Their advice went into my decision(s). After having purchased decent equipment, it makes life easier. I was in the Patagonia in 2016 and I slipped and fell backwards on a rock. The backpack protected me from being seriously injured and my equipment was fine. I was in Iceland in 2018, and it rained 50% of the time, and we went out anyway. Having a good waterproof backpack with well organized compartments really helped. I clearly understand that you can get something less expensive on Amazon (I bought my Mindshift Backpack on Amazon). Again, I have some very expensive gear, and I am not going to trust a cheap bag which if it fails could cost me a lot.... Plus, the price of the bag pales in comparison to the cost my lenses and bodies. So the cost of the bag was not even close to the deciding factor. "Gear head notwithstanding" ..... All the best!
I’d like to say that those mindshift bags look a lot more appropriate than other bags in that price range that fall more into the fashion accessory category, and a lot better value than the £500 Peter McKinnon one, it just irks me a bit that a simple rucksack with some internal padding and extra pockets can warrant a price anywhere near that, and I think some of it is down to being brought in line with the cost of camera gear that is stored inside.. I’d love to know the production costs, Barbour jackets cost around the same price and they are actually hand made, in Britain.
Yea right, 12k in a $40 bag makes a lot of sense. My father always told me to buy the best, spend the most for it will last a life time if you take care of it. I have 8k in equipment and a $195.00 Think Tank Back Pack and it is a beast. I know this puppy will last for many years for it is well built and extremely durable. Not worried equipment going to spew out while hiking on the trail.
Maybe we are just not asking correct question here. Perhaps the video is not providing proper approach either.
As a rule of the thumb, you get what you pay for. But sometimes you get less or more for what you paid. I doubt this super cheap backpack from the video is something that can give optimum protection for $12,000 worth of gear. But I'm also guessing with all the choices on the market there has to be some sweet spot where functionality meets fair price. Of course we can go for a "no brainer" option and just buy the most expensive product but then we can find out it either does not meet our specific expectations or maybe even find quality subpar. Following such "most expensive is best" mentality is actually not healthy on the long run. Manufacturers become lazy when they realize that price is not an issue. I am a big proponent of doing extensive research before buying products or services. Finding offers that truly provide best value to quality ratio is the key to a healthy market. Going for the most expensive products is just as wrong as going for cheapest ones, just for the sake of price.
Your points are all well taken. However, isn't that true about almost anything? In the 1980s, many people were using Mont Blanc pens which didn't work any better than a .$.20 BIC. My point from the beginning, is that if you are going to carry expensive gear, the price of the bag is not the prime issue. The decision is what kind of bag should you buy. Shopping around for price performance makes sense. In my case, I wanted to ensure the best bag to protect my investment.
I was born in the 1980's so I'm too young (lol) to know the story of Mont Blanc pens but I hear what you say :) Yeah, I guess the rule applies generally to many things.
The 80s were when we boomers were in our prime. The rage was Brooks Brothers 3-piece suits, Perrier Water, Mont Blanc pens, BMW's, Gucci bags and Hasselblad Cameras even if you didn't know a thing about photography. It was an era of stupid status. In the corporate world, people bought things that they couldn't afford with money that they didn't have to impress people that they didn't even like. There are a lot of boomers currently starving during retirement for living that opulent lifestyle.
"It was an era of stupid status. In the corporate world, people bought things that they couldn't afford with money that they didn't have to impress people that they didn't even like."
Sounds like 80's all over again.
A more fair comparison would be a full size cheap bag like the cheap PolarPro Trekker Backpack Price: $89.99
I think it depends on each person. You just have to find a bag that works for you. It has to be comfortable, it has to be able to fit all the gear you need to transport and it has to protect that gear.
I bought Think Tank roller case in Oct 2009 and have visited probably 30 cities with it for work. Most of the time it was fully loaded with 400/2.8, 70-200/2.8, 24-70, two nikon d3/d4 bodies. Best $369 I've spent on a roller case. I bought crappy Lowerpro before that and zipper broke during travel. lowerpro did not honor their warranty and thankfully it took me to the Think Tank roller. Now that I am using sony i use it to transport my profoto gear. The wheels wore out in 2018 and think tank sent me complimentary new wheels.
Think Tank is great ... Harddrive 2.0 in my case ... reasonably priced, well build, mostly well designed ..
I previously I had several bags from (Lowepro, Vanguard, Tamrac, etc) and even super cheap Vanguard served just as well as Think Tank .. just ran out of space ...
I too have a Think Tank product and it is a beast of a back pack. High quality, well built and worth the $195.00. I looked at the cheap shit on amazon and ended up buying Think Tank back pack at local camera shop. Fits all my equipment, has external D-Rings to fasten other bags or clips and so damn comfortable.
I got a top of the range bag that carries all my gear and has space for a laptop - its mostly unused. My goto bag is a cheap bag that has limited (but sufficient) space, sits well on my shoulders and most importantly one I can hike with. The cheap one cost my $35 on ebay and the expensive Lowepro cost about $120.
I don't carry all my lens with me - and spend time planning what I'm after - sometimes choosing between primes and a zoom. The 70-200/2.8 always seems to find its way in.
Another chapter in the never ending search for the perfect bag. Is that bag out there? I think I have more bags than cameras. I need professional help.
I paid £80 for a Manfrotto backpack, its rock solid. Ive been all over with it carrying 2 Fuji bodies, 4 lenses, a tripod, filters, gloves, hat etc and still going strong after nearly 3 years of use, winter in the lakes, Scotland, trips to Teesdale in all weather etc.
Main factors for me when choosing are suitable mounts for a tripod, preferably a full pocket so a travel pod can fit inside. Then additional cross straps are handy for longer hiking, rear entry for security and general ease of use, other pockets/areas for other equipment, carry handle, traditional padding in the compartment, those Peak Design things just looks flimsy and useful in real world use.
Tue that, Think Tank by far makes the best and highest quality bags and cases. I have a back pack and it is a beast. Can hike, climb, bash the trees, and watch it roll down hill and never worry about equipment breaking or spilling out. Love it so much I might just buy another one just to say I have two of them...
I have bought honestly 50 bags. (And some at quite a price)
Bottom line; I'm using only 2 on a daily bases.
It's hard to get the perfect one in a shop, always need to try for real, fill it, wear it and see if it fits.
Price is a little matter here. Design is much more important. (ok, 18 GBP is way too low to be good and safe to me)
While photography bags are a matter of personal preference -- and everyone has a different one -- is it just me, or did anyone else find it unusual that this guy reviewed both of these bags without putting anything in them? I mean isn't that like reviewing a pair of shoes without even putting them on?
There's a point of diminishing returns on how much to spend on a camera bag, and you would be surprised that you may not necessarily need to spend a lot either.The Ruggard series I've bought at B&H (don't know if they're available anywhere else) have proven themselves to be quite good. I was coming back from a shoot on my motorcycle and some kid pulled a u-turn on me while I was doing around 40mph. The bag did a lot better than my bike or broken toe. :-D All the gear survived unscathed. I wouldn't dismiss this economical series. They have some good photo backpacks as well, I have one for my portable astrophotography rig.
All about Branding my friend. Make it cheap, slap a fancy name on it and watch those buy it for the name only. SO yea, you are correct.
Bought cheap once years ago. While standing waiting to cross the street the strap pulled away from the bag and the whole bag crashed to the ground. Fortunately there was enough padding that it wasn't a painful lesson to learn. Get whatever bag or case best suits your style of shooting but get a good one!
Really depends how you are going to use the bag. There are situations where a cheap bag is more than enough. I'm thinking like a creative office that just needs to keep the camera with it's 2 lenses and accessories all together in one place and occasionally bring to a location then a cheap bag is fine. I'd call that light use. For someone who is constantly shooting on location and traveling – heavy use, then absolutely invest in a good bag.
I see a lot of praise for Think Tank in the comments. They really do make some of the best bags I've seen, and in fact I wound up buying the same green MindShift bag featured in the video.
i bought the thinktank trailscape 18 for my mirrorless sony. Not only does it fit 3 bodies and 3 lenses it is also 2.8 lbs when empty. This is huge as I think my last bag was 4.5pounds empty. I have a 13" macbook pro, 2a9, 1 a7riv, 100-400, 24-70/2.8 and 35/1.4. I also store 2 Samyang 35 and 24mm lenses on the outer pouches.
I'm a great believer in a premium case. Comes down to protection, durability, and support from the manufacturer. About 1975, I set my camera store up as a LowePro dealership. I grabbed the first Magnum case for my personal use.
That case was all over the world; dropped, rained on, shoved under airplane seats, and never had anything damaged in it. Nothing on the case tore or broke either. Certainly couldn't say that for ANY of the dozens of other bags I've had.
About 8 years ago, the main foam pad in the bottom of the case had deteriorated to the point where I wanted a replacement. The manufacturer sent me a free part for my 30+ year old case!
Check out this article from Petapixel, from several years ago. It rightly points out that camera backpacks are usually good at the camera part, but not the backpack part. It presents a really nice solution. I had been looking for a camera backpack when I happened upon the article. As an avid hiker, who has trekked many miles with Osprey packs, it immediately made sense to me. I bought an Osprey 24L and the Tenba insert and couldn't be happier with it. It is way more comfortable for carrying all those pounds of cameras and lenses than packs with shoulder and waist straps that are designed more as an afterthought.
https://petapixel.com/2017/03/30/camera-specific-outdoor-packs-suck-here...