Bags (1) -- Evolution

When you have a digital DSLR, you need a bag to carry it with you. But how to choose a perfect bag?

From my experience, there is no perfect bag. The classic photographer bags are shoulder bags. You wear it cross your body. Simple and secure, it serves most of the cases well.

The problem with shoulder bags is when carrying a lot of gears, it puts all the weights on one shoulder. It becomes very uncomfortable. Backpacks were introduced to tackle this issue. At one point, backpacks became very popular.


[Backpacks are good for carrying heavy load.]

The problem with backpacks is if you are like me who tends to switch lenses very often, you need to find a place where you can put down your backpack and switch lenses. For earlier generation backpacks, you have to lay them down before you can open them. That was not too convenient.

To solve the problem for the heavy load and quick switching lenses, a new type of bags called sling bags was born. In Taiwan, this kind of bags is called archer's bag (弓箭包). You carry your equipment on your back (not on the side like shoulder bag), when you need to switch lens, you slide the bag from your back to your front and switch the lens (don't need to find a place to lay down your bag). This should be your perfect bag. However, you still wear your sling bag across your body so one shoulder still gets tired after a while, although it's much better than shoulder bag.


[Sling bags are good for quick accessing camera and switching lenses.]

Some manufacturers then invented hybrid bags combining all the good things from sling bags and backpacks. They first put quick release buckles on the backpack so users can easily release the bag from one shoulder and then slide the backpack from back to the front like sling bag. It also put a side opening for users to quickly access to lenses and camera, another idea from sling bag. After you complete switching lenses, you slide the bag on to your back again and carry it using both shoulders.


[Fastpack is a hybrid bag combining good features from sling bag and backpack]

The other type of bags that I haven't used is waist bags that you can carry them on your waist. I just ordered one two days ago. Will share the experience once I put it to use.

Next time let's talk about different sizes of the bags.