A camera bag for every occasion
Friday 17 October 2025, 13:31 by Nando Harmsen | 3,586 views | 6 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
How many camera bags do you have? One? Two? More than two? One camera bag is not always the most practical. Make sure you have at least two. That makes it easier to take a camera with you.
My first camera bag (in the digital era) was a shoulder bag. It was soon too small, because it could hold no more than one camera and one lens. Then I bought a large camera backpack. Everything fitted in it, and more.
Every time I went out, I had to put on that large backpack. As a result, there were times when I did not take a camera with me. Carrying that large camera backpack around all the time was not ideal, especially when I only wanted to take one camera and one lens with me.
So I got a smaller shoulder bag. A sling bag, to be precise. And it was ideal, because I did not have to carry that enormous camera backpack around with me. Unless I was really going out for an extended photography session.
It is therefore always sensible to have at least two camera bags. One for proper photography trips, and one for lightweight outings where you are only taking one camera. That makes you more likely to take your camera with you more often.
You can expand your collection. A simple shoulder bag for a city trip. A small camera backpack for a walk through a beautiful area. A large camera backpack for proper photography trips and photography holidays.
You can expand it even further. A camera trolley if you have an assignment somewhere, so you do not have to carry everything on your back. A larger shoulder bag, or a bag that only fits a camera. Or a belt with lens pouches.
Having several bags has the advantage that you only take what you need or think you will need. It encourages you to take your camera with you more often. It gives you flexibility and convenience.
However, do not buy things just for the sake of buying them. Find out through using your bags what you are missing. Only then will you know what you would be best buying next.
About the author
Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.
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6 comments
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Mac wrote on Monday 20 October 2025 at 08:03 | replyIk heb (te) veel fototassen. Van grote schoudertassen tot kleine schoudertassen. En grote rugtassen en kleine rugtassen.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Mijn vrouw zeurt weleens dat ik wat weg moet doen.
Dan antwoord ik altijd, wanneer jij wat schoenen weg doet
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Chris wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 10:39 | replyNou Mac, als jij te veel tassen hebt... ik zoek eigenlijk nog een tweedehandsje
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet..
Een tas waar 2 body's met objectief in kunnen (17-70 en 70-200. beide 2.8) en nog wat extra objectieven waaronder b.v. macrolens, een paar flitsers en "nog wat zooi". Met andere woorden, ik heb een paar tassen als ik minder mee wil nemen maar ik wil er ook een waar gewoon alles in kan en 300/400 euro voor een tas vind ik nogal veel omdat je hem niet vaak meeneemt maar soms is het toch écht wel handig. -
IYJM Gommers-Bergmann wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 18:18 | replyIk heb een Lowepro slingback (ideaal, maar soms wel net wat te klein). Bij aankoop van een Manfrotto-statief kreeg ik er een rugzak bij cadeau. Gaandeweg was die ook wat krap, dus een grotere gekocht en de middelmaat via MP verkocht. Daarnaast heb ik nog een kleine tasje, waar de systeemcamera + 24-105-lens nét in past.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Tip voor als je de rugzak als zwaar ervaart: kies er eentje met een band om je middel en eventueel ook om de borst. Dan voelt de tas veel lichter op je rug. -
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MacBigfoot wrote on Monday 8 December 2025 at 00:03
| reply
Ik moet meestal meer meenemen dan alleen wat fotoapparatuur. Dan vind ik het handig om een losse insert te hebben. Die past bijvoorbeeld in een dagrugzak, of een schoudertas. Er zijn verschillende soorten en maten, dus ook passend bij wat je mee wilt nemen.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet. -
Nando
wrote on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at 09:45
| reply
Die Lowe Pro rugzak die als eerste in het artikel staat, heeft een dagrugzak die je aan de buitenzijde kan hangen... Of los als je de tas zelf niet mee wilt nemen. Je ziet 'm in de foto.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Alles bij elkaar was deze tas wel enorm als je die dagrugzak er ook nog aan hing.
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