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The 13 Best Camera Backpacks in 2020 For Travel & Hiking Adventures
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Whether you prefer to travel light with minimal attachments or you like to bring the
entire home studio with you, finding the right camera backpack can
make moving with your gear possible.
Of course, you’re not buying a camera backpack just for the protective features on
it. You’re buying a camera backpack to make it easier to carry your gear.
Gone are the days where you’re walking around with the camera strapped around
your neck. You have a tripod, portable jib, possibly sound equipment, additional
lenses and all sorts of odds and ends. For this kind of equipment, a regular
backpack just won’t do.
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So before you even consider buying a camera backpack (or even looking for one),
know what you want from the backpack and what you plan on using it for.
Do you want it to be just for a vlogging camera, or do you want a slot to keep your
laptop?
Re c e nt P o s t s
Are you interested in taking it through airport security?
Top 7 Best Thunderbolt 3 Docks
The more you know about how you’ll be using the camera backpack, the easier 2020 + Editor’s Pick
selecting one becomes. February 3, 2020
Of course, you’re here for help in selecting the right backpack and for suggestions
Linkedin by the Numbers: Stats,
on what to actually look for. You’ll have all of that right here, so let’s get started.
Demographics & Fun Facts
February 3, 2020
EDITOR'S PICK
Snapchat by the Numbers:
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
Lowepro ProTactic 450 Stats, Demographics & Fun
Facts
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PROFESSIONALS CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
Things to Consider
When shopping for a camera backpack you need to keep a few specifics in mind.
You may even want to invest in a few different camera backpacks, depending on
different forms of travel.
After all, you might not need as much gear when wandering the streets of your
hometown, yet you might want to bring multiple lenses, lights, and gear on an
extended trip.
Whatever your photography style or your needs are, you’ll want to make sure each
backpack checks off a few specific boxes prior to purchasing it.
1. Weight Capacity
How much can that camera bag carry? It’s an important question.
Now, you need to determine what you’ll be taking with you. If you’re using the
standard DSLR and maybe a tripod, you don’t need much in terms of weight.
However, if you have a half-dozen different lenses, plus tripods, audio equipment, a
portable sandbag for tripod stability, plus your computer and other odds and ends,
the weight adds up quickly.
In general, you probably won’t run into a problem where the backpack can’t
support the weight of your gear, but as your equipment collection expands, the
weight will grow with it. Knowing how much weight it can support is important.
2. Extra Compartments?
From added pockets for quick access on the front of the backpack to pouches
designed for lenses, batteries and business cards, extra compartments help boost
the functionality of your backpack.
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Some bags are designed with a sleek look. These are designed for when you want
to blend into a crowd and not look like a photographer. However, these bags often
come with a lack of external compartments and easy access pouches.
On the other hand, you might need to quickly grab something from your bag. The
perfect photo capturing moment won’t last forever, so you need extra
compartments to help you carry everything you might need to take the perfect
picture.
Normally, you wouldn’t look at a backpack to see if there is a spot for a laptop.
However, camera backpacks are partitioned off into individual sections, so placing
a long, flat device it won’t work. Some of these backpacks have a secondary
compartment designed for your laptop. Other’s don’t. It’s important to look for this.
Also, when looking for laptop compartments, know the size of your laptop. Have a
17-inch screen? Not all backpacks are big enough for this. Dimensions for your
laptop and the backpack are important.
3. Access
Is the camera gear easy to access, or do you need to fumble around and take the
backpack off in order to grab your gear?
Can you adjust the interior to better hold the gear you are taking?
Some camera bags have quick-access panels while other bags allow you to
adjust nearly every internal compartment. It’s all about finding the right fit.
You need to consider how you’ll be using the camera bag. Do you want to pull out
gear while you’re on the move? If so, these quick-access panels are helpful, as are
the external pockets and added compartments.
Also, look at how the bag opens. Do you need to take the backpack off in order to
access the gear? Sometimes the access panel is pushed against your back. All of
this depends on you and how quickly you need to access your gear.
Access plays an important role in the function of the bag and it’s extremely
important to keep it in mind. Some bags require you to unzip the entire back
compartment in order to access anything. That’s fine for shooting in a makeshift
travel studio, but it’s not the best for stopping on a street corner because you like
the natural lighting.
So keep in mind what you are using the camera backpack for when considering
the access it provides.
4. Comfort
Is the bag comfortable or will it weigh you down and fit awkwardly around your
body?
Does it naturally follow the contour of the back? More comfortable bags often shift
weight to the bottom of the bag and taper off at the top.
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Does it have added padding in the straps and in the lumbar of the back?
Does it have secondary straps to help evenly distribute the weight of the camera?
This is something you’ll need to rely on reviews (if the camera backpack isn’t
comfortable, user will note this in their reviews) and on the build material, but it is a
critical aspect of a bag to consider. You don’t want a backpack that’s painful to
wear.
5. Price
This often comes down to the build material. Some camera backpacks might be
waterproof, others come with added insulation to absorb shock.
And then there are other times you’re paying more for a brand name instead of
quality. With a camera backpack, you don’t need to look specifically at the
company name. When buying the actual camera the company name is important.
With a backpack not as much. You just need to focus on the build, compartments
and if it fits your needs.
Editors Pick
The editor’s pick comes down to selecting a camera backpack made specifically
for the camera.
There are a large number of packs that have a bit of an identity crisis. The
backpacks can’t decide if it should be for a camera or for everyday use.
That’s why we went with the Lowepro ProTactic 450. This comes with everything
you’d want on a camera backpack.
The price is higher than many, but when you’re a professional, want the ability to
customize the interior and yet take the backpack with you anywhere, this is the
way to go.
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Laptop compartment
Fits up to 8 lenses
5 modular accessories
It’s why you can drop $50 on a regular backpack and you’ve got a great backpack
that’ll last. With the camera world though, that’s not always the case.
The Manfrotto MB isn’t built with the strongest material. Looking at it you can tell
there isn’t an abundance of padding. So it’s not going to be for your extreme hiking
trips.
But there are benefits to this bag. For starters, it does have a dedicated padded
laptop sleeve. The padding aspect is important to consider because it will be
against your back. This not only prevents your back from being banged by the hard
edges of your laptop, but it will prevent you from sweating onto your laptop.
Basically, that means there’s a built-in partition designed to prevent the metal tips
of a smaller tripod from smashing into glass lenses.
There are a few partitions built into this backpack, but there are also many solid,
can’t move this out of the backpack, partitions.
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The tripod is one. This takes up a third of the interior. As long as you have a smaller
tripod (can fold down to around 15 inches or smaller) it will be fine.
In terms of build quality, the backpack, for the price, is fine. But there’s one potential
issue with the backpack.
Zipper placement.
The zipper used to open the compartment is nearest to your back. It then zips all
the way down. This means you can’t just unzip the top and pull out a piece of
equipment. You have to physically take the backpack off and lay it on the ground.
This opens up for some potential issues. So in reality, it’s a fine backpack, but the
zipper placement is a bit of a letdown.
Laptop sleeve
Toss it over your shoulder and you’ll instantly look like you’re heading out on safari.
If Indiana Jones had a camera backpack, this would be the backpack he’d wear.
Most camera backpacks more or less look the same. There’s the black design and
that’s it. There isn’t much in way of color or visual aesthetic to it.
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While the physical design and features of a camera backpack are what sells it, the
looks of this one already set it apart. It really does scream “adventurer.”
With this backpack, there are two major compartments. There’s the top half, which
can be accessed by flipping over the top of the canvas, and the bottom half, which
can be removed via a zipper. You don’t need to fully open up the entire backpack
to grab something, which is great.
However, the backpack doesn’t have movable partitions. The base portion is
designed to hold lenses, but there’s nothing that really separates the lenses from
one another, and you don’t want your lenses clanking against one another.
You can use the old photographer trick and slip a sock over each for some added
protection, but deep down, do you really want a cool looking backpack, only to pull
out a lens wrapped in a tube sock?
There also isn’t a true laptop sleeve in the backpack. There’s room for a tablet,
which may be enough for you, but if you do a good amount of photo editing, you
probably want your laptop.
This is the kind of bag where you need to decide if you want a backpack that can
function as a suitable camera backpack, or do you want a very specific camera
backpack. If you don’t have much in way of gear, this is a great looking bag that
feels exceptional while you’re walking around with it.
However, if you have a good amount of gear, the lack of moveable partitions will be
an issue (the base portion does allow you to move from a single bottom to
partitioning it off into thirds, but outside of this there aren’t any customizable
features).
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Is different good?
This is the kind of bag you’d want to wear on a short outing to the city or a local
museum. A destination where you might not need a ton of gear.
This backpack doesn’t have a ton of external pockets. Outside of a few zippers,
you’ll need to access everything inside the main compartment. However, for the
size, the main compartment is excellent.
The backpack is also, much like the canvas backpack, broken down into two
sections. There’s a top portion, where it’s an open space, allowing you to drop in
your camera, extra sweatshirt or other odds and ends. The bottom portion is really
where the camera backpack feature comes in. It has a number of partition options,
each of which allows you to customize it to fit your needs.
Now, if you have a telephoto lens it probably isn’t going to fit, but anything smaller
than that and you’re good to go.
There’s even a fantastic quick-release battery compartment. This way, you can just
pop the top and grab the batteries.
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And we all know, you’ll need to change your battery or the memory card at the
worst time, so having this feature is nice.
There is no internal compartment for a tripod, but there are a side clip and strap
for one, which secures the tripod to the backpack. This is a nice feature and helps
free up some internal space for other equipment.
The padding on the backpack is a bit thin, so it’s not something you’d want to go
hiking with.
However, for those city shoots, this is a great backpack for the price.
Tripod strap
As long as it’s not the 17-inch kind. If you have a bigger laptop, it still won’t fit (15.6
inches or smaller).
This is another camera backpack designed more for city shooting. It has the
colorful design that relies on more than just black, which is nice.
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It has a top compartment which you can place odds and ends into. Then there’s
the camera compartment, which has enough space for up to five lenses.
The only issue with this design though is the access point for the laptop is in the
portion against your back.
This means you’ll need to completely take off the backpack and spread it out on
the ground. That can be inconvenient in a variety of ways. There are some quick
access panels on the sides for some gear, but the access panels in the back of a
backpack are not all that desirable.
A fold-out side pocket on the backpack makes it easy to strap a tripod to your
pack. The external tripod is often the way to go as it frees up more space internally
while allowing you to carry larger tripods.
Waterproof design
Tripod pocket
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This bag is the first to really give a professional the kind of space needed.
The backpack has a number of helpful, easy access compartments, with slots for
tablets, laptops, writing equipment and other gear you might want to have on
hand.
It doesn’t have any free, open pouches like the other equipment. Everything is a
partition, so you can secure everything.
Open up the rear zipper, which opens up the entire backpack, and you have room
for all of your lenses (including a telephoto lens). This total open zipper is good
when you have space to place the backpack down on the studio floor.
At the top of the backpack, there’s a quick access compartment, which allows you
to easily pull out your camera.
The only downside at all to this backpack is the lack of a tripod carrying strap.
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The air vented padding on the back and shoulder straps make all of this possible.
If you’ve suffered through bad shoulder and back sweats from poorly vented
backpacks before, you know how important this feature is.
The backpack also has a dedicated laptop compartment and some slots for other
gear, although most of the space is dedicated toward the interior partitions.
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There’s room for just about everything here and you can really make it your own.
Whether you need extra flashes, lenses, audio recording equipment or something
else, you’ll have space for this.
There are also quick access points, both at the top of the backpack and at the side.
This way, you can quickly grab a different lens or the camera itself.
It has more padding so when you’re out in rugged areas, you won’t need to worry
about your gear.
There’s also a dedicated tripod attachment for this backpack, which is great.
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It still has the air ventilated padding, allowing it to feel more comfortable.
Thankfully, this backpack ups its laptop compartment game to 15 inches, so you will
be able to fit most laptops in.
The interior of the backpack is similar, allowing you to partition off the backpack as
you need to.
There are also five modular accessories that come with it. This includes the tripod
cup, water bottle pouch, slip lock (for hanging from the base of your tripod) and
other accessories.
Now, you can’t always use all the accessories at once, as some do attach to the
backpack in similar locations. However, these added customizable features are
excellent.
If you have the money to spare, this backpack is well worth the added investment
over its smaller brother.
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While a smaller size, it still gives you room to fit up to eight additional lenses within
the backpack.
It had a dedicated laptop compartment. It will fit all 13-inch laptops. Some 15-inch
laptops with wider bezels will not fit though.
It also doesn’t have a ton of the quick access compartments you’d find on
backpack specific equipment.
This backpack is better suited if you’re traveling and headed toward dedicated
locations where you can use the backpack more as a camera case. It’s not
designed for rugged travel, hiking or other activities where you’ll be moving about.
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The backpack does have a fully customizable interior, allowing you to hold a DSLR
with up to five lenses.
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One of the better features on the bag is the crisscrossing front straps. You may find
this a bit odd at first, but it does improve the support and weight distribution. It also
makes it impossible for anyone to snatch the backpack off your shoulders (if you’re
worried about that).
The VINTA backpack isn’t the pack when you want a ton of compartments for your
camera gear. But when you want to travel with select lenses and equipment, all
while looking great, there’s no better option for the price.
This backpack would look right at home if you love wearing sweatshirts out while
shooting. It is made of a similar, external material.
It also comes in several different color options to meet your personal style needs.
it’s also an exceptionally comfortable bag with the way it contours along your
back. Weight placement in the bag is fantastic.
It also has clip-on attachment features, allowing you to quickly expand to carry a
water bottle, tripod or anything else you need to grab quickly.
If you want a combination of great looks and design, this is a solid option.
It holds up to a 15-inch laptop and has side pull-out panels that are great for
storing added gear.
However, the backpack isn’t all that large and doesn’t hold a large amount of gear.
Nor does it have a large amount of protective cushion. The interior also doesn’t
give you as many customizable features (and it can be a bit tricky to get into
sometimes).
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Perhaps you’re traveling across town (or across the country) to a photo shoot and
you need everything you’d have in a studio. Tossing everything into most camera
bags wouldn’t work, but it would with this Lowepro PRO Runner.
This bag gives you all the room you’d need for a portable studio, making this a
fantastic bag for when you are a professional and you need as much portable
space as possible.
The fully customizable interior allows you to pack just about anything, including a
laptop up to 15.4 inches in size.
There is a tripod strap on the rear, although this is best suited for smaller laptops.
The wheels are also nice unless you plan on hiking or wearing the backpack for
long periods of time. If you are, wheels pushed against your back is not a great
long-term feeling. It’s also missing some of the quick access compartments.
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It’s a sturdy construction and looks good, but you don’t have much room for
anything.
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This is a nice looking backpack and some helpful side compartments, but if you’re
shopping for a camera backpack specific pack, this is missing a number of
features you’d want. And for the price, you’re better off going with something else.
Handcrafted backpack
Fully padded
Conclusion
Selecting the right backpack is really a personal preference. You need to decide if
you want it to be specifically for use with your camera, or if you want to swap out
camera gear for clothing from time to time.
You also need to decide how you plan on using the backpack. Do you want it to
travel with you in museums or on hiking trails? That will help you decide what
backpack works for you. For the money, we like the Lowepro ProTactic 450 as it
really has everything you’d want in a camera backpack. But in reality, it comes
down to what works best for you.
So which camera backpack did you buy? What features do you look for? Let us
know!
Salman Aslam
Salman Aslam is the Founder & CEO of Omnicore, a leading
Healthcare Digital Advertising & Marketing Agency helping
clients across the globe. You can follow him on Twitter for
tweets and rants about latest news, tips and advice on digital
marketing.
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