How to Pack a Camera for Traveling / A Guide to Camera Packing All Photographers Should Know
Part of the fun of being a photographer is capturing the beauty of the world around you. Doing that often means transporting yourself and your camera equipment to other locations. But traveling with camera gear comes with risks, and one of the biggest is damage. These are expensive pieces of equipment and are also quite fragile. How do you keep your gear safe so that it arrives in tip-top shape?
Whether you are a casual photographer, an event photographer, or a long-exposure photographer selling landscape photography online, the answer to protecting your required camera gear lies in how you pack it and what you pack it in.
Here are tips and tricks to packing, including the types of bags you’ll find on the market. A camera bag makes a huge difference in safety and comfort, and you may be surprised by what’s new in the areas of protection and added convenience.
A Guide to Dedicated Camera Bags
The first step to packing well is selecting the right camera bag. Hard cases and soft bags designed for camera equipment are not new and some benefits have stayed the same, but some modern bag designs aid with hauling today’s travel camera gear while fulfilling other travel needs.
Here are some basic designs of dedicated camera bags on the market today and a line of customizable bags for a more modern approach to travel.
Hard Case
A hard case uses a material of either aluminum or thick plastic. This type of case protects your camera from direct falls of the entire case onto the ground and they usually also protect against water. Hard cases often utilize precision cut foam inserts for your equipment.
One issue with a hard case is it usually isn’t comfortable to carry. They tend to be quite heavy, especially when loaded up with all the gear, and it can be impossible to carry only by its handle all the time. And models with shoulder straps can be quite uncomfortable because they cause the hard case to ride against your body. Often, because of all the foam, the space utilization inside the case can be significantly reduced, which can cause the case to be disproportionately large for the same amount of gear.
Camera Backpack
A dedicated camera backpack allows you to carry your equipment comfortably while you walk, and you can be hands-free while doing so. A backpack typically isn’t as protective as a hard case, but the backpack will typically have padded dividers inside that help protect the equipment. A backpack will also usually have good padding to make it comfortable on your shoulders and back.
One common issue with backpacks for photographers is that you will need to remove the bag from your shoulders and place it in front of you to access the camera, though some backpacks have features that allow the bag to “swing around in front”, etc. to allow better access.
Shoulder Bag
This type of bag excels at comfort and quick access to your equipment. It comes with a comfortable shoulder strap and padded internal camera units (aka dividers) inside the bag, protecting equipment while making the bag more comfortable. A shoulder bag also makes it easier to grab your camera while on the move.
This bag works well for a more casual camera setup with limited lenses. You can also use an ad-hoc camera shoulder bag, but a designated camera bag with padded dividers has the safest storage. Still, there is a limit to how much you can carry.
Expandable Camera Bags
A modular camera bag allows for maximum versatility in how much you carry, making it useful for a wide range of needs.
A great example is the line of bags from BrightLine Bags. We offer a shoulder bag design that can be converted to a simple backpack format with flexible internal storage, top-access to the camera itself for impromptu pictures, and perimeter separation zippers that let you zip on other compartments as needed. Whatever technology you add now and in the future, you have a place for it. This type of bag is the ultimate travel camera kit.
You get durable protection, comfort, and versatility for any trip. For example, you may need storage that holds multiple cameras one day, and a bag for a small camera on a day trip with the family the next. If you take a one-day flight within Europe that requires a small carry-on, you can zip off components to make it extra small. Or, you can make it extra large by zipping on additional components and adding more side pockets for more gear, including your jacket, hat, laptop, and anything else you need for your adventure.
No matter what trip you are on, you have a single bag system that keeps your items organized and easily accessible.
Things to Look For in a Camera Bag
Comfort While You Carry All Needed Items
Whichever bag you choose, you will inevitably be carrying it, so be sure it has a comfortable feel against your body while still large enough to hold everything you need.
Ease of Use
Many bags have easily-accessible zipper tops with camera-sized compartments to retrieve your camera and equipment when time is of the essence.
Compartment Flexibility
Choose a bag that provides easy access and ample storage for a wide range of equipment. A photoshoot may require one camera for close-up shots and another for long-distance shots. You may even use a drone for certain shots. (BrightLine Bags offers zip-on drone cases, too.)
Tips and Tricks to Packing a Camera Bag
Here are some packing tips before heading out on your next photography excursion:
Know Your Trip
Pick the right equipment for the genre of photography. Will this trip require aquatic photography? Long-exposure photography? Portraits? Will there be bad weather? What are the local carry-on luggage requirements?
What to Pack in Your Camera Bag
What gear should you include in your camera bag? Here is a common list of essential camera equipment.
Your camera(s).
Camera lenses (Pro Tip: Save room by choosing only the lenses you really need.)
Camera lens caps, including all lens caps, rear lens caps, and camera body caps.
Silica Gel Packets to prevent mold and condensation in your bag.
Remote release controller for long exposures and timed shots.
Ample memory cards to hold all your photos.
Spare batteries.
Battery charger.
Flashes.
Laptop.
Backup hard drive.
Waterproof camera cover.
Tripod.
Camera cleaning kit
Room for loose items, such as cords and personal items like sunglasses, a hat, a jacket, and a notepad.
How to Pack a Camera Bag
How do you organize a camera bag?
Here are some tips for packing your equipment:
1. Separate Lenses for Your Cameras
You may have a couple of lenses that you consider your prime lenses, but what happens when you need 3 – 4 more lenses for shoots? How do you store lenses in a camera bag?
Separating your lenses from cameras allows for more compact packing for extra lenses while protecting those expensive lenses during transport. Store them vertically or horizontally for improved protection and space savings. You can also place each lens in loose camera pouches for even more protection while letting you label each lens more clearly.
2. Use Adjustable Dividers to Separate Each Piece of Equipment
Velcro dividers typically come with camera bags. Position every single piece of gear separately inside the large, padded compartment, and then install the padded dividers between each item so it fits snugly in its own padded compartment. These flexible dividers act as clever origami-style dividers, creating padded custom compartments for any size item.
Keep Loose items Separate
To minimize damage to equipment, store smaller items such as loose items like cords and personal items in separate zippered compartments to avoid things getting lost or scratching your gear.
How to Pack a Camera in a Hard Case
Hard cases are the easiest to pack if you always carry the same number of items. They have foam cutouts to hold each item; just select the items you need and place them in.Keep in mind that you won’t have much flexibility in adding extra items.
How to Pack a Camera in a Backpack: Introducing Kit Cubes
How do you pack a camera in a regular backpack?
It is best to use a dedicated camera bag since they have padded dividers and extra cushions on the outside for comfortable carrying against bodies. If you decide to use a normal backpack, you will want camera cubes, aka kit cubes. These are equipment packing cubes you can add to any type of bag to create a physical buffer. They act as your adjustable dividers, with each padded cube providing separate compartments while also being water-resistant.
Another alternative to dividers is to make your own foam dividers, but padded velcro dividers are still the best option for creating separate compartments with a blend of flexibility and ease of use.
How to Pack a Camera in a Shoulder Bag
Shoulder bags are one of the easiest to pack. Simply drop them in and position them and keep the camera quickly accessible for quick photos. Like with any other packing, keep loose items in separate zippered compartments.
How to Organize a DSLR Camera Bag
DSLR camera stands for a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. The added size and simplified lens exchanges mean you may need to account for more room for equipment in your bag. Set the equipment out first and organize them to fit your bag size. Then insert the dividers for a snug fit.
How Do You Pack a Mirrorless Camera?
The good news about mirrorless cameras is they are smaller than DSLR cameras and use fewer lenses, giving you more compact storage. Adjust the velcro for more room for other equipment.
How to Pack a Camera for Shipping
If you don’t want to include your camera equipment in your luggage, you can ship it. Be sure to use a cardboard box regardless of whether or not you send it within a camera bag or case. This will help disguise the contents while also adding some extra protection.
Use a sturdy box and wrap each item inside with bubble wrap or other soft packing material. Then line the box with the same material on all six sides. Again, the result should be snug. Then seal with packing tape, label the box clearly, and include fragile stickers. (Pro Tip: Make sure you have a tracking number, require signature confirmation, and ensure the package is insured for its full value.)
Conclusion
There you have it: our full guide to camera packing. For an entire look at the line of adjustable bags from BrightLine Bags, including their camera and drone bags, click here.