I’ve been a photographer for a little more than 5 years now. I’m not going to call myself professional by any stretch, but I do have some professional equipment.
I own Lowepro and Case Logic camera bags which are great, but the problem I have with them is that they are usually nearly exclusively for cameras. Meaning you can store your bodies and lenses, but what if you want to bring some water or a sandwich or something? Also, if you are in a bad area, Lowepro is kinda like a “please steal me” sign. At this stage, I exclusively use my Lowepro and Case Logic camera bags exclusively for long-term camera storage. They’re great bags that I like a lot, but they’re not practical for day trips… at least for what I want them to be.
If I know I’m shooting with a single lens (let’s say I’m going to my favorite spot in the Florida Everglades and I know I only want my 400mm lens), I can fit my camera and the attached lens in my Timbuk2 Catapult 2.0 bag with a couple batteries and an extra SD card. If I need to carry more lenses or bodies… or even lunch… I need something larger.
This is where the camera insert comes in. Its purpose built to fit inside of your normal backpack/messenger/purse and hold your lenses/bodies. When I’m traveling and have a car as a base (that I can leave stuff in when I don’t want to carry it), I bring my Timbuk2 Especial Stash Messenger. If I’m on foot in a city and I’ve got to carry everything, I’ll usually bring my Under Armour Hustle Backpack. If I’m bringing my camera gear with me, I stick a camera insert in that bag.
It’s difficult to find the perfect camera bag that doesn’t look like a magnet for thieves, so when you want an unassuming bag but want to carry your expensive camera gear, get yourself an insert.
What I look for in my inserts
- Washable. Ya never know what’ll get in/on them and instead of scrubbing them for ages, I just toss it in the washer and job done. Also OCD.
- Fast drying. After you wash it, if you’re traveling, you’ll probably want to use it the following day. Will it dry in the laundry dryer or will it even air dry quickly if just left out?
- Protective. Are the walls thick enough to protect my gear from bumps or drops?
- Customizable. This is pretty commonly done with velcro, but not all are able to easily move panels around. Also, some are not customizable at all.
- Accessibility. Does it have a removable lid/top (this is an important feature for me)? Do I want it to have a drawstring closure? There are lots of options.
You can take a look at my current camera insert.