Tips & Tricks
The Top Camera Bags for Travel Photography
Photography Talk
Packing your bags for a trip?
You'll want to invest in a top-quality bag to haul your camera gear...
Fortunately for today's photographers, there's a plethora of options out there. Of course, that means there's a million different bags to look at and sift through to try to find one that works for you.
I've taken the liberty of creating a shortlist of some of the best travel photography camera bags on the market today.
Each bag is made by Vanguard - a company that has stepped up its camera bag game in recent years and is putting out bags that are supremely well-made and packed with convenient features.
In fact, there was a time I'd have never considered buying a Vanguard bag. That's certainly changed, though. I now own two of them!
So, without further ado, here's three great travel photography bag options, each for a slightly different type of usage.
The Best Travel Photography Day Bag: Vanguard VEO Travel 21 BK
Once you've gotten to your destination, you don't want (and probably don't need) a cavernous bag to carry your gear.
Instead, you probably want something small that can still accommodate all the necessities.
The VEO Travel 21 BK sounder bag is the ideal fit.
This bag can accommodate a complete mirrorless system, including the camera body with a lens attached, an additional 1-2 lenses, a mini tablet, and accessories like spare batteries and memory cards.
The bag is easy to access with a wide-mouth top flap that allows you to see the bag's contents easily. Vanguard has built in two measures of security, though - a pull cord that closes the interior compartment and a buckle flap to cover it. It also doesn't look like a camera bag, so would-be thieves will scarcely know you've got valuable camera gear inside.
Inside, the well-padded interior keeps your gear from clanking around while the dividers keep everything organized.
From a carrying standpoint, the VEO Travel 21 BK can be worn as a shoulder bag or across the body as more of a sling bag, as shown above.
Either way, it's a comfortable carrying experience with an adjustable shoulder strap.
You can even use it as a day bag to carry your personal items if photography isn't on the day's schedule!
Learn More:
- Get the Specs and Pricing on the Vanguard VEO Travel 21 BK Camera Bag
- The Best Small Camera Bags for 2017
The Best Travel Photography Backpack: Vanguard Havana 48BL
For something that's got a little more carrying capacity for longer day trips or multi-day trips, the Havana 48BL backpack has you covered.
Not only is the backpack design great for traveling photographers that want something comfortable and convenient to carry, but it's also convertible so you can use it as a carry-on bag for your personal effects.
The bag fits a DSLR with lens attached, in addition to 2-3 other lenses, a flash, smaller camera accessories, and a 15-inch laptop as well.
All that gear is protected by Vanguard's ingenious camera insert and dividers, which offer tons of padding to keep gear safe. The interior compartment is smartly designed, with dedicated pockets for all your gear.
The brightly colored interior is a nice touch, too, as it helps you actually see what's inside this cavernous bag.
With straps, a harness, and a back that are all well-padded, the Havana 48BL is also comfortable to carry, even if it's on a long journey.
There are plenty of other features that make this a perfect travel bag...
It's got two water bottle pockets for keeping you hydrated, and an integrated rain cover to keep the rain out.
There's a connection on the bag to carry a small tripod or a monopod, too.
It can even connect to the handle of a wheeled bag for ultra-easy transport through airports, train stations, and the like.
In other words, if you're looking for a travel bag that can fit all your gear but offers comfort and versatility as well, this bag is worth a good, long look!
Learn More:
The Best Travel Photography Roller Bag: Vanguard Alta Fly 48T
Of course, no list of top travel photography camera bags would be complete without a big roller bag.
This one, the Vanguard Alta Fly 48T, is a professional-grade trolley that can fit a ton of gear - up to two DSLRs, 5-7 lenses, flashes and other accessories (or a drone), a 15-inch laptop, a tablet, and a tripod.
Like I said, it's big! But the nice thing about this bag is that it still meets most size restrictions for airline carry-ons, so the chances are good that you won't have to check it.
The two-wheeled trolley setup makes it a breeze to transport through big airports.
And while you do, you can rest easy knowing that the bag has a three-point security system in place that keeps your gear safe.
Speaking of safety, the brightly colored interior sports tons of pockets, organizers, and connectors for keeping your gear right where you want it.
And when you don't need to transport your gear, you can simply remove the divider.
You can also carry a tripod with the Alta Fly 48T, and with its ALTA LINK system, you can attach other Alta products to the bag. You can see this and other features of the Alta Fly line in the video above from Vanguard.
The double bar handle, enhanced front feet, and sturdy top and side carrying handles mean that this bag is easy to maneuver and lift, even when fully loaded.
Vanguard has even reinforced the bag with water-resistant material to ensure your gear stays dry when the weather isn't its best.
All in all, this is one feature-packed bag that will make your travel photography experiences that much more enjoyable!
