Going on holiday? Or perhaps you’re just planning a day trip. Either way, you’ll want to take a camera along to capture those special moments – and by extension a camera bag that will protect your gear, instead of letting it rattle around in the bottom of your backpack.
There are lots of camera bags on the market of course, but most are designed for professional photographers carrying around gear that costs more than your monthly rent. That means extra large, extra bulky, and extra expensive.
Fortunately there are a growing number of camera bags that are designed for leisure travel, with space for a compact, mirrorless or DSLR camera, while still leaving enough room for other stuff you might need for your trip. These tend to be much more budget-friendly, easily transportable and stylish, all while offering the padding needed to keep your gear secure.
Things to consider when picking a camera bag for travel
Size is the most obvious consideration. It needs to be big enough for your camera, but also not so big that you’re just carrying around a mostly-empty bag. This is where you’ll also need to consider use.
If you do a lot of hiking or walking, a backpack is best as it’ll be the most comfortable for longer wear, and it’ll have more space for the other things you might be carrying, such as water bottles and sunscreen. If you’re taking your camera to festivals or events, you’ll need something more compact, while still offering sufficient protection both in terms of padding and security. In both cases, you’ll probably want something that’s water-resistant, or at least comes with a cover that is.
Then you need to think about the configuration. Camera bags are by their nature very customisable to accommodate different sized cameras and lenses. However, not all will have zippable pockets for your valuables, whether that’s cash and cards or passports and keys.
And of course, there’s the price. Leisure camera bags tend to be cheaper as they can be lower spec, but when you introduce brand names and leather finishes, the cost can still rack up.
Need some inspiration? Here are some great camera bags for travel.
Best camera bags at a glance:
- Best for overall: Lowepro Tahoe BP 150 - £85.95, Amazon
- Best for bleisure travel: Vanguard Veo City TP33 technical pack - £129.99, Jessops
- Best for compact size: Lowepro Adventura SH 120 III - £42.95, John Lewis
- Best for easy access: Gomatic Mckinnon 8L camera sling bag - £149.99, Gomatic
- Best for small adventures: Manfrotto National Geographic Africa camera backpack - £189.95, Manfrotto
- Best for active breaks: Red waterproof dry pouch - £59.95, Red Equipment
- Best for dual use: Gomatic McKinnon cube pack 21L - £124.99, Gomatic
- Best for longer trips: STM Goods Dux Backpack - £179.99, Amazon
- Best for value for money:AmazonBasics DSLR gadget messenger bag - £25.29, Amazon
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Lowepro Tahoe BP 150
Best for: Overall
Dimensions: 27.5cm x 21.7cm x 40.3cm
A compact backpack with padded straps and a surprising amount of storage space, the Lowepro Tahoe BP 150 is packed with features that make it the perfect camera bag for travel.
There are two zippable pockets on the front. The smaller one is easy to access for things like sunscreen, while the bigger one has compartments designed to hold phones, tablets and pens, plus a clip for keeping your keys in place. There are clippable straps on both sides that help make it bag theft resistant and secure bigger items in the elasticated side pockets, whether that’s a water bottle or an umbrella.
Inside, the top compartment is zippable. It’s big enough for a sunglasses case, and keeps items such as passports and wallets secure. The bottom compartment comes with several removable dividers that you can use to portion up the space exactly how you need it. The size is just right for a DSLR camera plus a couple of lenses, or your camera and an ultra compact jacket.
The fabric isn’t water resistant – and that’s its main downside – but it does come with a waterproof cover for those rainy days.
Buy now £85.95, Lowepro
Vanguard Veo City TP33 Technical Pack
Best for: Bleisure travel
Dimensions: 36cm x 16.5cm x 27cm
If you’re the type of traveller who tags a mini-break onto the end of a work trip, the Vanguard Veo City TP33 technical pack is your perfect companion. The stiff, compact, briefcase-style exterior, plus leather straps and zips, gives it a ready-for-work air.
While this bag is designed to carry small bits of photography gear, the interior is so customisable – almost all of the dividers and straps are secured with velcro and can be removed –so it’s a great option for travel-loving photography enthusiasts too.
There are two outer pockets. One is easily accessible and ideal for a phone; it unzips fully in travel mode, transforming into a strap that you can loop over a suitcase handle. The other pocket is designed to accommodate a 13in laptop. There’s a loop on the bottom that photographers use to secure tripods, but why not use it for an umbrella?
The main compartment unzips fully like a suitcase offering unobstructed access. There are also adjustable straps on either side that hold the “lid” in place if you just want to open your bag partially to get something on the go. Inside, you have a choice of zippable pockets on one side for passports and other documents, and adjustable, cushioned pockets on the other side that will comfortably protect a small DSLR camera and anything else you might need for a day’s sightseeing. Oh, and it’s water resistant but comes with rain cover too.
Buy now £129.99, Jessops
Lowepro Adventura SH 120 III
Best for: Compact size
Dimensions: 18cm x 15cm x 21 cm
One of the most compact camera bags around, the Lowepro Adventura SH 120 III is designed to offer protection for mirrorless cameras (micro four-thirds), although we managed to squeeze in our small DSLR model plus phone and keys. It’s ideal for protecting your gear inside a bigger travel backpack, with a handle on top to help you pull it out, but it also comes with a detachable strap that allows you to wear it as a sling or hook onto your waist belt.
There’s just one main padded compartment inside, with a single removable divider. A smaller side pocket next to this is just right for slotting in a phone, while a nook in the cover is designed for SD cards. Then on the outside, there’s an elasticated mesh pocket – it’s not quite wide enough for a water bottle but it will fit cables or other smaller items.
Buy now £42.95, Lowepro
Gomatic Mckinnon 8L Camera Sling Bag
Best for: Easy access
Dimensions: 14cm x 33cm x 20cm
Thanks to its compact size and water-resistant exterior, this sling bag is ideal for taking to a gig or festival, or even on a night out. You can wear it three ways – front, back or side – and it comes with a stabilising strap to ensure it stays in place.
With double zips that allow you to secure the bag in both directions, and a nifty one-handed quick closure system (a strap and hook), this bag makes getting your camera out much quicker and easier compared to some of the other bags we’ve tested. And if you’re using this for travel, there’s a strap at the back that hooks the bag onto suitcase handles.
Inside you have one main chamber that’s divided into compartments by removable, padded dividers. There are also smaller pockets for stashing your wallet and other valuables. The size is just right for a small DSLR plus lens, and it’ll still leave you enough room for sunglasses, sunscreen and your phone.
Buy now £149.99, Gomatic
Manfrotto National Geographic Africa Camera Backpack
Best for: Small adventures
Dimensions: 24cm x 13cm x 38cm
We’re not going to lie – the fact that this bag is part of Manfrotto’s National Geographic Africa range already makes us feel a bit intrepid. It’s got that safari look too, from brown canvas fabric and leather finishing to straps and stud clasps. Basically, a pretty classic look for someone going quite a bit further than the M25.
The zippable front pocket with a velcro flap over the top is actually a cheeky side entrance to the bottom half of the main bag. This is essentially the camera chamber, with three removable, cushioned cubbies for storing your camera and lenses. It’s possible to take out some of the extra padding to give yourself a bit more space for other stuff if you don’t have as much gear.
On either side there are also hidden zipped pockets and straps for holding water bottles. Up top, the stud clasp opens the flap revealing the zippable main access to the bag. There’s a side compartment for a laptop and tablet – up to 12in is recommended but we managed to squeeze in a 13in – plus a bigger compartment that lifts up to give access to the camera chamber.
We love the style but there are a couple of things that puts us off this design for longer trips. All the extra padding inside (albeit some are removable) makes it one of the heavier bags we tested at 1.29kg. And while all the zips and flaps are robust, we’re not sure how theft resistant it would be in an urban environment.
Buy now £189.95, Manfrotto
Red Waterproof Dry Pouch
Best for: Active breaks
Dimensions: 23cm x 12cm x 5cm
While you wouldn’t necessarily want to try dropping the Red waterproof dry pouch and its contents, you can be reasonably sure that it’ll protect your camera from most bumps and scrapes. The protection comes in two folds. The exterior is a durable fabric that, coupled with the AquaSeal YKK zip, makes the bag completely waterproof. This is afterall a travel bag designed by a company that specialises in making paddleboards, so its gear needs to be suitable for all sorts of wet and mucky moments.
It’s no one-trick pony though – double velcro plus daisy chain straps on the back mean it can be securely fastened onto a belt or even the handlebar of a bike so you can take it on more active land-based adventures too. Then there’s the removable foam padding on the inside, helping to ensure everything is snugly cocooned.
There are two things worth bearing in mind. The zip is a bit of a struggle to get to grips with – it even comes with its own lubricant – but that’s probably a good thing for watertightness. The foam cushion, which has a bit of a give, doesn’t leave much room inside so you won’t be able to fit much more than a compact camera, your phone and some keys.
Buy now £59.95, Red Equipment
Gomatic McKinnon Cube Pack 21L
Best for: Dual use
Dimensions: 13cm x 34cm x 18 cm (expanded 45cm x 34cm x 18cm)
Here’s an unusual design: a camera case capable of expanding into a full-size backpack. The expansion triples the carrying capacity from 7L to 21L and it’s great if you need more room, or just need the use of a backpack for travel.
As a camera case, it’s designed to slot into another backpack or suitcase to give your gear padded protection. It’s fairly chunky though, so you’ll need a sizable backpack. The interior features removable dividers that you can adjust to easily fit a DSLR camera, plus a couple of lenses, or sunglasses and any other valuables.
To expand this into a water-resistant backpack, you simply have to unzip the top pocket and the expansion pack will unfurl. Then just clip and lock the two adjustable mesh straps into the fabric hooks at the base of the case to complete the transformation. An adjustable, clippable strap on the front helps to maximise comfort, making this a backpack that you can reasonably take on a short hike.
Buy now £124.99, Gomatic
STM Dux 30L Backpack
Best for: Longer trips
Dimensions: 50.8cm x 33cm x 24.1cm
With padding across every surface and suspended internal pockets, the STM Dux is designed to give your gear maximum protection. This starts from the base, which is made from a durable foam that reduces impact if you happen to drop the bag. Moulded foam covers the back, which improves airflow during wear while also acting as padding for the suspended laptop pocket (big enough for a 17in laptop plus tablet) inside.
Your camera can be stored in the suspended compartment at the top of the bag, which has zippable pockets for documents and sunglasses. Alternatively you can store it in the main compartment, which is divided into smaller cubbies using removable shelves, giving you the option to adjust the interior storage as you need it. The main compartment is also accessible from both sides so you can quickly and easily swing your backpack around to get your camera out, without having to take it off fully.
It’s worth noting that we tested the 30L version, which has dimensions similar to a cabin case, so we’d only recommend it for longer trips. If you travel light, the brand also has a smaller 17L option.
Buy now £179.99, Amazon
AmazonBasics DSLR Gadget Messenger Bag
Best for: Value for money
Dimensions: 15cm x 7.9cm x 11.8cm
If you’re just after a camera bag that does all the basics without eating into your travel budget, this AmazonBasics one is definitely worth considering. It’s not the most stylish design but it’s a great size for taking on a flight.
The exterior is simple. A single clip on the front keeps the top flap in place, and secures the zippable front pocket. This pocket is just the right size for any travel documents, plus smaller items like lip balms.
The main compartment has a pretty decent amount of storage space, and has a padded slot that’s big enough for a small tablet. Two removable dividers split the compartment to help keep your camera snug. As well as a DSLR, you’ll be able to store a couple of lenses or a water bottle, sunglasses and your phone. There’s also a shallow, zippable pocket on the inside of the top flap for keys and cards, plus snugs for SD cards.
Buy now £32.54, Amazon
Verdict
The Lowepro Tahoe BP 150 has struck the right balance between price and function for us, and the design makes it easy to customise the bag to the way you like to travel. But if budget isn’t an issue, we’d pick Vanguard Veo City TP33 technical pack for its more stylish design.
