DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

The best camera backpack is one you can build yourself

Jul 13, 2022 by Alex Baker Add Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

If there’s one subject guaranteed to get photographers into a passionate discussion then it’s camera bags. We all have our own particular needs and wants, and sometimes finding that ‘just right’ hold all can seem like searching for a unicorn.

So one such solution then is to perhaps create your own camera bag. In this video, wildlife photographer Morten Hilmer walks us through his quest to build the perfect camera bag.

In this video, Morten is concentrating on bags for longer trips and multiple-day expeditions. No day hikes here. Now Morten has certainly got through a lot of bags, as you’ll see from the video. So he has learnt from experience just what works and what doesn’t. He does emphasise that he won’t recommend any specific bags, however, as we are all different with different needs and requirements.

Morten first talks about standard front opening packs, like the Lowepro Pro Trekker series. The advantage to this style is that you can fit a lot of gear inside, and once you open the pack all the way up, it is easily accessible. This sort of pack is great if you’re going to one location and unpacking once you arrive.

Morten says that he moved away from this style because they are just too heavy. Once you add non-photgraphy-related equipment, such as food, spare clothing, weatherproof jackets and first aid kits it becomes crazy-heavy. They often don’t have an internal frame and aren’t built towards comfort. Other details like being able to replace broken clips are an important consideration.

The F-Stop type bags are another category of camera bag. These have back-opening compartments for the camera equipment which means that you can access it more easily without having to lie the bag down in the mud. It also has an internal frame which makes it more comfortable in general.

These bags have robust zips and clips, but again there are some issues. The side pockets aren’t big enough, and you can’t keep your water bottle within easy reach. Besides the large-looking size of the backpack, there’s no extra room for non-camera gear. That’s a huge issue.

Morten has another very good point. As soon as a backpack is marketed toward photography, the price increases exponentially. So his solution is to create his own backpack that ticks all of his boxes.

Morten has tried out several military-grade backpacks. They are quite literally made for soldiers, not photographers, and they are used by the Scandinavian Special Forces.

These are made for carrying very heavy weights so are more comfortable and adjustable. Huge side pockets, durable zips, and plenty of space for things like sleeping bags either inside or hanging on the outside make these bags quite versatile.

However, quick access to photo gear was still an issue. So instead Morten found one with side pockets, added extra straps, and with a front opening panel, Morten was able to add a camera insert with easy access. Plenty of room for both camera gear and non-camera equipment.

So when you’re looking for a camera bag, have a think about your needs and how you work. You may find that customising a non-camera bag may work better for your needs.

 

 

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

This Lego Hasselblad hopes to become a real camera kit you can build yourself Build yourself a charging station to save time and get organised with your batteries Fast Stacker 2.0 is an automated focusing rail for macro photos you can build yourself for $180 OpenRefMic is a cheap open source low-noise reference microphone you can build yourself for under $40

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: adventure photography, Camera Bag

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.net

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

« Arizona state passes law which bans filming of police
This is why you don’t take selfies in front of giant ocean waves »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Jollylook Pinhole SQUARE DIY pinhole camera kit shoots Instax square film
  • The “Digitally Analog Polaroid” runs ChatGPT code on a Raspberry Pi
  • My first year with the Mamiya M645 medium format film camera
  • 2023 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest unveils jaw-dropping winning photos
  • Rare albino giant panda caught on camera in China

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy