Want to Upgrade Your Camera Gear? Start With Your Bag
I’ll be honest, I haven’t been spending a lot of money on camera gear in the past few months. I doubt very many people have, and for those who are, I’d love to talk to you about how your business is running so smoothly right now. I could use a few pointers.
But, towards the beginning of quarantine, I did buy a brand new leather camera bag. While my old camera bag had been with me for well over a decade, it was definitely time to set it aside in favor of something new.
And, let me tell you, when I bought a new camera bag I was shocked at how much easier my photoshoots became.
Why Your Camera Bag Makes or Breaks Your Photoshoot Experience
If you are using an old camera bag, then you may not know about all of the cool new camera bag features available today. You may not even know why you need a good camera bag.
The first obvious feature of a great camera bag is that it's comfortable. You won’t have to deal with your gear sticking you in the side, or your straps digging into your shoulders ever again. You’ll have highly padded shoulder straps that will evenly distribute the weight of your camera gear across your whole shoulder. This also helps prevent back, neck and shoulder pain after a long day of shooting.
The second feature of a great camera bag is that it helps keep your gear safe. Cheaply made camera bags may not feature the needed padding on the inside that prevents your gear from getting knocked around and damaged. Or, worse yet, they may not feature water-proofing to prevent your gear from getting soaking wet if you get caught out in a storm.
If you buy a modern camera bag, your next trip will be easier than you ever imagined.
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Why the Roamographer Is the Camera Bag for You
Image by Brandon Burk
If you’ve read articles on this site for a while, then you know I’m a huge fan of Holdfast camera bags. I’ve owned a Sightseer bag for a few years and picked up a Roamographer bag at the beginning of quarantine.
The Roamographer bag is a much larger camera bag that can basically fit everything you may need for a weekend photography trip. All of your camera gear can go inside the bag, alongside the removable camera insert, while your tripod can go on the outside where the carrier straps are.
The bag features 2 large exterior pockets and 2 interior sleeve pockets.
The removable insert that comes with the Roamographer is actually so popular that Holdfast started selling it separately for people who wanted to use it in their own camera bags. This insert is completely customizable and is large enough to fit a 15” laptop or iPad.
Image by Brandon Burk
As with many Holdfast products, the Roamographer is able to be worn with the MoneyMaker, if you already own one. All you need to do is clip the sliders from the MoneyMaker onto the strap D-rings on the Roamographer.
As far as comfort goes, this bag is basically a Rolls Royce. The shoulder pad is lined with shearling and also includes an additional strap so you can hold a smaller camera on the outside of your bag within reach at a moment’s notice.
This bag is created from American bison leather and comes in two different sizes. The large size is best for a DSLR kit, while the small size is better for your mirrorless kit. Since it is made of leather, it is a really classic look that will never go out of style.
Both of the sizes come in two different colors: brown or dark chocolate. The small Roamographer is $600, while the large Roamographer is $725.
Image by Brandon Burk
While it's a steep price to pay for a camera bag, you have to think of it as an investment in your photography business. Each Holdfast product comes with a lifetime guarantee so that you will never need to purchase another camera bag again.
Plus, Holdfast does participate in AfterPay, so if you need to, you can break your payments down into 4 different installments without any interest, then pay it off monthly. This may work best for someone who is expecting their workflow to pick up in the next few months as COVID cases start to go down.