It's impossible to have one guide that fits all as everyone's needs are different. For a personalised shortlist, please use the interactive filter system on the left of our camera bags page. 

What are the key things I should consider for my camera bag?

This can be a long list, but the essentials are:

Does it need to fit in as hand luggage? This should be an easy question, but in reality is one of the hardest questions to answer categorically.  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offers guidelines of 56cm tall, 25cm deep and 45cm wide, but every airline has different rules and most have weight limits.  We would recommend checking with your preferred airline, or a site like Skyscanner for a wider range of airlines, to see what the rules are.  Also be aware that these can change at any time.  There is much more to this, so for more information click here to read a blog dedicated this subject.

How deep is your camera?  It sounds obvious, but this is often overlooked and clearly a micro 4/3rd system is going to be smaller than a pro-camera with a battery grip. The key issue is the depth of your camera. We'd recommend you measure your camera and larger lenses. If the internal dimensions provided don't allow for the largest measurement, then you need to move on.

Roughly what internal space do I need for my kit?  We're often given a long list of products and asked what bag they will all fit into. This is next to impossible to answer accurately as there are so many variables. We'd recommend laying out your kit in a rectangle as though it was in a camera bag, remembering smaller lenses can be upright, and measuring the space needed. This will give you a guide about the internal dimensions of the bag you need. It's not always possible, but once you have your shortlist we'd always recommend going into a specialist dealer to check as few camera bags are a perfect rectangle.  PS. Don't forget to consider what personal kit you may want to carry, such as a jacket, water, snacks, etc when looking for what space you need.

Will it fit my laptop?  Like most brands, we give an indication of what size laptop will fit, but this is a guide only. Laptops are getting smaller as technology improves, so we provide dimensions for our laptop bag as it's quite possible that where we say a 14" laptop, a 15" may well fit in,

Do I need to carry a tripod? This is a key consideration, and most brands will clearly state this in their description. What's less clear can be the size of the tripod it will fit. Is it a travel tripod or a beast of full sized tripod? Clearly a smaller bag will struggle with a large tripod and the ability to carry this may push you to a larger bag than your camera kit needs.

Is it comfortable to carry?  Camera kit can add up to a hefty weight, and even a relatively small kit carried over a long period can cause fatigue and can be painful in some cases.  For larger kits a backpack is advised and we'd recommend you should look for padded shoulder straps with an adjustable chest strap (and load lifter/cinch straps for the heaviest kit), a waist strap (ideally removable or stowable) and comfortable rear padding with an airflow system.  For smaller kits you can use a shoulder bag and we'd recommend looking for an adjustable pad (so you can adjust to you) with non-slip inner.  Ultimately though, best way is to check the fit in your local dealer or at a show. 

Will my dealer have it in stock?

A simple online search will show that there are thousands of camera bags on the market. Different brands, styles, sizes and colours. No dealer can list them all. We would recommend that you call the dealer and ask if they have the product(s) you are looking for in stock. Most are keen to help and will look to get them in or may be able to offer an alternative.  If they can't, or that alternative doesn't meet your needs, then you can order online and have at least 14 days cooling off period where you can return the product.