Photography equipment is expensive. That is just a fact that professional photographers and photography enthusiasts alike have to deal with. Another thing both these groups have to deal with is taking that expensive equipment from the safety of their home. After all, you will rarely get a chance to take that perfect shot if you don’t go exploring outside. Both of these facts result in one need for both professionals and amateurs – the need to pack your camera bag safely. This step alone can mean the difference between expensive damage and your gear, making it to your destination carefully. So, to save you from an unhappy accident, we compiled this article. Read it, and you will soon be ready to pack your camera bag for any eventuality.
Go Pre-Made When You Pack Your Camera Bag
The easiest and safest way to pack your camera bag is to go with a premade bag. These specialized bags will come with lining and dividers designed to keep your gear protected. That will come to the forefront in two situations. The first is when traveling. If you’ve done even a little bit of flying in your life, you will know how luggage can get treated in airports. However, having a bag made explicitly for transporting photography gear will mean having your camera and lenses protected from damage. Dividers come to the forefront when it comes to lens protection as protective lens covers may slip off while your bag is being tumbled. Still, with the padded dividers in place, your lenses will stay safe in their own little space within the bag.
Another situation where someone else might be handling your camera bag will be a move. Moving companies, in general, are averse to taking any expensive risks. That, of course, includes the risk of having your items damaged in transport. That’s why moving professionals like relocation services Las Vegas may require you to have a specialized camera bag to handle your gear. Otherwise, they may need you to move your photography equipment yourself.
Use a Regular Bag for Your Camera
One major drawback of professional camera bags is that they come with a price tag. Depending on the amount of gear you have and the kind of bag you choose, these prices can be really high. Another problem with having a specialized camera bag is that it may be considered a separate piece of luggage. That will create additional costs when using airlines and may well impede you from using certain low-cost flights. For these two reasons, you might want to consider using inserts to transform your non-camera bag into a camera bag. These inserts come in varying sizes that can conform to your bag while leaving enough space for your other items. That will result in you having a standard bag act as a camera bag.
Do keep in mind, however, that this will not offer ideal protection to your photography equipment. For that reason, you might want to use this kind of a makeshift camera bag only if you will be handling it yourself. Certain moving companies might consider these bags a liability. For example, moving quotes Las Vegas might give you a higher moving quote if you need to move your equipment in a makeshift bag. Another thing to consider here is protection from external damage. Dividers are best used with hard case luggage. Using them with something softer like backpacks is possible, just make sure you provide enough padding protection. That should not only protect from an outside force but from items within the bag itself too.
Tips to Help You Pack Your Camera Bag
Now that we’ve looked at two ways you could go about forming a camera bag, it’s time to talk about tips that will help you pack your camera bag safely. These will help your gear stay protected while on the move. Not only will this save you money, but it will also help you avoid stress when moving.
Disassemble Your Gear and Make Sure it is Tight
When packing your camera bag, a good idea would be to remove any parts that can be removed. That will help you pack with more ease, as you will have a few, smaller-sized items to pack. It will also help your gear stay safe, as any removable parts might be damaged or broken off while on the move. So, anything other than protective covers would be best removed. The battery should also be removed when you pack your camera bag. That is because your camera might be turned on in transport by accident, draining your battery before you reach your destination.
Add Layers of Protection
No matter if you are using a professional camera bag or need to pack a camera bag of your own making, you can always go with additional protection. Using soft items like shirts or packing peanuts can be a great way to make sure your camera gear is sitting tightly within their separators. If you need to pack your camera with your other items that might leak, you might want to wrap individual parts or the whole insert in a protective wrapping. You could even do both. That will make sure your equipment is safe from any spillage!
Properly Label Your Camera Bag
The final tip we have here is very similar to the one about labeling boxes during a move. If you are packing several camera bags for a trip, having them marked will make them identifiable at a glance. That will result in you being able to get the right lens and other equipment on a moments notice as well!
Packing Your Camera Bag Like a Professional
Having read through our article, we are confident that you are prepared to pack your camera bag like a pro. Just go about it with care and think about all the things that can happen on your trip. Then take appropriate action to protect your gear and soon you will be ready to head off to a new location full of fantastic photo opportunities!
