If youre cycling, running, or need some extra stability, theres an additional strap which attaches from your hip to the front of the main strap, preventing the LowePro Slingshot Edge from swinging across your body. The most popular colour to date seems to be the Charcoal version, with its red accents see all the colours here. Sling bags are marketed to both DSLR and mirrorless users. This is a simple design element but shows that thought has gone into designing a bag that functions especially well as a sling. Jenn is an active photographic educator and has been invited to speak at conferences such as Out of Chicago. I gave this a go but found it a little odd to have such a large bag attached to my waist. I have banged these bags around the world, and they still look fresh and ready for the next trip. Exterior Dimensions 42.9 x 25.2 x 16.5 cm (16.89 x 9.96 x 6.5 inches), Interior Dimensions 25.7 x 20 x 11 cm (10.1 x 7.87 x 4.33 inches). During this review, I found that the sheen of the fabric gives it the added benefit of being extra slippy, making the transition from side to back very smooth and quick, even when the bag is fully loaded. But is also one of the largest. It is lightweight and compact. The bag has two compartments. And as one user put it, Its like Amazon took notes from all the camera bag sellers & churned out the perfect bag. This is a lot of bag for the price! Please check your entries and try again. Mark Condon is a British wedding photographer based in Australia and the founder of Shotkit. They are not meant for the same amount of gear. A nice touch is that you can tuck the chest strap away into a hidden pocket at the base of the bag when not in use. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. By tucking a leg of your tripod into the pocket, you can secure the upper portion with the strap for a nice, secure alternative way to carry it. Being able to go from carrying all your gear on your back (with both your hands free), to accessing it with just one quick pull and swing of the bag around your body, is a really efficient way to move and shoot. This sling bag has a surprisingly large amount of storage space which is usefully dispersed across the front, rear and inside. Dimensions: 4.3 x 12.2 x 7.5 (109.22 x 309.88 x 190.5 mm) Weight: 498.95 g (1.1 lb / 17.6 oz). Just bear in mind that it may not have the same capacity or ability to store as many smaller accessories as a large size backpack. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between sling bag and crossbody bag? The bag comes with the signature Peak Design quick-adjust strap. Inside the top zippered pocket theres another one of these mesh pockets too. On the inside of the main flap, a large velcro mesh pocket is useful for storing all manner of smaller items I prefer to stow lighter items such as notes, lens cloths or cables here since anything heavier causes the flap to fall open rather abruptly when opening the bag whilst its on your shoulder. Need more info? But most of these are full backpacks, and others are shoulder bags. So, you will not be able to strap on a tripod or water bottle. At first glance it seems to be there to provide more security to the zippered front door, to prevent it accidentally opening. This is one of the pricier bags on the list. Since examining so many other great slings for this review, Ive actually purchased a couple more to add to this rotation! As with the other camera sling bags in this review, the internal modular components can be removed completely, for you to carry more over-sized items and clothing. In the inside wall, theres a partially concealed mesh compartment that you can use to store your phone, passport, and other documents, as well as a convenient little hook for your keys. This doesnt really affect how the bag feels when carried at all, and I appreciate the addition of another grab handle even on a bag this small. The bag fits a camera and one to two lenses with accessories. \\\"Crossbody\\\" refers to the fact that the strap of the bag runs diagonally across the torso (shoulder to hip). Available in stealthy all black (my choice), or a fashionable grey with orange accents the only problem youll have is deciding on the colour ;-), Dimensions: 13 x 19.3 x 11 (330.2 x 490.22 x 279.4 mm) Weight: 798.32 g (1.05 lb / 28.16 oz). This may seem a little overkill on a camera sling bag, but Pacsafe is clearly thinking that the end-user will be using the Pacsafe Camsafe V18 for far more than just the odd photo shoot. The bag is very durable and will stand up to a surprising amount of weather. One neat feature is an elasticated strip of material on the shelf of the upper pocket, which serves as a way to secure smaller items such as portable drives from bouncing around during transit. (See another popular Pacsafe bag here.). Behind it, theres a much larger pocket, which you can use to store an external drive or portable backup battery. Because this type of bag slings across the body in a way that makes it easy to spin around and access, its also referred to as a sling bag. Backpacks are not necessarily better than slings, but they have different strengths. Being able to go from carrying to usage in one quick swing of the camera sling bag around the body is incredibly useful, and having it to use as a kind of ledge for your gear (whien in front of your body) allows for even easier (and safer) lens changes. The bag is black with a bright yellow interior and includes a rain cover. The Amazon Basics Camera Sling Bag is surprisingly functional for its inexpensive price. This keeps the bag sleek and helps to avoid getting snagged on anything. The Vanguard Alta Rise 43 Sling is one of the most expensive and heaviest bags on this list. The strap has the same easy-adjust feature as the 10L but tightening is done via a small fabric loop instead of the buckle. The inclusion of a padded waist belt is a nice touch and means that the bag can be worn while hiking, walking fast or cycling. The rear strap has a slightly different placement from the 10L, as its on top of the bag rather than on the rear. The bag even comes with a tin of wax. The other access point is a cavernous front door, which can be customised with velcro dividers to fit a large DSLR camera and up to 3 lenses or other accessories. A camera sling bag is usually smaller than a backpack and is worn over one shoulder. Zippers are excellent quality and feature cord grab loops, making it easy to open and close even when youre wearing gloves. This is one of the big reasons for its popularity, and the main reason why Ive decided to take this bag on holiday with me instead of any of the others I now own. Its a little fiddly to be using every time, but its nice to know you have that option when walking in unfamiliar streets. This means we may receive a commission if you purchase something by clicking on one of our links. If you are bored with black camera bags, Mosiso has you covered. And the top compartment stores accessories. Im a big fan of the all-black line of Peak Design products, with all the elements of the bag in the same shade of black buckles, zippers, everything. While some photographers will use their camera sling bag as their sole carrying device, most will use it either in conjunction with a larger camera roller bag (for example) or as a reduced-gear pack for shorter shoots. If you want a light, inexpensive sling bag, the Mosiso Camera Sling Bag is a great place to start. It doesnt have a way to secure it at either end, but if you can tighten the straps enough, its pretty secure (depending on the weight of the tripod of course). I own the Ash version because of the leather brown accents which I love, but I secretly want the newly released black version too! ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The terms crossbody bag and sling bag are more or less used interchangeably. The Tenba Solstice Sling 10L is a solid, mid-priced choice. However, lightly filling your sling bag with one or two lenses and your camera can be an immensely freeing experience and forces you to really think about your gear choices. Using padded velcro dividers, youre able to create 5 compartments for a camera body with lens attached, some smaller lenses (such as primes or pancake lenses), filters, flashes, and other equipment. The shoulder strap is not padded for comfort but is non-slip. It's also really fast and easy to adjust using the quick-pull adjustment buckle. Its also really fast and easy to adjust using the quick-pull adjustment buckle. And there is a separate rain cover included. Youll notice that LowePro is mentioned a lot in this round up of the best camera sling bags of the year. At the heart of the design is a contoured, padded strap which is nice and thick to evenly distribute the weight across your shoulder and down your front. But if you do not want to spend that much money, the BAGSMART Crossbody DSLR Camera Bag is the solution. The Pacsafe Camsafe V18 is a unique product from a company that specialises in making it a hard time for pickpockets and thieves to have their way with your prized possessions! What is the difference between sling bag and crossbody bag? It is padded on the front, back, and top. If you have switched gear recently or are just looking for a lighter kit, you may be in the market for a new camera bag. It can also be altered slightly to allow it to be worn as a waist bag (fanny/bum bag) which helps if youre on a bike. The 5L version doesnt have the straps on the front for a tripod like its bigger brother, but it does have an attachment point on the side for other smaller items. The terms crossbody bag and sling bag are more or less used interchangeably. Theres also a mesh (see-through) pocket on the inner side of the front door flap, which is handy for memory cards, cleaning cloths and the like. Expert Photography 2011-2022. The 6L also comes in navy blue. One nice plus is that its colorful! The Think Tank Photo Urban Access 8 Sling Camera Bag is one of the more expensive choices here. The top compartment is padded, so you can use it to hold another lens or a flash. I also keep a Think Tank Turnstyle 20 (reviewed here) in the car with backup gear, and use a Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L (reviewed here) for my Mavic Pro Platinum drone + controller, and sometimes for my Sony a7III and 35mm lens too. The interior compartment of the 10L will hold a 13 laptop. Its on the expensive side, but you cant beat Peak Designs quality and construction. Mosisos inexpensive sling bag is a surprise find with some of the top Amazon customer ratings. On the side, the Altura Sling Backpack features an additional strap and elasticated pocket, allowing you to carry a small travel tripod or thin water bottle. It has one of the best designs on the market. Your gear can go flying if you open the wrong zipper. If youve ever shot at a very busy street, youll know the uneasy feeling when youre walking around with really expensive camera equipment on your back. The humble camera sling bag has seen a massive resurgence in popularity recently. The bag is black with a grey interior. The front strap seems to have been influenced by the design of the Altura Sling Backpack to name but one, in that keeping it fastened helps to prevent the main flap from opening too far when the bag is around the front of your body. Jenn Mishra is a fine art travel and landscape photographer based in the St. Louis metro area. It opens up just far enough to be able to easily remove or stow your camera, then you can unclip the straps and open the flap further to remove other items of gear. When I do engagement shoots, one of the biggest issues is finding a bag thats big enough to house a couple of lenses and some spare batteries, but not be so big as to be cumbersome. It has a padded strap reinforced for durability and a quick-release mechanism. Opening the AmazonBasics Camera Sling Bag via the top pocket gives you access to another fairly roomy compartment, easily big enough to fit another prime lens, video mic, flashes or similar size gadgets. Its not just the lightweight body of the Pacsafe Camsafe V18 thats been reinforced either the strap itself has been reinforced with similar wire, to prevent a knife from slashing through it. Dimensions: 10 x 9.8 x 17.7 (254 x 248.92 x 449.58 mm) Weight: 861.83 g (1.9 lb / 30.4 oz). Tenba also makes a smaller 7L version. The bag is padded with a soft suede interior. Exterior Dimensions 15 x 25 x 40 cm (5.91 x 9.84 x 15.75 inches). On the side, theres another hole to attach the utility strap, and an elasticated pocket. Perhaps the biggest benefit of the AmazonBasics Camera Sling Bag and the number one reason for its huge popularity is its price. Ive now integrated it into the wedding day, using it in conjunction with my rolling camera bag which houses the bulk of my gear. The Pacsafe Camsafe X9 Anti-theft Camera Sling Pack is designed for the security-conscious photographer. Camera sling bags combine the best features of a backpack and a shoulder bag. Theres no additional waist strap like some of the other camera sling bags in this review, but the LowePro Slingshot 202 still felt well-balanced on my back, even when fully loaded. The front pocket is a great place for extra batteries and memory cards. It requires very little effort to quickly lengthen the strap, swing it around your body, then stow or take out your camera. You can use the smaller section at the top for accessories or another lens. Her studio is Wits End Photography. Id advise against stuffing a camera sling bag with all your gear, as no matter how well designed the bag, using only one shoulder to carry all that weight can get rather uncomfortable quickly. Most camera sling bags are not as large as backpacks. On the inside, padded dividers can be configured using velcro fastenings to adjust for bigger camera bodies and lenses. The front pocket houses a zippered, mesh compartment, a wallet-sized slide-in pocket and three pens sleeves. Lets look at the features of sling camera bags, and then I will show you my top 10. In terms of its design, the exterior is nice and simple with a mostly black design and grey centre strap. On the inside of the flap are two memory card pockets, and there are other small elasticated and zippered pockets in another compartment at the top of the bag. Just bear in mind that it may not have the same capacity or ability to store as many smaller accessories as a large size backpack. A Robar Sport locking system for the zippers deters pickpockets. Im not quite sure why thereve been 8 (VIII) iterations of this bag, but Id like to think theyve perfected it with this one!! The LowePro Slingshot 202 is a good example of why lots of small design elements add up to create a useful, functional and durable product. You can configure the inner compartment to your needs. (Note the extra space in the interior dimensions above.) The purple highlighting of the inside adds a touch of jazz and helps you easily identify the presence of your gear in low light. If youre a worried-traveller, or simply want to take better care of your expensive camera gear while walking outside, this is definitely the investment you need to make. Or you can be like me and own a few :-), {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the best sling bag? Slings by Peak Design come in three sizes3L, 6L, and 10L. The main compartment on the Qipi Sling Bag is pretty spacious and opens up all the way to the other side allowing you to easily pack your gear in before you set out. Then theres the grab handle on the top of the bag, which has a nice grippy rubberised handle covering the canvas material used inside it. Made out of water-resistant nylon, the bag feels strong while remaining very lightweight. It also shares the same awesome minimalist design as its big brother, but with even simpler detailing. Exterior Dimensions 25 x 14 x 41.9 cm (9.8 x 5.5 x 16.5 inches). I also need something that will stay out of the way like a backpack, but have the accessibility of a messenger bag. The main pocket features a modular, removable camera compartment which holds your DLSR and extra gear, while the rest of the roomy zippered compartment gives you space for other items. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. This slim, mid-priced bag fits compact DSLR cameras with one or two lenses and various accessories. As for the inside, the 5L version of the Everyday Sling can be set up similarly to the 10L, with a middle compartment for your camera, and two Flexfold dividers for lenses and other equipment. There are four dividers to customize the interior space with various pockets for SD cards and extra batteries. It has space for a camera body with a small lens attached, and 3 customizeable compartments for your flash, alternate lens, and other equipment. This lightweight and durable bag is black with a grey interior. Some photographers have sling bags for smaller equipment, like drones. This can be a good thing it keeps you selective about what you choose to take on your photography adventures!