Camera Bags:High and Dry

One of the most important pieces of equipment we carry is a camera bag. Maybe you think the bag is less important than the camera –and that’s certainly true to some extent. But the fact is,if you can’t carry your gear,you’re not going anywhere at all. So,having a reliable pack is essential. For landscape photographers,the pack needs to be tough and durable,have lots of space for equipment,and be comfortable to carry over long distances. That’s a lot to ask,and we’ve carried lots of different bags over the years. Some were better than others.

Right now,we’re carrying Loka bags from F-stop. They’re more expensive than some –but they’ll also last a lot longer. And this isn’t a bag you’ll find yourself kicking yourself for wasting money on. Nope. The Loka does it’s job –and then some.

One of the best features is the rear access. It allows you to get to your equipment without putting the bag down on the ground –which is essential when you are shooting in the middle of a river,in knee-deep swamps,or in the mud on a rainy day. And it’s not just about getting at your gear easily. When you spin the bag around,you can use it as a work surface –for changing lens or putting on filters…whatever you need to do. To add icing to the cake –if it’s raining,you can access your gear without having to fumble around with the rain cover (this is an optional –and highly recommended –accessory). The cover stays on while you open and close the bag.

Since we get so many questions about how this works,we put together a little video for you. Here she is –world-renowned actress and accomplished ventriloquist Varina Patel –playing the part of the oblivious photographer pretending to be unaware that she’s being filmed.

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