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So you just bought a new camera and are looking to get the perfect bag for it. Or maybe you have a backpack already, but it’s not just convenient for you anymore? Sometimes customers can become stumped and suffer from mild analysis paralysis trying to decide which product is best for them. That ends now. In this article, I’ve detailed everything you need to know about the best camera bag for women after scouring the internet and testing a couple of cam bags myself. So relax, read through, and then make the right choice.

A Quick Overview

Our Review of the 5 Best Camera Bags for Women in 2022

Best Professional Bag for Women — Tarion Waterproof Certified IPX5 Camera Backpack

Highlights:
    • IPX5 waterproof certified rating from the IEC.
    • Anti-theft clip provides more security for camera equipment.
    • Extra-large space to carry more camera gear and devices.

Backpacks come in various shapes, sizes, and prices. Still, only one backpack leads among the best professional camera bags for women, and that’s Tarion’s star cam backpack: Waterproof Certified IPX5 Large Capacity Camera Bag. Tarion has been around for more than a decade, and if there’s any company we should expect a professional backpack tailored to suit women, it’s this company. 

There are so many features to highlight about this camera bag, but let’s start with the fact that it’s built for size and can easily accommodate not one but two DSLR cameras. Another thing worthy of note is the anti-theft clip that prevents strangers from quickly accessing personal effects in the backpack.

The utmost reason why this camera bag is easily one of the best professional camera bags for women is that Tarion specifically had it tested by the IEC— International Electrotechnical Commission to make it IPX5 waterproof certified. So I looked up the IEC and discovered they are a global standards organization responsible for determining how much protection a product can guarantee. 

It does feel reassuring moving about during Spring with a bag that has been proven to keep the rain out.

Best Water Resistant Camera Bag for Women — S-Zone Water-Repellent Camera Backpack

Highlights:
    • Multiple pockets to house and protect smaller devices during snow or rain.
    • Thick, waxy impervious finish with low water-absorption gradient.
    • Detachable straps underneath for carrying tripods.

The cost of a camera and accessories can run into thousands of dollars. And sometimes, in the middle of a beautiful shooting, the sky could groan and rain cats and dogs. Hence, women photographers must have a water-repellent bag that can protect all the expensive accessories housed within. The S-Zone does a beautiful job in the water-resistant department and quickly tops the list as a go-to solution for keeping the rains away from the equipment.

For one, the waxy, leathery make of the bag is about as impervious as it gets. Second is the easy access zipper, a feature that allows you to quickly slot in your camera without needing to go through the central opening. This feature is super helpful in places where it rains without warning, and stuffing a camera into a bag within seconds could mean all the difference between a piece of working shooting equipment or a faulty one.

Lastly, the S-Zone is way roomier than it looks, with many zippers and small spaces to add and protect other devices such as phones, power banks, laptops from the harsh weather.

Best Leather Camera Bag for Women — Rofozzi Street Photography Cross Body Leather Camera Bag

Highlights:
    • Understrap nylon material to prevent cloth stains.
    • Original, durable goatskin leather composition.
    • Double straps allow multiple carrying styles.

From the word go, Rofozzi’s leather bag offering demonstrates the company’s ability to give that extra oomph to professional women photographers who want to make a bold fashion statement while doing their jobs. 

The orange-brown crossbody camera bag can match almost any work outfit and doesn’t draw attention to you as a filming geek. On the contrary, its designer features accentuate a lady’s fashion sense, making it one of the best stylish camera bags for women

The bag is spacious enough to hold a Nikon D3200 sized camera alongside other equipment. It’s also been padded to make it a soft camera housing that precludes the occurrence of scratches. The bag’s strap gives a user multiple carrying options, because it could be carried as a side bag or slung across the shoulder to provide a different look.  On non-shooting days, you could ditch the shoulder strap and carry your camera using the top handle.  

Perhaps the most significant reason the Rofozzi crossbody leather bag is among the best stylish camera bags for women is its durability, credit to its goatskin origin. The longer you use this bag, the more the folds and striations make it look vintage.

Best Stylish Camera Bag for Women — Meliae Leather DSLR Camera Purse for Women

Highlights:
    • Classy, designer-shaped camera bag finesses the wearer’s style.
    • Quality seam stitching confers long-lastingness.
    • Soft-dotted exterior for enhanced leathery appeal.

What are the top qualities to look out for when shopping for leather camera bags for women? Style, utility, affordability, and durability. Meliae’s leather DSLR purse for women combines all these qualities into one perfect unflawed camera bag. 

Meliae’s camera purse’s design makes a daring breakaway from the conventional traveling backpack geometry and gives women a camera bag the shape of a stunning fashion handbag. Two straps, one short, the other long, add variety to the different ways the purse can be carried. In addition, the soft, dotty exterior gives the purse a premium finish that feels smooth to the touch.

Because the camera bag looks nothing like an everyday backpack, you can carry camera equipment in it without drawing attention or just use it to carry a party makeup kit. While others might not like the audacious deviation from the regular camera backpack shape and style, the Meliae Camera Purse is still one of the best leather camera bags for women on the market.

Best Budget Camera Bag for Women — Bagsmart DSLR Camera Backpack

Highlights:
    • Distinct washed-out pink color made specifically for women.
    • Removable dividers for space creation and larger equipment accommodation.
    • Fully padded exterior to prevent equipment chafing.

Just because something’s cheap doesn’t mean it has to be low quality. Here’s a camera backpack that showcases style and elegance despite having a fairly decent price tag. The DSLR backpack from Bagsmart is a compact camera bag that can accommodate most standard-sized cameras and still have room for smaller accessories. 

The backpack comes in different colors, but the pink variety adds style and a touch of feminine flourish to your overall outfit when carried. Personally, the color is the ultimate selling point for me because, despite the manufacturer’s attempt to make the camera bag affordable, the designers still managed to make the bag ooze with style and flair. 

Another feature that makes this backpack an overachiever is the rain cover exterior protecting the bag’s contents from water. Instead of fixed dividers, this cam bag has a removable compartment that allows users to place more robust and unconventional items. Finally, you won’t have trouble accepting the Bagsmart DSLR camera backpack as the best budget camera bag for women. when you consider that it has an outside strap with which you could carry a flask or tripod.

Buying considerations for Choosing the Best Camera Bag for Women 

Camera bags abound in all shapes, types, and sizes. And sifting through thousands of varieties is nothing but mental torture. Since research shows that consumers will rather pay more for a product that’s the right fit than for a cheaper alternative, there’s a consequent need for you to understand some guiding parameters to buying an awesome cam backpack. (1

Comfort

Moving about with a backpack stuffed full of heavy cameras and gear can take its toll on your shoulders and back. Imagine having a sore back after carrying a camera bag and bending throughout the day to adjust the camera position while shooting. Not so pleasant, I guess, 

However, choosing a comfortable camera bag can prevent, or at the very least, reduce body pains associated with transporting a heavy backpack. 

And the number one difference between a sore-inducing camera bag and one that feels like marshmallows on your shoulders and back is,

Wait for it…

Straps.

Yes, straps. But don’t all bags come with straps?

All bags have straps, but not all bags have padded straps.  And due to the overwhelming amount of bags to choose from out there, most photographers suffer from decision fatigue and go for any bag, something that comes back to hurt them later. 

Padded straps have an extra layer of cushion to prevent your shoulder and bag from friction and chafing.  

Equipment

The type of filming equipment you use also determines what camera bag you buy. A budding photographer wouldn’t need to carry as much as a professional with lots of shooting paraphernalia. Hence, their choice of camera bags would differ. One might need a compact backpack, while the other might want something spacious.

Let’s quickly look at the different kinds of bags to use based on equipment size.

  1. Roller Bags. Roller bags are backpacks that have tires underneath and an extendable handle for pulling. These kinds of bags are meant to pull heavy equipment, especially when you’re walking to a far off-site and trying to avoid shoulder or back pain.

  2. Messenger Bags. Any bag with long straps that can be slung across the body qualifies as a messenger bag. Also known as shoulder bags, messenger bags are great for transporting lightweight and medium cameras alongside smaller devices. They also suffice as everyday purses for ladies to carry other items other than cameras. 

  3. Backpack. A standard backpack is a perfect recommendation for traveling photographers. With it, they have a storage container for their cameras and can move around with ease. 

But that’s not all

Backpacks are also helpful in carrying medium-sized tripods. Conventional backpacks have detachable straps underneath or by the side where you can squeeze in a tripod with the rest of your traveling gear.

Style

Gone are the days when photographers were spotted from afar with camera bags the shape of a matchbox. Now I can walk down the street with a camera in my crossbody bag, and no one would have the foggiest notion that I’m a photographer.   

Consumers’ behaviors have evolved with time, and intelligent manufacturers are coming up with products that combine function and design.  Now the bag you use in carrying your camera gear can match what you wear.

There’s more

Most brands now have camera bags in all the hues of the color spectrum. Pink, violet, green, you name it. So there’s always a bag out there for any lady looking to make a fashion statement.

Protection

Another key buying consideration that every photographer must consider before purchasing a camera bag is the degree of protection it can offer. And when it comes to safety in camera bags, there are two types: Internal and external protection. 

Quote Box

For a camera backpack to offer complete safety it must be able to prevent damage to equipment within and prevent outside access from unauthorized persons and elements.

External Protection

External protection means the camera bag has features that keep the camera safe from threats. Two features must be present to ensure perfect external safety: 

  • Water-repellent

Rain and snow can spoil your camera. Hence a camera bag should have water-repellent features to keep out the elements. 

But then again, 

Many bags offer varying degrees of water-repellent features. And if you have super expensive gear, you want to ensure that you use a camera bag that guarantees the highest level of protection. I recommend products that are IPX5 certified. 

  • Anti-theft 

When you have anti-theft features enabled in a bag, it doesn’t mean it’s a James-bond-like state-of-the-art, nifty tech device that shoots lasers or shocks potential thieves into a coma. 

So, what does it do?

What anti-theft does is reduce people’s access to devices in your backpack by making the process of opening the bag a little more complicated than conventional bags. The anti-theft feature varies among manufacturers, so ensure to choose one that works best for you.

Internal Protection

Internal protection in a camera backpack is the combination of compartmentalization and a plush interior. The compartments in the bag help your device to fit snugly, while the padded interior prevents scratches that could arise from equipment chafing while you’re on the move.  

Typically, crossbody camera bags with a single gaping space offer little protection compared to a multi-partitioned professional camera backpack lined all through with soft paddings. 

F. A. Q

There’s no single camera bag that ranks as the best. Whether or not a camera bag will be suitable for you is dependent on your equipment size and preference. However, specific considerations like comfort, style, security, etc., could help shape your selection.

Yes, you can use an ordinary school backpack to carry your camera about. Only bear in mind that you might damage your camera because such a bag isn’t produced to keep shooting equipment safe.

Conclusion

With the multitudes of cam bags on the market these days, photographers can now choose something that captures their style and reflects their personality. 

As a result of the multiple options that abound, it’s pretty challenging to pinpoint the best camera bag for women. Notwithstanding, the Tarion Waterproof Certified IPX5 Camera Backpack is our foremost recommendation. 

And here’s why.

Firstly, the bag is roomy enough to accommodate two sizable cameras with enough space for other devices. Secondly, it has an anti-theft clip that reduces theft. And to cap it all, its waterproof protection is way over the charts.

What other cam bags would you recommend? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

References:

  1. Psychology and Marketing. Consumer Decision Making on the Web: A Theoretical Analysis and Research Guidelines. P 800. Retrieved from https://marketing.business.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/724/2014/08/consumer-decision-making-on-the-web.pdf