No matter if you are a photography professional or hobbyist, you will eventually find that a camera bag is a necessary accessory to get. Though beautiful, quality models can cost a lot of money, you can find affordable stylish camera bags, too.
But do you know where to look, and how to choose the right bag for your camera and equipment? Today, we are happy to provide you with a complete guide for that.
Here are the affordable stylish camera bags (May 2024 Update):
- Best Overall (Shoulder Bags): S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag
- Best For Rainy Days (Shoulder Bags): Kattee Leather Canvas Camera Bag
- Compact & Lightweight (Shoulder Bags): BAGSMART Camera Bag
- Best Overall (Backpacks): BAGSMART Camera Backpack
- Spacious (Backpacks): TARION Camera Backpack
- Best For Mirrorless Cameras (Backpacks): Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack
| 6 Affordable Stylish Camera Bags | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag
| |
Best For Rainy Days | Kattee Leather Canvas Camera Bag
| |
Compact & Lightweight | BAGSMART Camera Bag
| |
Best Overall | BAGSMART Camera Backpack
| |
Spacious | TARION Camera Backpack
| |
Best For Mirrorless Cameras | Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack
| |
Best Overall (Shoulder Bags): S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag
- Durable and protective - durable zippers, strong stitching, and high-density waterproof canvas material
- Great organizing – plenty of pockets & compartments for camera, camera accessories, and essential items
- Versatile & look stylish – three color choices
- Wish the top flap was wider
Start with the first option - S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag.
Aside from being a reliable, dedicated camera shoulder bag that is created with durable zippers, strong stitching, and high-density waterproof canvas material, it’s a stylish bag for daily use.
What we love the most about this unit is it’s not just designed to organize and protect your camera as well as other related accessories, but also for other items, like cards, wallets, and smartphones. Very practical and convenient!
It gives you two size options – Large and Medium, each of which is available in three color choices.
| S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 15.8 ounces |
Dimension | 7 x 4 x 9 inches |
Material | PU Leather Trim & High-Density Waterproof Canvas |
Capacity | 1 camera, 1 lens, and mini digital camera |
Highlight Features | durable zippers, strong stitching, and high-density waterproof canvas material plenty of pockets & compartments for camera, camera accessories, and essential items three color choices |
Durable, affordable, stylish, and functional, the S-ZONE Waterproof Camera Bag is our best overall option in 2020.
Best For Rainy Days (Shoulder Bags): Kattee Leather Canvas Camera Bag
- Good waterproof properties - waterproof, weatherproof canvas & high-grade genuine leather trim
- Customizable – self-adhering dividers
- A bit heavy
- Not enough room for extra small lenses
Finding the most optimal way to keep your precious camera away from rain or water splash is arguably the same old issue for most photographers. But with this bag, you can rest assured!
It is made of waterproof, weatherproof canvas, along with high-grade genuine leather trim for high efficiency of water leakage prevention.
Regardless, the capacity as well as its organization is spacious and logical enough for your essentials and camera equipment.
There’s even a tiny pocket for your CDs, business cards, or memory cards.
| Kattee Leather Canvas Camera Bag Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.3 pounds |
Dimension | 13.8”x12.6”x4.35” |
Material | genuine leather and durable canvas. |
Capacity | 11.8"x8.25"x4.2" |
Highlight Features | waterproof, weatherproof canvas & high-grade genuine leather trim self-adhering dividers |
If you’re finding the best way to save your expensive camera equipment during rainy days, the Kattee might be what you’re after.
Compact & Lightweight (Shoulder Bags): BAGSMART Camera Bag
- Ideal for travel – the weight of 1.32 pounds, measured by 11 x 5 x 7.9 inches, and built with a trolley strap
- Comfortable – well-padded shoulder strap
- Fabric isn’t waterproof completely
For occasional photographers, this is your best bet.
It is durable, water-resistant, looks stylish, and importantly, the whole bag appears to be very lightweight. The silhouette is also compact as well.
But don’t let that fool you about its interior space. The major storage area is roomy enough for 2 lenses and one DSLR camera with the factory lens while there are plenty of additional pockets for your camera accessories as well as other essentials.
All the dividers are removable for your best custom organization, which is a great plus.
Besides, it comes with a removable, adjustable shoulder strap with padded foam, along with a trolley strap for extra convenience while traveling.
| BAGSMART Camera Bag Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 1.32 pounds |
Dimension | 11 x 5 x 7.9 inches |
Material | water-resistant canvas |
Highlight Features | weight of 1.32 pounds, measured by 11 x 5 x 7.9 inches, and built with a trolley strap well-padded shoulder strap |
Created with extra convenience, lightness, and compactness with little compromise of storage space, we choose the BAGSMART Camera Bag as the best option for occasional photographers.
Best Overall (Backpacks): BAGSMART Camera Backpack
- Spacious and well-organized – one camera compartment (1 DSLR + an attached lens & 4 additional lenses), one 15” laptop sleeve, and pockets
- Anti-thief design - sturdy metal hooks to the front and side zippers
- Comfortable - handle strap and adjustable chest strap
- Rain-protection – include a rain cover
- Wish the bottom had a little more padding
- No waist strap
This model comes in two versions – one buckle and two buckles, each of which provides you with three stylish color options to choose from.
We choose the one-buck because 1) it’s more affordable and 2) the construction is still well-secured and protective.
This version functions well, including a main compartment enough for a DSLR with an attached 200mm lens and up to 4 more lenses, a separate sleeve fitting a 15” laptop, and some other pockets.
It’s also designed to avoid thieves (by attaching sturdy metal hooks to the front and side zippers). Along with that are the handle strap, adjustable chest strap, and a rain cover.
| BAGSMART Camera Backpack Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.14 pounds |
Dimension | 11.81 x 7.48 x 15.75 inches |
Material | water-resistant canvas |
Capacity | 20L |
Highlight Features | one camera compartment (1 DSLR + an attached lens & 4 additional lenses), one 15” laptop sleeve, and pockets sturdy metal hooks to the front and side zippers handle strap and adjustable chest strap include a rain cover |
Out of many candidates, we find the BAGSMART Camera Backpack to be the best overall performer.
Spacious (Backpacks): TARION Camera Backpack
- Spacious yet compact – measured by 11.02 x 5.91 x 14.96 inches & a capacity of 14.5 liters
- Able to extend the storage space up to 10% more – an additional, adjustable top strap
- Functional and versatile – a tripod strap, a rain cover, & a 15” laptop sleeve
- The fabric feels cheap
- Unpleasant smell
The TARION Camera Backpack gives you the best of both worlds – a spacious yet compact bag for multiple uses.
While measured by 11.02 x 5.91 x 14.96 inches, it delivers a capacity of 14.5 liters with two roomy compartments. Therein, the bottom storage space features hook-and-loop dividers to offer a nice custom fit for your camera equipment.
The top one is for your essentials. It also has an adjustable strap for 10% extra capacity if wanted. The best part is an additional, separate 15” laptop sleeve on the back of the bag, and a tripod strap on the base.
Padding is good and the fabric is all stain-resistant, scratch & dustproof, and easy to clean.
| TARION Camera Backpack Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.65 Pounds |
Dimension | 11.02 x 5.91 x 14.96 inches |
Material | Air Mesh & Weather, Dust, 210D polyester, & Scratch Proof Canvas |
Capacity | 14.5L |
Highlight Features | measured by 11.02 x 5.91 x 14.96 inches & a capacity of 14.5 liters an additional, adjustable top strap a tripod strap, a rain cover, & a 15” laptop sleeve |
If the spacious interior is your top priority when looking for the most affordable stylish camera backpack, then pick the TARION.
Best For Mirrorless Cameras (Backpacks): Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack
- Practical and versatile – a mirrorless camera compartment, a 15” laptop sleeve, a rainfly, and a tripod strap
- The belt clips and the stretch wrap feel cheap
The Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack is professionally designed for a hauling mirrorless camera and its accessories. So during movements, they don’t move around inside your bag like that in the mirrored camera backpacks, meaning for better protection.
It also gives you a 15” laptop sleeve, a rainfly, and a tripod strap, just like most other counterparts would have.
A big bonus is for its well-padded harness and back, which minimizes pressure and stress on your body during long walking trips.
| Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.73 pounds |
Dimension | 18 7/8 x 9 1/2 x 12" |
Highlight Features | a mirrorless camera compartment, a 15” laptop sleeve, a rainfly, and a tripod strap well-padded harness and back |
For everyday use and for those photographers who own a mirrorless camera, we suggest the Vanguard Havana 48 Backpack.
How To Choose The Affordable Stylish Camera Bag?
Price
When looking for an affordable camera bag, this first thing to do is set a price limit.
While camera bags can cost up to hundreds of dollars, you can get some very good bags for $75 only. So, you’d better consider a suitable price range before starting to choose bags.
Style
When it comes to the style of the camera bag, you need to ask yourself a few questions to narrow down options. Would you prefer a super girly bag or a more androgynous one? What color do you want? Do you specifically like or hate any additional decoration like tassels?
If you can pre-determine some key points regarding what you want the bag to look like, you will have to spend less time browsing through countless models on the market.
Bag Size & Customization
As you shop for a camera bag, it’s important to decide on the size. To do this, you just have to think about all the items you will put in the bag, figuring out how much space you need.
Each person has different gears that they want to carry along, and you may bring different gears on different occasions, so customization is a prominent factor for a camera bag. The best bags will allow for shifting the partitions around, which is what you should look for.
Which Brands Make The Affordable Stylish Camera Bag?
Kattee
This brand makes bags for both men and women. Here, you will find camera bags made with the vintage style that is also durable.
BAGSMART
This brand is trusted all over the world for making bags with high quality and attention to detail. It delivers the simplest, most intelligent solutions for users.
TARION
This brand is a perfectionist that continuously improves and innovates its camera accessories, including bags. Not just that, quality is also a big selling point for its products.
Vanguard
Over the past 30 years, this brand has been committed to innovation. It makes high-quality camera bags for professionals and enthusiasts, especially at an affordable price.
FAQs
Is a camera bag necessary?
This depends on the camera gear you have. If you have just basic gear, you can consider using a regular bag. But if you have a lot of equipment, a camera bag will be very useful in keeping them secure in order.
Shoulder bag vs. backpack?
Here are some key differences between a shoulder bag and a backpack:
- Backpacks are more comfortable for long distances.
- Shoulder bags are more compact.
Generally, if you go somewhere near and don’t bring much gear, you can use a shoulder bag. But if you travel over a long distance and carry the gear for a long time, the backpack is a better choice.
Are more stylish camera bags more expensive?
This is not necessarily the case. Camera bags can be very expensive, but you can still find stylish, affordable options on the market.
How much should a camera bag cost?
This depends on how much you can and is willing to pay. A camera bag can cost hundreds of dollars but can also cost under $100.
Are smaller bags prettier?
The answer to this question depends on your preference. Some people may like a small bag because it looks more elegant and cute. But whether it’s prettier or not also depends on its style, its color, and whether is it girly or androgynous.
Conclusion
We hope that through this post, you will be able to find affordable stylish camera bags easily and quickly. Remember that no matter what, the quality of the bag must remain the top priority.
Bryan Listor
