A Must Have Bag for the Two-Lens Photographer

LowePro S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW ($38.95)
I have an addiction. I’m a bag hound. I especially love totes and camera bags. I have camera bags for every occasion: just my camera and one lens; my camera/lens and flash; all my gear; and several variations of each. I even add padded camera inserts into my favorite tote bags to make fun camera bags (see this post here for details). I love my LowePro Backpack for my camera and laptop when I’m traveling through airports. I was recently given a new S&F Lens Exchange Case, also made by LowePro, and I have to say, this makes working with two lenses so easy. The case opens up quickly with one-hand and actually expands so that you can hold two lenses at once. No need to ask your friend, “can you hold this for a sec?” while you change lenses. The case is very comfortable to walk around with (you can use the padded shoulder strap or attach it to your belt). And while its two mesh side-pockets are meant for lens caps, I found my cell and some money fit perfectly in one pocket and I squeezed a bottle of water in the other! Using this Lens Exchange Case came in really handy as we walked thru the corn maze and around the pumpkin patch last month. If there are times when you don’t want to leave the house with one lens, and feel that your larger camera bag will hold you down, I highly recommend a lens bag and this one by LowePro is the best I’ve used in a long time! I wish it came in a color other than black, but I might just add some fabric patches from Michael’s to make it my own!  (sponsored post)

Great Idea for a Stylish Camera Bag

This was not my idea, so I can’t take credit, but I need to share it. Tired of carrying a super ugly black bag that screams, “Hey, I’m a tourist carrying really expensive camera gear here!” to every passerby? Have a fabulous tote bag that you got on sale at Marshalls or Overstock.com? Or an old bag that you want to repurpose in the spirit of Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle? Well, you can get an insert for your bag and carry your camera and lenses around in style, and still have plenty of room for your wallet, cell phone, keys, make-up, and more. Check out this padded insert from Tenba, available at B&H or any other local camera store that carries Tenba bags. This one fits beautifully in a messenger style bag, but I am sure my old orange bag that I love so much will work perfectly as well. The dividers move so that you can slide your camera with lens attached snugly into the bag. So get out an old favorite and make it your new favorite camera bag for your summer travels.

(Top photo: ©Tenba; bottom photo ©Overstock.com, Jessica Simpson line)