Why pick one of the best camera sling bags to carry your gear? Why not one of the many other best camera bags that are available, such as backpacks, messenger bags, holsters and others?
Sling bags offer their own distinct advantages that distinguish them from these other types of bag and make them extra attractive to certain types of photographer. Sling bags are distinguished by having a single shoulder strap which the users wears diagonally across the body in the manner of a car seat belt. The bag therefore sits lightly on the back, allowing it to be swung (or 'slung') from back to front in a single movement, with its opening side facing towards the user. This allows you to access your gear within seconds without needing to put the bag down.
So sling bags give you the best of both worlds, the comfort and capacity of a camera backpack and the portability and convenience of a shoulder bag. It's no surprise that many travelling photographers find them to be the optimal camera-carrying solution: a sling bag is perfect for a day spent roaming a city with your camera, but is also suitable for longer excursions.
Of course, a sling bag still does rest on only one shoulder, which limits the amount of weight you can (or would want to) carry with one. They're best for a single camera, with two or three lenses and a few extra essential accessories like memory cards, batteries and perhaps a flashgun. A sling's compact exterior size should also mean you'll easily slip inside airline carry-on luggage limits.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
The Quick List
No gimmicks here: just a well-made sling bag that can hold a full-frame camera plus lenses, and is comfortable to carry. Read more below…
Light and small, this sling bag can accommodate a mirrorless or a small DSLR, with plenty more pockets for extra gear. Read more below…
Designed to look like a pouch bag, this bag comes in black or a couple of camouflage options, with a rain hood amongst its features. Read more below…
This good-looking bag comes in four colors, but it’s features like the internal metal frame and versatile dividers you’ll most appreciate. Read more below…
If the water-resistant material and protected zips aren’t reassurance enough, the raincover should seal the deal. Read more below…
Best sling bag for photographers
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Best sling bag overall
Despite boasting a fairly small 10L capacity, and measuring a relatively narrow 24cm, the boxy shape of the Solstice makes it a practical size. It’s well suited to carrying a full-frame body with two or three lenses, and they’ll be well protected. Generous front, rear and base padding, along with substantial interior dividers, give the Solstice a tough feel, as do the quality water-resistant outer materials.
Access is via a full length side flap that gives a wide opening to the whole bag. On the opposite side is an expanding pouch suitable for a bottle, or a typical travel tripod, anchored by an additional side strap. Up front is a long slot opening revealing storage for a tablet and filters.
Speaking of anchoring, this camera sling bag also features a secondary cross-body strap for keeping things stable when you’re really on the move. The main strap sits on your left shoulder. It’s supple and well padded, and combined with the decent back padding makes the Solstice a comfortable companion.
Best compact sling bag
The McKinnon 8L Camera Sling should meet the needs of photographers who use a small DSLR, a mirrorless camera, or even a smartphone setup. There are plenty of pouches, pockets and dividers for you to organize your equipment to suit your preferences. The padded sling design means you can position the bag across your back while moving around, then quickly bring it down to your side to open when you need to shoot. You could also have it on your chest while moving through crowds, so it’s continually visible. The bag material is durable and water-resistant.
(Gomatic is the European brand name for Nomatic – you may see this bag under either name.)
Read more: McKinnon Sling Bag 8L review
Best sling bag for style
The Hex Ranger is designed to look more like a pouch bag rather than a backpack, and as such is one of the most understated designs for you to carry around - if you don't want to brag about the amount of camera gear you have on you. Made of cordura nylon, and with a supplied rain hood, this is a slingback design that is designed to help your gear survive adverse weather conditions. Space is tight, however, so don't expect to take lots of gear with you in the eight-litre compartment. There are accessory pockets for a phone, spare battery and such, plus straps at the bottom to attach a travel tripod.
Read more: Hex Ranger DSLR Sling review
Best sturdy sling bag
This attractive option comes in a choice of four colors: black, stone, sage and an eye-catching rust. But there’s a lot more to the Luma than good looks: the combination of a metal frame on the inside, to help retain the bag’s form, and weatherproofed Oxford weave on the outside give reassurance that your gear is well-protected.
Dividers inside use a hook-and-loop system, giving you multiple configuration options for arranging your camera and lenses, while a mesh in the lid is perfect for holding loose accessories. We also enjoyed design touches such as the magnetic clasps, which hold the lid in place but enable you to quickly fetch out a camera when you need to take a shot. (A zip adds protection when the bag’s in transit.)
(Gomatic is the European brand name for Nomatic – you may see this bag under either name.)
Read more: Nomatic Luma Camera Sling 12L review
Best sling bag for weather protection
Camera sling bags are designed for active photography, so it makes sense that the PhotoCross 13 is finished in a durable, water-resistant material that beads rain away very effectively. High quality rain-resistant zips and a durable base add extra protection, so much so that the included raincover seems almost unnecessary.
The overall shape is relatively wide, making it versatile enough to carry an ungripped DSLR and lenses including a 70-200mm f/2.8, along with a compact 13in ultrabook. There are even mounting points on the front and included straps to attach a travel tripod. It’s just a pity that the internal dividers are rather floppy, making the bag feel squashy and less substantial than some.
With the ability to carry so much kit, it’s surprising the shoulder strap is only lightly padded, but it is very wide, well ventilated and surprisingly comfy. There’s also a waist strap that provides extra support and stability, and the back padding is dense enough to insulate you from feeling the bag’s contents.
How to choose the best camera sling bag
1. Size it up
Most of the slings in this round-up are capable of carrying a full-frame DSLR body and at least two small lenses, which should give you an idea of the size you'll be working with. Many such bags also come in smaller sizes, and are designed for mirrorless kit.
2. Essential extras
Though a camera sling bag is meant to carry just the essentials, most have room for a tablet, or possibly a small laptop. Some also have mounting points for a tripod, and even a compact drone. Figure out what you're going to be carrying most days and plan your bag accordingly.
3. Weather the storm
Easy-access camera sling bags are well suited to life off the beaten track, but if you’re out in all weathers, ensure your chosen bag is weatherproof and has a separate rain cover. The last thing you want is to find your camera gear damaged because your bag didn't provide adequate protection.
4. Strap in
Some sling straps rest on your right shoulder, and some the left. This dictates which way you swing your sling to get access, and one direction may feel more natural than the other. If you have a backpack at home, you can wear it on one shoulder and experiment with swinging it back and forth to get a feel for which way feels more comfortable.
5. Stabilizing influence
With only a single strap, a sling bag can feel less secure on your back than a normal backpack. An additional waist or stabilising strap will keep everything securely anchored, and can also be a helpful extra layer of security against bag-snatchers and thieves.
How we test camera bags
At DCW, we thoroughly test the camera gear that comes our way. With camera bags, we look at build quality, capacity, weatherproofing, ease of use, and any other features that feel relevant to the photographers and videographers who will be using the kit. We have a team of in-house experts who take bags out into the field to see how they perform in real-world shooting scenarios, and we use their findings and opinions to inform our comments in buying guides.
Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World
