THE PERFECT CAMERA BAG? REVIEW: LOWEPRO PASSPORT SLING

As a girl, it’s no surprise I love bags. I’m constantly getting told off by Johnny that I don’t need another bag the minute my eyes begin to wander. But being a blogger means I’m often carrying around my camera gear, so a good bag is a little more important to me than most girls. Previously I kept my camera in a toploading holster-type bag, while additionally carrying my purse around for personal items and for extra lenses. Once I started investing in more expensive lenses, I knew I needed a real camera bag. After a lot of researching and browsing in local stores, I finally decided to go ahead with purchasing the LowePro Passport Sling. I had always been a fan of LowePro products (they made my holster bag as well), but after testing this bag out on a few trips, the Passport Sling quickly became one of my favorite bags!

Top Features

Padded Camera Compartment: The camera insert is a fully removable box, that can fold flat for easy storing. The compartment itself has removable divider that splits the area in two, making it perfect to hold your camera snug as well as an additional lens. On the outside of the compartment is a small pocket for storing all your memory cards, which I love because I feel like I’m always losing mine or destroying them as they float freely around the bottom of other bags. It was this memory card pocket alone that made me decide to buy the original Passport Sling over the Passport Sling II, which does not have this feature. Inside Pockets: There are two inside pockets that fasten shut with velcro. They are both pretty small, but they are big enough to fit a standard sized cellphone. (Sorry no S4s here!) I generally use one of the pockets to hold additional camera accessories: filters, a microfiber cloth and a lens cleaning pen, and then the other pocket to carry some lip gloss, hair ties and a few business cards. Outside Pockets: There are a total of three pockets on the outside of the bag. Two of them are relatively small, they’ll hold a small notebook, maps, keys, etc., but the third pocket is rather large. It’s perfect for carrying a bottle of water or an umbrella–something rare to have on a bag this small. Zippered Compartment: The bag itself is relatively small– it definitely won’t carry your whole studio and personal life like some bags will. However, there is a zipper on the outside, that once unzipped will open to reveal around 30% more space. This space has been absolutely amazing for any items or souvenirs I pick up during my day.

Why I Like the Bag

I like the bag because despite it’s small size, you can really fit everything you need inside. And all that extra space when unzipped really comes in handy. The fact that is doesn’t look like a camera bag is another major plus for me. I like carrying a bag that makes it hard for people to identify the contents and their value. The bag has been great for traveling. When the camera compartment is taken out, it can fold completely flat, which makes the bag super easy to pack. I like wearing this bag while traveling because I can wear it in front of me– it sits nicely against the body and is secure from any sneaky pickpockets. I also like being able to have quick access to my camera and items because it’s right at my side. Taking a backpack-style camera bag on and off just to grab your camera for a quick shot becomes quite annoying!

Improvements I’d like to see

• The biggest complaint I have is that the pockets on the outside are not secure. I would love this bag even more if there was a way to zip or fasten them shut. I rarely put anything valuable in them because they are a security risk.
• When I first got the bag I thought it was super light and comfortable. After wearing it around for a week non-stop, I just didn’t feel that way anymore. The shoulder pad constantly slides around and could be a bit bigger to provide better padding and weight distribution.
• Lastly, I wish it were a little more weather-proof. When I bought the bag I was told by the store that it’s waterproof, but that isn’t quite the case. While the inside contents didn’t get horrible wet during the storm, anything that was outside the camera compartment was a little damp.

Would I Recommend this bag?

Absolutely! It’s been a convenient camera bag for everyday use around Hong Kong, and so far it’s survived my China and Japan trips perfectly. All-in-all, the Passport Sling proves to be a well-designed, durable option for any photographer– both amateur and professional. And despite my few minor complaints, I am thoroughly impressed with this bag. Another hit product from LowePro! As I write this post, the Passport Sling is $60 USD on Amazon.