A camera bag or case is important for keeping your camera equipment protected and organized. The right camera bag will make the gear and accessories you bring with you secure and easy to access, swap out and store. For instance, the bag or case you choose might need room to accommodate and cushion extra camera lenses, as well as lens filters, flashes, spare camera batteries and other must-have photography essentials.

In terms of bag designs, the two main options are the camera shoulder bag, which has a strap that can be shortened or lengthened for cross-body or single-side wear, and the camera backpack. The backpack is useful for long-distance travel as it has ample space for lenses and accessories. Meanwhile, the cross-body camera back makes equipment easily accessible when you’re taking photos on the go.

If you are carrying a lot of equipment or there’s a chance that things will get a little banged around or wet, you might want to increase protection by choosing a camera case with hard sides.

Consider the conditions you’ll mostly be working in when shopping for the best camera bag or case for your equipment. You might find that a water-resistant camera bag is essential for where you live or where you will be traveling. Or, you might need to prioritize lightweight materials if you don’t want to lug around anything too heavy while you’re on the go.

Fortunately, there are plenty of camera bag and case options. You can even shop based on brand in order match the camera you have. Or you can start by thinking about the storage space and size you need. For a small camera, like a point-and-shoot camera, a camera pouch could be all you need. Meanwhile, if you want lens options at the ready for a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you will need to shop for a large camera bag with additional lens storage.

Thanks to the popularity of photography, you have great camera bag options. You might even end up with more than one bag or case if you have multiple ways you plan to use your equipment.