I have been a professional photographer for about 8 years but have held a camera, probably like many of you for as long as I can remember. Over those years equipment has come and gone, the way I use cameras has changed and the parafanalier that comes with it all has accumulated. I expect you, like myself have also used and owned a lot of camera bags, they are arguably one of the most important items we photographers need, yet probably one of the last pieces of equipment we think about getting.

Camera bags for me are the most important item as I am clumsy! I have dropped, flung and destroyed cameras. Camera bags not only make carrying all the gear around easier, but also more importantly protect our most precious of items.

Manfrotto’s tripods have always been my go to brand; they are well made, diverse and well priced. For my day-to-day work I use a Carbon Fibre 190 and for travel or when I need extra space the BeFree. So when I heard that Manfrotto were extending their range of camera bags with the Pro Light’s I was keen to try one.

I don’t carry huge amounts of gear in my bag for my day to day work, I try and travel as light as possible as I use London’s transport services and my own legs to get me from appointment to appointment. A typical bag will need to hold: A digital body with 17-40 lens, one or two speed lights, pens, notepad and sometimes a 70-200 lens. If I have the time in my day to do a little non-work photography I might pack my Hasselblad medium format 500C.So I require a bag that’s big enough just in case I want to carry more gear, but light enough to deal with all the walking around and all the kicks, bashes, zip pulling and wet weather London can throw at it.

The Pro Light 3N1-35 PL backpack is my choice. It is split into two compartments: the bottom being for camera gear, the top being for all the other “stuff” a photographer carries, rain gear, spare batteries, gaffer tape (there’s even a handy pocket for that!). It can be worn as a backpack or a sling and features Manfrotto’s CPS (Camera Protection System) which uses shock absorbent foam to protect the cameras it wraps around. The bag sits comfortably on my back in conjunction with my Manfrotto tripod bag and also comes with a very handy rain jacket (very UK friendly!).

I’ve had the bag now for a good two months (at time of writing) and have been putting it through its paces; as I mentioned I am terribly clumsy so bags/gear/anything nice quite often doesn’t last long. Zips on bags usually last me a few months such is the constant opening/shutting they go through, but I’m pleased to say this has stood up to me! It’s been stuffed full, rained on, dropped and kicked on public transport (commuters have no sympathy when it comes to photographers with gear!). I’ve had dogs think it’s a toy and grab the straps, and yes, I’ve dropped it myself, and it’s still intact, more than that though my camera gear is still in one piece!

Manfrotto’s Pro Light bag range has impressed me a lot. They offer the lightness, quality and toughness that I require and because of that I have now ditched my passenger bag I was using and now use this all the time………….just need to find one that can fit my 4×5 camera inside!