Routes Asia headed to Vietnam for first time
Routes Asia will take place in Vietnam for the first time in 2022. The coastal city of Da Nang will play host to the sixteenth instalment of the aviation development forum.
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As a professional travel photographer, I get a lot of questions about what’s the best camera backpack for hauling your photo gear around. These are my favorites, and why.
Let’s be honest. Most tourists these days take photos with their smartphones, or maybe a compact travel camera. They don’t need a dedicated camera bag.
But what if you travel internationally with a ton of photography equipment like me? Or take your gear hiking?
Multiple cameras, lenses, a drone, etc. Maybe photography is your passion, or you run a YouTube channel, or work as a professional photographer?
You probably want a specialty photography backpack to pack that expensive gear safely and securely. I prefer traveling with a dedicated carry-on friendly camera backpack, and have spent the last few years trying out all kinds of different camera bags.
But what’s the best camera backpack for storing and traveling with your photo gear?
There’s no easy answer to this question. Different people will have different requirements and budgets for choosing a good camera backpack.
My goal with this camera backpack buyers guide is to help you narrow down the overwhelming choices — and pick the perfect camera backpack so you’re prepared for your next trip.
Here’s everything we’re going to cover (feel free to click to a specific section if you want to skip around).
WEIGHT – Obviously you want the lightest camera backpack you can find that’s also comfortable, because this will save your body from fatigue. The materials a backpack is made of can also affect its weight, and super light-weight fabrics can increase the price.
SIZE & CAPACITY – Backpack sizes are usually quoted in liters of volume they can hold. Generally, camera backpacks are going to run between 20-40 liters. However some adventure camera backpacks are designed to carry hiking & camping gear too, and can run 45-60 liters.
GEAR PROTECTION – The whole purpose of a specialized camera backpack over a regular bag is to help protect your expensive gear, while making it easily accessible too. Some bags go over the top with too much padding which adds to the overall weight.
SIDE/REAR LOADING – Camera backpacks are usually rear-loading, meaning you need unzip a panel on the back of the bag to access your photo gear. Some camera bags also offer side entry, so you can pull your camera out without taking off your backpack.
STRAP TYPES – A padded waist strap distributes the weight of your backpack on your core, instead of just your shoulders. This helps avoid sore shoulders and back pain, especially when wearing it for long periods of time. Especially handy for camera backpacks.
GEAR POCKETS – This is subjective, and everyone is different, but I prefer a minimal amount of pockets on my camera backpack. Some important ones include a quick-access pocket for things like keys, passport, sunglasses, etc. I also love when there’s a laptop pocket, and one for my filtered water bottle.
ZIPPERS – I prefer large, easy to use zippers on a backpack. Bonus points if they’re lockable zippers, specifically designed to be secured with a small luggage lock.
PROPER FIT – You could have the best travel backpack available, but if it doesn’t fit right, you’ll be miserable. Your torso length is more important than your height. Here’s a great backpack fitting guide.
LOOKS – Some camera backpacks are built to look like normal backpacks, others scream “there’s an expensive camera in here!”. I prefer a more subtle & minimalist look, but it’s ultimately up to you how important looks are.
WEATHER RESISTANCE – The material a backpack is made of can determine how weather-resistant it is. Some backpacks need a special rain-cover, others have rain-resistance built right in. You don’t want your gear getting wet!
CARRY-ON FRIENDLY – Airlines are getting stricter about the size and weight of your carry-on bag. As a general rule, I wouldn’t try to bring anything larger than a 40L camera backpack for carry-on luggage to be safe.
When choosing a camera backpack, it’s important to have a general idea about how you plan to use it. Generally, I split photographers up into some different categories.
If you don’t lug a ton of photo equipment around, a small discreet camera backpack that you can carry-on an airplane and walk around a city with will do just fine. However, if you’re a professional photographer with lot of camera gear, or go on overnight treks with a lot of hiking & camping gear — you might want a larger adventure-style camera backpack.
Most typical travel photographers are going to want to keep their camera equipment on the plane with them in a camera backpack that’s not too big, and will look good when walking around the streets of Paris or Rome. They might embark on the occasional day hike too, but won’t need to fit camping gear inside their bag.
Adventure photographers spend a lot of time shooting in the mountains, deserts, and jungles. Maybe they prefer visiting more remote destinations, and need space in their bag for a sleeping bag and tent. They pack their own multi-day backpacking and camping equipment to survive outside in the backcountry.
The camera backpack you choose from the guide below will depend on what kind of photographer you are (or think you’re going to be).
Want to improve your photography? Learning from other photographers is the fastest way.
Weight: 4.5 LBS (2 KG)
Capacity: 30-45 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black, Sage
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
The best designed camera backpack I’ve tested so far, the Peak Design Travel Backpack has loads of space, makes it easy to access your gear, and the quality is fantastic. It was designed as a carry-on travel bag, but works amazing well as a camera backpack too when paired with camera-specific packing cubes (which come in different sizes).
You can adjust the size of the bag from 30L to 45L depending on your travel needs. Backpack straps can all be hidden super fast, which is awesome. Accessing your photo gear is super easy and fast, it’s comfortable to carry, and it protects your equipment while traveling or hiking. There’s a dedicated laptop pocket too.
EDITOR’S NOTE: One of many camera backpacks I own, but I end up bringing this one with me 75% of the time when traveling or going on a day-hikes with my gear. Comfortable, minimal, stylish, and easy to access all my equipment.
Weight: 4.65 LBS (2.1 KG)
Capacity: 22-30 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black, Grey, Blue
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
The Peak Design Everyday Backpack is a popular walk-around camera bag that’s great for lugging your camera equipment around cities, for day hikes, or as a carry-on camera backpack. The material looks great but is pretty weather resistant too.
It has three points of entry into the bag. From the top, as well as two side flaps for easy access to your camera gear without needing to remove the backpack completely. The MagLatch system leaves part of the bag open on the sides, because there’s no drawstring closure.
Weight: 5.75 LBS (? KG)
Capacity: 35-42 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
The Peter McKinnon Camera Pack from Nomatic is the perfect bag for every adventure. It allows you to pack camera gear and clothing in the same bag. With removable folding dividers, expansion, and external carry straps it allows you to pack it any way you want.
Weight: 5.6 LBS (2.5 KG)
Capacity: 30 Liters
Load Range: 30-40 LBS
Colors: Grey
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
The LowePro Whistler 350 has been my favorite travel camera backpack for years now! The special TPU coating can take a lot of abuse from the elements, and a large easy-to-use zipper allows you to open the camera compartment quickly, even with gloves on. The newer versions have a laptop pocket too.
It holds a deceptively large amount of gear, and I regularly carry it on airplanes loaded down with 30-40 lbs (don’t tell the airlines!). There’s a large front pocket to pack your lunch, a jacket, or even avalanche equipment. External gear straps can hold snowshoes, a snowboard, skis, your tripod, or anything you need.
LowePro also makes a larger 450 model, but it’s too big for airline carry-on.
Weight: 2.2 LBS (1 KG)
Capacity: 45 Liters
Load Range: 30-50 LBS
Colors: Black, Blue
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
From day hikes to overnights, the Strohl Mountain Light Backpack was designed by professional photographer Alex Strohl to be lightweight and nimble. Constructed using rugged custom materials, taped seams, and thoughtful external storage.
The backpack is weatherproof and adaptable to any type of mission you can think of. Quick Back panel access and a compact camera unit allow easy camera carry and fast access. It’s also the lightest camera backpack in this guide!
Weight: 3.75 LBS (1.7 KG)
Capacity: 40 Liters
Load Range: 30-50 LBS
Colors: Black, Green, Orange
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price
The rugged and weather proof F-Stop Anja Backpack was created for adventure photographers who need to pack hiking & camping gear along with their photo gear. At 40-liters it’s still airline carry-on approved for most airlines too.
It has an internal aluminum frame for support, waist belt, and comfortable shoulder straps. It comes with a Slope Medium ICU for holding a professional DSLR with an attached lens & other gear. However there are other ICU sizes available depending on the amount of gear you need to carry.
Its outer shell is fully water resistant, features plenty of small pockets for extra storage and it is hydration system compatible. There’s also a 13″ laptop compartment, quick-access top pocket, and plenty of attachment points for adventure gear like skis or ice axes.
Take a peek inside my camera bag to learn what I pack with me on my travel photography adventures around the world.
The most important thing when choosing a camera bag is to consider your individual needs. Think about how much photo gear you need to carry and what situations you’ll be using the bag for. Maybe you need something small & inconspicuous for the city, or a bag that’s waterproof and rugged for the mountains. Don’t be afraid to buy a few different bags to try out, returning the others when you find a great one.
Every photographer will have a different preference, but my favorite out of all the camera backpacks I’ve tested is the Peak Design Travel Backpack paired with a Medium Sized ICU. It works great for basic travel, day hiking, and exploring cities with my gear.
This really comes down to what you plan to shoot. Sometimes I just have a single camera and lens in my bag, other times it’s completely loaded up with a main camera body, backup camera, drone, a few lenses, and cleaning supplies. You can see what I pack in my camera bag here.
Well, I hope you learned a little bit more about the different kind of travel cameras available, and are able to choose one that fits your budget and needs.
Happy travels, and let me know which camera model you decide to pick for your next vacation! ★
I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best camera backpacks of 2021! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more photography articles that I recommend you read next:
Have any questions about the best camera backpacks? What about other suggestions? Drop me a message in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
Narrow, restrictive hallways are a common problem for a lot of homes but with clever narrow hallway ideas the limited space becomes practical more than problematic.
Thoughtful styling tips, clever paint tricks and smart storage solutions can make more of a limited entranceway – tapping into its potential to be so much more.
‘We all live busy lives, so adding clever storage to your hallway makes it easier for everyone to make that stress-free dash out of the house,’ says Clotilde Passalacqua, Interior Design Manager at IKEA UK and Ireland. ‘As well as creating an inviting entrance to come home to’.
‘When space is tight, you need to get creative with areas of the hallway you might not usually think about’ advises Simon Glanville, managing director of A Place for Everything. He suggests smart hallway storage ideas below, all fine examples of improving a limited hallway space.
Image credit: Future/ Lizzie Orme
Hanging a large mirror is a purely aesthetic solution to make more of a narrow hallway. Reflecting back light to open up the space and also faking a sense of depth by extending the wall by mirroring the view. A mirror is also a very handy addition in any hallway space, to ensure you can carry out a last hair and teeth check before you dash out the door!
Image credit: Rachael Smith
Try a clever paint trick to make a narrow hallway feel more characterful by should choosing a colour you love and paint along the length of the hallway but only to your waist level.
The theory behind painting to waist height in a narrow space is to break up a solid corridor of wall, creating a Trompe-l’œil style optical illusion of interest that can give a different perspective. This smart use of colour frames the space, giving it extra depth and interest.
Image credit: IKEA
‘ Two-in-one furniture, like the a bench with shoe storage really comes in handy when you want to optimise a small hallway,’ suggests Clotilde Passalacqua, Interior Design Manager at IKEA UK and Ireland.
‘Whilst wall-mounted hooks will help you take advantage of the full height of your ceiling. The PINNIG rack (above) with hooks means you can easily make good use of awkward spaces, like the wall surface over your radiator – and a bonus: your wet clothes dry faster!’
Buy now: Pinnig Coat Rack, £75, IKEA
Image credit: Lizzie Orme
Paint a narrow hallway in an all-white colour palette to offer a blank canvas, reflecting any natural light that is permitted through windows and front doors.
Choose the best white paint to suit the light quality, is it south-facing and bathed in natural light or north-facing and cold. The right undertones of white will enhance the warmth, in turn making the space feel brighter and airy.
Image credit: Farrow & Ball
If you’re not looking to decorate with white the best way to overcome a problem narrow hallway is to make it feel like a wider room layout. Incorporate the colour scheme from the downstairs rooms that lead off the hallway to create a continuity to the flow – in essence prevent the space from feel small in comparison to the linking spaces.
A dark wall colour is a create way to create a cocooning ambient feel for a welcoming entranceway.
Image credit: IKEA
Don’t feel like the decor has to be limited, just because the space is. A long thin runner can actually help to make the space feel better dressed, making it seem more considered. This in turn helps to make the narrow corridor-like space feel more generous, because you’re highlighting the space rather than glazing over it.
A decorative runner or rug helps to lift the decor and give the space more of a homely vibe, essential for a welcoming entrance to any home.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole
Elevating the ceiling height, through clever tricks of the eye, is a brilliant way to make a narrow hallway space feel more generous. Hanging pictures at eye level all the way along one wall helps to keep the eye-line focused up, in affect drawing the floor away from the ceiling.
Use this idea along the full length of the narrow corridor space to elongate the wall. Make the artwork of choice treasured family photos to make the space feel more welcoming and cosy, rather than restrictive and soulless.
Image credit: Future/ Lizzie Orme
In small and narrow spaces the key to successful storage is to capitalise on vertical wall space. If you really want to maximise your hallway, a tailor-made unit with built-in shelves and drawers will fill the available space intelligently, and look great too.
Like this slim but multifunctional storage unit that scales the wall from floor to ceiling, to ensure the storage doesn’t impact on valuable floorspace. Having such plentiful storage also in turns helps to open up a narrow hallway space, alleviating the are from being overrun with shoes strewn on the floor and stray bits and bobs left with nowhere to go.
Image credit: IKEA
If you have a long narrow hallway, use hallway lighting ideas well to elongated the space. Centrally placed overhead lights, such as these pendant lights used by IKEA, will cast pools of light one after the other to naturally invite guests into the rest of the home.
A central strip of light helps to create a central focus of illumination that highlights and celebrates the narrow space, rather than making it feel limited.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme
Don’t let an unsightly radiator becomes the main focus of a small narrow hallway. An elegant radiator cover hides a multitude of sins and helps to add a polished finish to a space that could easily be overlooked in the style stakes. Plus it provides a handy shelf ledge to keep keys and display photos and flowers – adding a more homely touch to the decor.
Image credit: Future/ Lizzie Orme
Placing floating shelves and wall-mounted storage units high will naturally free up the space below, to make it feel more open. A high shelf rack is a useful spot for coats and scarves and ensures precious floor space is kept clear.
‘Wall or overhead storage solutions – whether that’s floating bookshelves or wall mounted coat racks – will help make your space go further’ agrees Simon.
Image credit: Future / Jo Henderson
Console tables are a great place to allow family belongings to accumulate, with drawers to hide away all those delivery menus and loose change. Opt for a slim design, especially in narrow, corridor-style space to preserve a sense of spaciousness. Wicker baskets placed at the side or underneath are a useful place for hiding away other knick-knacks.
Image credit: A Place For Everything
Add a mirror and handy storage at the same time, win win. ‘Multifunctional storage is also a clever way to store items without sacrificing the decor of the room’ says Simon Glanville, managing director of A Place for Everything.
‘A mirror can add a lovely touch to a narrow hallway and can double up as a box for shoes or bags.
Buy now: Hallway Storage Mirror, £85, A Place For Everything
Image credit: Dominic Blackmore
Avoid overcrowding a narrow hallway with bulky furniture pieces that feel uncomfortably big within the tight space. ‘Another space-saver is slimline furniture’ Simon agrees. ‘Storage that is chic but also space saving will help you utilise the space in your hall without getting in the way.’ A concealed shoe rack is perfect, space-saving but providing practical storage.
The easiest way to improve a narrow hallway is to clear the clutter – remove surplus shoes, coats and outerwear that can comfortable live elsewhere. Space is precious in a narrow hallway, meaning smart storage is essential.
Look for savvy storage solutions that are slimline to avoid taking up valuable spaces. Also look for multipurpose storage solutions that worker harder to make the space more practical.
A failsafe colour to paint a narrow hallway will always be white. This light neutral creates a sense of space by bouncing light around the small space. Lighter wall colours reflect more light, a great quality when in small or light deprived spaces such as hallways.
Having said that if the space already feels small and enclosed it can sometimes benefit from a dark colour. On all walls and woodwork bold colour cocoons the space – leaning into the fact it’s small and cosy like. A brooding dark charcoal grey or even navy can actually be very sophisticated and create a stylish entrance.
The key to decorating with dark colours is to be sure everything matches. Ensure storage units are in the same colour palette to prevent them leaping out and jarring – overwhelming the limited space.
The post Narrow Hallway Ideas – 14 ways to make the most of an entranceway lacking in space appeared first on Ideal Home.
With an extensive coffee menu that will rival your favourite coffee shop, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus is a great investment for those who are serious about coffee. And it is a serious investment, too, with an RRP of over £1000. You can buy some of the best coffee machines we’ve tried for as little as £100, but if you care about finding a fully automatic machine that’s easy to use and capable of making all manner of lattes, americanos, and even macchiatos, it’s a top-shelf machine that will get a lot of use in your home.
When I started reviewing the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus in my own kitchen I was drinking an average of one coffee a day, but the convenience of customising my morning and mid-afternoon brew has slowly ramped that up to three, at least! Another big win is that I can add my own ground decaff coffee without needing to disrupt my regular coffee beans. From its compact footprint to its easily customisable beverages, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus is the best bean-to-cup coffee machine I’ve tried.
Reasons to buy:
Reasons to avoid:
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus fully automatic espresso machine
The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus came in a hefty box, but I was pleased to find that there was next-to-no assembly needed. The water tank and ground dispenser are both housed at the front of the machine for easy removable, and the bean grinder is at the rear of the machine, with a low enough profile to be easily topped up with beans.
The machine is fully automatic. You slot the milk dispenser onto the front left side of the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus, and if you don’t care for frothed milk, you can push a hot water dispenser into the front of the machine instead.
The milk dispenser has a LatteCrema system, which is designed to deliver robust and fine foam and frothed milk. This is fully adjustable using a dial at the top of the milk dispenser, with three levels of froth. When you choose your coffee setting you will be instructed to turn the dial to the right one for your coffee, and you can then switch it to the clean setting to rinse out the mixing device after you’re finished.
The touch display on the front of the Dinamica Plus shows a full menu of different drinks. There are the regular latte, americano, espresso and cappuccino modes, but you can also make a macchiato (the traditional way) or a latte macchiato, if you have a penchant for the Starbucks variety.
The aroma and size of the drink is fully adjustable, too. Simply press the bean and cup size buttons to toggle through five levels of strength, and five different cup sizes. The cup size will depend on the specific drink you’re making, so a large espresso will not be the same size as a large latte. I ended up buying the De’Longhi coffee cups that are shown in the illustrations on the digital screen, which made adjusting the size a lot easier, but it will take some time to get used to the specific size that suits your personal mugs.
The bean grinder has a capacity of 300 grams, which is the average size of most smaller coffee bags, and you can also lift up the hatch to pour in coffee grounds, a scoop at a time, to make decaf coffees. This was great for my mid-afternoon cappuccinos, although I did have to buy the coffee ground because the machine can only grind one type of bean at a time.
You can customise your coffee to your own personal preference, and save it to your profile to easily make the perfect coffee for you. The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus has four profiles to choose from, and you can still customise your aroma and size of the coffee even when on your personal profile. Just press the ‘my’ button to revert to your saved preferences.
Adjusting your ideal coffee is very easy to do. You simply change the aroma for your own liking, and then press stop when your mug is full. This is trickier when making a milky coffee, because you need to leave room for all the coffee you want to top up the coffee. When it’s done, you can save your preference, which means you will always have the perfect size coffee to fill your favourite mug.
Image credit: De’Longhi
The coffee’s made in the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus are picture-perfect, with a cross-section that shows the different strengths and levels of your coffee. I also enjoyed the way it handled my favourite beans, which were not burnt or bitter after extraction in the 19-bar machine. The flavour was well-rounded, and my latte macchiato foam was firm and well-formed.
As a former barista I do enjoy frothing my own milk by hand and working on my latte art. You’ll get no such opportunity with the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus, because the milk dispenses and is then topped up by the coffee machine.
You can pour two cups of coffee at once, but you can’t make two milky coffees simultaneously because there is only one dispenser.
You can easily pair with the app on Bluetooth, which will give you the full menu and allow you to adjust everything completely, from the volume of coffee (in milliliters) to the seconds spent dispensing milk.
The temperature is also adjustable in the app, so you get some expanded functions you won’t find with the machine alone. You do need to change the dial to dispense milk and add a mug to top up your drink, so much like the Lavazza Voicy, this smart coffee machine still needs tending to.
Image credit; De’Longhi
Cleaning the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus is very easy. You pull out the grounds bin from the drip tray to empty both out, and the tray can go in the dishwasher. The milk dispenser can, too, and it’s a good idea to keep it very well refrigerated when there’s milk left between coffees. The dispenser cannot go in the dishwasher, but the milk carafe itself can.
Image credit: De’Longhi
While it is an expensive coffee machine, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus has a brilliant design that makes it the perfect investment for coffee lovers. It has four profiles, which means it is brilliantly designed for families, and while it is not quite as compact as the Cuisinart Veloce Bean-to-Cup coffee machine, it is still a decent size to not take up the entirety of your kitchen counter.
My only slight complaint is that you can only make one milky coffee at a time with the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus, because the milk dispenser will pour into one cup only. You can easily do two milky coffees back-to-back, and realistically you will make your coffees one at a time anyway, but it is a slight difference when compared to the De’Longhi Maestosa.
If you want a smart coffee machine to smarten up the kitchen counters, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus is an easy five-star option. It will do any coffee bean justice, and the milk dispenser makes perfect steamed milk.
Millie Fender is small appliances editor at Ideal Home. She reviews everything from coffee machines to air fryers from her own kitchen, meaning these tests have been carried out in the same conditions that you’ll be using the machine.
The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus was kindly sent to Millie by De’Longhi, and Millie tested for a month before writing this review. This gave her the chance to test all of its functions as well as cleaning and check for any troubleshooting. While she prefers a frothy latte or an iced cappuccino, her partner is never running on less than three americanos, so the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus was very thoroughly tested.
The post De’Longhi Dinamica Plus review: the perfect indulgence for coffee fanatics appeared first on Ideal Home.