Key Players in Sports Photography Gear

Sports photographers can be considered unsung heroes in sports. While the athletes give their blood, sweat, and tears for the victory and love of the game, sports photographers and filmmakers immortalise these moments to show the world the glory and the pain in sports. This is why in the same way that athletes know the game by heart, sports photographers anticipate the game and master their own equipment in comparable importance. Choosing the right camera bag for your equipment plays a key role in being a successful sports photographer.   

Best for All-Around Sports Shooters

Sports are a celebration of healthy competition that can happen in a multitude of venues and locations. A sports photographer must be ready for any situation whether it’s outdoors or indoors. For general-purpose shooting, the best camera bag for sports photography is one that can adapt to your carrying needs. The Lowepro Flipside Backpack 400 AW III and 300 AW III can carry your professional full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with an attached 70-200mm telephoto lens plus additional lenses. Its front panel is protected with moulded EVA bumpers to secure your gear with securely fastened full rear access. This also carries up to a 15” laptop and is equipped with an all-weather AW cover for extra protection from the elements with enough space for extra camera accessories, including but not limited to additional camera lenses, memory cardholders and tripods. 

Best for Extreme Winter Sports

For even harsher environments especially shooting winter sports, the Lowepro Whistler BP 350 AW II and 450 AW II are made with the most resilient and toughest 4-season ultra-resistant fabrics you can find on a camera bag. This bag can carry a professional full-frame camera with an attached telephoto lens, plus additional camera bodies, lenses and accessories. The top access door can be used for quick access gear or other personal items in addition to the embedded 15-inch CradleFit laptop compartment on the anterior. The front pocket is an expandable space for personal items or extra equipment, and the exterior is lined by bilateral side straps and two larger front straps for carrying larger equipment.   

Best for Super Telephoto Shooters

Sports photographers are definitely no strangers to larger super-telephoto prime lenses. It is safe to say the key to the best sports photos is being up close to the action. That is why for many sports photographers, bags with larger compartments are important. The Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 550 AW II fits a professional camera with a telephoto prime attached, this comes with room for extra camera bodies, 4-6 extra lenses, and room for accessories. The MaxFit divider system allows for maximising the capacity while assuring a protective fit so you don’t lose those all-important spare SD cards. At the same time, this features room for up to a 15-inch laptop and a 10-inch tablet. This modular bag also includes a protective compartment for camera drones and an all-weather AW cover for shooting in unpleasant weather.   
  
For even larger lenses, the Lens Trekker 600 AW III is a specialised camera bag perfect for carrying a professional DSLR or Mirrorless camera with an attached super-telephoto lens. This can carry the typical size of a 600mm or 800mm telephoto prime along with a heavy-duty monopod on the side. This backpack is equipped with an ActivLift harness system for comfortable carrying, adjustable and removable chest straps, and an all-weather AW rain cover for long-range shooting in harsh environments.  

Best for Versatile Sports Photographers

If you were to have just one bag for different kinds of photography, it would have to be adaptable to the needs of your location and purpose with adjustable protective padding and the option to expand the bag’s capacity and offer versatile utility. The Lowepro ProTactic utility system is the camera bag line that can do well with indoor and outdoor sports photography, grass, snow, mud and much more. The ProTactic BP 450 AW II and BP 350 AW II are perfect camera backpacks that can carry your professional full-frame camera with attached telephoto lenses with room for up to two additional camera bodies and extra lenses. The backpacks’ waist belt can be removed to be used as a standalone utility belt where you can easily mount the TLZ 70 and TLZ 75 top-loader bags, the Lens Exchange 200 AW and 100 AW pouches for easy switching between lenses, and the ProTactic utility bag 100 AW and 200 AW This modular system allows you to instantly build a portable waist-carrying system with all the camera bodies and lenses you need as you shoot around any location.   
  
Sports photography requires agility, versatility, and tactical planning much like athletes planning their game strategies. The key to overcoming any challenge as you are out shooting in the field is to have the right gear for the right shot, in the right creative and adaptive state of mind. The protection and comfort that your camera bags and carrying solutions offer directly contribute to your performance as a sports photographer and ensure you can overcome any challenge.