Camera Bag Sizes: How Big a Bag Your Gear Needs
A camera bag is sized by the gear it carries, not by its outside. Start from the dimensions of your body and lenses, then pick the bag type and capacity that fits them, and check it against airline cabin limits.
Choose a camera bag by kit: 3–6 liters for one body with a lens attached, 6–12 liters (a sling or small shoulder bag) for a body and 2–3 lenses, and 20–35 liters (a backpack of about 18–20 × 11–13 × 7–9 in) for two bodies, 4–6 lenses and a laptop. A full-frame mirrorless body with a 24–70 mm f/2.8 attached is about 8–9 in (20–23 cm) long, which sets the minimum depth of the main compartment.
- Body + 1 lens
- 3–6 L
- Body + 2–3 lenses
- 6–12 L
- Full kit backpack
- 20–35 L
- Body + 24-70 mm
- 8–9 in long
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Camera and lens dimensions that set the bag size
A camera bag's padded dividers form cells, and the largest item in your kit decides how big the cells and the main compartment must be. These are typical ranges from current manufacturer spec sheets.
| Item | Width × height × depth, or diameter × length | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| APS-C mirrorless body | 120–130 × 67–91 × 60–65 mm | 4.7–5.1 × 2.6–3.6 × 2.4–2.6 |
| Full-frame mirrorless body | 130–145 × 96–120 × 70–90 mm | 5.1–5.7 × 3.8–4.7 × 2.8–3.5 |
| Full-frame DSLR body | 146–151 × 116–124 × 76–79 mm | 5.7–5.9 × 4.6–4.9 × 3.0–3.1 |
| Pro body with built-in grip | about 150 × 150 × 90 mm | about 5.9 × 5.9 × 3.5 |
| 50 mm f/1.8 prime | about 65–70 mm × 40–60 mm | 2.6–2.8 × 1.6–2.4 |
| 24–70 mm f/2.8 zoom | about 88 mm × 120–126 mm | 3.5 × 4.7–5.0 |
| 70–200 mm f/2.8 zoom | 88–90 mm × 146–220 mm | 3.5 × 5.7–8.7 |
Lens hoods add 1 to 3 in (2.5 to 8 cm) unless reversed for storage. The short end of the 70–200 mm range is Canon's RF version, which is 146 mm (5.7 in) long; most others are 200 to 220 mm (7.9 to 8.7 in).
Body with lens attached
Many photographers carry one body ready to shoot. Add the body's depth to the lens length: a full-frame mirrorless body (about 80 to 90 mm deep including the grip) with a 24–70 mm f/2.8 (about 120 to 126 mm) is 200 to 216 mm, or 8 to 8.5 in, long. With a 70–200 mm f/2.8 it is about 11 in (28 cm). Top-loading holsters and slings must be at least that tall inside; backpacks need a cell that long.
Camera bag sizes by type
| Type | Capacity | Outside size (in) | cm | Typical kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holster / top-loader | 3–6 L | 7–10 × 6–8 × 5–6 | 18–25 × 15–20 × 13–15 | One body with a mid-size zoom attached |
| Sling | 6–12 L | 12–16 × 8–10 × 4–6 | 30–41 × 20–25 × 10–15 | Body plus 2–3 lenses or a small drone |
| Shoulder / messenger bag | 5–15 L | 11–16 × 8–12 × 5–7 | 28–41 × 20–30 × 13–18 | Body plus 2–4 lenses, tablet or small laptop |
| Backpack | 20–35 L | 18–20 × 11–13 × 7–9 | 46–51 × 28–33 × 18–23 | 1–2 bodies, 4–6 lenses, flash, 15–16 in laptop |
| Roller (carry-on) | 35–45 L | 22 × 14 × 9 max | 56 × 36 × 23 | 2 bodies, 6–8 lenses incl. a 70–200 mm, accessories |
| Hard case (carry-on size) | about 27 L interior | 22 × 13.8 × 9 (Pelican 1510) | 56 × 35 × 23 | Pick-and-pluck foam or dividers, maximum protection |
Camera backpacks hold less than regular backpacks of the same volume, because dividers and thick padding take a noticeable share of the space. Compare their outside dimensions with general backpack sizes by type before you assume one will fit under a seat.
How to size a camera bag for your kit
- List what goes every time. Bodies, lenses, flash, spare batteries, charger, cards, filters, cleaning kit, and any laptop or tablet.
- Find the longest item, usually a body with a lens attached or a telephoto zoom. The main compartment must be at least that long.
- Lay the kit out in a grid on a table the way dividers would hold it, lenses standing on end. Measure the footprint: a typical divider cell for a 24–70 mm f/2.8 is about 4 in (10 cm) square.
- Check the compartment depth. Lenses standing on end need the full lens length plus padding; a 24–70 mm f/2.8 standing up needs about 5.5 in (14 cm).
- Add room for one more lens if your kit is growing. A bag packed to the last centimeter is slow to work from.
A padded camera insert, or camera cube, turns a regular backpack or carry-on into a camera bag. Measure the inside of the bag, then pick an insert 0.5 to 1 in (1 to 2.5 cm) smaller each way so the bag still closes. The same tiling approach as for packing cubes applies.
Flying with a camera bag
Keep cameras and lenses in the cabin; checked bags are handled roughly, and many airlines exclude cameras and other electronics from their checked-baggage liability. A camera bag can travel as either of your two cabin items:
- As a personal item: a sling or shoulder bag up to about 17 × 10 × 9 in fits the tightest US limit (United). Delta lists camera bags among accepted personal items.
- As a carry-on: a camera backpack or roller up to 22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm) on US airlines. Rollers built exactly to this size often have no spare room for an expanded pocket.
- Weight limits: two bodies and a few f/2.8 zooms weigh several kilograms before the bag itself is counted, so a loaded camera backpack easily passes 7 kg (15.4 lb). On airlines with 7 or 8 kg cabin limits, weigh the bag at home and check whether the limit includes your personal item.
Airline-by-airline sizes and weight limits are on the carry-on rules page, and the dimensions of cabin bags in general in the carry-on bag guide.
Batteries
- Spare lithium batteries go in the cabin only, never in checked bags. Keep each in its cover or a pouch so the terminals cannot short.
- Check the rating. Watt-hours = volts × amp-hours. A 7.2 V, 2,280 mAh camera battery is 16.4 Wh. Most camera batteries are 7 to 17 Wh.
- Over 100 Wh (some V-mount video batteries) needs airline approval, and no more than two spares of 100 to 160 Wh. Above 160 Wh is not allowed.
Laptop and tripod fit
Camera backpacks list the laptop sleeve separately from the camera compartment. A 15.6 or 16-inch laptop needs a sleeve of about 37 × 25–26 cm (14.6 × 9.8–10.2 in) inside; check the laptop bag size chart for other sizes. Most camera backpacks carry a travel tripod on the side or front: a tripod that folds to 16 to 18 in (41 to 46 cm) sits inside the bag's height, while a full-size tripod of 24 in (61 cm) or more sticks out above it and can push the bag over carry-on height. For a camera bag that also works as a daily bag, compare messenger bag sizes.
Frequently asked questions
What size camera bag do I need?
Lay your kit out with lenses detached except the one you shoot most, and measure the area it covers. One body and one lens fits a 3–6 L holster. A body plus two or three lenses needs a 6–12 L sling or shoulder bag. Two bodies, four to six lenses, a flash and a laptop need a 25–35 L backpack.
Can a camera bag be a carry-on?
Yes. Airlines list camera bags as acceptable personal items, and a camera backpack or roller built to 22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm) goes in the overhead bin as your carry-on on US airlines. On airlines with 7 to 8 kg cabin limits, a full camera backpack is often over the weight, so check before you fly.
Can I put camera batteries in checked luggage?
Batteries installed in a camera may go in checked bags on many airlines, but spare lithium batteries must go in carry-on baggage only, with the terminals protected. Most camera batteries are 7 to 17 Wh, far below the 100 Wh limit; cinema batteries of 100 to 160 Wh need airline approval and are limited to two.
How big is a camera with a 70-200 mm lens?
A 70–200 mm f/2.8 zoom is about 3.5 in (88–90 mm) in diameter and 7.9 to 8.7 in (200 to 220 mm) long on most mounts, plus a hood. Attached to a full-frame body, the pair is about 11 in (28 cm) long without the hood, so it needs a long divider slot or must travel detached.
What size camera bag for a mirrorless camera?
An APS-C mirrorless body with a kit zoom fits a 2–4 L holster or a 5 L sling. A full-frame mirrorless body with a 24–70 mm f/2.8 needs a compartment about 6 in (15 cm) wide and 8 to 9 in (20 to 23 cm) long, which most 6 L slings and every camera backpack provide.