The Best Camera Sling Bag for Photographers

Best value

The PGYTECH ONEMO SLING is one of the most unique camera sling bags we've tested because it works in three ways. First, it can be used as a sling, which you could probably guess by the name. It has a removable, well-padded strap and an extension zipper to give you extra space when you need to bring taller lenses or additional gear. Second, you can use it as a camera cube inside your travel backpack or daypack when you detach the sling strap. It's small enough to fit into most larger bags (30-40 liters) and some smaller ones (20-30 , too. Third, you can use it with PGYTECH's OnePro Flex, a camera backpack that integrates the sling seamlessly inside for versatile usage. This is a unique design because it's a camera backpack and sling in one, making it easy to bring all your gear on the trip and a small bag to carry around on shorter adventures once you get there.

Inside, the PGYTECH ONEMO SLING is pretty basic. There are well-padded dividers, soft material to protect your gear, and pockets for smaller items like filters, cables, batteries, and chargers. This isn't the most feature-heavy camera sling bag we've tested, but it's one of the most versatile, and that's worth writing home about!

• It can be used inside PGYTECH camera backpacks, as a camera cube, or as a sling
• The exterior is highly water-resistant

• It isn't feature-heavy inside, so you might not have a specific place to stow all your extras.
• You can't use it as a regular sling

Best budget

The Long Weekend Santa Fe Shoulder Bag is the most unique camera sling bag on this list, as its look and design aren't like any of the rest. For most intents and purposes, it works like a regular sling. The difference? A professional photographer helped to design it, so in addition to working as a standard sling, it'll work for cameras, too. That said, it won't be the best fit for your DSLR or a large mirrorless camera.

This sling, designed by Willem Verbeeck, Allison Simon, and Moment, was designed to work with film cameras. Yeah, you heard us right, analog photography in the 21st century! Though that might sound dated, in addition to film photography's comeback in recent years, compact cameras often share the same footprint as 35mm cameras, so that you can use this sling for that, too. In testing, we could stow a compact SLR, an additional lens, and a few rolls of film. Additionally, we tried this sling with an Adox folding camera, Instax Wide, a point and shoot, and a compact digital camera with similar positive experiences. It isn't overly padded and doesn't have dividers, but it works for the niche audience still shooting with these cameras. Since it has extra pockets on the exterior, you can use this sling to hold your everyday carry essentials, too!

• It comes in fun, funky colorways
• It is designed to work with compact and film cameras, with storage for 35mm and 120 films

• It isn't well-padded and doesn't have internal dividers
• It doesn't work for DSLRs or a large mirrorless camera

Best splurge

If you've been poking around on forums like Reddit for the best camera sling bag, you've likely come across the Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L (V2), and for good reason. It’s incredibly well designed (as we expect from Peak Design), and the sling is highly versatile. You can fit a large camera kit inside—maybe your entire kit if you've only got two or three lenses—and it has extra pockets for camera accessories and daily-use items, too. If you remove the dividers, you can use the sling for everyday gear, which works well for travelers who want to shoot some days and prefer to hit the local market on others camera-free.

This sling is so big that you can fit a small computer like a thin 13-inch laptop, or a large tablet, here. With the weight of your camera and extra tech, the strap has ample padding and mesh to keep things cool, though there's only so much it can do when you're carrying that much weight. There are lash straps to attach extra gear or a tripod, which we love as a feature, though the strap does feel somewhat inadequate if you completely load this pack up. For most packouts, it's comfortable enough for a day's adventures around your city or somewhere new halfway across the globe. This pack is so large that it won't work as a personal item on some airlines, so keep that in mind if you're paying for a carry on and want to use this as your smaller bag!

• You can fit most camera kits inside
• There's enough room for extra camera items and everyday gear here, too

• The dividers have loose threads after a few weeks of use
• The strap feels inadequate if you load the bag too heavily

The WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling has a few tricks up its sleeve, and we're here for it. First and foremost, it's well-padded and has a water-resistant exterior to keep your gear safe and dry. The 5-point strap makes carrying the sling incredibly comfortable and stable, and you've even got the opportunity to rig it for carry on your left or right side. Did you hear that, southpaws?

As far as gear storage is concerned, an expandable bottom pocket works well for a smaller tripod or a water bottle, which we dig for versatility. The main compartment's dividers are easy to customize, and we could fit a medium-sized kit here without issue, including long lenses. The internal organization has designated spots for batteries, SD cards, and smaller accessories, which we dig. The inside isn't well-suited for non-camera gear when you've unloaded your photography equipment, so you'll need another sling if you want to do that.

This sling's superb versatility regarding carry and comfort is evident. You can even attach extra gear to the strap for more storage, which we dig. Or, throw a Bluetooth speaker on there and jam out while you're shooting!

• The exterior is highly water-resistant
• You can set up the harness system to work with left and right-handed setups

• It doesn't work well as a regular sling once you've taken your camera gear out
• The design is a bit boxy, which may deter some photographers

The Bellroy Venture Sling is one of our most recommended travel slings, but we won't bore you with that here because it's not the sling we're discussing. The Bellroy Venture Sling 10L (Camera Edition) is, just as the name suggests, a photography version of the popular Venture Sling. The sling adds padded dividers, extra exterior protection to keep your gear safe, and two detachable straps on the bottom to bring your tripod. The internal organization works well, too, with new pockets designed explicitly for batteries, SD cards, and other camera accessories. You can fit a camera and a lens or two inside, depending on the size of the lenses, making it easy and stylish to travel with your camera gear. Plus, it'll match other Bellroy gear you already own, which is a perk.

Bellroy slings don't often feature padding; however, considering the heavy gear you'll load here, there's extra cushion and mesh to add comfort. The materials are just as durable and water-resistant, and the zippers have a PU coating to ensure water can't easily sneak into the camera compartment. If you already own and enjoy Bellroy Slings, the Venture in particular, this is the perfect photography sling bag for your next trip!

• The materials and hardware are top-notch and meet Bellroy's high standards
• The strap has padding, adding comfort when you've got heavy loads

• You can't fit as large a kit as in other similar-capacity bags
• Even with the extra padding, there isn't as much protection as we've seen from other, admittedly bulkier, brands