DIY Camera Bag — Herschel Backpack + Insert for Under $175
Travel Photography · Gear
The perfect camera bag. Built yourself.
I was heading to Europe — Germany and France — and needed the perfect travel camera bag. Not a dedicated camera bag that announces your gear to every thief on the Métro. Something that looks like a regular backpack, carries one body and one lens comfortably, and doesn't cost the same as a plane ticket.
The solution I landed on cost under $175. And a decade later, I'm still using it.
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Three bags. None quite right.
Every photographer accumulates bags. I had three good ones — and for this trip, all three had a dealbreaker.
Retrospective Shoulder Bag
ThinkTankOne of my all-time favourites. Holds a ton of gear, looks like a regular bag, completely inconspicuous. I love this bag.
On long days, a shoulder bag is just uncomfortable. Not practical for a full day of walking through a European city.
View on Amazon →Camera Backpack
TarionHolds a lot, very comfortable, great for assignments when I need to carry a full kit. Does the job well.
Screams CAMERA BAG to anyone looking. The opposite of inconspicuous — exactly what I didn't want for casual travel.
View on Amazon →Photo Sport 200AW
LoweproMy backcountry bag. Built for hiking, skiing, and off-the-beaten-path shooting. Carries a hydration pack and camera gear together.
Mine is bright orange. The complete opposite of subtle. A great bag in the wrong colour for this trip.
Similar: Lowepro Flipside →Stylish, functional, well-built. I thought long and hard about it. Then I saw the price tag — and decided to build one myself.
On the Peak Design Everyday BackpackPeak Design Everyday Backpack
US $280+Exactly what I was looking for. Stylish, functional, beautifully built. Still the benchmark for thoughtful camera bag design.
View on Amazon →Herschel + Insert
Under $175A canvas Herschel backpack and a padded camera insert. Inconspicuous, comfortable, and still going strong a decade later.
Herschel on Amazon →
Two parts. One great bag.
The Herschel Little America 24L canvas backpack was the right size, the right look, and the right price — around $80–150 depending on the model. Comfortable straps, good construction, and nothing about it says "camera bag."
The second piece is a padded camera insert — the kind you can find for around $30 that drops into any bag and adds adjustable dividers. Size your insert to match your bag's interior dimensions. The one I found was a perfect fit.
Total: under $175. Fits a body, a lens, and a portable SSD with room left for a light jacket or sweater.
Herschel Little America → Camera Insert →
What the Herschel brings to the table.
A full media sleeve inside — I wasn't bringing a laptop, but it's there if you need it, and doubles as a flat pocket for documents and cables.
Top flap with adjustable leather straps and magnetic clips, plus a drawstring closure underneath. Two layers of security without looking like a camera bag.
A zippered front pocket with a key clip inside — perfect for cards, chargers, or anything you need quick access to.
An interior media pocket with a cable port so your headphones can route through without opening the bag. Thoughtful touch.
Still going
Same bag. A decade later.
I wrote this post in 2014. It's now been over ten years and I am still using this exact bag and insert. The canvas has faded a little, which honestly just adds to the look. I had to replace one magnetic strap clip — a local leather and shoe repair shop handled it easily.
These days I travel with either a Leica M10 or a Fuji mirrorless, both smaller and lighter than the Nikon D780 I originally packed into this bag. It works even better now. One thing worth noting: it doesn't work well with a full-size tripod. I use a GorillaPod when I need one, which fits without any trouble.
If you carry one camera body and one lens with room for extras, this setup is hard to beat. If you need to carry a lot of lenses and gear, look elsewhere — this isn't that bag.
Other bags I use and recommend.
Everyday Backpack
Peak DesignThe bag I almost bought instead of building my own. If budget isn't a constraint, this is the most thoughtfully designed camera backpack on the market. Beautifully built, highly functional, still the benchmark.
View on Amazon →Prvke Lite
WandrdAn amazing travel bag that fits as a personal-sized item under the seat on flights. Genuinely one of the best bags I own for travel — compact enough to never check, functional enough to carry everything you actually need.
View on Amazon →Travelling without a laptop and need to back up your SD cards on the road? I've put together a full guide on the current method — a USB-C hub, a portable SSD, and your phone. Read: How to Back Up Photos While Travelling — No Laptop Needed →
How to back up photos without a laptop.
The current method for laptop-free photo backup on the road — a USB-C hub, portable SSD, and your phone. Updated for 2025.
Read the post →Ottawa & Gatineau portrait photographer.
I travel light so I can show up anywhere — and bring the same care to every session. Portrait and headshot sessions in Ottawa & Gatineau.
See the work →I travel light so I can focus on what actually matters.
Portrait & headshot sessions in Ottawa & Gatineau · 17+ years · Award-winning