Camera Case
Hard Shell vs. Soft Camera Case
Photographers are a picky lot, and many have a favorite camera case they won’t part with for love or money. But talk to a few of these picture fanatics and you’ll soon discover that although they all have a favorite style, very few of them can agree on which style of camera case is best. They will endlessly argue about the advantages of a backpack style over a shoulder holster, whether you want a hand-held camera case or a rolling camera bag and which kind of interior layout is best. One of the main points of contention, however, is whether a hard shell case or a soft side camera bag is best.
The differences between the two are very similar to the differences between traditional hard shell luggage and soft shell luggage. Hard shell camera cases are made from injection molded hard plastic, while soft camera cases are usually made from high denier nylon. You can also get leather camera cases, but these are quickly losing favor in response to the versatility, stain resistance and strength of nylon.
Some photographers favor hard shell cases because they’re virtually indestructible. If you’re traveling around the globe and have to check your camera bag, you’ll probably feel better using a hard shell case. If you’re boating down the Nile River and there’s a danger of your camera case falling overboard, a good hard shell camera case will float, which can save you thousands of dollars. Who wants to see their camera and gear at the bottom of the river?
That being said, most hard shell camera cases are heavy, cumbersome and can be difficult to pack. There’s usually not much versatility built into the interior, so you’ll have to stick with the default packing method the manufacturer has designed, even if it doesn’t seem practical or intuitive to you. If you want to carry your gear around in a backpack style case, a hard shell camera case won’t win points for comfort. It will tend to dig in at the shoulders and isn’t going to conform to the body at all.
Soft shell camera cases made from high quality nylon, canvas or leather, with nylon being the overwhelming favorite because it’s water resistant but breathable, almost impossible to tear, and comes in a variety of strengths and colors. Far more photographers use soft shell camera cases than hard shell cases.
Soft side camera cases are easier to pack and extremely versatile. Most have movable dividers that can be rearranged to suit your needs or removed to give you some extra space. They’re also great for traveling with as carry-on luggage. They will conform more easily to the overhead compartment shape without banging up your gear and are easy to stow almost anywhere.
A soft backpack camera case will naturally be more comfortable than a hard shell. It will conform to the shape of your back and will have some give to it as you’re moving around. The lightweight material is a bonus when you’ll be hiking long distances with a backpack camera case.
The versatility of soft shell camera cases extends to their interiors. In addition to movable dividers, most will also have mesh pockets for smaller items such as memory cards and microfiber lens cloths. Some soft camera cases are expandable, so you can fill them to capacity when needed, or partially collapse the bag to make it a smaller, more manageable size if you’re only carrying the essentials. Many of today’s soft side camera cases are also modular – you can order two different cases that work separately, but can be fastened together to make one larger bag when needed.
The versatility and lightweight of soft camera cases place them squarely at the top of the list for most photographers. Once you’ve decided a soft camera case is right for you, visit some websites that specialize in camera cases to find the perfect one for your photography needs.
About the Author
A Yosemite camera bag is available at the author’s Web site. This camera bag is slim and sleek in nature. These digitalcamera bags are of great use and ease to carry.
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Universal Compact Digital Camera Hard Case Bag Pouch $1.00 |
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OLYMPUS PT-014 UNDERWATER HOUSING CASE FOR OLYMPUS C-50 DIGITAL CAMERA – NIB $19.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Fujifilm FinePix JX310 XP20 Z900EXR F600EXR $7.99 |
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NEW 50″ Zeikos ZE-TR26A Aluminum Camera Tripod w/Bubble Level & Carrying Case $9.99 |
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Orange Waterproof Digital Camera Pouch Dry Bag Ski Case $3.39 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Nikon Coolpix L24 Coolpix 12.1 MP $7.99 |
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Pink Case for Fuji Finepix A600 Digital Camera – Case $10.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Olympus VG140 TG610 $7.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH24 DMC-FH25K DMC-FH25 $7.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Sony CyberShot DSCW570 DSC-TX55 $7.99 |
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Vintage Mamiya 16 EE De Luxe Subminiature Camera with Manual & Carrying Case $59.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS A800 A1200 $7.99 |
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White Skin Case + AC Wall Home Charger for Sony Bloggie Duo Camera MHS-FS2 4GB $12.99 |
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6x Zoom Lens Telescope for iPhone Camera Crystal Case $24.53 |
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Polaroid Silver Express USED — Instant Camera With Carrying Case $10.00 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Casio Exilim EX-H20G EX-S200 EX-Z800 EX-Z550 $7.99 |
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for Sony Bloggie Duo Camera MHS-FS2 4GB 2HR Soft Silicone Skin Case Cover, Black $4.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Casio EX-ZS10 $7.99 |
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Tenba S1 Travelite S-1 Canon Camera Gray Case NEW $6.42 |
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National Geographic NG Walkabout W5070 W2140 Rucksack Camera Case Bag Backpack $72.69 |
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Luxury Retro Ultra Slim Camera Hard Back Case Cover For Apple iPhone 4 4G 4S New $0.01 |
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Google Android 2.2 PC Tablet 10″ Netbook WiFi Camera HDMI Protective Case Bundle $134.99 |
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Pink Case for Fuji Finepix F440 Digital Camera – CASE $10.99 |
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NEW camera case bag for KODAK Z8612 Z1085 Z812 Z712 $16.88 |
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Pink Case for Fuji Finepix F450 Digital Camera – CASE $10.99 |
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Video Camera – Panasonic SDR-S26 – Case – AC – USB – Camcorder – ALL INCLUDED!!! $59.99 |
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Pink Case for Fuji Finepix F550 Digital Camera- CASE $10.99 |
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NEW HORUSBENNU C-2540TM(Red) Carbon Fiber Camera Tripod transform Monopod w/Case $259.00 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Fujifilm Finepix XP30 T210 F550EXR Z90 $7.99 |
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Canon EOS 1000 35mm SLR Film Camera with 2 lenses and carrying case $60.00 |
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Beaded Camera/Cell Case -Baby Blue Beads & Sequins $4.95 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Kodak Easyshare C143 M580 C1505 M5350 C1550 $7.99 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Kodak Easyshare Touch M5370 Slice M200 Mini $7.99 |
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for Sony Bloggie Duo Camera MHS-FS2 4GB 2HR Soft Silicone Skin Case Cover, Pink $4.99 |
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1x Camera Style Hard Back Plastic Skin Case Cover Strap for Apple iPhone 4 4G 4S $0.01 |
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Gold Digital Camera Case Cover for Kodak Easyshare M577 Touch C195 $7.99 |
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Polaroid 600 Business Edition 2 Instant Film Camera with carrying case….excell $25.00 |
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Vintage Japanese Hit Spy Camera in leather case and original box w/ 4 film rolls $199.00 |
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40X-1600X COMPOUND MICROSCOPE + 1.3M USB CAMERA + CASE $499.50 |
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Camera Armor Canon Rebel XTi Digital SLR Rubber Case $0.99 |
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GOLDPFEIL NEW SCOTCH LEATHER CAMERA CASE COSMETIC CASE $149.95 |
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QUANTARAY MODEL QS-P CAMERA LENS CARRYNG CASE BAG NECK STRAP NIKON CANON $15.99 |
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ORIGINAL NIKON BLACK CAMERA BAG CASE CARRING SHOULDER VERY NICE $16.99 |
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NIKON NIKKORMAT GENUINE LEATHER CAMERA CASE FTN FT FS NECK STRAP EXC+++++ $19.99 |
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POLAROID Camera Model J66 Leather Case 1961 extra bulbs $44.96 |
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Vintage Fujica 35-ML Camera with leather case $75.00 |
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Car Charger + Pink Skin Case for Sony Bloggie Duo Camera MHS-FS2 4GB (2 Hours) $12.99 |
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Spartus Box camera with film(?), flash and case $7.50 |
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Camera Case Dividing Pads $5.00 |
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Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera + 2350 Flash + ITT Magic Cube + Case – Excellent Cond $79.99 |
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for Sony Bloggie Duo Camera MHS-FS2 4GB 2HR Soft Silicone Skin Case Cover, White $4.99 |
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Compact Vivitar Tele 603 Camera – Carrying Case $25.98 |
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DICAPAC WP-310 Waterproof Case for Digital Cameras $13.99 |
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Kata CC-190 Camera Case $25.00 |
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C45 New Brown Leather Camera Bag Case For Nikon D4 D800 D3100 D5100 D7000 UK $27.18 |
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Kata EXO-33 Camera Case $70.00 |
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VIVITAR CAMERA FOR PARTS OR REPAIR WITH CAMERA CASE,STAND,USB CORD,DISC,CHARGER! $9.99 |
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Tenba S3 Travelite S-3 Nikon SLR Camera Green Case NEW $11.42 |
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Roadwired Pod Pouch Medium Camera Case Blue NEW $8.47 |
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Tenba S2 Travelite S-2 Canon SLR Camera Case Gray NEW $9.42 |
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10.2″ Google Android Tablet PC 10″ ZT-180 NEW Camera 4GB HDMI w/ Case Bundle $134.95 |
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10 GE M3 Camera Flash Bulbs Polaroid Model 268 Attachment & Leather Camera Case $9.50 |
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Camera Pouch Case Bag for Canon 40D 50D 60D (Large size) $4.99 |
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Fujifilm Discovery S1450 Zoom Date 35mm Point and Shoot Film Camera w/case $1.99 |
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NIKON NIKKOR-Q AUTO 1:2.8 F=135MM TELEPHOTO PORTRAIT LENS FOR CAMERA WITH CASE $79.99 |
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Canon WP-DC330L Waterproof Case for PowerShot ELPH 110 HS Digital Camera $54.88 |
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the bundle crumpler camera case $4.99 |
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LARGE GENUINE LEATHER CAMERA OR CAMCORDER CARRYING CASE SNAPS AND STRAPS $9.99 |
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Agfa Ansco Folding Camera W/ Viking F 6.3 Lens & Case Made in USA Good Condition $34.99 |
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5 X SOFT POUCH CASE BAG FOR CANON NIKON SONY SMALL LENSES CAMERA CARE $14.24 |
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VINTAGE J66 POLAROID CAMERA CASE LAND ELECTRIC EYE Instant Film PHOTOGRAPHY $115.55 |
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New Ultra Lightweight 67″ Camera Monopod with case $20.69 |
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Vintage Cine Kodak Model K Camera, Case, Film, Lenses $395.00 |
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Camera Armor Nikon D80 Digital SLR Body Rubber Case NEW $0.99 |
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Polaroid Super Shooter Camera with Caring Case and Instruction Book $19.99 |
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Apple iPhone 4 4G 4 th Pink Camera Style soft skin Case Phone Cover NEW $6.99 |
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Lowepro Digital Camera Case $8.50 |
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Luxury Retro Ultra Slim Camera Hard Back Case Cover For Apple iPhone 4 4G 4S New $0.01 |
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Leather Camera Case Bag Pouch For Canon Powershot SX210 IS SX220 HS SX230 HS New $0.99 |
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RARE VINTAGE SEARS TOWER CAMERA MODEL NO.50 LEATHER CASE STEINHEIL MUNCHEN LENS $20.00 |
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Lowepro Padded Compact Digital Camera Case Z5 Black $9.99 |
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MINOLTA SRT 101 CAMERA-3 LENSES PLUS ACCESSORIES & METAL CARRY CASE WOW!! $599.99 |
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Stereo Realist Camera with leather case $55.00 |
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F27 Leather Case Bag For Nikon D90 D300S D700 D3000 D5000 D7000 + Lenses Camera $9.08 |
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Fashion Camera Lens Style Design Hard Back Case Cover For Apple iPhone 4 4G 4S $0.01 |
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F3 Nylon Case Bag For GE Power Pro X5 X500 Digital Camera $7.26 |
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F93 Leather Case Bag For Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 Camera Black $14.24 |
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Vintage Anscoflex Box Camera with Ansco Camera Case $9.99 |
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VINTAGE J66 POLAROID CAMERA CASE LAND ELECTRIC EYE Flash Film Instructions old $138.88 |
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LOWEPRO ADVENTURA 120 BLACK CAMERA BAG CASE NEW $95.95 |
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Vintage MINETTE CAMERA TRIPOD Japan brown leather carrying case $19.00 |
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F69 Leather Case Bag For Olympus Pen E-P1 E-P2 E-P3 Camera W/14-42mm Lens Black $9.99 |
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classic Digital SLR Camera hard back CASE COVER FOR apple iPhone 4 4S $0.99 |
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C45 New Camera Bag Case For Panasonic DMC-GX1 DMC-GF3 DMC-GH1 DMC-G2 DMC-G10 $25.27 |
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W2 Waterproof Underwater Bag Case For CANON PowerShot S95 S90 S100 Camera $17.26 |
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MAKINON MACRO ZOOM CAMERA LENS F= 80-200MM 1:3.5 MADE IN JAPAN WITH CASE CLEAN $25.00 |
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F81 Leather Case Bag For Olympus E-P1 EP1 EPL1 EP-1 EP-2 Camera Black $9.99 |
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C45 New Brown Leather Camera Bag Case For Leica M7 M8 M8.2 M9 M9-P MP US $26.99 |
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F82 Leather Case Bag For Olympus Pen E-PL2 EPL2 EP2 E-PL1 EP-L1 EP3 Camera Brown $9.99 |
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Butterfly Design Digital Camera Mobile Phone Skin Case Bag Pouch Cover Protector $0.01 |
