Monday, August 26, 2013

DIY DSLR Camera Bag

 
Ok, so you know those Alaska pictures were taken with a fancy pants camera.  And a fancy pants camera needs protecting.  And a fancy pants camera protecting bag needs to look fancy pants itself.  And we all know how much those cost.  And we all know i'm a self proclaimed cheap ass. 
 
 
Let's put out there that I'm intimidated by things such as sewing.  And ironing.  And math.   


But even the expensive fancy pants bags didn't seem to have as many pockets as this girl needs.  Or they were many pocketed, but smaller in size.  So the first step was finding a bag that had minimal taper at the top, so it was wide enough to reach the camera quickly and easily, had handles but also a cross body strap, and would accommodate for more than just the camera and lens.  This was more difficult than I had thought, and necessitated stopping at 3 stores. 

 
And then I found the cheapest foam option-


and lined the bottom with a 1 inch thick piece, used a carving knife to make the sides a 1/2 thick so it could fit more and close-


and cut the 1 inch thick sides to shape.  Easy.  You can see the bag does taper slightly up top, but there's a lot of give.  It's got a big mouth.  Like a certain mother in law I know.  Burn! 


The excess foam was used for dividers, and when the camera was inside, held everything taut.


The foam scratching the screen was a concern, so I put one of those protector films on it.  If you wanted to sew the foam into fabric (not happening here) or maybe glue the foam into fabric, you probably wouldn't need a film over the screen.


Of course I could take all the foam out and use this a regular purse, too.
 
 
This extra flap and outside pockets really made this bag that much more workable than some of the more expensive options.   
 
I'm ridiculously proud of myself, for saving money but also for rocking this out. 

Cost breakdown:
Bag from Marshalls, 35.00
Foam from Walmart, 7.00 for 15x17x1 2 pack
$42 for a fancy pants looking fancy pants camera bag.  Seriously. 

What's your latest DIY proud moment?   
 
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33 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

OK this is so rocking cool!! I am so impressed and didn't think of doing that. I found a bag to carry my camera to Paris but it has no protection. I think I'll buy some foam and make a pocket to protect my camera! Thanks for sharing this before I head to Paris! You are cool and cheap ass and I love it!!!

Linda

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Wow, great bag and it is so stylish too. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, marty

The Boston Lady said...

I think your cheap ass, DIY fancy pants camera bag is great! And dual purpose! Double score, girl. What DIY project have I done lately? Nada. Ann

Ann Vandergriff said...

This is pretty nifty!!!

Ann @ The Rustic RedHead

Angie@Echoes of Laughter said...

Wow! That is brilliant! And way more stylish than a regular camera bag too I must say! I might try this too! Thank you so much for sharing! Angie xo

curiositaellya said...

How clever! Pretty too!

Ellya

Tammy N said...

This looks like it would protect the camera well and look nice too. Great idea.

Abby said...

Oooh well I'll be saving this idea for whenever I can afford a fancy pants camera! Awesome idea! Thanks for stopping by chapter37!

Anonymous said...

what great timing as i wait for my new fancy pants camera to arrive in the mail any day now! woot, woot! i despise camera bags + can't wait to try this.

priscilla said...

That's a great camera bag ! I would love to have one of those fancy pants bags :) but now I can make one thanks to your instructions !

Got My Reservations said...

I have spent a lot of money trying to find the perfect camera bag that didn't look like a camera bag. You have solved the problem! Great idea.

Unknown said...

What a fabulous idea! I love that you turned a cute purse into a camera bag. I'll have to try this someday!
I'm stopping by from Serenity Now--have a great weekend!

Amanda said...

I love it! I bought a purse from Goodwill intending to do something similar but never got around to it. Maybe one day!! :) Great job!

Jane B. said...

Ack, that is a Fabulous find! Love it. Thanks so much for linking up to Frugalicious Friday :)

Jane B. said...

Ack, that is a Fabulous find! Love it. Thanks so much for linking up to Frugalicious Friday :)

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Back to thank you for linking up to TTF! I think this is one of the coolest DIY's in a long time!!

hugs,
Linda

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

You are so clever! Your bag is gorgeous!

SimplySweetsbyHoneybee{Melissa} said...

Super cool. Love it!

Kayla @ Home Coming said...

What a great idea! Don't forget to link up to The DIY'ers! http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-diyers-27.html

Lindsey said...

Love using a purse for a camera bag! My camera bag is so ugly... It's the little blue and black case it came with. I totally wanted to make a new one but this is so much easier! :)

toddlindsey.com

Maury @ Life on Mars said...

holy cow! I've been wanting one of those $200 bags, but knew it was not in my future. This is BRILLIANT! Why didn't I think of that!

Vel Criste said...

Most fashionable and most well-thought of DLSR camera bag I've seen! Love it!

Vel Criste said...

Most fashionable and most well-thought of DLSR camera bag I've seen! Love it!

Creative Raisins said...

What a fantastic Idea, I have a good old ugly camera bag and am to cheap to spend hundreds on a nice one. Thanks for sharing ~ Lisa

Sherri Osborn said...

I love this idea... I read it and had one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments! :-) Thanks!

Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke said...

Thats pretty fabulous!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, how clever and super stylish too.

Nice idea.

Lisa

Handy Man, Crafty Woman said...

Great idea!! I can't believe what they charge for camera bags.

Paula@SweetPea said...

I loved this project when you first posted it and am so glad that you shared it on this week's Throwback Thursday Party so that others can see your great idea. This is definitely on my "to do" list!

Jen @ Girl in the Garage said...

What an awesome idea! It's a perfect thinking-outside-the-box solution. Stopping by from Throwback Thursday.

Unknown said...

What a great way to DIY your own camera bag! Thanks for sharing!

BabyPop said...

I love this idea

Unknown said...

What a great idea, once I finally get a camera I will definetely be making my own custom camera bag. Thanks for sharing!

Jillian @ JST Design
{www.jstdesign.ca}