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Camera cases

I have been looking for a simple, light-weight case for carrying a camera with a lens or two. While there are several good cases out there, one of my criteria was that the case couldn’t look like a camera bag and wasn’t a back pack or sling pack. I wanted it to look like a messenger bag and be very discrete. It didn’t need to hold much gear and wouldn’t permanently replace my other camera bags.

After looking high and low, I settled on the Small Classic Messenger bag from Timbuk2 (visit site) with a Small Snoop camera insert. While you can order one of their pre-made bags, you can also have it custom made with huge variety of colors on most parts of the bag. They will make you one in 3-5 days. Very cool.

Since I was wanting a very discrete bag that would go unnoticed, I chose to make mine really boring. It’s just a dark green nylon with a light gray interior.

Timbuk2 Messenger Bag

Timbuk2 Messenger Bag

The bag itself appears to be really well made. It is basically a messenger bag with one big pocket and two smaller pockets up front. It has a heavy Velcro closure and also two nylon straps with clasps that also hold the flap down. If you are looking for lots of nooks and crannies to organize stuff, you won’t find them on this bag. Inside, I have the Timbuk2 Snoop, which is a padded bag with removable partitions to keep camera body and lenses separate. It is easily removable and can be used in other bags of similar dimensions.

Small Messenger bag with Snoop camera insert.

Small Messenger bag with Snoop camera insert.

The Snoop camera insert is bright blue and allows you to easily find small items in the bag. One of my biggest complaints about most camera bags is that the interior material is either dark gray or black. Dark lens covers, and other camera components almost disappear in them. Having a brighter color inside makes a huge difference.

The size (I bought a small, but it is also available in an XS, M, or L) is perfect for a rangefinder or a DSLR without a battery grip. It will accommodate a Canon 70-200 IS f/2.8, as long as it’s not on the body. It’s perfect for street photography or wedding photography where you need a minimal amount of gear with you at one time. I can easily carry my rangefinder, a couple of lenses, my iPad and a magazine in mine. Check out their website for the exact bag dimensions.

The messenger bag with a Canon 5D Mk III.

The messenger bag with a Canon 5D Mk III.

I’ve only had it for less than a month, but I really like it. You can carry your camera with you without attracting attention. The great thing is that Timbuk2 will custom make a bag for you and let you pick almost any color or pattern combination for a very reasonable price.

The final verdict? As if you couldn’t tell, it’s 2 thumbs up. While it’s not cheap (no good photo gear is), it has good value and allows you to get exactly what you want.

Thanks for reading!

-Ken.