Search for a Camera Bag : Part II - Handmade

Part II of III -- (click here for Part I: Retail)

As you may start to realize, the search for the perfect camera bag took the better part of a week. Looking for a good handmade bag took almost 2 days in and of itself.  I would like to mention that although many of the bags in Part I are cheaper than the bags featured in Part II, that is an intentional move. MANY of the camera bags I looked at were $125+, but I wasn't willing to pay that much for a retail bag. So, when I saw the price starting to climb, I came back over to the Handmade Universe and did some research.

The first handmade bags I found were the Medium and Large (pictured) DSLR Camera Bags by SizzleStrapz.

These bags are made from treated, water repellent fabric. The bag is padded and has a zipper. It comes in Medium, 10" X 8.5" X 6", for $105, and the Large size, 12" X 10" X 6", for $115. Both sizes seem reasonable, but the Large seems big enough to house all your equipment but not so big that it's bulky or unmanageable. It hits the price point of $115. These bags are pretty customizable, from the fabric to the pockets and upgrades. These bags are more inline with what I originally had in mind, but they are a little livelier than my typical style. The medium seemed to be another tight fit, but the large might work.

From here I stumbled upon Medium (pictured) and Large DSLR bags by Stash.

Wow, right? I love her style in these bags, so classic and sophisticated yet fun! They are lined with water-repellent canvas and close with a looping snap. Her medium bag comes in at 10.25" X 7.25" X 5.5", smaller than the aforementioned bag but just slightly larger than the Domke bag mentioned in Part I, for $159. I was hoping this size would work for all my camera gear, because I fell in love with these bags. After some extensive measuring and calculations, I determined this was going to be too tight of a squeeze for all my stuff. It's a gorgeous bag for anyone with a smaller camera or wanting to carry around less stuff.

I started looking at the Larger bag ($199), hoping I would find a solution here. At 13.25" X 9.25" X 4.5", the bag is wider than the Jill.E, which worried me since the bag was a little clunky on me. The main concern, though, was in the depth. My camera is a little too big and I worried about the fit. After the fact, I bet it would have fit just fine. This will always be that "oh man, what if..." bag. Did you know she makes laptop bags too? Yeah, I'll be back in this store very soon.

After I had actually made my decision, I stumbled upon XcessRize, a handicrafter from Texas. This is another option that those of you who are searching for a bag might like to consider, so I have included it here.  Please note, I did not research these bags thoroughly and I do not know anything of the vendor.  I did, however, look at the sizes and found them similar to what I had been looking for.

Finally, I rested on a DSLR Bag from Porteen Gear.

This bag is made of water repellent waxed canvas with a leather flap, and comes in at $125. On first glance, I thought the inside looked a bit cramped. Then I realized this bag is bigger than it looks, at 12" X 8.5" X 6", and just how much equipment she already has squeezed in there. It's more than I own, and when I calculate the space needed for my camera + lens, extra lens, even another lens, and goodies... everything fits with extra space.

I know I'll get plenty of use out of the zipper pocket on the front, and the color combination is perfect for me. I especially love that the artist, Robyn, is first and foremost a professional photographer. She really understands what you need and how to use your space most efficiently. She offers up plenty of styles, from serious to spunky, as well as completely customized orders.

Robyn's store has hundreds after hundreds of raving reviews about her bags. As per these comments, the quality and comfort of this bag is paramount. I love the look of the bag above, which I ordered, because it is stylish but sophisticated. It's fun but professional, rugged but modern. The dimensions are perfect for exactly how I envisioned setting up my camera bag. It's padded but soft and will still conform to the body.

So, there you have it.  This is the research/comparison that I conducted to find my perfect bag. I know it's overkill, for sure, but results speak.  If you are seriously considering any of these bags, I hope some of this mess helps you find your perfect bag.

(click the image for a larger version of spreadsheet madness)

This break-down aided me in finding what I hope will be exactly what I was looking for.  Try not to laugh at my over-kill too much.  Oh, and forgive the crude formatting, it was never really meant for public consumption.

Anyways, The Final Bag will arrive this week and I cannot wait to test it out and report back.

Stay tuned for Part III : The Final Report.