THE COMPACT DAY BAG

When we go on vacation the large Domke and Crumpler bags are my first choice because they hold a lot of equipment. But for short 3 or 4 hour outings, all I need is a small, compact bag to carry and protect the Leica M9. For these quick trips a large bag is inappropriate and the wife lets me know with the eye roll followed by the “what hell are you thinking” look. To save her from public humiliation, I bought a compact, sophisticated bag worthy of her social stature.

Joking aside, I bought the Artisan & Artist GCAM 1100 “Elliot’s Everyday Bag” because of its compact size and its discrete nature. When Christina first saw the bag, she laughed. In our house the GCAM 1100 has been dubbed the “man purse.” The leather is a bit, shall we say metro-sexual, but the feel and quality is actually quite nice. The Elliot’s Everyday Bag (GCAM 1100) is the same bag as the popular Evan’s Walker (ACAM-1100), the only difference being that the Elliot bag comes in black leather. For the technical details, here is Artisan & Artist’s website.

LEATHER VERSUS CANVAS

I also own a Oskar’s One Day Bag (ACAM-7100) and find the size pretty useful, especially if packing two Leica M bodies. However, I do not like the outer canvas material. The canvas seems thin, and with our dogs the canvas is a hair magnet. The leather versions look nice, but a bit flashy for my taste and the prices are higher. A used GCAM 1100 was listed on a forum for a reasonable price, so I decided to try it.

The ACAM-1100‘s top, front and left & right sides are leather. The back and underside are a textured nylon material. The nylon back side is a good choice because it rubs smoothly against your shirt or pants. Had A&A used leather, there would be a risk of the black dye rubbing off and leaving marks on a white shirt. The leather is very soft and supple. Under normal use it seems durable enough, but I would avoid dragging across a rough surface. The inside of the bag is lined in nylon, so it is not possible to measure the leather thickness. I assume the leather is around 1mm thick and bonded to some type of fabric.

The padded inserts are completely removable. The first insert is the floor, the second is a rectangle for the perimeter, and third set is two dividers. The inserts are about a 1/2-inch thick. The foam is soft, similar to a “memory foam”. The foam is covered with a soft cotton red fabric, stitched along the edges with another red fabric looped over the edges for durability. The inserts are excellent quality and my favorite aspect of the A&A’s bags.

The main compartment has enough space for the M9 with a lens plus one or two extra lenses (two lenses if willing to stack lenses). On the back of there is pouch for maps, passports, etc. On the front there is a zippered compartment. Inside the compartment there is another pocket for cables or other small items, and another zippered pocket as well. The front sections are good for filters, cables, wallet, cell phone, etc.

COMMENTS

As a small, compact day-bag - the Elliot’s Everyday Bag is excellent. I like the look and it is a practical bag for an afternoon outing. If traveling for a couple days, the Elliot could be too small. A M8 battery charger would have to go into the luggage. The M9 charger would fit in the Elliot, but the expense of a second lens. If traveling with two or three lenses plus accessories, the Elliot bag would be too small.

My only concerns with the bag are:  first, the Elliot is innocent looking, but too small to be confused for a computer bag. Onlookers will know the bag is something other than a computer. Second, I worry that the Leica M9‘s LCD may rub against the zipper get scratched. This has not happened, but I do wrap the M9 in a thin micro-fiber cloth as insurance. In short, the GCAM 1100 is a bit “GQ”, but perfectly sized for an afternoon’s stroll through park with your better half.

The GCAM-1100 is a small bag and will fit a M body along with a 2nd lens. If more space is needed, the next sizes up or the ACAM-7100 and 7200. The ACAM-7100 can fit two Leica M bodies (with lenses) and has some space in pouches, etc., for extra batteries and the usual tidbits. For most people the ACAM-7100 is probably a more practical bag, and costs less as well (around $170‘ish street price in the US). I also have a DCAM-7000 which is quite large. The bag is long and deep, almost too big for M gear because the lens go way, way to the bottom. Some people say the same about the Domke satchels.

All this may sound a bit wishy-washy, but finding the “right” bag is a very subjective. For the Leica M gear, I do like the Artisan & Artist bags, but they are on the pricey side.