Can't believe it fits: my DSLR inside a Medium Cafe Bag!

[ncb4]

I am happily playing with my brand new (just arrived Monday) Medium Cafe Bag in Crimson/Steel, which is a color I'm falling more in love with every day. (And I'm not normally a red person either.) I bought the MCB to carry my iPad around with a wireless keyboard, stand, and various things from my purse. But just for fun, I decided to experiment and see if my Olympus e620 DSLR would fit. I didn't think it would, since the depth of the MCB, from front to back, is listed as only three inches. But I'm beginning to think that Tom Bihn cloned some threads from Mary Poppins' bag, because all of my TB bags seem to hold way more than you'd think they could, based either on their measurements or merely looking at them from the outside.

Here is my 620 with a 14-42mm lens attached, inside a Billingham camera insert. Next to it is the biggest lens I own: a vintage Olympus OM 200mm telephoto lens, with the matching Olympus 1.4x teleconverter attached, inside a pouch. Tucked at the bottom where you can't see it is an orange neoprene case with my spare batteries, memory cards, remote, and lens cloth inside. On top of that is another neoprene pouch (repurposed from the days when computers used floppy disks) that has my filters in it. It all fits beautifully, with room for more. I feel like saying, "Abracadabra!" because it seems like a magic trick.

So now I have three different TB bags that I can choose from to carry my camera, depending on where I am and what I'll need for the day. If it's just to take my camera with me on my morning walk around town or for a day trip somewhere, I can use my Crimson MCB. If I need to carry more stuff for a longer expedition, I can take my Indigo/Plum Imago, with a three-section camera insert inside. (Yep, it fits.) Or if I'm going to be hiking or on a serious camera excursion where I'd want multiple lenses, I'll have my Indigo Synapse. (Well, I will have it next week when it arrives.)

As for the reason I bought it, it almost goes without saying that the iPad and its gear fit easily inside. Yesterday, to help someone trying to make a decision which size Cafe bag to bug, I tried carrying both my iPad and my 11-inch Macbook Air. You guessed it: the MCB swallowed it with ease. Amazing!

[Sorry about the moire pattern on the final picture; that happens when I shrink the photos to upload them here.]

[lotuseater]

Billingham make some excellent, but heavy duty and heavy weight, camera bags. Rarely do they scream 'there's lots of expensive equipment inside', and more often than not I'm asked where someone can buy "that interesting fishing bag". Great idea to use the insert inside a MCB.

[leftistelf]

Wouldn't a CAMERA INSERT look great in that bag, Darcy? :)

I have a both a full rangefinder and DSLR kit to slide into one of my 3 or four Tom Bihn bags, if they only had some additional protection....

*polite nudge*

[dmilem]

Great review and pictures! My first Tom Bihn bag was the plum MCB to carry my iPad. I think my husband is "concerned" that it was just a gate-way drug to a serious bag addiction! ;-) Can't wait for my red bag to arrive tomorrow!!!

[jaon]

I've had a serious bag addiction for years. I've just moved on to the good stuff. Now I sometimes don't even look when I pass the bag section in stores.

[dorayme]

I think my husband is "concerned" that it was just a gate-way drug to a serious bag addiction! ;-)

Yeah, my dh is just as leery when he hears mention of a knitting bag. . . that's what started it all for me, a simple knitting bag, lol. I've never turned back. I have purchased a few bags by other makers since I've been on this journey, but none of them have been as delightful to own and use as my TB bags.

[ncb4]

Great review and pictures! My first Tom Bihn bag was the plum MCB to carry my iPad. I think my husband is "concerned" that it was just a gate-way drug to a serious bag addiction! ;-) Can't wait for my red bag to arrive tomorrow!!!

This could be the start of a new thread: what was everyone's "gateway drug," the TB bag that originally seduced them, and set them up for this lifelong addiction? For me, it was a Sapphire Brain Cell for my 15-inch Macbook Pro. Yesterday, just for the fun of it, I listed all the TB bags, straps, and organizers that I have: I'm almost embarrassed to cite them all here. Is there a Betty Ford Clinic for people like us? :D

[maverick]

This could be the start of a new thread: what was everyone's "gateway drug," the TB bag that originally seduced them, and set them up for this lifelong addiction? For me, it was a Sapphire Brain Cell for my 15-inch Macbook Pro. Yesterday, just for the fun of it, I listed all the TB bags, straps, and organizers that I have: I'm almost embarrassed to cite them all here. Is there a Betty Ford Clinic for people like us? :D

for me, it was a crimson smart alec.

but i don't know if i would call it a "gateway drug." perhaps "gateway bag" is more appropriate.

with drugs, there is always some side effect.

although, tom does make the side effect...

okay, i better stop. i think i'm talking myself into a corner here!

[ncb4]

for me, it was a crimson smart alec.

but i don't know if i would call it a "gateway drug." perhaps "gateway bag" is more appropriate.

with drugs, there is always some side effect.

although, tom does make the side effect...

okay, i better stop. i think i'm talking myself into a corner here!

I can't stop laughing. Surely you set up the whole thing just to work in that pun about side effects!

[maverick]

I can't stop laughing. Surely you set up the whole thing just to work in that pun about side effects!

no, sadly, you got the play by play of exactly what went through my head...

i read your post and thought about my crimson smart alec. so i started to write about that.

then i thought, "gateway drug" has a negative connotation.

and then i thought, drugs, even those that provide some benefit, are accompanied by side effects.

and then i went - wait, tom makes a bag called the side effect!

and then i said - okay, i need to stop...

[maverick]

i guess what i should have said is that for those addicted to bags made by tom bihn, there are no bad side effects...

[ncb4]

no, sadly, you got the play by play of exactly what went through my head...

i read your post and thought about my crimson smart alec. so i started to write about that.

then i thought, "gateway drug" has a negative connotation.

and then i thought, drugs, even those that provide some benefit, are accompanied by side effects.

and then i went - wait, tom makes a bag called the side effect!

and then i said - okay, i need to stop...

I'm still smiling. But look at it this way: you're so creative that even when you don't intend it, all sorts of word play emerges. Or maybe you just need to join me in a soothing, restorative cup of tea; it is Friday, after all, and the end of a long week.

Nancy

[maverick]

I'm still smiling. But look at it this way: you're so creative that even when you don't intend it, all sorts of word play emerges. Or maybe you just need to join me in a soothing, restorative cup of tea; it is Friday, after all, and the end of a long week.

Nancy

thanks nancy, a cup of tea sounds just fantastic! :)

since the beginning of the week, i've cut out processed foods and have been juicing, eating salads, fruits and nuts, and also drinking lots of water. the idea of something hot sounds just grand. actually, for lunch today, i'm looking forward to some soup along with a salad!

by the way, apple-beets-carrot-celery-kale juice rocks! we made that after a run wednesday evening and it was super flavorful!

just keep the beets away from your tom bihn bags - they easily stains whatever they come in contact with. although, it could be fun to add a splash of beet juice art to your tom bihn bag made with 1000d cordura linen fabric...

[backpack]

I don't like the concept of addiction when relating to good taste in bags, Tom Bihn's or hobbies like needlecrafts and calligraphy.

Sure, one has to watch the stash of Tom Bihn Bags, yarns and fountain pens but they give so much pleasure (without affecting the waist line or the nervous system) that they are all worth it.

To me, half the fun is planning the purchases via the Wish List.

I have used the same system for yarns (made in the USA) and fountains pens (made in the USA and Europe)



Being able to get items I really want for special occasions beats the method used by a woman who wrote an organizing book, as an "it's my way or the highway neat nick", her method to get gifts on special occasions was to "politely remind" the husband unit and most probably to stare him down into getting something on the right date.
Nowadays, she would have more luck putting a reminder in his e-calendar.

This is silly, I have free use of the entire budget and plan accordingly, on special occasions, I yap a lot about my new acquisitions and get a cuddle from the husband unit. He is happy, I am happy!

[ncb4]

thanks nancy, a cup of tea sounds just fantastic! :)

since the beginning of the week, i've cut out processed foods and have been juicing, eating salads, fruits and nuts, and also drinking lots of water. the idea of something hot sounds just grand. actually, for lunch today, i'm looking forward to some soup along with a salad!

by the way, apple-beets-carrot-celery-kale juice rocks! we made that after a run wednesday evening and it was super flavorful!

just keep the beets away from your tom bihn bags - they easily stains whatever they come in contact with. although, it could be fun to add a splash of beet juice art to your tom bihn bag made with 1000d cordura linen fabric...

I'm in awe of your will power. Although I'm also a vegetarian, I don't think I could do as well with my diet as you are. Now let's see who picks up on your beet juice art idea and is the first one to experiment with their Linen Cordura TB bag.