There are two main caveats that come with owning a DSLR camera:-
1) You’ll be tempted to buy different types of lenses; and
2) You’ll be buying several camera bags to fit your gear in.
I’ve already got a Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home for trips to the park or the beach.
Photo from Crumpler.Com
Then, there’s my ‘medium’ black leather Jill-E bag that I use for overseas travel because it can fit 2 camera bodies, a flash, 2 lenses, my purse, small toiletry items…even my old 13-inch Sony VAIO laptop. (It fits but I wouldn’t recommend it because the bag is not meant to carry laptops and doesn’t distribute the weight evenly.) Not that I carry a lot of photography equipment. It’s nice for putting in lots of stuff, that’s all, saving me from rummaging through my suitcase for contact lenses or my toothbrush coz they can all fit comfortably into the same bag.
Photo from Jill-E.com
My problem is when I have to go to more formal functions like weddings when I’m just there as a guest but want to bring my camera anyway for my own use. Cameras need padding. And a considerable amount of space. And a considerably large opening.
Hence, my decision to buy Acme Made’s new camera bag called “The Bowler.”
Photo from AcmeMade.Com
To get an idea of the bag’s minute size (for a DSLR camera bag), look at this photo of the bag side by side with your standard CD case.
Here’s how huge my Jill-E bag looks beside The Bowler.
I, too, had serious doubts about its size when I first looked at it. But, surprise, surprise — my D40 fits…with 18-135mm lens attached! And my SB-600 speedlight fits perfectly beside it. (The divider is adjustable, in case you’re wondering.) Sorry about the terrible photo quality. I had to use my Nokia N82 for this, since my D40′s inside the bag.
The handles and body of the bag are made of glossy polyurethane, which may not appeal to some people. The inner portion of the bag is line with quilted tricot, which protects against scratches and makes it easy to move the camera in and out of the bag.
There’s a velcro strap at the end of the bag to help securely close the top flap. And there are pockets on both sides of the bag for small items like memory cards or cleaning cloths.
Even the tag looks cute… I had to fight every hoarding instinct in my body so that I could throw it away. (It was too thick — about 1.5 mm.)
My verdict? The bag is small and chic. No one would know it’s a camera bag until you open up the dual zippered top flap and take out your DSLR. It’s not meant for professional shoots that require changing lenses and bodies. But it’s great for more formal occasions when you don’t want to bring a huge camera bag along. If only it comes with a strap so that I sling it over my shoulder and free my hands…
Acme Made site says the bag is also available in black and navy blue. However, after searching various online shops, it seems only red is available in stock right now.
Amazon.com sells it for $39.95, with free shipping to the US. I bought mine online, had it delivered to an angel in Iowa who just got back to KL for her school holidays. Thanks, angel! ;)
Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this post. Nor am I paid to do this post. I just happen to like the product and wanted to share the information with the rest of the world, given that I haven’t found much detail on the internet about the bag, other than the officially released photos and generic praise on various sites about how stylish the bag is.
the bowler bag is soooo yummy, and deliciously red.
a shoulder strap would have been useful indeed, for hands-free socializing! ^-^
Garandee’s been looking for something like this. She always asks me to carry her big camera bag during parties so it looks like I’ll benefit from the bowler too. :D
the red bowler bag is too charming! looks more like a cosmetic train case, so a lady would still look errr, lady-like toting this!
salam,aik?…siapakah gerangan yang dari Iowa?…cam kenal je bunyi orangnya?…hehehe…
tapi handbeg hitam tu memang tak sangka untuk simpan kamera dan aksessori ia…tapi ia memang kebiasaan handbeg boleh simpan banyak barang,tak gitu?…hehehe…
apepun handbeg yang baru tu memang elok untuk ke majlis yang formal…
bila di luar nanti kena lebih berhati-hati,merah tu nampak cam terlalu menarik perhatian sangat…selamat mengguna,afwan…
hahahah! looks nice mimi! i guess having to take cameras along all time requires the purchase of appropriate gear to carry them in ;-)
We haven’t gotten ourselves a camera bag yet, but we really should.
odette: i would have preferred it in blue or black but i couldn’t wait. so i got red ;)
garando: she can also use a big handbag and just line it with foam. i’ve been meaning to make my own camera bag liner so that i could transfer from camera from one bag to another easily but just never got around to doing it.
faery: ah! now that you mentioned it, i realise that it does look like a cosmetic case.
jabbar: oh yes, you know the ‘angel from iowa’ very well hehe.
caryn: i’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to be ready with my camera at all times. i missed so many photographic opportunities in the past just because i felt too lazy to bring my big camera along.
a-mom’s-diary: if you’ll be sharing your DSLR with your hubby, i guess you’d have to buy 2 different bags! his and hers ;)
!!! I was complaining that there is no camera bag which suits us ladies!!!
Goodness… u found it!!
Cheryl: But you are right — us ladies have very limited choices when it comes to camera bags, phone cases and most accessories for gadgets.
I love this! I carry my DSLR with me at all times and have two Lowepro bags (a giant backpack and a smaller sling), but sometimes I want to go out dressed up nicely and only with my walkaround lens, and you don’t want to be lugging around a giant backpack when you’re dressed to the nines. ;) This looks like an excellent alternative, I’ll have to check it out and see if my XSi and Tamron 18-270 will fit in it!
tanya: pls let me know if it fits. i’m sure other people would be interested to know, as well. thanks.
Mimi: Will do! The Tamron 18-270 on the XSi body measures about 7″ long, and the Acme Made website says the bag is only 6.25″ deep so I’m not sure if it will fit…I guess it depends on how much leeway you have with the zipper/flap.
Hi there
where did you buy the bowler’s bag?
hi wendy, i bought my acme made bowler bag from amazon.com. they have it on stock right now for US$29.29: http://bit.ly/2Wf1k8
Hi Mimi! Thanks for the info.
Oh! Thank God, I found your website. I had been surfing the Net trying to look at how the inside of this bowler bag looks like. I think I maybe getting one..or maybe make one myself, if I can find an inside camera casing first.
A friend of mine said that she had hers custome-made at a car upholstery shop (she’s in Penang).
depthwise, it juuuuust fits a Nikon D80 with the Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens (my walkabout lens).
I’m looking for a camera bag to fit a Canon EOS 450D with an 18-55 lens attached, and possibly room for another lens for the future. Or would the little bowling bag or lunchcase fit and then buy a big bag when I get further into my photography? This is my first DSLR and most camera bags seem to be black nylon and horrid! It lives in my rather large handbag at the moment along with the kitchen sink.
Elaine: I think this camera bag should work for you as a start. Just like Kay mentioned, it can even fit a camera body with an 18-200mm lens attached.
Check out the links in this forum for more bag choices: http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum/camera-bags-cases/113641-stylish-camera-bag-women.html.
Hi All,
If anyone interested to purchase any Acme Made products in Malaysia can always visit us at http://www.acmemademalaysia.blogspot.com
We are local supplier selling to consumer and we welcome all enquiries or further question we will help to forward it to our local distributor.
Thank you
hye, want to ask about this camera bag. it looks so nice that i can’t take my eyes of it huhuhu. been searching a slr bag that doesn’t looks like a slr camera huhuhu. will it fit for d90??