Grafea leather bags on sale

[Huss]

Much cheaper bought directly from the mfg than B&H's sale price. Free shipping to the US.
Made in England, 100% leather.

I have this one. It's nice..

http://www.grafea.com/vintage-leather-camera-bag

 

[MCTuomey]

Looks like a lifetime bag, simple and made for real duty. How does it carry over a full day out?

 

[back alley]

they look heavy...i like outside pockets less & less...

 

[Huss]

Looks like a lifetime bag, simple and made for real duty. How does it carry over a full day out?

It's good to carry as the strap is wide and soft and never twists on itself as the attachment points can rotate freely.

It is pretty small though (the regular size). It fits my Widelux F8, M7 w/ CV 40mm 1.4 and hood, and Fuji Instax 90 in the main compartment. The front pocket is big and holds a SF24 flash and a Gossen light meter with room to spare. The two end pockets are small. One holds two packets of Instax film, the other 4 rolls of 35mm film (out of the boxes).

As the bag is made of 2.5mm thick leather it needs breaking in. When I first got it the straps were really stiff, but they are now much better. It really seems that this bag will get better with age.

 

[Huss]

they look heavy...i like outside pockets less & less...

Relatively speaking my old (and hated) ThinkTank Retrospective 5 or 10 (I forget which) was heavier, and my Ona Bowery is as heavy.

if you don't like the style that's fair enough. This bag is really about the style and build.

 

[back alley]

Relatively speaking my old (and hated) ThinkTank Retrospective 5 or 10 (I forget which) was heavier, and my Ona Bowery is as heavy.

if you don't like the style that's fair enough. This bag is really about the style and build.

sorry, didn't mean to sound insulting or anything...i'm surprised its not heavier than the tt or ona...it does look well made...i think if i went bigger and leather i'd prefer something that looks like an old doctors bag...

 

[Huss]

sorry, didn't mean to sound insulting or anything...i'm surprised its not heavier than the tt or ona...it does look well made...i think if i went bigger and leather i'd prefer something that looks like an old doctors bag...

Oh, I did not take it that way at all!
🙂

We all like different things and that's cool.
I want to give an unbiased account of it, and so I show the interior as some reviews I've seen claim to pack a lot more gear than mine seems to be able to hold..
😉

There is a larger version, but I did not want to go any larger than the already sizable outside dimensions. I would not recommend this for a DSLR or multi lens set up, but what you see in it is what I had in mind when I ordered it. A simple film set up for an instant, RF and pano camera.

 

[Huss]

p.s what I do find disappointing is that instead of it being made from one large piece of leather that spans the entire bottom and up both sides (where the end pockets are), it is made of two pieces and joined at a seam in the middle of the underside.

 

[Jockos]

For me it's to heavy for walking around with, but I do use it a lot for travelling, and use the insert with a cotton bag when I walk about.
Very well made, will last a lifetime with some greasing every now and then.

 

[MCTuomey]

p.s what I do find disappointing is that instead of it being made from one large piece of leather that spans the entire bottom and up both sides (where the end pockets are), it is made of two pieces and joined at a seam in the middle of the underside.

wouldn't mind that seam, i guess. another question: length of strap? i'm tall - 1.9m - and have trouble with too-short straps on certain bags (domke, tenba).

For me it's to heavy for walking around with, but I do use it a lot for travelling, and use the insert with a cotton bag when I walk about.
Very well made, will last a lifetime with some greasing every now and then.

was thinking same thing myself, it seems like a very protective, rugged bag.

 

[Huss]

I used it all day today with the equipment shown above with no issues re. weight. But if you put in heavier gear...
I am 5'9" and the strap is at its shortest length. It hangs with the top of the bag at my belt level. There are four notches left (out of five) to lengthen it. Each notch is 1 inch.

 

[Huss]

it seems like a very protective, rugged bag.

The construction is very good, but I think the padding is a bit lacking. It's quite thick but seems to not be made of foam but some sort of crinkly card like material, judging by the sounds it makes. It works, but I would not take this bag to a war zone (unless you change out the padding).