HOW TO CHOOSE A CAMERA BAG
The messenger bag : more often than not, the obvious choice
For professional photographers who must carry heavy and cumbersome material, a camera bag worn across the back or pulled as a rolling suitcase is essential. And the same goes for photo enthusiasts who have to carry around large zoom lenses.
For other photographers, the best choice is the messenger bag, worn over te shoulder or hand-held. This bag allows quick access to the material, as well as being big enough to contain several cameras and lenses. Consequently, it is necessary to choose your messenger bag depending on your needs and according to its size and its interior layout. Moreover, it’s equally important to avoid choosing an oversized bag (one which is too heavy and uncomfortable), for one seldom needs to haul around all of one’s material at one time.
Durability and attractiveness : criteria to consider
The quality of a camera bag is fundamental because it determines the level of protection given to often very expensive material. A cheaply produced bag will age poorly, and won’t offer a high level of protection after frequent use and over time. Therefore, you must choose a camera bag made of high-quality technical synthetic material or leather, which will stand the test of time.
Your camera bag will go with you everywhere: in the city or in the country, while travelling or hiking, so don’t underestimate the importance of its appearance. There are many beautiful synthetic and technical materials; however, a high-quality leather is unbeatable when it comes to looks, especially with respect to the wear and tear over time.
Vegetable tanned leathers (as opposed to leathers treated with chromium, a toxic and polluting metal) are the only ones used by Bleu de Chauffe. They are perfectly rain resistant and they acquire a beautiful appearance and natural patina as they age.
Bleu de Chauffe camera bags have a very appealing aesthetic, without having the appearance of a camera bag. They’re suitable for everyone, and are not an attractive target for camera thieves.
The range of Bleu de Chauffe camera bags and accessories
Bleu de Chauffe has created camera bags with shoulder straps or handles as well as vegetable tanned leather messenger bags in a variety of sizes to cover all your needs.
The Arles bag, whose name is an homage to the famous “Rencontres de la photographie d’Arles” (Arles Photography Festival), is the largest and most voluminous. The smaller Bologne bag is named after the Foto /Industria, the biennial of photography on industry and work of Bologna.
Both bags have been made to carry reflex and hybrid reflex devices. Their comfort has been largely improved thanks to the reinforced shoulder pads. Their construction and their pinched flaps have been designed to protect the interior of the bags from harsh weather. Moreover, access to the contents of the bag has been made easy with the quick opening and the thanks to the buttons hidden under the roll buckle.
The interior of the Arles and Bologne bags have been designed with the most demanding photographers in mind, with numerous reinforced and cushioned compartments to protect the camera, lenses, filters, and even laptop computers (iPad for the Bologne, and 13-inch computer for the Arles). Pouches have been added for the storage of SD cards and USDB sticks.
The interior dividing pouches optimize storage, and several dividers are delivered with the bag. On the outside of the bags, a front pocket as well as two side pockets allow you to keep all necessary items at your fingertips. On the back of the Arles bag, there are gusseted pockets to store filters, pens and other small objects.
Our range of photography accessories consist of the Clic strap which is equipped with a shoulder pad to even out the weight of the bag, as well as the Prades leather pouch, which allows you to store a camera without lense or with flat lense that you can slide into our Arles bag or any other Bleu de Chauffe bag. At the back of this pouch, there are two rings so that it can be easily worn with the strap from the Arles bag.
The Rencontre de la photographie d’Arles (Arles Photography Festival)
The name of our biggest camera bag, Arles, is an homage to the Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles. This summer photography festival has taken place annually in this splendid city in the south of France since 1970 where photographers from all over the world display their work each summer in a number of historic sites around the city.
It is a major event for photography lovers.
Our camera bags, like all our Bleu de Chauffe bags, are produced in our workshop in Averyon, in France, with vegetable tanned leathers from the bests European tanneries. Each and every bag is dated and signed by the craftsperson who made it. Every bag is a unique, as are your photos.