Tenba 638-341 Messenger Camera Bag (Black) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I guess there is no single bag that meets everyone's needs and all the major manufacturers have features the others lack. Its the same with this Tenba Messenger bag. First, the good. Its light. Current pro digital SLRs are simply too heavy (I've seen guys doing "street shooting" using roll around bags!) so shaving a pound off the bag weight is terrific. Next, the reason I bought the bag--it opens at the top! Eureka. After you've had to use 2 or 3 hands to mess with clips or even set your bag down to open or close it, you realize the easiest & quickest way to open a camera bag (or a box of corn flakes) is from the top. While this bag doesn't have the superior, double zipper arrangement that really gives unlimited access, having just a slit does help conceal what's in the bag. Of course, once you pull out your 5D with giant white L lens, people will probably guess the bag is not full of old socks.

Now for the less good. Remember that great top access? The top flap has no rigidity at all. So, when the bag is on your shoulder and you tug on the zipper, its like trying to zip a jacket that's crumpled up. You have to straighten the two sides of the top flap, so now we're back to needing 2 hands. That's still better than having a bag with clips on the bottom but there's another hitch. Even with everything zipped and latched there's a lot of clearance between the top flap and the interior of the bag. In other words, for small lenses, you don't even need the top zipper; you can reach under the sides of the top flap even when its "closed". So not a bag for wet weather.

This is just my personal taste but the type of shoulder pad Tenba uses on this bag is like an SUV. Big enough to call attention to itself yet not very comfortable. True, it does not slip but it tugs. My preference is the suede pads used on the better Tamrac bags, which miraculously don't slip yet are super comfortable. But that's personal taste and I can just clip on a Tamrac strap. Lastly--and this shows Tenba really does listen--this bag has the usual enormous strip of Velcro but it also has a fold-down flap to cover the Velcro so you don't announce yourself every time you need to take a photo.

All taken into account, on a dry day, with the top flap unzipped, and for just over $100, its a nice bag but (my opinion) not as well thought out as other Tenba bags.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I subjected my new Tenba large Messenger camera bag to an admittedly severe test in France the past three weeks. I carried a Canon 5D2, a 70-200 zoom and four small primes all over Normandy and Brittany. Through airports I added my small laptop and a mesh bag of chargers, cards, card reader and other assorted stuff. So, the bag was admittedly rather heavy.

First of all, I really like this bag. It carries well, at least in part because of the well-padded strap. I am under no illusion that it does not look like a camera bag. Fully loaded, it couldn't be anything else. I do like the upper zipper access to the bag, allowing quick access to my camera with current choice of lens. I even did lens changes through the upper zipper. The bag accommodated my 70-200 zoom, even with the hood attached. In rainy weather, I kept a folded Velcro wrap between the lid and the contents. A user would do well to keep a plastic sheet to put over the entire bag in a downpour.

I carried it in very crowded cities and had some concern that a skilled pickpocket could access my lenses through the gap in the top on each side of the bag. I have heard other users say a zipper closure might be helpful in such situations.

In general, whatever one carries in the bag, whether body, lenses or small laptop is easily accessible, which is what I wanted.

I have one concern. After a few days of carrying the bag, I noticed tiny metal bits around the attachment points for the strap clips. On closer inspection, I see fairly deep cuts in the rounded portions of the strap clips. If I were a pro, carrying this bag often with this kind of weight to press conferences or to weddings, it looks as if I could expect one of these clips to snap eventually, dumping my gear in the floor.

Tenba should consider a fix for this. The triangular attachment points are super hard metal, just as the advertising material claims. However, the edges have very sharp angular corners. These are rough on the clips, which are made of an obviously softer metal. I suggest rounding off the attachment fixture edges and/or using a harder metal on the clips.

Again, I love this bag. Tenba obviously consulted working photographers when they designed it.

Best Deals for Tenba 638-341 Messenger Camera Bag (Black)

I really like the Tenba Medium camera bag. My only complaint is that it is a little big for overhead plane compartments. Other then that it held 3 lens and the camera wit a long lens attached plus a host of other odds and ends.

Honest reviews on Tenba 638-341 Messenger Camera Bag (Black)

I was reluctant to buy it because of its size. It looks smaller in black, and it holds as much as they say it could.It also has a hand held strap that can be attached if needed.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Tenba 638-341 Messenger Camera Bag (Black)

When the bag arrived, my first thought was 'omg it's huge' for a girl. Very roomy with lots of compartments for accessories and personal items. Could fit in my 12.1" laptop as well. Material felt a bit thin but I guess that's what made it light. Removable padded compartments allowed me to use it w other large bags. Overall good but may be more suitable for men and pros. Hope to see more camera bags designed for women.