I already had a number of small camera bags, most either manufactured by Tamrac or Lowepro. I didn't really need another bag, but since this item was available at Warehouse Deals at a substantial discount, I decided to buy my first Tenba bag.
A triangular shaped holster just screams "I'm carrying a DSLR!", so the more generic rectangular shape of the Tenba MIXX Top Load was a positive, although it still looks like a camera bag. I would have preferred all black for a lower profile, but the black/orange color scheme was what was available. I was generally impressed by Tenba's build quality and workmanship, and find them on par with Lowepro and Tamrac.
The bag has a sturdy nylon belt loop located near the top of the case, where it provides good stability. There is a layer of nylon mesh on the back side, to help with heat dissipation. In the front there is a large zippered compartment, which contains an internal zippered compartment, and two small pockets suitable for memory cards, batteries, or other small items. The included rain cover can be stored here, or inside the bag to give you a little more room. On each of the bag's side panels, there is a small pocket made of neoprene. Although Tenba claims that you can securely store items like a cell phone here, I would not place anything valuable in these pockets, as items can easily slide out. The adjustable shoulder strap has easily operable metal clips, and metal swivel fittings. The attachment fittings on the bag are plastic, but at least they are thick walled, and not likely to break easily.
The case has a decent amount of padding surrounding the main compartment. With approximate interior dimensions of 4.5"x7"x7.5"D, the bag can comfortably accommodate a DSLR with a mid-sized lens up to about 5" with a 77mm filter. Because of the rectangular shape, there is enough room at the bottom of the bag for a smaller DSLR, like a Canon Rebel XSi, to be inserted into the case backwards, with the lens facing the top. It's a tight fit in this position, but there is enough room to pack in a stiff sling type strap, like those by Black Rapid. Unfortunately, this bag is too small to do this same maneuver with the larger EOS 7D. Finding a small bag with enough space to accommodate an R-Strap can be tricky, as these bulky straps take up a lot of space.
This bag is very roomy for carrying a single DSLR with a conventional strap. It even accommodates my Rebel XSi with a battery grip attached. Still, it definitely has practical limitations. Using the Rebel, I found that in certain configurations, there is enough space to carry a spare lens, however the lens mounted on the camera, probably can't exceed 3 inches. If your lens is 2 inches or less, you should be able to squeeze the Rebel and a flash unit into the bag. You can try various configurations and combinations, but if you intend to carry more gear, this should not be your primary camera bag, and you might want to consider Tenba's larger version of this bag (Tenba 638-645 Mixx Large Top Load (Black/Orange)).
There is a zippered pocket made of opaque plastic with a mesh overlay, on the bottom of the lid. There is a cloth tab over the zipper tab to prevent it from scraping your camera. If you store the rain cover at the bottom of the main compartment, it provides a little more padding in a crucial area, and frees space in the front pocket.
Typical for most camera bags, being confident that the Tenba MIXX Top Load will meet your needs, could be tough. I searched YouTube prior to buying, but found no user reviews. If you are unable to actually see and touch this bag, hopefully some of what I have discussed will be of some help. My findings are based on Canon gear, so your results may vary. A very well-made bag, the current price of $23 is not excessive for this kind quality.
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A great small bag, shame they changed it, very good for shooting in crowds. The rain condom is a bit bulky,
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Bought this for Canon Rebel XS. It is the perfect size for carrying the camera with the standard lens and a couple accessories. Good quality and the price is right.
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My requirements for this bag are simple. The Sony 717 has to fit in it. It has to be light and reasonably protective. My wife must not hate it. This bag fits the bill.
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The Nikon D3100 fits perfectly with the lens that comes on the camera. I also carry a polarized lens and some extra memory and an extra battery in the bag. The bag is perfect, not too big to carry and everything fits. Highly recommend this for traveling. This is the only bag I toted all over Ireland.
