{"id":5848,"date":"2012-02-21T04:00:11","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T12:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=5848"},"modified":"2012-02-17T14:07:51","modified_gmt":"2012-02-17T22:07:51","slug":"bag-review-the-stylish-ona-union-street-camera-bag-for-street-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2012\/02\/21\/bag-review-the-stylish-ona-union-street-camera-bag-for-street-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Bag Review: The Stylish ONA Union Street Camera Bag for Street Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For those who are looking for a stylish, sleek, and functional messenger bag for street photography – check out the new ONA Union Street Bag<\/a>. ONA sent me a bag to review, and after thorough testing (took it all over India) here is my review\/overall impressions of this bag. Keep reading more if you are interested in making an investment into a\u00c2\u00a0fashionable\u00c2\u00a0and durable bag that will last you a long time!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Introduction:<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Variety of colors for the ONA Union Street Bags<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For starters, this bag isn’t cheap. Retailing at $279 ONA are targeting the more higher-end bag market (competing with Billingham<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0whose bags go for over $350).<\/p>\n

However my philosophy with buying things is buying things high-quality (that last a long time) is a better investment than buying multiple cheap bags (that wear out over time). When holding the bag, it oozes quality – from the solidly-stitched edges, to the antique-looking buckles, and durable leather attachments.<\/p>\n

The unique part of the ONA bags are that they are made out of a fine cotton canvas that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been infused with wax to enhance its strength and durability. Not only that, but the bag is also waterproof\/weatherproof – I have had it through small downpours and it has kept my camera gear dry inside. However you probably don’t want to submerge it into water (fully).<\/p>\n

The Exterior<\/h2>\n

The ONA Union Street Bag is a gorgeous bag. It is very fashionable, sleek, and as Engadget said, “Downright drool worthy”. For those of you who want a fashionable camera bag (that doesn’t look like a camera bag) to help you blend on the street- look no further.<\/p>\n

For my review I got a “Ranger Tan<\/a>” version (which looks very nice). They also come in a “Smoke<\/a>” and “Black<\/a>” variety.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The Interior<\/h2>\n

I was blown away by the quality of the padding inside the ONA bag. It is comprable to the Billingham bag, as the inserts are very thick, fluffy, and well-padded (to keep your precious camera gear protected). The bag also comes with 5 removeable and customizable dividers (to modify your bag in a configuration you like).<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The front pocket<\/h2>\n

The front pocket is a bit on the small side, but has handy compartments to put in your memory cards, pens, film, passport, cell phone, batteries, or whatever. I try not to put too many things in the front pocket (as it bulges out and looks strange).<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The Laptop Compartment<\/h2>\n

The great thing about this camera bag is that it has a very well-padded slot with enough space for a 15” laptop. It is difficult nowadays to find a camera bag on the market that has a slot for a laptop – and is essential to me (as I am always traveling, blogging, and need my computer on me most times). If you need more space, you can also entirely remove the laptop sleeve (a nice idea). If you don’t like lugging around a laptop with you, you can always put in an iPad or extra papers.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

What fits?<\/h2>\n

I can shove in a lot of stuff into the ONA Union Street Bag. Pictured below is some things I typically carry with me when I am out traveling. It all fits inside (although a bit snug).<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

Side pockets<\/h2>\n

The bag also comes with side-pockets where you can put in little things (or a water bottle). However if the inside compartments are full, the side pockets are very tight. I didn’t find myself using these side pockets very much (as my bag is always stuffed) but they are nice to have just in-case.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

Front Buckles<\/h2>\n

The buckles that come with the ONA Union Street Bag are well-crafted and\u00c2\u00a0functional. They click in and out very easily, and are adjustable with little holes drilled in. The great thing I am realizing about ONA’s bags are that they always pay attention to detail.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

Side buckle<\/h2>\n

The buckles are secured very well to the bag, with a nice [ONA] logo embossed on the side of the leather. No worries of the bag falling off your shoulder.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The shoulder pad<\/h2>\n

I feel that one of the most important things in camera messenger bags is the shoulder pad. After all, the majority of the weight will be held on your shoulder – so you need a pad that doesn’t slip, is comfortable, and durable.<\/p>\n

The quality of the shoulder strap is top-notch, and well-stitched as well. It wasn’t too thick nor too thin– enough to carry the weight on my shoulders.<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The back pocket<\/h2>\n

One nice deatails is there is another back pocket to carry papers or an iPad. A bit too tight of a squeeze for a laptop (surprisingly my 13” MacBook Air fits). The back flap also stays closed with a small magnet (another nice touch).<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

The Handle<\/h2>\n

My only gripe about this bag is when you overload it with stuff, the center of gravity of the bag is tilted a bit to the side. The bag was obviously engineered this way to withstand excessive weight (if it were attached to the top cover it would be less stable).<\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ONA<\/a><\/p>\n

Overall impressions<\/h2>\n

Overall I have found the ONA Union Street Camera bag<\/a> a fantastic bag for street photography. It succeeds in the looks department- which makes it look far more casual and stylish when on the streets. Not only that, but the padding inside is very thick – which will hug your camera equipment and prevent it from getting damaged. Another huge plus is the wax-infused leather – which makes it incredibly durable and rain\/weather-proof.<\/p>\n

If you are looking to make an investment and looks, protection, and versatility are important to you I would definitely recommend this bag. I wouldn’t recommend this bag if you are on a tight budget, have an excessive amount of gear to lug around, or already have a billion camera bags in your closet.<\/p>\n

Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n