Tenba Messenger DNA 8 Camera and iPad Mini Bag - Cobalt (638-423)

Tenba DNA Messenger 15I absolutely love camera bags, as you can tell with the other camera bag reviews on The Brotographer. Most amateur and hobbyist photographers typically purchase one bag, which lasts them for years. I, however, love using different bags for different purposes.When I say “camera bag”, I typically mean any type of bag, backpack, or case that can carry a camera or related gear. I have had the pleasure of owning several bags in my time as a photographer, and I have enjoyed a lot of them, and downright disliked some of them. While I must say that I do in fact think that my opinion is pretty well thought out on these matters, I must say that some bags which I think are do not work for me, may work for others, and visa versa.The bag which I am reviewing today is the Tenba DNA Messenger 15. I was looking for a bag that could function as both my daily carry bag for my Macbook Pro Retina 15 inch, and also a location bag for a my 5D Mark III, and a few lenses. To be honest, the main reason for buying this bag was for the daily carry aspect of it. I was sick of messenger bags, from reputable companies, falling apart after mild use for about a year or possibly less. I needed a bag that wasn’t going to have the handle rip off, like my previous bag. One that securely held my precious, extremely expensive, Macbook Pro. It needed to be a bag that felt comfortable on my shoulder. It also needed to be a bag that I could use on a shoot if need be. After a ton of research, I opted for the Tenba DNA Messenger 15.First ImpressionsThe Tenba DNA 15 surprised me when I first took it out of the box. It just looked clean and made of high quality materials. I really liked the grey color, as it had a bit of “heather” to it. The front latches have an awesome design, where they magnetically snap to the bag, and require you to slide them off. This design makes it so that you can’t bump it loose. The flap that needs to open to expose your gear is also held in place with some nice Velcro. It seems, that after several months of owning the bag, the Velcro has become just a tiny bit less sticky, but the aforementioned latches really help with that, and I really don’t have any complaints about the latches or flap. Continuing with the outside of the bag, let’s talk about the pockets. The front flap has two pockets, which you can’t fit much in. I have found that I like to use the large back pocket for little knickknacks, usb drives, pens, and other things, even though it is quite large and could hold more. The back of the bag also has a Velcro enclosed strap, which lets you strap this bag to the top of your roller luggage. The bottom of the bag is very durable, and I believe is extremely water resistant. The strap is also pretty comfortable. It also has a little clip that allows you to snap it around your back (think Black Rapid Sport strap), which makes walking around when you know you won’t be using it even more comfortable. The Tenba DNA 15 also comes with a rain cover, which is a nice feature.Inside The Bag (without camera insert)Let’s move into the inside of the bag. Let’s assume that you have the camera insert taken out. My 15 inch Macbook Pro fits great in the laptop compartment. I was hoping that my Wacom Intuos Pro small would fit into the tablet compartment, but alas, it sticks out too far, and won’t work in that pocket. The inside also has two little pockets, which I usually keep several SSD’s in. The most versatile pocket on the inside of the bag is a zippered pocket that is extremely deep, and can be a catch all for a ton of gear. Even with all this in the bag, the main compartment still has enough room for several notebooks, a tablet, or a bunch of other items. It’s roomy.Inside The Bag (with camera insert)With the camera insert set into the bag, it gets much less roomy for extra notebooks and such. You can still fit several SSD’s and other gear into the bag though, as well as the laptop still. The camera insert, compared to others I’ve used, seems to be one that is of really high quality construction. It has a nice, rigid, boxed construction that gives instant structure to the bag. The outside of the insert is coated with some type of vinyl material (think of a super heavy windbreaker) which makes sliding the insert in and out of the messenger bag a breeze. An added touch on the outside of the insert is four pockets, two on the front, and one on either end. Since you’re losing a little space inside the bag, these really help get some of it back. The insert is deep. Think 5D Mark III with a 70-200 2.8 deep. That is super nice. It comes with two full height dividers that also fold down a bit at the top, and a few Velcro dividers that go up about 80% of the height. It took be a while to realize, but the two shorter dividers allow me to fold the full length dividers over a bit to the left and right, and I can have an easily accessible camera with lens on it. The folding over of the center flaps catches the camera, and even if you had a short 50mm lens attached, the camera would sit right at the top of the bag, which is super nice. In addition to the center camera with 70-200 attached, the other two spacious areas are more than large enough to hold at least two more moderately sized lenses, like a 50mm f1.2L, and a 135 f2L , as well as a flash and a few small accessories.The Best PartThis may seem a bit strange, but after all these great things about this messenger, I’ve saved the best for last. First is the zippers. The YKK “looped” are a pleasure to open and close. They glide smoothly and never catch. The best part of this bag, however, and the one thing that makes it jump from a good bag, to a great bag, is the top zipper. Even with the front flap closed, Velcro sealed, and latches in place, you can still unzip the very top of the bag (technically the outer flap) and access your camera. This can be done without opening the bag the traditional way. Without this zipper it would still be a great bag. Seriously though, with it, it becomes amazing. Great design idea from Tenba.ConclusionWhile I usually only review bags that I like at least moderately, I truly enjoy using this bag. It’s on my shoulder at least 5 times per week, and I just plain trust it. And whenever I want a more casual outing and just want some to take gear with me without bringing my Hold Fast Money Maker or larger backpack, this is the bag I use. While this review might already have you sold, you may need to consider that the Tenba DNA 15 comes with a price tag of around $160. In my mind though, it’s totally worth it, but for you it may not be. They do make a few smaller versions if you own a 13 inch laptop or even 11 inch tablet, and don’t want the extra room for tons of gear, and those bags are cheaper. It was absolutely worth it for me though, and I highly recommend it to you.

After using for a few months on a daily basis, I can confidently express my views:Use case:My 9 year old outbound messenger bag broke at the strap hinges, it was time to change.As luck would have it, PeakDesign's new Messenger type bag was up on Kickstarter.I liked it very much, one can tell the design was well though out but just couldn't get over the price. For that kind of price, one would expect lifetime warranty as does Timbuk2I wasn't the only one, several photographers pointed out Tenba as a more pragmatic choice. Did my own research and decided on the Tenba DNA 15.Again, price was a problem. It was a little too close to Peak Design's bag and didn't have the improved features (catch, strap, mount points etc).It was only at sale price that I decided to try the DNA 13, taking comfort in the fact that it will be thinner and less obtrusive.The DNA 15 never went on sale.Look:Good:-It doesn't scream out as a photo gear bag. Subdued colors allow it to blend well with whatever environment it goes.Bad:-Hand carry handle could be more rounded to be more organic looking but keep the same width. Better ergonomics tooFeel:Good:-Repels dirt and water somewhat - helps to keep clean, still feels new and clean after months of travelling on buses and trains.-Doesn't warm up significantly when pressed against jeans-Strap is smooth enough through the shoulder pad when adjusting the bag from back to front - attributed to similar material used for seat beltsBad:If the magnetic clasps straps are extended, they tend to swing and hit the bottom of the bag. The sound produced does annoy somewhat, imagine tapping your table with your fingers as if playing a piano, constantly with every step you take.Function:Good:-YKK zips have the same consistent no-jam performance. A little dry, just wax or spray silicone grease.- Bag bottom is some kind of vinyl waterproofing materials. Keeps dry n repels dirt readily. Mud n grime is easily wiped off.- Swivelling hinge straps , standard for today's designs- Magnetic clasps work as advertised - attach on easily, single hand though it takes a while to practise clasping without looking- Doesn't feel too bulky yet allows for expansion to hold something as big as a flask. PD's bag expansion design is a little better here.- Insert is pretty standard. Nothing outstanding or bad. May be a little soft (bends a little)Bad:- Top spine of the frame bends, a major issue:This is probably my biggest gripe. After about 1.5 months, the bag bends when you carrying it by your waist. This is when it has some weight in it, say a laptop.The problem is either design it to pull the frame straight when loaded or have a reinforcement pad or even better, bar across the entire top area of the bag.I believe PD saw this and did it right.Messenger bags shift a lot, from waist side to back to front. Over time, it spends a lot of time wrapping around the waist. Eventually, that's just going to bend.A good example is, the free laptop bag you get when you buy an Asus laptop, it has gone through several iterations over the last 7-8 years.The best is probably the ones from 2-3 years ago when they had metal round clasps with free hinges before they cheapened it. Look a the location of the hinge.- Velcros are really loud.Roughly the same as tentage equipment- Hinges squeakEven my free Asus laptop bag doesn't do that. Spray silicone grease. And no, this bag has never gone through rain.- Clasps come off vertically somehowMy wife manages to pluck the clasps off rather easily. I can't seem to do it. Granted, her motion is a lift off perpendicular to the surface. Most motion is downwards and in this case, downwards tugging never disengages the clasps. That said, the clasps have never been shaken loose. In fact, they are rather redundant as the velcros are pretty tight- Shoulder pad - Thinner yet more rigid than Timbuk2's. The plushness just aint there. Usable but get TB2 if u need a replacement- WearThe luggage strap at the back has worned out a little at the edges. It is made of the same seat belt like material but some fraying has occurred. Granted, this is the part where it rubs against your waist the most. It should be redesigned with more hardened padding.- The external side pouches with the mesh are compressed easily.This makes it hard to take out a phone. I put a stiff pad inside to stretch the mesh and it doesn't make the bag any thickerLet's look at the inner part:- Open Pouches, one of the biggest issue - If you run and the bag is jangling, there is a good chance items in the open pouches will jump out and clatter to the pavement. I have had a torch, iPhone 5 and keys drop out. Surprisingly, the pens stay in place. Either carry by the handle or hold it down n run. Look at the other brands - either a simple flap or zippered pouches will go a long way. I tried shaking the bag to test. The pouches on the outside but covered by flap tends to drop more than the inside ones.- Compartments are too small, another major issue> Laptop compartment - I think they designed it for the Macbook Air 13 and nothing else. My Asus 13" and Dell Inspiron simply doesn't fit. It's just too thick. I suppose it might fit with a little force but the padding's going to tear after a few times. So yea, the irony is get a DNA 15 to cover 13"", cos this DNA 13 fits an Alienware 11". There's no need to make it fit so snugly.> iPad compartment - Again, designed for just the iPad alone - WITHOUT COVER. Air 1 and iPad 2 both won't fit. Seriously, I wonder at the lack of wiggle room- Compartment straps - With the space so tightly defined, this becomes redundant. It's quite tight enough really. Here's a tip, add a velcro pad to the inner cover just above this compartment strap. It allows you to hold the strap up while you take out your iPad. It's a tad annoying to press your hand against the strap to keep it up as you lift out your device.- Inner pouches are a little too soft. I supposed this was to make it easier to compress when the insert is inside. However, a little rigidity would help in fishing out small items at the bottom of the pouch- Rain flaps feels incompleteJust two pieces of cloth sewed together. Just a little more effort here would be great. The least have a little fold back underneath to make it seamless and cover the exposed stitches n seam.Conclusion:Tenba needs to reduce the price to be competitive. The bags are not bad, it's just that there are more choices now.Last i checked, DNA 15 has no insert sold separately. DNA 13's insert is priceyIf I lost my bag today, i'd still get a DNA 13 at sale price. It is flawed but still usable and a reasonable price makes it more acceptable.Anything above that, I'll go Timbuk2 with bag inserts

This is a good bag. It's well made and will hold quite a lot of equipment. I use it as a main bag for my mirrorless gear and decant the equipment I need for a day shooting into a smaller bag. It has plenty of pockets, although most of them are quite slim and don't expand, so you can't store bulky items in them. Only the side pockets at either end are large enough to take lens hoods, filterholders etc. everything else of size has to go inside.The strap is okay, but the shoulder pad is a bit crude. Fortunately you can unclip it and substitute something better. It's a pity bag manufacturers don't pay more attention to this very important aspect of a bag that will be heavy at times when full of equipment. I have a couple of Op-Tech S.O.S. straps I use with most of my bags and they are really great, very comfortable, but I don't see why Tenba themseves couldn't come up with something similar and just as effective.My biggest criticism is with the fidlock clips that secure the main flap; they slide off their seating far too easily. The flap is still held pretty firmly by the "silent" velcro material (which actually can be lifted very quietly), but I wish it had simpler, more sturdy clips; like the slip on/squeeze off fastenings that many other bag manufacturer's use. Overall it's a good bag but, like most camera bags in my experience, there's room for improvement. Bag manufacturers often boast that they are also photographers themselves, but I often wonder at that considering the compromises and basic errors that are so often incorporated in camera bag design.

I'll start by advising I shoot with a micro four thirds system so my gear is a lot smaller than a standard SLR kit. So the sizing reference and space is geared only to that.Practicality :I can fit pretty much all my kit in this bag if I wanted to, as the specification states its in two compartments and you can choose either one to store your gear in, or both if you have a suitable insert (I use a vanguard 27 divider), but even with my gear being MFT it gets pretty heavy if fully loaded.It fits the Olly holy trinity no problems, or the 40-150 2.8 and 24-100 2.8 with a few primes. This is with the EM5 MKII and battery grid, loads of space in the front pocket and I can put my surface 4 pro in no issues. The top compartment can hold a fair amount as well, easily fit a jumper or thin rain coat, lunch, water etc.Build Quality :The bag feels well made, stitching is nice and the straps are comfy, I've not given it a full water proofing test yet but don't doubt its claims, i like the magnetic clip on it however it has nipped me a few times as it really does snap shut with the magnets! The roll top is very hand and if you where to use the full capacity you could hold a good sized jacket and other bits. Like many others id love this bag more if the tripod clips where on the bottom if only for bag balance.Seller :I wouldn't recommend buying this from amazon. I did and they sent a second hand bag that had the internal insert missing, the bag smelled, was stained had no packaging or labels....I returned. I bought this from another retailer and got a brand new one. Wont post a bad review against a product if the seller is a turd, the bag is great... amazon not so much.Final Word :Have had some good days out with this bag, its the only bag I've found that does better than the much cheaper Lowepro Tahoe 150. That bag is immense for a day out, but this has taken over as my favourite.

I've tried a lot of bags in the high street local to me, such as LowePro's ProTactic and Nova AW ranges and whilst they were OK functionality wise, they never did anything for me for looks. Yes the all black design was certainly stealthy and inconspicuous to your average person, the Tenba range just popped for me when browsing online.I bought the bag purely based on the good reviews on Amazon and from people saying what they could fit in their bags and also managed to get the DNA 8 in Copper at a bargain price at the time. I had concerns that the small dimensions of the DNA 8 might not fit some of my ultrawides and zoom lenses that my Sony A6000 currently uses, but they all fit absolutely fine.Below is a list of what is currently in the bag for when I go on trips.- Sony A6000 with shoulder strap- Sony SELP1650 (Kit Lens)- Sony SEL55210- Helios 44-2 with M42 Adapter attached- Samyang 12mm F2- Intervalometer- 4 AAA Batteries- 3 Camera Batteries- 67mm ND1000 filter- 40.5mm UV + Polarising filters- Water bottle (outside pouch)With all of this inside, there is still room for a phone, small tablet and other small items.Some Pro's of the bag:- Top zip flap is exceptionally useful, can just quickly reach in and get the camera without having to undo the flap- Silent velcro is silent once you get used to how it works- Magnetic clasps are brilliantly easy to use- Very light- Quality materials used throughout, the bottom of the bag is made of a very durable material that is so far yet to be scratched or marked, yet keeps water out and is also very easy to clean- Copper colour is beautiful. Makes it stand out from a crowd of black bags without making it obvious that it has camera gear inside- Bag construction seems to be very high quality- Shoulder strap is made of good quality material- Inside padding is very soft and the dividers can be arranged to whatever configuration you would like- High quality internal and external zips give me good confidence whenever I use them- Rain cover easy to use and also of suitably good qualitySome Con's of the bag:- Shoulder strap could use a little more padding. It does have a non slip material in the key place so it won't slip everywhere, but a little padding would help on long days when the bag is fullAbsolutely love this bag, and can't see me changing it anytime in the near future. Perhaps might get the next size bigger if I ever move up to the A7 size camera's and lenses.

This is my second Tenba messenger camera bag, I was very happy with the old one but the material on the back of that design was a magnet for stray Velcro hooks, and had become very tatty as a result. The DNA 11 does not have this problem. I use it as a Flight carry on bag and throughout my holidays. Inside I have, DSLR, with one lense, a flash (Nikon speedflash), a compact super zoom camera, an iPad Air together with spare batteries, len cleaners (LensPen), and dust blower. These easily fit and a held in place with the adjustable dividers. Everything can be accessed by opening the flap at the front (which really does have silent Velcro)! And there is also quick access to the camera and iPad using the alternative access zipper on the top. At the rear is another zipped pocket ideal for all travel docments and a Kindle. In the front a zippered pocket for my iPhone.On a plane, it is ideal as it will fit under the seat, so no struggle to find space in the overhead lockers.It exudes quality, looks good and is very well made.

I LOVE this bag. I first ordered the DNA 13 because I was scared the DNA 15 would drown me (I'm 5ft 3). But the DNA 13 was too small for all of my equipment. I exchanged it for the DNA 15 and haven't looked back. I can fit all of my equipment and more in it, and whilst the bag does look big on me, it doesn't look as ridiculous as i thought. Besides, it's comfy and well made and I feel safe carrying all of my equipment in it.With the DNA 15 I can fit:Sony A7sSony A6300Sigma 24-105 F4Nikon 50mmSigma 30mm F1.4Canon 70-200 F4X3 Zoom H1sX3 Lav MicsRode Video Mic ProX10 BatteriesX2 82mm ND FiltersStep up ringsEdelkrone SliderOne...and then of course all of the little bits and bobs like SD Cards and cleaning cloths