Ona Bags - A 5+ Year Review

In the photography world, there are thousands of options for carrying your gear. Most solutions unfortunately are rather garish and drab, commonly made of cheap nylon with plastic hardware and clasps. Many are over-engineered, with unnecessary zippers, hard-to-access pockets, and useless extra features. There is a brand, however, that has risen above the noise, and created a bag so simple, that it’s practically perfect.

Established in 2010, ONA is a purveyor of fine bags that focuses on handcrafting leather and canvas camera bags for creative entrepreneurs and photographers. The company's founder and designer Tracy Foster recalls a trip to South Africa in 2008, during which she traveled with a camera, and intentions to capture her trip in photos. During her trip, she became dissatisfied with her camera bag. “I was carrying a very boring, ballistic nylon camera bag. I felt very strongly that there should be a more stylish option,” said Foster.

Upon returning home, Tracy Foster researched materials, came up with designs and established a working relationship with a family-owned factory in the Dominican Republic. Something I love about ONA is that they're transparent about their production process, and even have a full page on their website dedicated to showcasing the handmade process that goes into making each bag. You can tell how much care goes into every bag by how beautiful and durable they are, I’ve owned mine for over 5 years now.

ONA’s dedication to craftsmanship isn’t the only thing I value about them. It’s clear that they believe photos can tell powerful stories that help make a difference in the world, and they put this into action by partnering with photography-oriented nonprofits like Charity Water and 100 Cameras. These are both charities I’ve supported in the past, and I continue to support Charity: water with every print order placed through my lab partner, Musea. I enjoy knowing that we hold similar values and share a commitment to bettering our world through our business practices.

Around the World and Back - The Bowery

My bag of choice for traveling is the ONA Bowery bag. This bag has accompanied me on every single trip I’ve taken over the years. From the smallest day trip to Duluth, Minnesota, to week-long trips to France and the Dominican Republic, this bag has been by my side through it all. It serves as a camera bag, but also as an everyday carry bag before a day of adventures. The extra pouches around the bag give me space to pack essentials, like film, a light meter, and snacks. A large pouch in the back gives me space for a notebook, a book, or simply things I’ve picked up during the day like gallery maps or museum brochures. Every pouch feels secure, and I’ve never had anything fall out of them on my travels.

One of my favorite memories with my ONA Bowery bag was from a trip to Paris. I had just finished a day at the Louvre, and it began downpouring during my walk back to the apartment in the 7th arrondissement. Despite the heavy rainfall, my Rolleiflex and film made it back undamaged, protected by the water-resistant waxed canvas and side weather flaps that are designed into the lid of the bag. The next day, the bag and my camera were fully prepared for another day of walking around the city.

A quick travel tip - the small size of this bag makes it very easy to pack. I’ll typically leave room in a larger carry-on backpack and treat this bag like an insert, removing the strap and placing it into the back pouch on the Bowery. This functions to compress everything into a single bag, so when I reach my destination, I can remove the Bowery bag and leave the larger backpack in my Airbnb.

The bag is padded on the bottoms and sides and is made to protect a single camera inside. It’s also possible to have a little extra space for another lens & accessories, depending on the size of your camera kit. As an example, here are some common carry setups I’ve used in the past.

The ONA Bowery Bag packed with a Rolleiflex E2, Kodak 120mm film, Sekonic Light Meter, Sunglass, and Battery Pack.

The ONA Bowery Bag packed with a Nissin i60 flash, and Canon 5D Mark IV with a 40mm pancake lens.

The ONA Bowery Bag with a Canon 5D Mark IV and my largest lens, the Sigma 135mm f/2.

I love the hardware. The solid brass clasp on the front feels secure but is super fast to open. There are no extra flaps or zippers that get between you and your camera. Even after 5+ years of use, my bag still feels sturdy and the patina it has accumulated is beautiful. This is also the primary difference you will see between a genuine ONA bag and an imitator (the hardware will feel much cheaper and brittle compared to ONA’s hardware). Being made of all brass, sound can sometimes be an issue if the buckle is left loose/unclipped when shooting something like an event or wedding. In those particular cases, I simply remove the buckle and temporarily place it in a pouch, or leave it clipped and secured as much as possible.

From its perfect size for daily adventures to its luxury materials and hardware, the ONA Bowery Camera Bag has made the perfect travel companion over the last 5 years and will continue to be my pick for the best travel camera bag for photographers.

The Workhorse - The Union Street

My bag of choice for professional photography is ONA’s Union Street, a 15” laptop messenger bag that ONA unfortunately no longer manufactures, but that can still be found through photo supply retailers. It uses the same premium waxed canvas and hardware as smaller ONA bags, and time and use have proven that this bag is equally as durable, it’s been by my side for every wedding I’ve shot since late 2017.

I love that the design of the Union Street mimics the Bowery, featuring the same style of front clasps, side pouches, and a flat hidden front pouch. Other than the increased size, the only design differences are an interior laptop divider, a zipper on the front pouch, and some added leather detailing in the form of a top handle, some memory cardholders, and bottom protector for added durability.

Being able to fit my 15” Macbook Pro means that this bag serves as the perfect carry-on bag for when I’m flying to destination weddings or engagement shoots. The bag has always fit comfortably under the seat in front of me, and having easy access to my laptop allows me to save time by answering emails or editing on the plane ride.

When shooting weddings, I typically carry 3-4 lenses and a camera body in my Union Street bag. Those lenses are typically 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. The fourth lens varies but is usually 24-35mm or 135mm. Having space to accommodate all these lenses, and keeping them in close reach, means that I’m always ready to execute a creative shot, even if I need to change a lens beforehand. Similar to the Bowery, there are no additional zippers or velcro to get in the way when opening the bag up, allowing for quick and discrete lens swaps.

Having stood the test of both time and professional use for the last 3 years, the ONA Union Street, and similar ONA Messenger bags, are my recommendation for any professional photographer looking for a stylish, and perhaps perfect, camera bag.