REVIEWS - Artisan & Artist GCAM 1100 Elliot's Everyday Camera Bag

OVERVIEW

For short afternoon outings, all I need is a small compact bag to carry and protect the Leica M and a couple lenses, so I purchased an Artisan & Artist GCAM 1100 “Elliot’s Everyday Bag”. The GCAM was released after the ACAM 1100; in terms of size and features these bags are identical. The only difference being the outer material, GCAM 1100 = Leather and ACAM 1100 = Canvas.

BUILD QUALITY

The GCAM-1100‘s top, front and left & right sides are leather. The back and underside are a textured nylon material. The nylon back side is a good choice because it rubs smoothly against my shirt and pants. The leather is very soft and supple. Under normal use it seems durable enough, but I would avoid dragging across a rough surface.

The inside is lined in nylon and the padded inserts are removable. The first insert is the floor, the second is a rectangle for the perimeter, and the third set is two dividers. The inserts are about a 1/2-inch thick. The foam is a soft “memory foam”, covered with a soft cotton red fabric. The inserts are excellent quality and my favorite aspect of the A&A’s bags.

The main compartment has enough space for a Leica M with a lens plus one or two extra lenses (two lenses if willing to stack lenses with OP/TECH's Double Lens Cap). On the back of there is pouch for maps, passports, etc. On the front there is a zippered compartment. Inside the compartment there is another pocket for cables or other small items, and another zippered pocket as well. The front sections are good for filters, cables, wallet, cell phone, etc.

CONCLUSION

I like the look and it is a practical bag for an afternoon outing with a Leica M and a couple of lenses. If traveling for a couple days, the Elliot could be too small, especially if planning to carry more than two lenses. If traveling with two or three lenses plus accessories, I prefer the slightly larger Artisan & Artist ACAM 7100 (review here). Eventually I sold the GCAM 1100 in favor of the ACAM 7100 because the ACAM 7100 is a more practical size for my usual lens kits.

The GCAM 1100 is a nice bag, but I find it just as easy to carry the ACAM 7100 and I prefer having the ACAM 7100's added space. The GCAM always felt over-stuffed, whereas the 7100 usually has some room to spare and that added room makes life easier when taking gear in and out of the bag. The GCAM 1100 is a nice bag for what it is, but I think most people will be better served by the ACAM 7100.