Double O Designbook Photographer’s bag review – Harmonious design in practicality

Introduction

I always appreciate how photography has opened the doors for me to build friendships with good people I otherwise would not have met in my teaching career.

This time, a fellow photographer asked me about my take on Double O Designbook camera bags. After some research, I realized this is a micro-brand by designer Mr. Hidekazu Ouchi from Kanagawa, Japan, with a very interesting design DNA not common in camera bag design, and this soon led to this review on their Photographer’s Bag.

Double O Designbook’s Site, IG

The name “Double O Designbook” implies “his own design book”, a tribute to Mr. Hidekazu Ouchi’s decision in going independent as a micro-brand.

I started chatting with Mr. Hidekazu Ouchi on IG and ordered one in support. And so, here’s my real-life usage review of their “After the Rain London 1975 (full Horsehide Leather BlackBrass)” photographer’s bag to share.

The backstory (skip this section if you aren’t keen)

Double O Designbook was founded in 2022 after designer Mr. Hidekazu Ouchi decided to go independent to pursue his design aspirations after working with other big brand names such as Artisan & Artist, undoubtedly the brand that brought the concept of KUMIHIMO (“woven cord”) silk cord straps to us.

Bringing the Photographer’s Bag to reality spanned almost 10 years; where in 2015, the collaboration with photographer Herbie Yamaguchi for the bag design was conceptualized but put on hold and only revived in February 2022. Production commenced after the project crowd-funded more than 1 Million Yen through the Kibidango platform (think Kickstarter but for the Japanese market).

The designs of Double O Designbook are all limited quantity numbered releases, not the typical mass commercial production.

Despite the limited production quantity, a pleasant surprise is that the prices of Double O Designbook are more towards the medium level and are hardly as costly as some other mass-production brands.

One brand, One belief, One design

Firstly, like every good micro-brand, there is a clear product focus, and Double O Designbook only produces 1 Photography design differentiated by the two inner print designs of either the “After the Rain London 1975” or “Dancing Flag London 1981” image by photographer Herbie Yamaguchi.

One of the few things that still excite me is uncovering a gem in a micro-brand and seeing how they evolve and grow.

Each iteration of inner print is then differentiated by materials (full leather or cotton/leather), strictly limited in production quantity, and crafted in Japan.

For simplicity’s sake, Type A is full horsehide leather, while Type B is Cotton & Horsehide leather.

The “After the rain London 1975 (full Horsehide Leather BlackBrass)” version is strictly limited to 150 units, lesser than most Leica M limited editions.

Design Intents & Specifications

The Double O Designbook Photographer’s Bag is exclusive to the brand’s design inspired by photographer Herbie Yamaguchi’s shooting style and photographs.

“The bag should not only protect the camera well, but it should also feel like a camera carrier.
What is essential is to realize a symbiosis between function and fashion.”  with the following design directions:

1. “Sufficient storage capacity” The bag should be sufficient for camera equipment and everyday essentials.
2. “Protection performance for cameras and lenses” Beyond only storage, the design must ensure adequate protection for the camera equipment.
3. “Balancing fashion and functionality” Uniqueness and creativity in the design, beyond just functionality.

And the Photographer’s bag design was confirmed, firstly, with a seldom-seen drawstring style main opening design, which is realized by utilizing the suppleness of horsehide leather secured with a single drawstring strap for ease of storage and retrieval.

Beyond functionality, design details unique to this bag, such as the lining printed with a photograph by photographer Herbie Yamaguchi and a message engraved on the leather parts of the bag’s opening, form part of the bag’s design DNA.

• Photographer’s Bag dimensions (external): H275 x W215 x D135mm
• Photographer’s Bag dimensions (internal): H195 x W145 x D110mm
• Shoulder strap length: Adjustable from 850mm to 1320mm
• Materials: Depending on the model, Type A with full Horsehide leather to Type B with cotton and horsehide leather.
• Weight: 590g (Type A) / 530g (Type B) 
• Please note that the “After the Rain London 1975 (full Horsehide Leather BlackBrass)” I am reviewing is 620g (due to the complete brass parts)

So, how does the Photographer’s Bag work in real life?

Firstly, carrying the Photographer’s Bag is very ergonomic. The leather conforms to the shape of your body with an adjustable main strap. A plus is that the shoulder strap actually goes around the bottom of the Photographer’s bag, with slits built in for one’s hands to fit through and carry.

The 590 grams of the Photographer’s Bag makes a real-life difference; my Billingham Hadley Pro comes in at 1.23 kg, and the Oberwerth Munchen is at 1.25kg (basically double the weight). This is quite remarkable given a full-leather and all metallic fittings made of brass, in homage to the Leica M camera.

A single central access point eliminates elements that could damage the camera as much as possible with a well-made drawstring-style system. This is further accentuated by multiple pockets around the bag for other items.

Photographers love to segregate their equipment, and the inner cushioning ensures this. (Double O Designbook calls this the ‘Inner Box’) which also ensures that our camera equipment gets the padding required to keep it safe. For the Leica M system, this Inner Box alone easily takes in 2 Leica M bodies or, if you wish to, one M body and, say, 2 lenses.

And, I guess an under-shared bonus is if one removes the Inner Box, the Photographer’s Bag simply becomes a ‘bucket-style drawstring’ bag, which I am not afraid to admit my wife likes a lot.

If there is anything I want to pick, it will be that the Photographer’s Bag obviously will not fit a laptop, while a smaller tablet like the iPad Mini will fit. I do not rush to edit my photos while photographing outside, but this is one thing to note for those who find lugging around a full-sized laptop necessary.

The main enclosure, while very snugly secured by the drawstring strap, does not ‘close fully’ due to the nature of the excellent leather used (thickness, etc), I have been caught in the rain once, and no moisture got into the bag.

Conclusion

I do have to admit while some of us are used to seeing rectangular shapes, backpacks, and even trolleys for camera storage, the Double O Designbook’s Photographer’s Bag is a breath of fresh air design that doesn’t scream, “I am a camera bag.”

I do have quite a considerable amount of camera bags across a few brands, from the Uber expensive Oberwerth to the well-crafted Wotancraft, mass-produced Billingham, and even a custom-made piece from Fauré Le Page, and I am always keen for one that has this nice balance between functionality and design like this Photographer’s Bag.

If I am a 100% functionality guy and cared zero about materials, craftsmanship, and design, I would have just bought ThinkTank) The Double O Designbook’s Photographer’s Bag fits well into this category, where critical areas of design, craftsmanship, and functionality are well balanced.

The Double O Designbook’s Photographer’s Bag is a harmony of functionality, design and craftsmanship.

I have always had a soft spot for micro-brands, which prize craftsmanship and creativity in design, and this is one of the ones I will be keeping and using in rotation with my other camera bags.

Thank you for reading.

Bonus

If you have come this far, here’s a sneak peek into the accessories (currently still in the works) that Mr. Hidekazu Ouchi is working on to bring the functionality of the Photographer’s Bag to the next level.

Disclaimers:

1. All product photos and samples here were photographed by me. I believe any reviewer with pride should produce their own product photos. 

2. All images were shot with the Leica M10-R and my personal copy of the Light Lens Lab 50mm ƒ1.2 ASPH (1966)

3. This review is not sponsored. I paid for the set of the Double O Designbook Photographer’s Bag.

4. I write as a passion and a hobby, and I appreciate that photography brands are kind enough to respect and work with me.

5. The best way to support me is to share the review, or you can always help support me by contributing to my fees to WordPress for the domain using the Paypal button at the bottom of the page.