• Home
  • About
  • Shop
    • Custom orders
    • Cards
    • Classes
    • Notebooks
    • Watercolour prints
    • Cart
    • Account
      • Orders
  • Blog
    • Beauty
    • Faith
    • Family
    • Food
    • Me Time
    • Writing
    • Work Life
  • Working with me
    • Project Callout: Our Ways With Words
  • Portfolio
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Finding Joy

Words that uplift and empower | Hand-made Lettering Art & Blog by Joy Adan

  • All
  • Cards
  • Classes
  • Custom orders
  • Home & Decor
  • Notebooks
  • Watercolour prints
You are here: Home / Health & body / Beauty / Brooklyn and Madison laptop camera bag review

Brooklyn and Madison laptop camera bag review

7 November, 2014 By Joy Adan Tagged With: photography, product review, style 10 Comments

Move over Mary Poppins – Epiphanie’s Brooklyn and Madison are here! Here are two versatile and gorgeous laptop camera bags (and baby bags!) that transform from a tote or cross-body satchel to backpack.

brooklyn-vs-madison-feature

As a writer, I’m on the road meeting case studies and clients all the time. Sometimes the job I’m on requires a photo shoot, or sometimes I just need to squeeze in 15 minutes of writing while my toddler busies himself with books at the library. I’ve written about how awesome my existing baby / camera bag is before; my Ginger Epiphanie bag has lasted me three years (and counting) and still gets compliments. It’s a bag that can carry almost everything a mum writer/blogger/amateur photographer might need bar one item: my laptop.

Enter Epiphanie’s Brooklyn and Madison:

brooklyn-madison-laptop-camera-bag

They are two camera bags that sport the same signature style and versatility of all the Epiphanie bags, with the added functionality of a dedicated laptop sleeve. And, thanks to Cambags, they are available in Australia with free shipping. Get excited photographer friends – free shipping.

Shipping. Of quality American camera bags. For FREE.

Cambags (an Australian-based camera bag provider) was kind enough to send me the two laptop camera bags to road test for a couple of weeks. Read on for a detailed review.

First impressions

Ooooh!!! Lookie what arrived in the mail today! So excited to try this baby out. @cambagsau @epiphaniebags #madison

A photo posted by joy adan @themamaminute (@themamaminute) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:53pm PDT

When the postie arrived I actually squealed in excitement. I get excited when I get any mail that isn’t a bill, but packages with pretty things inside deserve squeals of glee.

Each bag came with an Epiphanie dust bag, which is great for protecting these beauties when not in use (though, let’s be honest, I’ll probably be using them every day). The bags also came with:

  • the Epiphanie camera key chain (which is cute but probably unnecessary),
  • 4 removable Velcro panels to create sections for lenses, mics and other fragile gear,
  • detachable handles and shoulder straps, and
  • a sweet hand-written note from Katrina at Cambags (I like those simple touches of thoughtfulness).

If you’re into the detail – here are the specs of the Madison and Brooklyn laptop camera bags, side by side:

[table id=madisonbrooklyn /]

 

What I love

Let’s face it; I’m getting old. And I know (because my physio keeps telling me) that carting a lot of weight on one shoulder or arm is not doing my spine any favours, so I love that these laptop camera bags are backpacks. I know leather backpacks are a little 1990s, but a backpack distributes weight evenly across my shoulders.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

So not only do I save myself from back and shoulder aches, the style of these beauties means I can go to a client meeting without looking like I’m on my way to the gym or about to backpack through Europe. (Btw, leather backpacks are about to make a big comeback, so there).

Besides, these bags are soooo pretty! And, for me, pretty + functional = happiness.

And there’s no doubt these beauties are functional. Both are generous in size and sport a wide base, so they sit flat and sturdy.

They can hold everything I need for a day of writing and shooting:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

And everything I need for a big event or simple day out with the family:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There is a pocket for everything. Even without constructing the interior compartments, the Madison has 12 pockets and the Brooklyn as 10.

When I looked at them side-by-side and realised I could only keep one, I was pretty torn. I love the rustic detailing of the Brooklyn. But I also love the colour and feminine touches of the Madison. Arrgghhh! How to choose?

What I don’t love

Both bags were a lot bigger and heavier than I originally expected them to be. The bags alone (including straps and Velcro pockets but no other contents) each weigh 1.8kg / 4lbs. Adding a laptop (even something as light as a MacBook Air), DSLR, a lens or two, a microphone and/or tripod means I’d be carrying more than 10% of my body weight around for a shoot. Which is not practical. Or good for my back.

I get that part of the bag’s weight is due to the padding needed to protect camera gear, so I would love Epiphanie more if they considered ways to decrease weight of all their bags (e.g. lightweight materials for the metal links).

In terms of size, both are only a few inches larger than my regular work tote:

epiphanie-madison-size-vs-regular-tote

But those few inches make a difference when you’ve got a build like mine (I think I’m about 5’3”). I don’t know if the designers considered how big arm loops actually need to be on bags, but the detachable backpack straps were way too big for me. To avoid tipping over, a heavy backpack needs to stay close to your body’s frame, which is hard if the straps can’t tighten enough. So when I carried my laptop and camera gear on the 20 min walk from the station to my office, I had to hold the straps down so the bag would stay close to my back.

brooklyn-backpack-shoulder-straps

I figure making the bags smaller (e.g. removing an inch or two in height and width) and decreasing the length of the backpack straps would make these bags perfect. They would also decrease the overall weight of the bag.

I ended up using the tote straps on the Madison (which are shorter) and connecting them to the front loops to create a backpack. This worked really well (though I’m a little scared of the wear and tear that will do in the long run).

epiphanie-madison-backpack-tote

The verdict

I actually haven’t made up my mind yet. They are both gorgeous. On one hand, the Brooklyn sports an authentic old-school backpack look (and is a bag The Husband wouldn’t be ashamed of carrying around for me on days out). It is classy, practical and the satchel style has “bookish type” written all over it.

Epiphanie Brooklyn laptop camera bag
Epiphanie Brooklyn laptop camera bag
Epiphanie Brooklyn laptop camera bag front clasps
The front has two magnetic closures so you can expand it if the bag gets full
Epiphanie Brooklyn laptop camera bag side
The side clasps for the cross-shoulder version
Epiphanie Brooklyn laptop camera bag
Back clasps for backpack straps
Epiphanie Brooklyn backpack version
The Epiphanie Brooklyn bag - cross-shoulder satchel style
The Epiphanie Brooklyn bag – cross-shoulder satchel style… all classy and bookish. Love it!

On the other hand, the Madison sings femininity and gorgeousness. And it’s got two extra pockets. And the tote straps actually make the backpack fit like a proper backpack. And that colour…

Epiphanie Madison laptop camera bag side tote
Epiphanie Madison laptop camera bag side tote
Epiphanie Madison laptop camera bag side tote zipper detailling
The Epiphanie Madison side tote has two extra zippered pockets.
Epiphanie Madison laptop camera tote straps with buckle fixtures
Epiphanie’s Madison laptop camera tote straps has buckle fixtures (making it harder to transform into a backpack than it’s Brooklyn counterpart)
Epiphanie Madison laptop camera bag
But it looks great and carries everything!

Which one would you choose?? Arrgghhh!! Decisions, decisions.

If you’re in Australia and are ogling these bags and want to check out the luxurious and practical camera, laptop, tablet or professional bags for girls and guys by Epiphanie, Jo-Totes and Jill-E, then head to Cambags, the home of stylish camera bags (and take advantage of that FREE SHIPPING in Australia baby!!).

You can also get 10% off full priced items until the end of November. Just enter the promo code ‘mamaminute’ at the checkout.

These make for an awesome Christmas gift for any writer or photographer friend (cough, cough, hint, hint) or mum and dads who want a bag that fits all their baby gear in it but doesn’t look like a daggy baby bag.

But before you go, leave me your verdict in the comments below. I can’t make up my mind… and might just end up keeping both.

You might also like...

Hi

Joy Adan

I'm Joy. I'm a 30-something, storytelling, coffee-drinking, book-devouring, ocean-obsessed freelance writer, brush lettering enthusiast, speaker and content producer. You'll find some of my stories and art here, along with my advice about attempt at balancing the creative career + family life hustle.

Don't miss a beat - subscribe below and join me on this crazy adventure!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

DON’T MISS A SINGLE POST! SIGN UP HERE:


Thank you!

You’ve joined Finding Joy’s mailing list. No spam, only love. I promise. 



Like what you see here?

Please keep this writer going.
Show your support:

Buy me a coffee!

As seen in

Essential Baby

Practical Parenting

The Catholic Weekly

2017 Bupa Blog Awards Nominee | Celebrating Health and Care

Find more like this

Tagged With: photography, product review, style

Categories

Recent posts

  • Inktober Prayer Prompts
  • So much to (un)learn
  • Simbang Gabi – The Best is Yet to Come
  • So blessed, I can’t contain it
  • Starting (again)

Instagram

At the end of each year I go through our memory ja At the end of each year I go through our memory jar with a grateful heart and reminisce and reflect... and though this year had many twists and turns we weren't prepared for, I know there are lots of things to be thankful for... perhaps even moreso. Many of the best things can't and wont ever be captured on camera or in words.

But my thanks goes to all who rode the highs and lows with me and my family, to the many unseen heroes who kept us safe and kept our community strong and healthy. To those who gave what little they could and those who have sacrificed a lot... thank you. From the bottom of this very full, undeserving but entirely grateful heart... thank you. ❤❤

#2020 #thanksforthememories #perfectlyimperfect
Words to take into 2021. ❤ Words to take into 2021. ❤
Merry Christmas friends and family! May your heart Merry Christmas friends and family! May your hearts be fuller than your bellies, even though our guest lists are shorter this year. ❤
A post for all the teachers celebrating the end of A post for all the teachers celebrating the end of term and end of what has probably been the craziest year of your career. 

Thank you for the love  and dedication you've shown for kids under your care, for giving our kids your many, many extra hours and late nights, your creative out-of-the-box solutions for virtual lesson plans, and your bottomless patience and incredible courage. 

May you enjoy a well deserved break and the peace of knowing your legacy grows in the hearts and minds of those you've taught, guided, counseled and nurtured this year. 

Thank you. ❤
Day 1 of our Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass) Novena: Mr 8 Day 1 of our Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass) Novena: Mr 8 joined me for 5am Mass this morning. I got really emotional driving into the car park and seeing it was almost full. And as we walked through the doors, I heard singing in the church. Singing!! It seemed that almost every X in the church pews had someone standing by it... the church looked FULL. It's been so long since I've experienced Mass like this - it felt like coming home. 😭😭😭 

If you are looking for a way to prepare your heart for Christmas and turn your focus from buying presents to a experiencing a heavenly presence, then I highly recommend finding a place that celebrates simbang gabi. Last year, I wrote a bit about what this Filipino tradition means to me and my family (check it out at findingjoy.com.au/simbang-gabi). When I wrote that, I had no idea what 2020 would have in store. But even after this truly crazy year, I feel God's hand in all of it. If there's anything 2020 has taught me it's that love transcends distance. We have the capacity to show love and be loved even when those we wish for dearly can't be seen, felt and touched. 

My peace comes from knowing even when I don't see Him, feel Him or understand what's going on... God will always be my Father, and I am forever His child. This is what I celebrate at Christmas. The divine entering the human world.. and changing what we know of love forever. 💜

Image: A square Christmas card propped against a Christmas tree. The card has a midnight blue sky and purple hills. In the sky the words “Peace on Earth” are written in white lettering. 

#FilipinoTraditions #ChristmasTraditions #ChristmasPreparations
I think custom calligraphy orders have been my fav I think custom calligraphy orders have been my favourite thing to make this year - especially when the person commissioning gives me creative license. It was an honour to create this for a very special couple. 💙

Image: The Prayer of St Michael brush lettered in blue ink on a white A3 sheet, with a blue border and painted blue and silver leaves on the top right and bottom left corners.
Friday festivities courtesy of a lovely delivery f Friday festivities courtesy of a lovely delivery from @boomforrgpeople and @missnoblemelbourne
It felt a little bit like I was in Santa's worksho It felt a little bit like I was in Santa's workshop when I was making these Christmas gift bags last weekend. ❤

Order yours now at findingjoy.com.au 
Final date for Christmas orders is 15 Dec (Express Post only). Marsden Park pick up orders must be placed by 20 Dec. 

#shopsmallbusiness #smallbusinessaustralia #loveaustralianhandmade
Follow @joyadanwrites
  • About “Finding Joy”
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Terms of sale
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

KEEP IN TOUCH - SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Thank you!

You've joined Finding Joy's mailing list. No spam, only love. I promise. 

Copyright © 2021 · Joy Adan · 22 657 108 897