Amateur Photographer verdict
The Tenba BYOB 10 is perfect for when you want to turn an everyday bag into a camera bag, with a good level of protection. It’s well made and surprisingly capacious, and can work on its own if needed.
- Well padded all round
- Plenty of dividers makes best use of space
- Lots of pockets
- Removable shoulder strap
- Not especially stylish when used standalone
- Full-frame users may do better with next size up
The Tenba BYOB 10 is a simple protective case for camera kit that’s designed to be used inside another bag. Measuring 27 x 20 x 11cm externally, it will hold a camera body with 2-4 lenses and accessories. So if you have a favourite messenger-style bag that you’d like to use for carrying your camera, this could be ideal.
Tenba BYOB 10 at a glance:
- $55.95 / £38
- Holds a camera and 2-4 lenses
- 27 x 20 x 11 cm external
- 25 x 19 x 10 cm internal
- Weighs 360g
- Available in black or blue
- tenba.com
Tenba’s BYOB (‘Bring Your Own Bag’) inserts come in a range of sizes and two distinctly different styles. The BYOB 10 we’re looking at here is the second largest of those designed for shoulder bags, alongside the 7, 9 and 13 models. There are also three designed for backpacks; the 9 Slim, 9 DSLR, and Tenba BYOB 10 DSLR Backpack. All come in blue or black, priced from $36 – $66 / £28-£42.
Design-wise, the BYOB 10 is essentially a well-padded rectangular box, with a zipped opening at the top and an array of pockets. A plastic-covered pocket inside the lid provides space for small accessories such as memory cards, while flat front and back pockets will hold tickets, a notebook, or charger cables. Stretchy mesh pockets at either end are perfect for sunglasses, a mini tripod, or maybe even a small water bottle, depending on what you’ve got inside.
Tenba BYOB 10 key features:
- Handle: There’s a top grab handle which is useful for getting the BYOB out of your main bag
- Strap: You can carry the BYOB directly via the supplied, detachable shoulder strap
- Dividers: No fewer than five adjustable dividers enable you to make the best use of space
- Pockets: There are flat pockets on the front and back, plus stretchy mesh pockets at each end
Tenba includes a pair of main dividers that can either section-off the full height of the bag, or fold over to accommodate a camera body with lens attached. But there are also three small sub-dividers that further segment the bottom half of the bag. This is a minor stroke of genius, as it allows you to make the best possible use of space, while keeping all your kit separate and protected.
As a result, I’m constantly surprised at just how much I can fit into this bag. For example, it’ll hold my Fujifilm X-T5 with 16-80mm F4 attached, plus 10-24mm F4, 70-300mm F4-5.6, and 27mm F2.8 lenses, a Godox iT30Pro mini flashgun, and a couple of spare batteries. That’s all I need for a travel kit.
Alternatively, it’ll hold the Sony A7R V with 24-105mm F4 on board, plus 50mm f/1.4 and 90mm f/2.8 Macro primes. However, it’s not quite tall enough for a full-frame telezoom such as a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 100-400mm. So the next size up BYOB 13 might be a better bet for full-frame users.
While this bag definitely works best as an insert, you can, at a pinch, also use it on its own via the supplied clip-on shoulder strap. Tenba has used water-repellent nylon for the outer fabric, so it should shrug off light showers easily enough. But I wouldn’t be especially confident in its ability to withstand a downpour. It won’t win any awards in the style stakes, either, if that matters to you.
Tenba BYOB 10: Our Verdict
If you’d like to carry around your camera kit using an everyday shoulder bag, the Tenba BYOB 10 is a great way of doing it. It’s well made, nicely protective, and will hold a surprising amount of kit. It’s very affordable, too.
Follow AP on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok
