The Bags That Took Four Generations of Photographers to Make

A little more than a year ago, when I was serving as Vice President for the International Leica Society, I wrote to the team at Oberwerth, with an idea for a new type of camera bag. The concept was for a bag that rests comfortably on your shoulder and hip, with quick access to your camera and full access to several lenses and other accessories. 

Bags with flaps sometimes called “messenger style,” have always confounded me as you have to open the flap before reaching your gear. If you tuck the flap on the back, your bag is wide open to the elements and prying hands. Oberwerth makes some of the most beautiful bags in this style, but they never worked well for my carrying. The new bag concept features a quick-access panel on top that allows you to grab your camera quickly.

Leo Correspondent (front), and Leo Voyager (rear)

Much to my delight, the CEO and founder of Oberwerth, Regina Immes, was excited about the idea. Together with her design team, we worked on the details, going through four different prototypes at first to address the little decisions that make the difference between a nice bag and a truly great design. One example we worked on was the zippers - we needed large enough zippers to run smoothly around corners, but they couldn’t stick out and scratch the gear as it was taken in and out of the bag. Oberwerth developed an inner layer of silky fabric that solved the problem. We made the prototype from beautiful leather, but the bags’ weight was an issue. We chose a lighter and softer leather that is even more luxurious. In the end, we went through seven prototypes before finalizing the design.

Leo Correspondent with instant-access top flap

Another small but important detail is that the new bags incorporate a hidden pocket in front for an Apple AirTag. I love the concept of the AirTag but never understood why you’d want to advertise that you have one on your bag with some fancy keychain attachment. That invites the thief to cut off the AirTag and run.

As we worked on the bag, it became apparent that having two sizes of the bag would work well depending on the use cases. The larger and smaller bags can accommodate the Q or M cameras and lenses and, with quick removal of an inner padded layer, also house the SL2 system. The smaller bags can also carry an iPad Mini and the larger one a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro 13”.

Leo Correspondent with M Monochrom and six M lenses.

There are dozens of small but substantial design features in the new bag. The larger “Leo Voyager” has a slip pocket on the back for the handle of your roll-aboard luggage. Both bags include a leather hand strap and an adjustable leather shoulder strap, both with quick-release hardware. The smaller “Leo Correspondent” has room for an M camera with a mounted lens or Q camera for quick top access, compartments for five more M lenses, and an iPad Mini.

Leo Voyager (rear) showing document zip pocket and rollaboard handle pocket

The Leo Voyager has room for a Leica SL-type with mounted SL lens, plus room for two more SL lenses (not the 90-280!) and accessories, plus an Apple MacBook Pro 13, MacBook Air, or iPad Pro. Of course, the Leo Voyager can hold two M bodies or an M and a Q plus more lenses and accessories. The inserts are reconfigurable red hook-and-loop. The bags have a removable spacer pad that, when in place, makes them perfect for M and Q cameras and, when removed, makes room for the SL2 and SL2-S cameras. Both bags feature a new user-adjustable leather 2-position top flap limiter that prevents gear from tumbling out when the bag is on your shoulder. Both bags feature leather spacers and chrome feet for placing the bag on the ground in wet environments.

Leo Voyager with room to spare

The Leo Correspondent measures (outside dimensions: 10.25” wide x 7.9” high x 6” deep), (inside: 9.8” x 7.5” x 4.25” -4.5” deep, and weighs 2 lbs, 14.5 oz empty with both straps). The Leo Voyager measures (outside: 13” x 10.25” x 7”), (inside 11.8” x 9.8” x 4.25” -4.5” deep, and weighs 4 lbs, 2.6 oz empty with both straps). Both bags are 100% mid-European calf leather in black or brown. This leather is soft and raised on sustainable farms. It’s tanned using a semi-aniline process that makes the leather very water-resistant and color-fast.

When traveling through airport security, the Leo bags make it easy to open the top lid to show the contents when needed – no more unloading your bag at the security checkpoint. The laptop or iPad lays flat as well in the X-ray scanner.

These bags are only available as special editions featuring the LHSA - The International Leica Society logo embossed on top, and a portion of every sale helps support the Society. Production is not limited to any particular quantity. Oberwerth is generously donating, and we genuinely appreciate them. Oberwerth is also a Gold-level Corporate Sustaining Member of the Society.

Leo Voyager, logo pictured

Now, why is this article titled as such? My great Grandfather Charles emigrated to the United States from Russia and found work in New York City at Sterling Photoengraving. His son, my Grandfather Leo, also worked at Sterling and was a prolific photographer. His son, my father Charles, taught me photography and darkroom techniques starting when I was five years old. Attached is a photo of Grandpa Leo with his Leica and grandsons - I am the younger one in the smashing outfit! My older brother Lawrence has a Rolleiflex around his neck. My father took this photo around 1967.

Leo (right), Lawrence (left), and Brad (center)

Next is a photo of my Grandfather Leo and my father Charles, taken in the late 1960s. Leo is holding his Leica IIIb and Charles has a Leica IIIc and Rolleiflex. When my father Charles passed away in 2010, he left for me all of the negatives from Leo and himself – more than 11,000 images. I had them all scanned, and I’m still working through this irreplaceable collection. Oberwerth was kind enough to honor my Grandfather with these eponymous bags.

Leo (left), and his son Charles (right)

Production has begun on the new bags, and we expect the first ones to ship in mid-June. We are entering the market with two of our Diamond–level Corporate Sustaining Members, Leica Store Miami, and Leica Store San Francisco. They will be for sale in all US Leica stores very soon and are available directly from Oberwerth worldwide. We will also feature them on the LHSA website with links to store sales pages for transactions. The Leo Correspondent has a retail price of US$699, and the Leo Voyager has a retail price of US$999.

I like to think that my photographer ancestors would smile when they saw the Leo bags. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed being part of the team that created them.

Stefan Immes, COO of Oberwerth, demonstrates the Leo bag to past LHSA president Gary Hough at the Leica Store Bellevue, with Brandon Andre, General Manager.

Past LHSA president Gary Hough models the new Leo Voyager bag at the Leica Store Bellevue.

Proud bag parents Stefan Immes, COO of Oberwerth, and LHSA President Brad Husick show off the new Leo bags at the Leica Store Bellevue.