Filson and Magnum Photos Teamed Up to Make Camera Bags

Magnum Photos may be one of the coolest organizations ever created. Founded by a pantheon of the most respected photojournalists in history including Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Magnum and its member photographers all have resumes that would give the most interesting man in the world a run for his money. Photographers David Alan Harvey and Steve McCurry — famous for National Geographic's Afghan girl photo — have teamed up with Filson to produce their own series of camera bags.

Harvey and McCurry had been using Filson products for years, and applied their own experiences to tailor the new Filson bags to their specifications. For example, the bags feature extended pocket flaps to help keep cameras and lenses safe from the elements, and adjustable dividers for quick access to gear.

The last feature specified by these photography legends was the bags' design: understated to ward off theft. A camera bag can easily contain $25,000 worth of equipment and it's important that the bag look inconspicuous. While juggling ridiculous good looks and anti-theft aesthetics might seem like a zero-sum game, Filson has made it work, creating a good-looking bag that doesn't draw attention to itself, just like a good photojournalist.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is Supercompressor's Gear editor. He spent way too much time browsing the work of Magnum photographers while writing this post. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann.