Il Bisonte Leather Pouch for M11 Camera & Lens

[pnoble]

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I was in Paris last weekend visiting il Bisonte on Rue Cherche-Midi near Blvd St. Germain, two doors from the Paris Leica store. Il Bisonte is a wonderful, 50+ year old Italian handcrafted leatherwear company based in Florence, and manufacturing locally. (The backstory: I had been robbed on the REL B train from CDG to Paris and was trying to replace my stolen bags). One of the bags I purchase was the model SCA 033. I thought that it might fit my M11 but I didn't have my camera with me and I didn't have time to check with the Leica store next door.

I got home to the US and it fits like a glove: an M11 with a 50mm APO-Summicron - so most lenses. €100.  https://www.ilbisonte.com/eu_en/women/small-leather-goods/accessories/sca033pv0005bk110b   I can't highly enough recommend their product line. I have been using their small bags and pouches for many years. They are extremely well made and wear beautifully. Replaces my old Japanese Artisan & Artist nylon pouch.

Just FYI.

[Photoworks]

they have it in pink!

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[Pierre68]

8 hours ago, Photoworks said:

they have it in pink!

Of course for Barbie. She is also a Leica user.

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[adrianh]

18 hours ago, pnoble said:

 (The backstory: I had been robbed on the REL B train from CDG to Paris and was trying to replace my stolen bags). One of the bags I purchase was the model SCA 033. I thought that it might fit my M11 but I didn't have my camera with me and I didn't have time to check with the Leica store next door.

I got home to the US and it fits like a glove: an M11 with a 50mm APO-Summicron - so most lenses. €100.  https://www.ilbisonte.com/eu_en/women/small-leather-goods/accessories/sca033pv0005bk110b   I can't highly enough recommend their product line. I have been using their small bags and pouches for many years. They are extremely well made and wear beautifully. Replaces my old Japanese Artisan & Artist nylon pouch.

Sorry to hear that, how did the robbery happen?  Did they threaten you or just ran away with the bag? We'll be flying to CDG in autumn...

 

 

[PluckinTones]

19 hours ago, pnoble said:

I was in Paris last weekend visiting il Bisonte on Rue Cherche-Midi near Blvd St. Germain, two doors from the Paris Leica store. Il Bisonte is a wonderful, 50+ year old Italian handcrafted leatherwear company based in Florence, and manufacturing locally. (The backstory: I had been robbed on the REL B train from CDG to Paris and was trying to replace my stolen bags). One of the bags I purchase was the model SCA 033. I thought that it might fit my M11 but I didn't have my camera with me and I didn't have time to check with the Leica store next door.

I got home to the US and it fits like a glove: an M11 with a 50mm APO-Summicron - so most lenses. €100.  https://www.ilbisonte.com/eu_en/women/small-leather-goods/accessories/sca033pv0005bk110b   I can't highly enough recommend their product line. I have been using their small bags and pouches for many years. They are extremely well made and wear beautifully. Replaces my old Japanese Artisan & Artist nylon pouch.

Just FYI.

Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry to hear that you have been robbed.

Could you also post a picture of the bag with the M11 in? That would be really helpful as I'm trying to find a nice case/pouch for my Q2 Ghost to use with my non camera bags.

[pnoble]

I strongly recommend taking a Taxi or Uber from CDG to central Paris. A taxi is a fixed €55. The REL B train is €10.75 each, I believe. The problem is that the train tends to be crowded with local commuters, quite unsuitable for securing bags, and evidently infested with individual pickpockets and organized groups. In my case, at least four French Africans, I believe, maybe five.

There was only room for my wife to sit and I stood near the door holding onto two carry-ons, one with a leather backpack secure over one of the carry-on handles but having a flap rather than a zip. A seated woman was staring at me and her young daughter, seated opposite had a wheeled carry on that suddenly scooted across the carriage in my direction. I turned to catch it and push it back to her and I'm guessing in retrospect that that was when one of the guys standing behind me first dipped my bag and took a smaller leather bag from within with electronics: AirPod Pro, Apple Pencil, MagSafe battery pack, charger, etc., etc, some in their own yet smaller leather bags. Very fortunately I had a MacBook in the bag wedged at an angle that made it impossible to remove my wallet, passport, another small leather bag, etc. (Yes, all my possessions when traveling are in black leather bags!) But he could see the MacBook and would have wanted to take it too.

Next, I felt someone touch my hand: he smiled and apologized, he had a jacket draped over his arm. No question he was attempting to pickpocket my iPhone from my front pocket. Then as the train came into a station the same fellow dropped his cell phone and a handful of currency on top of one of my cases, spilling onto the carriage floor. One of his accomplices started to point to where the coins had rolled - American quarters interestingly, I'm sure from another robbery and no value to him - under and behind my cases which I moved around as he gathered the coins. Very, very fortunately I managed to hold onto both handles in the commotion or I have no doubt I would have lost my leather bag if not the carry-on as well. This is what they do: grab bags and leave the train just as the doors close. 

Interestingly, I only realized everything much later when I discovered the bag missing. These teams are pros. They are very adept at manipulating their prey! I then did a little research, which has informed my analysis. I was, on balance, very lucky.

https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/safety-tips/pickpocket-scams-in-paris-france-metro/

To quote Andy Groves: 'Only the paranoid survive'.  Very sadly. Paris is crawling with pickpockets. Including, among the myriad techniques for relieving you of your possessions, groups of gypsy women and very young girls asking you to sign a petition on a clipboard.......

Sorry for the long and detailed off-topic post, but you asked, and if I can help someone else avoid what happened to me it will have been worth it!

PS: I have stopped carrying my passport for duty free purchases. Showing a photo of the detail page on my iPhone will always suffice. And even a credit card is becoming superfluous as all transactions can be executed with your mobile phone via NFC. 

Edited August 30, 2023 by pnoble

[pnoble]

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16 hours ago, PluckinTones said:

Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry to hear that you have been robbed.

Could you also post a picture of the bag with the M11 in? That would be really helpful as I'm trying to find a nice case/pouch for my Q2 Ghost to use with my non camera bags.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[pnoble]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[PluckinTones]

21 hours ago, pnoble said:

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Thank you once again, for the suggestion and the pictures. Your M11 seems to be very comfortable in that pouch.