there is no perfect bag,

[alan davus]

My minimalist camera bag: a large heavy duty plastic shopping bag. Tie a long ribbon to the top of each corner and duct tape a pair of old socks for a shoulder strap. Use a couple of tea towels as internal padding and to keep the M6/M9 from banging into the 35/50/75 Luxes. Great advantage of this setup is nobody is going to mug you for the 10 grand worth of gear inside. In fact people will feel sorry for you and hand over a few bucks for a hot feed. That besides I use two Billinghams (335 and Hadley Pro) and two Foggs (Flute and B Major).

 

[katcons]

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60317?from=SR&feat=sr

I like this bag, well-built and has LOTS of pockets. A great all-rounder. I can fit a Bessa R4M (no lens and wrapped in Neoprene in the outside compartment) and a YashicaMat124G (in a Tenba wrap inside the bag) with a couple of LTM/M lenses, filters, and loads of film.

I mostly see myself with the Bessa around my neck while the YashicaMat is best at my side.

It can also fit my passport, wallet, and among other things. Will definitely bring this soon on interisland trips to see how it fares against water.

 

[martin s]

I only bought Leica to justify the Billinghams. You actually use those cameras?

martin

 

[Pablito]

I use a version of the small and large Godspeed 619 bag, like them both for their versatility, padding, comfort of carrying, and their hip looks

What is the shoelace thing about? Looks way over-designed to me but maybe there is a purpose?

 

[PKR]

Al Kaplan's advice comes to mind, in his time photographers simply used to dump everything they wanted to take along in an army-surplus gas mask bag.

I guess that's how Jim Marshalls M4 got all those battle scars...

Currently I carry a small army bag, I detached the shoulder strap and use a set of Billingham backpack straps to carry it as a small rucksack. It fits an M3, with MC meter on top and strap, a Canon 28/3.5, a Wollensak Velostigmat 50/2.8 and a Sankyo Kohki Komura 80/3.5, all in leather pouches. Hama container with four rolls of film and a filter wallet and thats it.

Someday my M3 will look like Jim Marshalls M4...

Not to injure your vision of Marshall, I think that old M4 was a show piece. Jim generally had a clean looking M6 on his shoulder most of the time when he was out and about. The license plate on his Ford SHO years back was "M6".

 

[Livesteamer]

For years I have used a small, soft leather Benser pouch with a wrist strap. It holds my M6 with 50 Summilux and a spare roll of film all in a small, discreet package that is almost hidden when I hold it. It's easy to get the camera out and protects it well. I got my first one from Ball photo in Asheville NC, wore it out, found several more on e bay and had a custom one made. Just about perfect for me. Sorry Y'all have trouble finding something that works. Joe

 

[Florian1234]

The messenger bag variant actually seems very attractive to me. Except that the padded extra pouch makes it bulky again.

 

[akptc]

What is the shoelace thing about? Looks way over-designed to me but maybe there is a purpose?

The side pockets, which expand, can be used for a water bottle, a tripod, etc; in the larger bag, the bottom of the pocket opens up to hold a larger tripod. The laces on my bag are tied like on a football, very manly

 

[Finder]

Folks,
I just stumbled across this:
http://www.picturestoryblog.com/201...ag-world-video-and-camera-bag-give-a-way.html

If you think you have a lot of bags.... think again.

From the audio:
"David, we will have to go buy you a new camera bag!"
DAH: "Well, that's always a possibility."

Greetings, Ljós

That is five minutes of my life I am never going to get back. Still, it does show one thing, buying the same kind of bag and expecting a different result is not terribly smart.

 

[ferider]

Bought new for 40 bucks a couple of years ago; still 100% functional as in the beginning:

This is what's in there - a big kit for me; wouldn't know how to use more on one outing, even on a trip .... Plus meter, film, filters, etc, of course. I think the strap is original LowePro - not sure. Like the fixed pad better than the original.

Roland.

 

[ferider]

And here is one of the Rezo's.

Perfect for a 2-lens kit like this:

Very fast in use (usually I keep the tele attached to the camera with grip, ready to pull out, and the other camera around my neck with 35mm in use).


Both bags are as comfortable, cheaper, and more robust / weather resistant than the Domke's I've used. They pad enough to be carried on longer motorcycle or plane trip. They don't yell "steal me", either. What's not to like ?

Roland.

 

[ampguy]

Roland - nice bag (the Lima). I've often considered getting one just for the inserts. But the bag exterior is not my style, the compass, buttons, plastic ended straps going in all directions, kinda purse looking too

 

[ferider]

Took the compass off, Ted, and the rest is just black nylon. Not sure what you mean by plastic ended straps. Mine has none. The nylon makes it great for hiking around in the wet. Much better in practice than many other, more fancy bags, since I occasionally put my bag down when shooting.

 

[ampguy]

Here's my one camera, one lens case. Also holds a few M8 batteries, and SD cards equal to ~10,000 rolls of film... Fits all my lenses except the big 75 lux.

 

[ampguy]

Hi Roland

Hi Roland

From the photos, it looks like there is a vertical strap down the middle, and then a horizontal band strap at the bottom, I'm not sure what the ends are, but they look plastic, nylon? metal? Do the buttons hold the pockets secure, with stuff or is it more deco?

Took the compass off, Ted, and the rest is just black nylon. Not sure what you mean by plastic ended straps. Mine has none. The nylon makes it great for hiking around in the wet. Much better in practice than many other, more fancy bags, since I occasionally put my bag down when shooting.

 

[ferider]

These are Nylon straps without anything special at there ends. The vertical one can be used to add security to the bag shape, the horizontal ones can be used to make the 2 side pockets larger or smaller. I have lightmeter, viewfinder, film, etc, in the pockets, and you can use two buttons to close them.

If you don't like the nylon straps you can cut them, and since it's nylon, melt the cut with a lighter. The top handle can be removed as well.

Roland.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Roland

Thanks Roland

I think I'll try one. Even if I don't end up using the bag, the inserts (dividers) look great.

These are Nylon straps without anything special at there ends. The vertical one can be used to add security to the bag shape, the horizontal ones can be used to make the 2 side pockets larger or smaller. I have lightmeter, viewfinder, film, etc, in the pockets, and you can use to buttons to close them.

If you don't like the nylon straps you can cut them, and since it's nylon, melt the cut with a lighter.

Roland.

 

[ferider]

Last but not least, here is a smaller, slightly modified Rezo with my slow, high performance kit (my avatar):

Also this one is very fast in use (2 lenses in the bag, one on the camera. I use it sometimes with one body and 2 bigger lenses. About the size of a 5xa, but better padded and weather-sealed, and easier access to stuff, IMO. Both Rezos have front and side pockets for filters, film, etc.

And that's it. All three bags together cost way less than one Billingham, Fogg, A&A bag, etc.

The 3 bags look used because they are

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[ampguy]

Roland, what model is that small Rezo? And is there a chance it would hold the 75/1.4 lux in one corner, and M body with small lens in other corner (as you have)?

This is a dangerous thread, but at least the Rezo should cost less than a 5xa, right?

 

[ferider]

Roland, what model is that small Rezo? And is there a chance it would hold the 75/1.4 lux in one corner, and M body with small lens in other corner (as you have)?

Absolutely. This is what I originally positioned the divider for (75 + 35 f1.4). I say "positioned" because I strengthen'ed the Velcro with thread.

Bought the bag a while back, think it's the 110 but not sure. Just go to BestBuy's and have a look, they carry similar ones.

Roland.