Why Are So Many Bags So Deep?

[wgerrard]

I still don't know exactly what hardware I'm taking on an upcoming trip, but I convinced myself that whatever I take isn't going to fit in my A&A Evans Walker bag.

So, I bought a new Domke F-2. Room to spare.

The appeal of the F-2 to me is that it is effectively one camera deep. It's longer than it is wide or high. No need to dig down to retrieve anything.

Many of the bags I considered and rejected were much deeper, deep enough to stack at least two of everything.

Do people actually do that? Does anyone shove, say, an M7 down into a bag and then push a Bessa in on top of it? Does anyone stack lenses on top of each other?

Or, are the bags shaped and sized to carry laptops?

BTW, the Evan Walker bag is very nice and very comfortable for an RF body and a couple of lenses. Well-padded, too. I've twice tripped and fallen carrying the bag, with it hitting the ground hard followed by me landing on top of it. Bag, camera, and lenses were unscathed. My knees, not so much.

 

[David Hegar]

You just haven't searched hard enough to find the one that suits you.

The reason some camera bags are deep is so that people can bring their camera with long lens attached.

There are many bags out there that are not deep. Courierwear bags, BBB bag, domke small satchels, ThinkTank small bags, and many others.

I use hiking bag (not camera bag) to carry my cameras, they work just fine...but not as flashy as camera bag. And hiking bag is not a look-at-me-with-my-expensive-camera-bag bag ...and that is a bonus in my book.

Get Billingham if you are really into look-at-me bag 😉

-d

...

Many of the bags I considered and rejected were much deeper, deep enough to stack at least two of everything.

Do people actually do that? Does anyone shove, say, an M7 down into a bag and then push a Bessa in on top of it? Does anyone stack lenses on top of each other?
...

 

[wgerrard]

You just haven't searched hard enough to find the one that suits you.

I have access to two local stores that carry bags. Both are heavy on ThinkTanks. I went in knowing what I wanted to put in a bag, and pretty much how I wanted to arrange it in a bag. The F2 comes closer than any others I handled.

Bags better suited to my purpose probably exist, but I'd have to buy them online. I've been burned doing that before so this time it wasn't an option.

The reason some camera bags are deep is so that people can bring their camera with long lens attached.

Yeah, I should have realized that, even if my longest lens is about 4 inches long.

...hiking bag is not a look-at-me-with-my-expensive-camera-bag bag

Although... if you are walking around with a camera around your neck or in your hand, I think it's unlikely people will fail to discern the purpose of the bag hanging off your shoulder.

I long ago gave up any pretense of interest in disguising my presence as a tourist. Locals know, no matter what you do. I think it has more to do with your avoidance of the rhythms of local life than dress or whether or not you carry a camera. So, I just go with the flow and spend money. The latter is the purpose of a tourist, from a local's point of view.

 

[hiromu]

Not many bags are designed for RF shooters.
I do have F-2 and I like it very much for storage back. When I go out, I take smaller bags such as F-8 or A&A, Billingham.

 

[David Hegar]

My purpose of using hiking bag is not to disguise myself from local as there is no benefit for me to do that.

My reasons of using layman cheapie bag are as follows:
1. They are cheap(er) than camera bag
2. They work so well for me since the bag is NOT padded.
3. Since the bag is not padded I can flatten the bag and stow inside of my main luggage when not in use.
4. Opportunistic thieves only scan for bags that resembling camera bags or laptop bags. They are much less interested if they cannot know for sure what is inside the bag (not great ROI for the thieves). And UNglamorous cheapie hiking bag is perfect for that reason.
5. And using hiking bag as camera (lens) bag is a proven method among NFL photographers.

-d

...
Although... if you are walking around with a camera around your neck or in your hand, I think it's unlikely people will fail to discern the purpose of the bag hanging off your shoulder.

I long ago gave up any pretense of interest in disguising my presence as a tourist. Locals know, no matter what you do. I think it has more to do with your avoidance of the rhythms of local life than dress or whether or not you carry a camera. So, I just go with the flow and spend money. The latter is the purpose of a tourist, from a local's point of view.

 

[oftheherd]

When I was younger, I did carry a large canvas bag with many lenses, shades, filters, and other accessories, and sometimes two 35mm SLR cameras. But the biggest reason for a deeper bag is for long lenses. Oh, and it may help keep some of the gear from falling out if the bag falls from your shoulder or a shelf as one member posted about.

 

[wgerrard]

My purpose of using hiking bag is not to disguise myself from local as there is no benefit for me to do that.

My reasons of using layman cheapie bag are as follows:
1. They are cheap(er) than camera bag
2. They work so well for me since the bag is NOT padded.
3. Since the bag is not padded I can flatten the bag and stow inside of my main luggage when not in use.
4. Opportunistic thieves only scan for bags that resembling camera bags or laptop bags. They are much less interested if they cannot know for sure what is inside the bag (not great ROI for the thieves). And UNglamorous cheapie hiking bag is perfect for that reason.
5. And using hiking bag as camera (lens) bag is a proven method among NFL photographers.

-d

To each his own:

1. Within reason, I'm not concerned about cost. I'm taking two camera bodies and some lenses. None of my current bags can handle that. Few of the bags I was able to examine could, either.

2. I like padding. I bought a Courierware bag, sight unseen. Fine bag, but no padding. Not what I want for travel that involves two transAtlantic flights and several train trips.

3. Hard to argue that the F2 isn't an obvious camera bag. I mean, it's got "Domke" plastered all over it.

Somewhere on Youtube is a great clip of someone leaving the airport at Rome, wearing a backpack and dragging a rollerboard behind them. Someone sneaks up behind, slashes the backpack open with a knife, grabs the goodies and runs off. The victim never breaks stride.

 

[wgerrard]

When I was younger, I did carry a large canvas bag with many lenses, shades, filters, and other accessories, and sometimes two 35mm SLR cameras. But the biggest reason for a deeper bag is for long lenses. Oh, and it may help keep some of the gear from falling out if the bag falls from your shoulder or a shelf as one member posted about.

I'm not young, and the weight of a bag that I'll be wearing for 12 hours a day is a big deal. However, one of the cameras that will go in the bag is a little digital with a hood. The weight is minimal, but the thing takes up a surprising amount of space.

 

[al1966]

I walked around Prague with a Domke J803, it was a perfect bag for my wanderings. Yet I only had 2 small cameras in there, a Oly Pen and a Ricoh Gx100. Ok there were a few batteries and some cards, but it was the other bits that it was good for, a map and another of the transport network. A wide variety of pain medication, smokes, a notebook with 2 fountain pens. I like the way the camera is quite deep in the bag I feel more secure. I find it the perfect city bag, but I really want the F version in tan or green so I may well change it.

 

[wgerrard]

I walked around Prague with a Domke J803...

I looked at a J803, Al. Nice bag. For this trip, though, I need something that will carry two cameras and 2-4 additional lenses, plus all the other stuff like film, batteries, etc. As I said, I haven't quite decided which cameras and which lenses, other than the little digital and its hood. Still, it was obvious that collection will not fit in the Evans Walker bag. Hence, the F2, which, admittedly, won't be loaded to capacity.