bag help needed, regarding billingham/domke/thinktank

[Marc G.]

hi there,

yeah i know... bags. many hate the topic, in fact i love it.:angel:

gear: M6 with 50 1.4 asph, M-E with 50 2.5, 28/2.8 asph, 90/2.5, jch film case, sekonic lightmeter, spare battery/sd

currently in use: billingham hadley large (cons: too deep, gotta reach in deep to pull out the cameras)

been looking at infos regarding:
-messenger style bags with
-silent opening,
-rainproof without cover (even at the corners)
-strap needs to be long enough to wear it around chest (204 cm tall)
-shouldnt look like a standard lowepro camera bag

candidates so far (partly caus of looks, partly because of lower price):

domke f5xc (loud opening, not sure about waterproof and if all stuff fits in)
billingham hadley small (not sure if everything fits)
billingham leica combination with 2 end pockets (dont know if fits)
thinktank retrospec 10/20 (had the 5, too small. are those bags waterproof without the cover to a certain degree? I hate using those things...)


so far billinghams are the only options that fulfill all points my bag should achieve. the most valuable information would be if my stuff fits into the other 2 billingham choices, the small and leica combination together with 2 leica end pockets

since I've just bought the hadley large without much information regarding other manufacturers I'm open for suggestions.

I hope I do not offend anyone by opening such a thread as this is no trolling or meant to be unmannered. I'm seeking help with a problem I cannot solve by ordering (many have 30+ days delay) or via youtube/forum search.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Greetings from Germany

Marc

 

[Rob-F]

I recommend the Domke F6 for the gear you want to carry. Two bodies, four lenses, a meter, and a few extra small things; just about the right size. It's what I use for that amount of Leica gear.

 

[back alley]

think tank retro 7 should fit all that easily...'better' sized than 10/20...20 is big.

 

[Marc G.]

I recommend the Domke F6 for the gear you want to carry. Two bodies, four lenses, a meter, and a few extra small things; just about the right size. It's what I use for that amount of Leica gear.

The padding besides the 4-slot-compartment seems very... fragile for me I'm afraid. same reason I dismissed the F803 from domke. how does it sit against the body? could you acquire more dividers/padding? the velcro line on the back goes on to the left of the padding

think tank retro 7 should fit all that easily...'better' sized than 10/20...20 is big.

Hey back alley 🙂 you seem to be the professional for thinktank bags 😀

what about the rain, theres a cover provided which I usually leave at home. how fast does the water go through?

1 reason I like the billinghams. water just pearls off, doesnt even go into the material

both options look really great... just love bags :bang:

thanks for the help 🙂

 

[back alley]

The padding besides the 4-slot-compartment seems very... fragile for me I'm afraid. same reason I dismissed the F803 from domke. how does it sit against the body? could you acquire more dividers/padding? the velcro line on the back goes on to the left of the padding



Hey back alley 🙂 you seem to be the professional for thinktank bags 😀

what about the rain, theres a cover provided which I usually leave at home. how fast does the water go through?

1 reason I like the billinghams. water just pearls off, doesnt even go into the material

both options look really great... just love bags :bang:

think tanks are my bag of choice these days, for sure.
i walk in the snow more than the rain and so far the bags have held up. i don't use the covers either.

 

[Marc G.]

think tanks are my bag of choice these days, for sure.
i walk in the snow more than the rain and so far the bags have held up. i don't use the covers either.

thanks 🙂 havent tried the thinktank 5 in the rain during the short period I had it but it was just much too small. gear had to be crammed in and it was only the M6, X100, 50 1.4, 28 2.8 and film there. now it's the M-E with lens attached instead of the X100 and the 90 summarit.

is the 7 significantly bigger than the 5? I really dont trust technical specifications of bags taken from the web

 

[back alley]

7 is bigger for sure...carries well.
i emailed think tank sutomer service about water proofing but they are closed on the weekends...i used to put 2 cameras with lenses attached and 2 extra lenses in the 5 but no film...

 

[Sparrow]

... I'm not sure exactly what the large is like, but after the Hadley pro there is nowhere else to go, if you don't like that you may as well just give up photography altogether, there is nothing better ... sorry

 

[Chuck Albertson]

If everything fits, stick with the Hadley large. There's no better bag in the rain. If you have to reach too deep into it to retrieve your camera, shorten the shoulder strap!

 

[Marc G.]

@back alley:

i got one of those film cases from japan camera hunter. seems pointless to some but I shoot a lot film when I'm out for a while. carrying 10 films (for the number and for the choice of different ASA and b/w, slide, color neg) is vital to me. this box adds quite a bit to the bulk though.

thanks for the mail!!! would you mind keeping me up to date on that?🙂

great information provided so far, thanks a lot

would love to hear some voices of the owners of hadley small and the leica combination bag

 

[Marc G.]

... I'm not sure exactly what the large is like, but after the Hadley pro there is nowhere else to go, if you don't like that you may as well just give up photography altogether, there is nothing better ... sorry

the large is well... larger 😀 all billinghams are pretty much of the same quality, which is superb. there is nothing better than that. the others are just compromises due to budget. would take me to save up for one of the others. most interesting thing would be to know if my gear fits into those

the hadley large would stay as a bigger travel bag or back up (which I currently dont have and bothers me a little bit..)

If everything fits, stick with the Hadley large. There's no better bag in the rain. If you have to reach too deep into it to retrieve your camera, shorten the shoulder strap!

reaching deap was meant like the stuff tends to drop to the bottom of the bag so I end up not being able to easily reach the camera. already tried a better fit on the velcro dividers but it's perfect already. this is why I'd prefer a bag thats not so deep 😉

usual fit on the shoulder strap is maximum length at my height 😀

 

[venchka]

FIXING THE TOO DEEP PROBLEM...which is far more secure than the too shallow problem.
Cut some lightweight foam blocks to put below the gear. Too deep problem solved. Or, as I do with some bags if there is velcro in the right places, I use small bag dividers to separate the tall compartments. Stuff I don't need quickly in the bottom. Stuff I do need quickly in the top.
Next question?

Wayne

 

[slava]

I use Billingham small and really happy with it. I allways have Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss 50mm planar,sonnar, Zeiss 28mm biogon + viewfinder, some spare film rolls and I can easyly fitt 2 more lens and have two pockets fore other stuff!... There is planty of space for ewerything. I had the large version before and this is much more useable that large.

 

[Godfrey]

..
gear: M6 with 50 1.4 asph, M-E with 50 2.5, 28/2.8 asph, 90/2.5, jch film case, sekonic lightmeter, spare battery/sd

currently in use: billingham hadley large (cons: too deep, gotta reach in deep to pull out the cameras)

been looking at infos regarding:
-messenger style bags with
-silent opening,
-rainproof without cover (even at the corners)
-strap needs to be long enough to wear it around chest (204 cm tall)
-shouldnt look like a standard lowepro camera bag

Bags are very personal purchases and there are a lot of bags that would do the job.

I had the Billy Hadley Pro in the past, that's closest to what you are looking for I think, but a similar bag that I replaced it with is the Black Label Bag "Oskar's One Day Bag Mark II" from Photo Village in NY:

http://photovillage.com/product.php?productid=2887&cat=0&page=4

This bag is just a bit trimmer than the Hadley Pro, nearly as waterproof, and packs a bit more due to its more squarish profile. I've never used a water cover on it and I've carried a kit similar to what you mention above about with it quite a lot in a fair dousing (in NY, in the UK, etc). There's velcro to hold the flap closed without securing the quick-release leash ... a little work with a shaver to remove half or three-quarters of it and the noise disappears.

The Billy Hadley Pro is a bit more waterproof ... better gusseting on the over-flap and top. In all other ways I prefer the Black Label Bag. The only thing I didn't like on the Black Label Bag were the strap ladders used to affix the strap to the bag: they allowed the strap to twist too easily. I replaced them with stainless steel caribiners from the boating industry which are much stronger and a snugger fit to keep the strap from twisting.

Godfrey

 

[Marc G.]

FIXING THE TOO DEEP PROBLEM...which is far more secure than the too shallow problem.
Cut some lightweight foam blocks to put below the gear. Too deep problem solved. Or, as I do with some bags if there is velcro in the right places, I use small bag dividers to separate the tall compartments. Stuff I don't need quickly in the bottom. Stuff I do need quickly in the top.
Next question?

Wayne

that would be the easy thing but as I've intended to get a back up bag anyway it's no big deal to get one that fits my gear perfectly and have the bigger hadley as a back up. I've tried putting the lens pouches beneath but it doesnt work properly...

I use Billingham small and really happy with it. I allways have Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss 50mm planar,sonnar, Zeiss 28mm biogon + viewfinder, some spare film rolls and I can easyly fitt 2 more lens and have two pockets fore other stuff!... There is planty of space for ewerything. I had the large version before and this is much more useable that large.

thanks for the info 🙂 thats what I was thinking! :thumbs up:

Bags are very personal purchases and there are a lot of bags that would do the job.

I had the Billy Hadley Pro in the past, that's closest to what you are looking for I think, but a similar bag that I replaced it with is the Black Label Bag "Oskar's One Day Bag Mark II" from Photo Village in NY:

http://photovillage.com/product.php?productid=2887&cat=0&page=4

This bag is just a bit trimmer than the Hadley Pro, nearly as waterproof, and packs a bit more due to its more squarish profile. I've never used a water cover on it and I've carried a kit similar to what you mention above about with it quite a lot in a fair dousing (in NY, in the UK, etc). There's velcro to hold the flap closed without securing the quick-release leash ... a little work with a shaver to remove half or three-quarters of it and the noise disappears.

The Billy Hadley Pro is a bit more waterproof ... better gusseting on the over-flap and top. In all other ways I prefer the Black Label Bag. The only thing I didn't like on the Black Label Bag were the strap ladders used to affix the strap to the bag: they allowed the strap to twist too easily. I replaced them with stainless steel caribiners from the boating industry which are much stronger and a snugger fit to keep the strap from twisting.

Godfrey

that one looks like the A&A oskars one day bag, except the black label being 1cm wider on each side... is that possible?name is similar, look similar too... I wonder what thats about?!

have you also got information regarding the A&A version? havent looked into those in detail (theres just too many choices around at the moment I guess)

also great tips on how to trim the velcro and adjust the strap 😉 thanks

 

[denizg7]

these camera bags are eyeballers for camera thieves in the city.... one girl I know got her m3 stolen simply because she bought a third party camera bag that yells LEICA in red

I have a canvas leather keneeth cole back pack that is low profile..

this

and I have two camera body insers in it with protection...


This whole idea of camera bags are not practical because..

When you go daily street shooting you don't carry a bag with 4 cameras and 3 lenses (I hope) , which means you only carry a bag like this when you are at an airport.. so at the end you don't use them daily..

 

[Marc G.]

earlier I used a dslr with maximum of 5 lenses, which I stowed in a sling backpack from kata. I simply dislike the whole idea of using a backpack for camera stuff.. sling shots are easier to access but scream CAMERA BAG. normal backpacks are a pain to access

I prefer messenger style due to my usage of these bags since I've been at the university. easy access to the gear, silent and unassuming... if a thief is trained to steal leicas he knows ALL bags, including bare bones bag, billingham, A&A, domke and pretty much every other brand (they can read the forums too...)

so going comfortable and having a bag that fits the gear perfectly are my top priorities 🙂

but if you're used to backpacks, why not.

all I'd carry is already said. might sometimes head out just with one M and the lenses, leaving 1 at home... thus a smaller bag is good anyway 🙂

really interesting to see the vast possibilities I havent looked at.. love this forum for how unconvenional it is 🙂

 

[denizg7]

earlier I used a dslr with maximum of 5 lenses, which I stowed in a sling backpack from kata. I simply dislike the whole idea of using a backpack for camera stuff.. sling shots are easier to access but scream CAMERA BAG. normal backpacks are a pain to access

I prefer messenger style due to my usage of these bags since I've been at the university. easy access to the gear, silent and unassuming... if a thief is trained to steal leicas he knows ALL bags, including bare bones bag, billingham, A&A, domke and pretty much every other brand (they can read the forums too...)

so going comfortable and having a bag that fits the gear perfectly are my top priorities 🙂

but if you're used to backpacks, why not.

all I'd carry is already said. might sometimes head out just with one M and the lenses, leaving 1 at home... thus a smaller bag is good anyway 🙂

really interesting to see the vast possibilities I havent looked at.. love this forum for how unconvenional it is 🙂

yeah to each his own.. I like one main body one lens and a backup compact camera..

when i take it out of my bag I rarely switch or put it back, less gear , less thinking on field more shooting 🙂

And that is my backpack to school so i usually bring my camera to school with my notebooks and folders

 

[Marc G.]

guess why I moved from that to my M6...😉 it was horrible.

I've acquired my holy trinity of lenses and saving up for the digital body. I know exactly what my gear will be for the upcoming years. this is why I want a bag to fit it like that...

leica combination bag seems quite rare right? not a single opinion from someone using it. or are those busy shooting in the field, not worrying about other bags?😉

 

[newsgrunt]

I'd be looking at the ThinkTank Retrospective 30 for the gear you've got listed. You already know about the velcro silencer flaps I'm presuming. It's a bit shorter than the 20 by a couple of inches and about 3 inches wider.