A bag for a few items

[msheppler]

I travel via subway back and forth to washington and I'm looking for a bag that is just the right size to house my m3, summicron 50mm lens, Pentax Spotmeter V, cellphone, keys, film and moleskin journal along with some small miscellaneous items.

I have a domke F-5XB that I love but it's just isn't big enough.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

[Larry Manuel]

Any Timbuk2 messenger bag: size medium. About 40 different designs to choose from, or build your own, choose fabric type and colours. They last incredibly well, and don't look camera-geeky - if that matters.

 

[Bassism]

I'll add Crumpler messenger bags to the Timbuk2 suggestion. Both are high quality, I went with Crumpler because they have pockets to fit my Macbook Pro. However, Crumpler has a wide variety of bags that might suit you perfectly.

 

[kxl]

Check out the Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise 30. I think it's aout the right size for what you want -- large enough for the gear you mentioned, but not overly so.

My closet is full of bags, but I will likely put up quite a few of them for sale, and get a UD 30 bag myself.

 

[Ken Ford]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the BBB would be just about perfect for that loadout:

Bare Bones Bag thread

I love mine.

 

[Ken Shipman]

Artisan & Artist Oskar's One Day Bag. Not cheap, but my favorite after trying out all sorts of messenger style bags.
http://www.artisanandartist.com/bags/acam7100.htm

 

[msheppler]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going with the BBB.

Michael

 

[Ken Ford]

Michael, please come back and update the thread with your thoughts about the BBB. I really, really like mine!

 

[shenkerian]

Depending on what miscellaneous items you carry, a Domke 803 might be perfect for you. I really like mine.

 

[msheppler]

BBB arrived

BBB arrived

I received my BBB from Stephen Schaub. While my initial reaction when it came in the mail was “Wow, this is really a small bag”, I realized within the first few days during my trek between DC and home that it met all my requirements for storage.

The BBB is very light, well built and thoughtfully designed. All the items that I mentioned in my previous post that I needed the bag to hold are shown in the attached picture. BTW: I never realized how much larger my Pentax Spotmeter V was than my M3. With the spotmeter in one of the pockets, it is a little difficult to extract the camera. The style of the bag is excellent. It has a very thin profile and is unobtrusive in crowds. Sometimes I forget I’m carrying it! Access to the contents is very easy because there are no zippers, and unlike my Dompke bag that it replaced, it has just the right amount of Velcro.

Overall, I’m very happy with the BBB, and if you’re not a packrat and carry a small kit, I heartily recommend this bag.

Michael

 

[Ken Ford]

Michael, thanks for the update!

 

[35mmdelux]

Domke 803 small satchel is the best IMHO. Easy to carry your stuff and has two large pockets on front, and rear envelope-like pocket for maps/brochures/etc.

 

[Trius]

This is OT, but may I ask why you carry the Pentax spot? I have a Soligor spot which, while a bit smaller, I would not carry as a daily companion to an M. I would carry my Weston or Super Pilot as they are reliable a d much less bulky.

I'm not being critical, just curious. If you take public transportation, using a spot meter with that form factor might be problematic as well.

 

[Ken Ford]

IMO the 803 is too large for a small RF kit... been there, done that, went BBB.

 

[msheppler]

Well, I don't take the spotmeter when I out doing handheld. I use the MR meter. I will be using the spot when I have the camera mounted on a tripod and I'm shooting slides for landscapes.

 

[mervynyan]

billingham 225/335

 

[Trius]

Ah, that makes perfect sense. Exactly what I would do. My spot normally is used with my 4x5.