Advice on a good multi-purpose camera bag

Bobfrance

Bobfrance

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Hi gang,

Sorry about doing another bag thread.

However this is my first, and I've never bought a camera bag before (generally inherited them).

I'm after a bag that is (probably shoulder strap not backpack) that will carry half a dozen rolls of film, My MF Folder, Hexar RF, P&S Compact and 3 lenses (one on the camera).

However since this will be for traveling. I would like it to be able to accommodate a 1L bottle of water maybe a sandwich a paperback book a magazine, passports and a small first aid kit.
The reason being - I really don't want to carry two bags with me everywhere.

On top of that I'd like it not to obviously be a camera bag.

Does such a thing exist of should I buy a travel bag and put a smaller camera bag in it?

Bob.
 
Domke F2? Will fit all the above, pretty customizable with the inserts, hugs the body, latches shut for protection. A 1L water bottle will fit in a small size compartment of the inserts like a glove, though I usually carry mine on a carabiner using one of the metal rings on the corner. Equipment stays pretty cool in the lighter colored one. Nice big zippered pocket in the lid for filters or your passport, and a full length pocket on back for newspaper/map. Shoulder strap is their 'gripper' type, with rubber woven into the cotton webbing- stays on the shoulder well. A hand strap as well, for carrying the bag like a suitcase- comes in handy in cramped indoor hallways (like the one to my studio). Comes in tan, green, black and maybe still in blue- if color matters.

[edit] This may look a little too 'camera baggy', but check it out. Quite bulletproof as well- I worked out of the next size wider bag 4 days a week for 4+ years and aside from some dirt it shows hardly any wear, not what I can say about the Tamrac it replaced.
 
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Check Billingham. Beautifully made, and beautiful. An extraordinary range: there's bound to be something that fits your needs.

Admittedly my wife's 'baby' Billingham (no longer available) has finally worn out after a quarter of a century when it has been heavily used as a handbag (American: purse) as well as for a camera bag; but it takes a long time to wear through canvas. None of the others shows significant signs of wear.

From Lancashire, you could even visit the factory...

Cheers,

Roger
 
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Bobfrance said:
I didn't know they were made in Lancashire Roger.

Where about's are they?
And do they have a factory shop offering discounts? 😉
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Dear Bob,

No, they're in the Black Country -- sorry, I should have made it clearer when I said from Lancashire; I meant that to distinguish from in Lancashire.

No, they don't have a factory shop, either. At least, not with discounts. That would be a bit like a Leica factory shop at Solms. Sorry. But they're superb bags, and you could almost certainly buy a bag at the factory.

Cheers,

Roger
 
" On top of that I'd like it not to obviously be a camera bag"

It's for that reason that I use a former briefcase. It's made of black ballistic nylon trimmed in heavy leather and has a very well-padded shoulder strap. It looks utterly unlike any camera bag; it looks like, well, a briefcase meant to be carried by a shoulder strap. The ruse is effective enough that sometimes even my wife forgets, and asks why I'm bringing along a briefcase.

The particular model I use is more than large enough for an M-4 and a CL, 25/35/50/90 lens kit, film, hand-held meter, tabletop tripod, and assorted odds and ends. It shouldn't be too hard to find something similar in a size large enough for your objectives.

I find the padding of many real camera bags to be more trouble than it's worth. So I use sections of cardboard shipping tubes to carry the lenses (2 per tube, joined by their rear caps), and a loosely-fit leather bag on both the M-4 and CL. The briefcase itself is made of very heavy material, and has some internal dividers made of the same stuff. It's adequate protection for walking around.

Not everyone's cup of tea, I know, but maybe worth a thought.
 
Bob, as you know, I have a Billingham Hadley and also the Domke 803 clone, by Safrotto. Both very good but I find them sometimes bigger and/or heavier than I need. I often leave the inserts out and just wrap my gear in large soft lens cloths anyway.

My two latest bags are from TK Maxx. The blue one is my choice for travelling or as a day bag, as it holds a magazine, I-pod, notebook etc and even my brolly easily. It's not a true camera bag but a messenger type bag, no inserts but large zipped pockets, including one in the covering flap. It’s waterproof, has a nice long padded strap to go across the body. Also includes a 30 year guarantee and cost me a whole £5!

My newest is the brown one, which is smaller. Looks a little more camera bag style. Again no inserts but will hold my DSLR and lens if need be. It has four outer pockets with the front two having a smaller zipped compartment on the front of them too. The tall and slim end pockets I like as they will hold a small drinks bottle or better still it fits my films in very neatly. Not really suited to carrying a magazine without it being crammed in the main compartment with your cameras. Would think it will fit your cameras, film, mobile and extras but not the mag. This one cost £16 and I know there is one in the Rochdale store.
 

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But is there any theft-proofing advantage if the bag looks like it might contain a notebook 'puter instead of cameras? The answer is to keep your bag on your shoulder and your eyes open.
The F2 or maybe the F6 would serve the OP well, but he might have to order from the US via Amazon or something -- friends in the UK say Domke's are scarce. Think I've seen some places advertise them in Amateur Photographer.
They used to make them in gray, but stopped for some reason.
Come to think of it, Domke supplies in the US seem to come and go as well.
 
"But is there any theft-proofing advantage if the bag looks like it might contain a notebook 'puter instead of cameras?"

I dunno. I don't think my bag looks like it's got a computer in it. In fact, it's a briefcase that I stopped using when I started carrying a notebook computer everyday --- one that just didn't fit the case all that well. It's roughly US legal size (length and height), and looks sorta like a messenger bag. If you saw me in a downtown area, you'd likely guess I was hauling papers to some office for a meeting.
 
kuvvy said:
Bob, as you know, I have a Billingham Hadley and also the Domke 803 clone, by Safrotto. Both very good but I find them sometimes bigger and/or heavier than I need. I often leave the inserts out and just wrap my gear in large soft lens cloths anyway.

My two latest bags are from TK Maxx. The blue one is my choice for travelling or as a day bag, as it holds a magazine, I-pod, notebook etc and even my brolly easily. It's not a true camera bag but a messenger type bag, no inserts but large zipped pockets, including one in the covering flap. It’s waterproof, has a nice long padded strap to go across the body. Also includes a 30 year guarantee and cost me a whole £5!

My newest is the brown one, which is smaller. Looks a little more camera bag style. Again no inserts but will hold my DSLR and lens if need be. It has four outer pockets with the front two having a smaller zipped compartment on the front of them too. The tall and slim end pockets I like as they will hold a small drinks bottle or better still it fits my films in very neatly. Not really suited to carrying a magazine without it being crammed in the main compartment with your cameras. Would think it will fit your cameras, film, mobile and extras but not the mag. This one cost £16 and I know there is one in the Rochdale store.
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Thanks for reminding me about that Paul.

I have actually priced up the inserts on ebay - as you can buy them seperately - with the idea of making my own once I find a suitable bag.
I need to have a nose around the shops.

Camera bags can be on the dear side. A cheaper alternative would be good. 🙂
 
I use a Timbuktu messenger bag because for me it has the right number of pockets and no padding. So it's fine if I've got virtually nothing in it. Some bags get so bulky with padding that you can't fit all you want in. Or you have compartments and end up with something that's too big for them.

Some of my gear ends up in the pockets, the rest I sling into some Hama padded drawstring bags. It means I can throw a metal bike pump in there as well, and no damage.
 
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