Bag It

Tamrac system 8 for some of my Nikon gear. Tamrac convertible bag, also for Nikon. That one I have worn out until I have had to repair it with glue, needle and thread, whatever. Domke f2, which some people think is counterfeit because it's gray. But I bought it so many years ago, I don't think there were any counterfeit Domke bags then. I've used it for Hasselblad and and then for larger Nikon cameras and lenses. It's right for my D700, 180mm F/2.8 AIs, 17-35mm, etc.

Domke F-6. Great bag. A home away from home for Leica gear. Works for Nikon film gear, too. I have one in olive and one in the waxwear.

Domke F-5xb. One black, one khaki. For Leica gear, mostly.

Domke satchel. I think the number is 803. A little tight for the Hasselblad. Better for Leica or Nikon.

Domke roller bag, for Hasselblad.

Think Tank. I have three shoulder bags. The smallest one is for Leica gear. It's bulkier than the Domke F-5xb and doesn't hold much more gear, but has places for batteries, film, filters, cleaning supplies. The next larger is good for either Leica or Nikon, but holds more lenses and a second body. My largest is a good Hasselblad bag, holding a body with lens, back and finder, plus two more lenses and an extra back.

LowePro Nova one. Nice little bag, perfect size for a SWC or XPAN. I no longer have either camera, but I still have the bag.

A big LowePro bag much like a Domke F2 but bigger. Currently my best Hasselblad bag.

And I have a Think Tank sling bag.

The must have bags for a Colorado photo trip are two Domke F6, the Tamrac System 8, and the Lowepro bag for the Hasselblad. And then maybe one of the Think Tanks. For anywhere else, I bring much less.
 
Oh my I had to look and see. So many bags.

Domke F6, used for small digital kit with my Canon's or my Hasselblad gear.

Domke J2, not used as much as it once was but comes in handy when a need to bring a lot of gear and work out of it.

Domke 803 satchel, the Fuji X one. Bought it used and it looked as it was never used for $15 Now I have a bunch of Fuji gear and it lives in it. Makes me wonder if the bag subconsciously made me move to Fuji????

Another older large Domke satchel I got years ago. I forget the model, but it will hold a small 4x5 field camera system. I have a bunch of 4x5 gear in it now, but sadly the P2 won't fit

Lowe Pro Mini Trekker. I use more for storage of my Canon digital gear.

Porta-Brace small case. Used to hold my Canon flash system

I also have a Domke tripod bag. Domke lightstand bag, and a Domke vest. I used to have their jacket as well but it uhhh shrunk, yes that's it, it shrunk so I sold it. Wish I still had that, it was a great jacket. Love Domke bags

I think about another 3-4 bags and I might be covered. Then there is my assigned bags at the studio I work for. . . .
 
The need for more increases proportionally to one’s growing family of cameras.

Wife: “Is that a nw camera?”
Me: “Nah, it’s one I’ve had for ages”.

I might get away with a new (old) camera, but a new bag she’d ‘clock’ immediately!
 
Billingham Hadley Pro

ThinkTank roller carry-on


I've used both for some 15 years and I am happy with them. A 'secret' feature of the ThinkTank roller: it 'looks' small.
 
I gave up shoulder bags a few years ago. They bother my back, neck, balance, and they just get in the way of my photography when I’m walking through a crowd or riding on the train. I usually carry one camera and lens at one time anyway so once I arrive on location for my day of walking and shooting the bag is superfluous anyways. All that being said, I use a low profile, top loading Mont-bell backpack with a Domke padded insert to carry my camera/lens rig.

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All the best,
Mike
 
About 15 and counting.
It is not just the acquisition of new gear (My approach is each camera has his own bag).
It is also the shift toward smaller bags. For film I tend to take with me less gear in a smaller bag.
I cannot take to much weight with me anymore.
And fortunately digital cameras are much smaller on average.
So the big ones (typically Tamrac) fall in disuse and are substituted by smaller ones of various brands like Kata, Bagsmart, Bodyguard, Caselogic etc
 
ACAM 1100, Artist and Artisan the "Evans Walker." Small. I have had two film Leicas and three lenses and film and a small Leitz table top tripod in that and hiked all day in NZ with it. Mostly now it has the M9-P with a 28mm f5.6 Summaron, plus the 90 Macro-Elmar, a Whibal white balance card, spare SD card, SVGOO 90mm finder and some lens tissues. Will carry a 50 in it sometimes too, if it's not on the camera.

The other small bag is a Tenba Cooper. Really neat, even smaller than the A&A and has flap closing over the top. The Monochrom and 35 Summilux are in that, plus a 28 and a 90 2.8.

A bigger Tenba for the Hasselblad and two lenses and cable release and film and precut film box ends for sticking in the film flap on the film magazine.

And a third brand, a Crumpler for the Rolleiflex. That has a light meter, Rolleinar and filter set, Rolleifix and film in it.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
I like Tamrac as best price/durability, made for photographers, those who are non-trashers. Domke is way too limited by amount of divided storage.
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I use both Tamrac and Domke. Remember, Domke is "The Shooter's bag." Not meant for maximum storage, they are a "bucket" you use to carry just the gear you need at the moment, with spaces large enough to just grab a camera or lens for use, and toss back one you are done with. So they have a different purpose from the Tamrac. I've come to like the Domke F-6 as my shooting bag. The Tamrac stays in the jeep.
 
Another good transport bag to leave in the jeep (car) is the Lowe Pro Photo Trekker. It holds a lot of stuff without taking up too much room. And makes it easy to carry gear into a hotel when traveling.
 
I've had a few 'fancy' bags over the years (Billingham, Artist & Artisans) to carry my one-camera, one-or-two lenses kit. But the bag that keeps staying on top of the pile is a simple Patagonia shoulder bag. I've been using it for 10 years or so and it shows no real wear. I like it because it's just right for carry a book, my phone, the newspaper, keys, and my camera. The bag has a bit of padding on the bottom and rear. If I'm carrying more camera gear than body and one small lens, I put a Domke insert inside the bag. The bag is non-descript, so doesn't attract attention.

I also have small Domke F8 bag if I'm just going out with camera body and one lens.
 
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Think Tank messenger bag - Retrospective 7 version 2

Two Fuji X Pro 2's
One of which is always with the 35mm f 1.4 Fuji,
the other with either the 16mm f 1.4 or a 56mm f 1.2, depending on what and where.

Very happy with both the bag and its contents.
 
I have a couple of different sized Courierware bags. They are basic bags that I have in plain black. As a couple of posters have mentioned, I want a bag that will protect my gear without shouting “I’ve got expensive cameras in here”, but perhaps that comes from using mass transit in the NY area.
 
Style is a personal thing, but I'm a fan of Topo Designs. I use their Field Bag as a camera bag. Unfortunately, I think it's now discontinued, but I find it perfect for a few cameras and lenses, plus a few odds and ends for the day (light jacket, snacks, water bottle, etc...). It has a comfortable padded shoulder strap, a divided main compartment, and lots of pockets for organizing smaller items. I've even managed to cram a Pentax 6x7 and a Leica M5 into it. Not ideal to carry around all day, but it's possible. :D

This is a pretty good web review, with a video to show its different features:
https://strayfoto.com/2015/03/30/topo-designs-field-bag-review-and-video/
 
Caro,

I think I have a bag fetish. Darling husband says yes, I do. I'm leaving the D3 at home these days and mostly using GR III and X100F. This means I can put everything in my purse. But! I have a room in our apartment that is mostly camera bag full.

I should sell them. We could pay the mortgage on this place.

Domke F6 was my "purse" for a long time. It only held lenses and extra batteries and the film. When we went to the digital I keep using but it was too small for the D3 and too big for the X100... So lenses for the D3 and batteries and wide/tele adapters for the X100 went in this bag. But now that I am in my seventh decade, I use a Domke F-5XB that I bought from a American pornographer (so charming!). The really small one. I bring batteries for each and the tele adapter for the Fuji.

A very nice woman from ThinkTank giving me Urban Disguise "for when is more formal. Business-like," she say in lovely card. Two years later I find my wedding ring in bottom of that. I find a battery from I don't know what. Some euros. Circular polarizing filter that I thought I gave away to friend... Not a good bag for me but very nice made and outer-space alta moda. Even if it is a black hole.

So I go back to my purse and the little Domke.

Ciao,

Mme. O.
 
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Yokosuka_Mike said:
I have one. I use it once a year to pay money to the IRS. Hard to believe that I pay more in taxes than certain billionaires.

All the best,
Mike
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I have two, actually, but the business checks are getting so old that they're aging along the edges, resulting in a lovely brown parchment color. My comment was more a gentle laugh regarding carrying one in my camera bag.
 
I've been using a Think Tank Retrospective 5 Version 1 almost since they came out. It can hold any of the following combinations well

Leica M6TTL, lens, light meter
Nikon FE2 or F3, 28/2, 50/1.2, 105/2.5, lightmeter
Pentax 67+1 lens (can hold 2 if done awkwardly
D700, 58/1.4G+28/2

Better bags probably exist, but I bought it and it continues to work fine. I also have a Canon backpack I bought ages ago that I can put cameras and waterbottles in for hiking and it's pretty comfy.
 
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