Camera bag

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sanardo22

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I have a Bessa r3a with a 40mm lens, 21mm lens and a 75mm lens. In addition I have a rather large camera bag for my medium format Mamiya but I am looking for a more compact bag for the rangfinder and lenses. There are a lot of bags out there but can anyone give a recomendation ? I like bages that don't look like camera bages.
 
I just went through this myself and ended up with a small Jack Spade bag with a Domke insert. The Billingham and their ilk look a little too fancy english gentleman for my taste. I lean more toward dirty messenger. Chrome makes some nice messenger bags. The Jack spade is a little more minimalist and classic looking. I'm carrying an M4-P with lens attached and a second lens in one of the bag's internal pockets. For a third lens you might want some sort of wrap or padding. The nicest thing is that it carries really well.
 
nightfly said:
I just went through this myself and ended up with a small Jack Spade bag with a Domke insert. The Billingham and their ilk look a little too fancy english gentleman for my taste. I lean more toward dirty messenger. Chrome makes some nice messenger bags. The Jack spade is a little more minimalist and classic looking. I'm carrying an M4-P with lens attached and a second lens in one of the bag's internal pockets. For a third lens you might want some sort of wrap or padding. The nicest thing is that it carries really well.
Click to expand...


Which "small" Jack spade bag did you buy? Also where do you get a bank loan to buy it?
 
I just got a cheap Domke 803 copy made by Mekko from ebay... I can't afford the real thing at the moment, and for around $50 including inserts & shoulder pad, I think it was a good deal... The quality is excellent (imho) & would be perfect for carrying the kit you mention.

Here are a couple of pictures I posted in another thread:

Front of the bag

Inside of bag

Regards,

Peter
 
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I agree with Burkey, I have a black Domke F6-B. I have used it for two years in the field, on the streets and it still looks good - it has a nice faded look now. It is not conspicuous, looks like any old shoulder bag. It has plenty of room for my M6, 2 (or 4) lenses, plenty of film, filters etc. There is also a nice (easily accessible) pouch at the back which I use for a notebook and maps/guides. I'm even carrying a hasselblad + 80mm at the moment and it fits ok. One thing I really like about the bag is that it is readily accessible when you need a quick lens change etc.
I would highly recommend the optional shoulder pad.
Cheers,
Nick
 
The Billingham Leica M bag (black on black: not at all 'English Gentleman' such as Mark or myself would like) if you have money, or a no name equivalent otherwise.

And check out eBay for 'Leica bag' 'Leica case' and so on and you can usually find some vintage leather bags for $20 or so.
 
Jon Claremont said:
The Billingham Leica M bag (black on black: not at all 'English Gentleman' such as Mark or myself would like) if you have money, or a no name equivalent otherwise.

And check out eBay for 'Leica bag' 'Leica case' and so on and you can usually find some vintage leather bags for $20 or so.
Click to expand...

Actually, Jon I do favour the "stealth" Hadley over the two-tone effect

Mark
 
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I have a perfect bag for you, I think.

I have a perfect bag for you, I think.

sanardo22 said:
I have a Bessa r3a with a 40mm lens, 21mm lens and a 75mm lens. In addition I have a rather large camera bag for my medium format Mamiya but I am looking for a more compact bag for the rangfinder and lenses. There are a lot of bags out there but can anyone give a recomendation ? I like bages that don't look like camera bages.
Click to expand...

I bought a bag from Photo Village see: http://www.artisanandartist.com/
It is the Evans Walker Bag. Sells for $169. I really don't need. Kinda bought on impulse. It is less than a month old. $125, it yours. 😱
 
Sorry Mark, You're like me a Londoner, and maybe not an 'English Gentleman'.

Actually most Spanish and Portuguese manual workers use 'Billingham' replicas for their lunchtime bread, cheese and beer. So I could carry mine anywhere and nobody would ever steal it, unless they wanted my 'lunch'.

But rangefinders are not about two bodies, four lenses, and flash and a tripod and a cable release, so we don't generally need big bags.

As it is I sling my Voigtlander over my shoulder unprotected, and with no extra lenses, and go anywhere and everywhere with it.
 
Jon Claremont said:
Sorry Mark, You're like me a Londoner, and maybe not an 'English Gentleman'.

Actually most Spanish and Portuguese manual workers use 'Billingham' replicas for their lunchtime bread, cheese and beer. So I could carry mine anywhere and nobody would ever steal it, unless they wanted my 'lunch'.

But rangefinders are not about two bodies, four lenses, and flash and a tripod and a cable release, so we don't generally need big bags.

As it is I sling my Voigtlander over my shoulder unprotected, and with no extra lenses, and go anywhere and everywhere with it.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Canvas satchels are about as proletarian as they come but now they are associated with the likes of Billingham or Barbour they become "posh". Funny old world, innit?

I try to leave my bag at home but usually wind up looking like the Michelin man due to stuffed pockets so take it anyway. This is not due to photo equipment, it's just the other junk I carry about on a daily basis 🙂. An M6 and an Elmar need no bag.

Mark
 
I have determined I need 3 bags (I have bag GAS as well, or is that GASBAG):

Bag 1) A backpack when I business travel, holds laptop, my dSLR and one dDSLR lens, my Bessa R setup, and assorted travel gear. Lowepro has some nice ones to fit my needs. This turns into my carry on airplane bag.

Bag 2)A large bag to hold my dSLR and Bessa R and voigtlander Vito. The "throw in the back of the car" we are going to your nephew's birthday party bag.

Bag 3)A very small belt clip bag to hold my mini tripod, my bessa R and one RF lens. A nice lightweight setup when I am walking about town .

Actually 1 & 2 can probably be combined.

The bag I have now, a Lowepro photorunner can't do 3 and can't do 1 or 2. Time to sell it.

Can't buy this stuff online cause I have to touch and feel the bags. Next time I am downtown with my wife in Chicago and I going to go to the Helix store and start poking around.
 
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Gasbag? Thanks, RicardoD. I've been trying to figure out what my problem is for years. The abundance of Domke bags at home plus the number I've sold on eBay should have given me a clue. An Evans Walker bag, huh? Geez, I've always loved Evans', (as in Walker Evans), photographs. Maybe. . . . oh no the bag is filling with gas yet again.
 
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I have a Roots Canada sling bag. Its very compact and I can fit my entire kit in it with external viewfinders for all lenses. It's a tight squeeze but there is still room for a 5 or 6 rolls of film inside. My kit includes a Bessa-T with 35/1,7 Ultron mounted, a CV 21/4, a Jupiter-3 with hood, a CV 75/2,5 and a 135/4,5 Hektor with Imarect viewfinder. It has a pouch on the strap for a cell phone but I use it for two rolls of film.

It does look kind of like a purse though.

Here's the bag from an importer in the USA.
http://www.gentec-intl.com/Default.asp?mode=prd&div_id=&prod_id=N4

I got it much cheaper in Canada. Perhaps a Canadian mail-order place like Vistek.ca or Henrys.com offers it.
 
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