camera bags

Firsty

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Aug 20, 2008
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My R-D1 arrives tomorrow and I don't have a bag to carry it around in
I'm looking for a bag to take on holidays (going to Fiji on Tuesday)
so it will need space for the camera plus
2 lens
2 spare batteries
SD cards
the charger and cord
cleaning gear
what else do you carry?

I have a backpack for my SLR kit but it's way to big

as far as a day bag would you use the same bag and just leave the charger behind in your room... here in Australia the weather is usually warm so we don't have room for pockets in our T shirts and shorts :)

any photos of your bags would be a great help
 
I carry a M8.2 with a lens and two other lenses, a tabletop tripod, lens pen, cable release, 4 memory cards, two spare batteries, all in a Domke F-5xb. If I left the 90mm at home, I might get its charger in there.
 
If you don't expect to encounter any rain where you plan to bring your photo gear, then a Domke would get my vote as well (I have an F2 and F3x).

But if you think rain might be in the forecast, then you should look at bags with built-in rain covers. With that in mind, take a look at the Thinktank line of bags. For the gear you listed, an Urban Disguise 30 should be perfect.
 
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Yeah, I get an M5 with lens as well as 2 more lenses, a box of 10 films, a molskine, tabletop tripod, pens, lenspen, film picker, microfibre cloths, extra battery, front/back caps and a filter wallet. It's packed but it all fits and I can close the zipper.
 
I'm not sure what you're going to find in Australia at a reasonable price in the next day or two. I'm a Domke addict, live in Canada, and have always bought mine from the U.S. because they are so much cheaper there.

The two bags I use are the above-mentioned 5XB and the 803 satchel. Although I have been amazed at some posts about how much people have crammed into their 5XB, I haven't tried to cram the charger and cord into mine. On trips to Paris and Buenos Aires, I used the 803, which was able to hold the R-D1, extra lenses, charger and cord, as well as other stuff like my GRDII and ipod. It's not too big to be a comfortable street bag, and you can stuff a guide book and/or map in the back pocket. That said, I've been using the 5XB more lately, usually with one lens on the camera, and one extra lens -- as well as batteries and extra cards. I have seen a crumpler bag approximately the same size.

In terms of charger/cords, although it's not going to help you right now, there are third party chargers which do away with the cord, and are more compact. There's also a variation with the cords. My original one, which came with a North American plug, had a thicker cord, than the one I bought used, which had a European plug, and thinner cord which takes up a little less volume.
 
The 803 get my vote.
I used one for 10 years and it adapted to different tasks with flying colors.
However, the RD1 w/lens longer than 1 inch is not so smooth to get into the insert. (The RD1 is "taller" than a M indeed.)
BTW, the F6 also fit the bill nicely, but I'll take it when I've to bring both RF & SLR.
 
vote for F803...though r-d1 is bigger than m and not fit in the insert, i usually put insert in the middle for spare lens or accessories...and put the r-d1 on one of the sides...it works to me...
 
KXL,

Had never seen ThinkTank stuff. Having gone though a couple of rains of late I have to say that I wish I had one of them. Interesting design, looks very well built.

B2 (;->
 
To confuse you further......

Have a look at Domke F6. Just brought mine out for a day trip this past weekend.

Domke F6: M2 with 50mm summicron, Zeiss Ikon with 50mm sonnar, CV 35mm color skopar, Sekonic 308s, films, filters, umbrella, guidebook and with a good amount of room to spare.

I did not once feel as if the bag was too big. 2 thumbs up from me
 
Shocking no one's mentioned the Bare Bones Bag yet.

I like mine, although there are a few things about it I'd change (positive latching option for the top flap, for one). It's very small. Perfect for a RF camera with 2-3 lenses plus accessories; I even had a spotmeter and a 6x6 folder jammed into mine at the same time as the Leica setup, plus filters and film, although that was really pushing it. If you like the idea but want padding, perhaps the Courierware (fabricators of the BBB) Incognito camera bag is a better option. I wish I had one of those instead of the BB...I'd have the option to take out or leave in the padded insert.

Looking at getting one of the two larger sizes myself for a RF + TLR + personal stuff travel bag.
 
I keep a couple of plastic garbage bags in the bottom of my camera bag. Fresh out of the box they're folded really flat and take up little room. If you get caught in rain you can put everything in a plastic bag.
 
I keep a couple of plastic garbage bags in the bottom of my camera bag. Fresh out of the box they're folded really flat and take up little room. If you get caught in rain you can put everything in a plastic bag.

That's exactly what I do, Al. For how infrequently I've been caught in the rain and needed protection, this allows me to carry whatever bag I want without being dependent on the manufacturer integrating it into the bag or not. Besides, the folded up plastic garbage bag adds a little more protection on the bottom of the camera bag in case it gets set down a little harder than intended.
 
after buying and using a secondhand billingham L2 (or older equivalent) for about a year, I recently splurged on a new Billingham Hadley. I'm generally pretty frugal but spent the money because the quality of the billingham has ended my search for another bag for my rangefinder... there is sufficient room for one body (lens mounted), another lens or two, 10 rolls of film, a light meter and even a small netbook (my HP Mini fits)... all in a waterproof, extremely well constructed and well designed bag... the Billinghams get better with use, they form to your body and are quite light for such a well contructed and well padded bag...

I use a Domke J2 Ballistic for my SLR kit.. and I think the Domke's are great bags but the Billinghams are fantastic.
 
I have been using Domke F-5XB for 4 years now and it is the bag that I used in daily basis . It can hold my R-1Ds with 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit ASPH perfectly and a 50mm f/2.0 SUMMICRON with 2 additional batteries. The front pocket is perfect for SD card and additional filters.

This bag is also big enough to carry DSLR. My S5 Pro and 18-200VR fit nicely.
 
thanks for all the great suggestions
I ran out of time before the holiday, but will look closer at all the cases and pick one up in the next few weeks

thanks again
 
+1 for the Bare Bones bag. I received mine couple of days ago and took it out for a test drive. had my R-D1 with 28mm M-Rokkor, Nokton 40mm and 75mm CV. Also had other miscellaneous crap in the bag. Everything fit perfectly and because its not padded it doesn't stick out 6 inches out of my side when i walk around. Bag is expensive but very nice craftsmanship.
 
KXL,

Had never seen ThinkTank stuff. Having gone though a couple of rains of late I have to say that I wish I had one of them. Interesting design, looks very well built.

B2 (;->

Definitely made to last -- very high quality bags. I have the UD 30 (for RF gear) and a UD 35 (for DSLR and laptop). I have a couple of Domke bags, and only use them these days to store gear that I don't bring with me. If I ever do buy another bag, I would certainly look at the Urban Disguise line first.

-Keith
 
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