Computer, Rangefinder briefcase or bag?

jpmac55

jpmac55

Established
Local time
10:05 PM
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
132
I own a few already but would like to know what you use for carrying your laptop and rangefinder camera together. Some of the case options lean too heavily toward dSLR camera's - too much space for the camera and not enough room for briefcase essentials.

My current bag in play is a Timbuk 2 messenger bag which has a designated laptop compartment and enough extra space for my Canon G9. It's not quite large enough for my M8 though.

Rather than rambling, I will wait to see what you're using.

Thanks!!
 
I have an assortment of bags but I like the ORIGINAL Leica bag best, the one that the "Classic' is a copy of. There's plenty of room for an M rangefinder body or two, light meter, film, and a few lenses. There's also room for a traditional (paper) notebook and a couple of pencils or ballpoint pens, even an abacus if you need to do some complicated calculations.
 
Voyager phone is all the computer I need. However, when I was in grad school I'd carry my laptop in a computer case and my Leica in a Domke F5x.
 
I decided to find a Zing or Op/Tech neoprene case designed for a rangefinder camera. It may be a little tight in my current computer bag but will give me more options with other packs I own.
 
A lot of the basic laptop backpacks do a good job with the laptop and have a deeper wider cavity for a full sized body. When I travel I just wrap my camera in a Domke padded lens wrap and put small items into clear plastic bags. Without all those padded dividers you get a lot more room.

I went from a $250 ThinkTank backpack (which was very nice) to a $36 EMS generic without missing a step, and the new pack holds as much and is smaller and lighter (no padding though).

Also have had all of the Domkes, some Lowes, and a couple of messenger bags including Timbuktu and Patagonia. Never found one that carried cameras and laptop easily but the best of the lot was the ThinkTank Urban Disguise 50 which will take a Leica with a lens mounted but has trouble with a DSLR with a lens unless you pack it "light".

There is no such thing as a laptop/camera bag that you can actually shoot out of comfortably and why would you when the laptop adds 5-8 lbs?

I agree the shoulder bags look more professional than a backpack for business travel but for most presentations I end up just carrying my laptop in a sleeve and if I need more, like a projector, then I'm loaded down with crap no matter what and a backpack or even a milk crate will work.
 
Last edited:
I carry my MP with one lens, film, notebook, exposure meter, MacBook Air, power supply, papers, wallet, cell phone, keys, lunch, drink, ... every day to work in a Domke J-803 messenger bag.
Its a great small bag, with a 'laptop compartiment', but this is very small. With some effort, it accepts the Air. There is no way you can put a normal 13inch laptop in there, unless you remove the insert in the big compartiment, but then you can no longer put your camera in there.
 
Sorry for the crappy picture, just a quick one. That's some Crumpler bag, not sure what it's called. It easily fits the Macbook / Vaio SZ, a camera body, 1-2 lenses, huuge notebook, a large book, 3-4 smaller books, pens in the front, 6 films 35mm, 6 films 120, light meter, a few slim magazines, and I could still fit a shirt in there (I will in a minute). It's heavy of course, but you can use a clip on your chest to support the weight a little better (especially riding bike). That's what it looks like closed.

It's a well made bag, too, I'm just a little sick of the red. The white is more neutral, but has some ugly green inside. I think that this one is from some limited series Crumpler Europe ran a year ago.

martin
 
Last edited:
Another bag I like

STM Small Cargo for 13" computers, I just put a few books in there to illustrate the size. It holds an M Body with a small lens (Nokton, Elmar, Summicron) and a few books, film, notebook, pens, cellphone, ipod, ... . I like the way it looks, and you can usually get STM Bags at university stores pretty cheap. I bought mine at SDSU in the store next to the library. That's what it looks like shut.
 
Last edited:
That's the small loft, for the 13" Vaio. Holds a little less than the cargo, but still works if you don't have to carry a lot. A laptop, a notebook, a book, some film, an m body with a really small lens and a light meter, that's about it. Comfortable to carry though. Here's the STM page. I'll probably post a few more bags later.

martin
 
Last edited:
I use either a Billingham Hadley or a 335. The hadley will take a 12" computer with the padding in place, and a Leica M with a small lens in one of the front pockets. A 15" Macbook Pro is no problem if you take the padding out of the main compartment.

The 335 has more space for stuff apart from the computer and camera (papers etc.) and can take a bigger camera than the Hadley.
 
I'm currently researching the same thing for airplane travel which is the only time I would really want to take my MacBook Pro, M8, and a couple of lenses, charger, etc. with me. So far, Courierware Incognito camera bag is my favorite...only problem is in order to carry the 15" MBP, you need the medium which is a bit too large for me. The small, however, looks like it would work for the 13" MBP + camera gear.
 
Domke clone F-803 (small) and F-802 (large). The F-802 clone is large enough to carry a big Dell multmedia desktop-replacement type of laptop. The clones are made by Safrotto and available on eBay for ½ the price of the Domke originals. Materials and manufacturing are better than the Domke bags.
 
It's rare to carry both a rangefinder and a laptop, but when I do it's in a Domke J-803. The camera and an extra lens or two go in the bag, my Thinkpad goes into the "magazine slot" on the back. If it's raining, I wrap the the Thinkpad in a plastic shopping bag first.
 
I like the KATA Sensitivity V backpack.
Two separate compartments for camera gear that can become one and a separate laptop pocket.
Also various smaller dedicated pockets for ipod, iphone, water bottle, etc.
All this and surprisingly SMALL and streamlined!!!
 
I have 2 shoulder bags I can carry with 13" laptop and Leica M body with lens attached.

The first, a Timbuk2 Originals Commute, fits the Leica M8 in a Domke insert with space on either side of the insert for lenses, batteries and cards. Discontinued, don't know if current models are the same size inside.

timbuk-commute-waxed-lg.jpg

16062.jpg


The second, a Crumpler Sophisticator, has more room and fits a Tenba insert.

crumpler-sophisticator-laptop-notebook-bag-1.jpg

509016.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom