Grail Quest for the Perfect Camera Bag

I would just google for Billingham, Domke, Crumpler or Lowepro. Tenba air cases are excellent for shipping your gear and loading it in checked baggage (hence the name air case), while Pelican cases are good for keeping your gear free from rain, seawater, sand, being crushed etc. There really is no perfect bag...I think three main bags are a good idea: A good solid backpack, a large shoulder bag, and a smallish satchel. With these three covered you are pretty much set for most situations. My choice of the three are the Crumpler Whickey and Cox for the backpack, the Billingham 445 for the large shoulder bag, and the Domke J803 for the satchel. Those are pretty much the only bags I ever use, unless I need an air case or something.
 
I just recently picked up a Tamarac Velocity 2 camera bag for my CLE and three lenses. I like it a lot. It is deeper than wider and is very roomy leaving lots of room for a meter, or extra body, film, a flash, etc. It has a handle and a shoulder strap. It doesn't have a waist strap.



:)
 
Does anyone use the Fogg camera satchels?
http://www.foggspecialistbags.com/satchels.htm
I like the look of the Forte - looks like a beefed up fishing bag - but a lot more expensive.
I keep looking for other canvas style sachels but always end up packing my gear in beaten up Domke 802 and 803 bags. I like the Billingham Hadley's as well i've got the Pro version and a larger version with side pockets and grab strap that i've not seen for sale recently - great for carry-on for plane journeys but I find it a bit too bulky to shoot out of when working.
 
I must admit that article struck a chord with me. Always searching for the perfect bag, camera and otherwise. But I've recently found a pretty good friend in the Domke f-803. It's not any bigger than it needs to be, and the padded inserts are a big plus for throwing my long SLR lens in there.
 
I can vouch for the small Billingam for RF kit. I think mine is the L2 or something like it. Good enough for a couple of RF bodies and three lenses (35, 50, 90) n film.
 
I have them all- Fogg, Billinghams, Domke, etc. Recently I aquired a used MCLASSIC. First of all the case is by a very wide margin the most comfortable to carry and use of all the cases. The guy I purchased it from substituted the Domke gripper strap.

But the real selling point (looking ahead) was that before the bag was shipped to me the seller noticed a missing snap. THe email exchange between the owner of MCLASSIC and the seller was unbelievable. THe guy was willing to take repair equiptment on vacation in order to make any necessary repairs. I have never seen concern for a company's clients or products equivalent to this.

Bottom line - if you can use the MCLassic - buy it!
 
Which Fogg bag do you have Traut?
I had an MClassic a few years ago maybe i had a duff one because in less than a year the leather grew mould and the "brass like" fittings tarnished and I had to throw it out. The Billinghams who were sat next to it on the shelf still look brand new. But I noticed on the Mclassic site that there are newer versions. I agree it's a well thought out bag - it's just a pity mine didn't last very long.
 
StuartR said:
Tenba air cases are excellent for shipping your gear and loading it in checked baggage...
Click to expand...

Pardon me for jumping in here. I just had to say that I think putting camera gear in checked baggage at the airport is a VERY bad idea. Most people are unaware that the $2500 liability insurance that the airline supplies does NOT cover camera equipment.

Furthermore, the TSA recommends that ALL checked bags be left unlocked. If they decide to search your bag and you locked it, they WILL cut the lock, and they are not responsible for any damage that arises as a result of such entry.

There are special locks that you can buy that the TSA also has a key for - but in my extensive experience traveling, they often ignore that and cut the lock anyway. There is NO ONE you can complain to - in fact, you can be arrested for complaining at the airport if they get tired of hearing you yap at them.

If your camera gear is stolen from checked luggage, you really have little recourse. The airline will point at the TSA, and the TSA will point at the airline, and in any case, you are now at your destination without your gear. Even if you get reimbursed eventually, you're pretty much sunk without your stuff.

Check clothes. Carry cameras.

Failing that, I recommend shipping them ahead.

Some photographers have no option but to check their bags with camera gear. The horror stories are rife - if you have an option, don't do it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
A vote for Domke. Mine is virtually indestructable and isn't too bad for price. I don't know what size would be good for a rangefinder system, though.

I looked at a Billingham L2 for my Kiev 4am and accesories, and it is a very nice bag as well. I think it is a...shade overpriced...at almost $190, though. Then again, if I had a few thousand dollars in Leica gear, I wouldn't feel that way. Just too much for a FSU setup, that's all.

I also have an old gas mask bag (a leftover from my Dad's time in the Army back in the 70's) that I throw a notebook, a steno pad, my Kiev, and a few rolls of film in when I want to walk around and not carry a bunch of stuff. The best bang for the buck (free:)).

I hope this is of some use to somebody

Have a nice day,
Bob Clark
 
bmattock said:
Pardon me for jumping in here. I just had to say that I think putting camera gear in checked baggage at the airport is a VERY bad idea. Most people are unaware that the $2500 liability insurance that the airline supplies does NOT cover camera equipment.

Furthermore, the TSA recommends that ALL checked bags be left unlocked. If they decide to search your bag and you locked it, they WILL cut the lock, and they are not responsible for any damage that arises as a result of such entry.

There are special locks that you can buy that the TSA also has a key for - but in my extensive experience traveling, they often ignore that and cut the lock anyway. There is NO ONE you can complain to - in fact, you can be arrested for complaining at the airport if they get tired of hearing you yap at them.

If your camera gear is stolen from checked luggage, you really have little recourse. The airline will point at the TSA, and the TSA will point at the airline, and in any case, you are now at your destination without your gear. Even if you get reimbursed eventually, you're pretty much sunk without your stuff.

Check clothes. Carry cameras.

Failing that, I recommend shipping them ahead.

Some photographers have no option but to check their bags with camera gear. The horror stories are rife - if you have an option, don't do it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
Click to expand...

Hey Bill,
I certainly don't do this if I don't have to, but if I have to check bags with cameras I use an air case. For example, I went to Japan for three months and brought a rangefinder setup, along with an SLR kit and a small medium format kit. Only the Rangefinder setup and my computer would fit in carry-on, so I needed to check the SLR and MF kit. I arrived at the Tenba air cases by talking to both the local Nikon and Leica reps. They said that they had to check their kits (containing samples and so on) all the time, and that the Tenbas were even better than the Pelicans for this purpose. Neither had ever had a problem. In any case, I use the TSA locks and have never found one cut...I have only used them for a year, but I have been to 9 countries this year and spent 6 months of the year away from my home. Also, all the cameras are insured on a separate policy that covers airline damage or loss. Once again, I totally agree with you about not checking anything if you don't have to, but if you have no choice you need to do all the research you can and trust in good locks, good cases and good insurance.
 
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StuartR said:
Hey Bill,
I certainly don't do this if I don't have to, but if I have to check bags with cameras I use an air case. For example, I went to Japan for three months and brought a rangefinder setup, along with an SLR kit and a small medium format kit. Only the Rangefinder setup and my computer would fit in carry-on, so I needed to check the SLR and MF kit. I arrived at the Tenba air cases by talking to both the local Nikon and Leica reps. They said that they had to check their kits (containing samples and so on) all the time, and that the Tenbas were even better than the Pelicans for this purpose. Neither had ever had a problem. In any case, I use the TSA locks and have never found one cut...I have only used them for a year, but I have been to 9 countries this year and spent 6 months of the year away from my home. Also, all the cameras are insured on a separate policy that covers airline damage or loss. Once again, I totally agree with you about not checking anything if you don't have to, but if you have no choice you need to do all the research you can and trust in good locks, good cases and good insurance.
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If you have no choice, you have no choice, I agree.

My experience - my wife bought me a bunch of the new TSA-approved locks; all were cut by the TSA within weeks - I was flying twice a week at that time. Maybe things are better now.

My real fear is that most people don't know that the normal airline insurance does not cover loss or theft of cameras, computers, or jewelry. Unless you have other coverage (as you do), you could get burned really badly.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
I'd like to suggest the canvass World Famous brand bags, with Domke (or other) padded inserts.
 
StuartR said:
There really is no perfect bag...I think three main bags are a good idea: A good solid backpack, a large shoulder bag, and a smallish satchel. With these three covered you are pretty much set for most situations.
Click to expand...
That certainly describes my use of bags. A small Lowepro Nova 2 bag is excellent for carrying a RF and a couple of lenses, a mid-range Safrotto carries my SLR gear, a Nova 3 does a nice job carrying a Hassy, 2 lenses and 2-3 backs, and a smallish Lowepro Micro-Trekker backpack carries my gear when I'm doing nature photography with a long lens or two and a spare body to carry.

Gene
 
Domke bags are awfully good bags and are priced within reason. I have used Domkes for years and can't complain about them one bit.

Billingham bags are premium bags and are a bit on the costly side but are worth every dollar. I highly endorse them. One nice thing about the Billingham bags is that they don't look like camera bags - especially the Hadley satchel type bags and the 550, 445 and 555.

Saddleback Leather makes primo top end leather satchels and daypacks. They are not specifically set up as camera bags but are readily adaptable by the addition of a Domke padded insert. Take a look : www.saddlebackleather.com
 
Wotancraft Ranger

Wotancraft Ranger

I have never seen one of these bags in real life but the Wotancraft Ranger city explorer looks like an outstanding camera bag. Over at L Camera Forum, a couple of posters have purchased the Ranger and have given them rave reviews.

Take a look at the Ranger and Wotancraft's other camera bags here:
www.wotancraft.com/shop/bag/ranger
 
I have 4 Fogg bags, one big for MF, one medium ( B- Minor), one small (B-Leica) and one very small, to fit a single body with a collapsible lens, or a few rolls of film. They are great, and the latest ones came with a fabric finish which has an extremely pleasant way of softening after some use. In fact, the tactile feeling replicates that of handling the Leica bodies. None of them got any mould, perhaps that was due to some initial production problems.
This is the colour I like best:

http://www.foggspecialistbags.com/fogg-camera-satchels/b-minor
 
I have a much used tatty, very tatty Billingham 335, and a Billingham Stowaway, (which is grubby on the way to tatty. Both Billingham bags have plenty of life left in them, I love billingham bags especially when they are worn and shabby, when this happens they offer both protection and more importantly they do not cry out 'camera bag containg expensive kit).

The stowaway is an interesting bag, not designed soley for cameras I can get a M2 and 35T in and also my kindle, and importantly it does not draw attention
 
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