peefeeniz
Never Again
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
As beautiful as those leather bags are, they look a little risky for street photographers. My bag of late has been a Timbuk2 Vapor Crossbody, which looks nothing like a camera bag. I can put a small RF camera and a lens or two in it, w/ room for sunglasses and a few rolls of film (or batteries). Its small size forces you to pair your walkabout kit to the minimum. It’s pretty inconspicuous. And light weight. Of course, it doesn’t smell as nice as those leather bags, but it also costs under $100 usd.
I looked at that Timbuktu Vapor Crossbody online. I liked that it seems rather flat and body-hugging. But a review I read made it sound like the placement of the zippers is peculiar, so that depending on you you sling the bag, the zipper might be underneath the compartment, so that stuff is liable to fall out. Actually I'm a bit distrusting of sling bags in general, for fear of dropping a camera or lens out of it. I have a Think Tank Sling bag I haven't worked up to using yet, for that reason, even though it seems fairly secure.
Two shoulder bags that I find make very good Leica bags are the Domke F-6, and the Think Tank Retrospective 5. The F-6 is my "home away from home" bag that will hold two Leica M bodies with small to medium size lenses attached; plus four more lenses, and a zippered "kangaroo" front pouch, for accessory finders, lens brush, batteries, SD cards, film, even a Fuji X20 or a Leicasonic D-Lux 6. The Retrospective 5 is a bit smaller: It can hold one Leica body with lens, plus two more lenses. So it doesn't hold as much gear, but it has lots of pockets to keep the small items separate and organized, with pockets just right for batteries, finder magnifiers, accessory finders, filters, as well as lens brush and microfiber cloth. It even has a compartment for a tablet. And it is more weatherproof and more secure than the Domke. And of course by holding less gear it is more comfortable to carry. Both bags are fairly hip-hugging.
Edit: I wanted to add that I also have the Think Tank Retrospective 6, which is a bit bigger and holds a bit more than the Retro 5. It's almost the same bag, but adds just enough length to add one more velcro divider, creating space for another camera; it's also a bit deeper front-to-back, just enough to allow carrying two moe lenses separated by small velcro panels. So it carries everything the F-6 can, and more, with the same compartments for small stuff as the Retro 5. The bad news is that they seems to have discontinued the retro 6, and I can't imagine why! Does anyone know?
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I do have a couple of modestly expensive bags from Wotancraft ... their Mini Rider and Easy Rider sling bags. They are superbly made, work very well, and nothing's going to fall out of them unless you do something exceptionally dumb. I also have both the 5L and 10L version 1 Peak Design bags. I have used the 5L extensively, the 10L not so much. Very well made, very nicely designed. They are pretty similar in capacity and concept to the Wotancrafts, but the Wotancrafts have a better harness for bicycle riding (the bags do not move around as your body moves. I find the PD bags are better for walking for exactly the opposite reason ... they are easier to move around and get your stuff in and out of. That's why I have both. 
The Photo Village Oskar's One Day Bag Mark II has been my standard camera and flight carryall for when I'm traveling with a bit more gear since 2011. It's the same size as the Billingham Hadley model I used before it, lighter, and carries a little more. The Artist & Artisan Oskar's One Day Bag that it was designed from I also have and use: it's not quite as capacious but is also an excellent design.
One of my most used bags of late is a very simple Lowepro Terraclime 100 ... a very light, modestly sized satchel with basically one big space, a flat zippered pocket inside, and a couple of small flat front pockets. It's light, flexible, and handles a lot of stuff ... I use wraps to segregate things when needed. But it's discontinued (for a while, I think). I use it a lot because I'm carrying less and less gear, and I more want a bag to carry "all the other junk" including be a place to stuff my jacket and hat when the day warms up, or when I want to have them just in case it rains (like today).
And my standard cycling bag now is a Patagonia Atom 8L ... Not really designed for camera gear, but a perfect size and weight for general purpose use with most anything I carry when on my bicycle. Like the Terraclime 100, I stuff anything that needs protection into it with a wrap. Again, you're not going to drop anything out of it unless you do something terribly dumb, and it hangs perfectly on your back while cycling or walking, flips around to your chest for access quickly and easily when needed.
There are 20 other bags in the closet: Domkes, Tenbas, Think Tanks, etc. They're all full of various bits and pieces of camera equipment, lighting equipmen, close up equipment, flash equipment, etc. Yes, I have way too much camera gear... !
G
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I just looked at that Timbuk2 Vapor Crossbody. I'm not sure I like the semi-external, individually zippered pockets; I can see lots of opportunity with that design to leave something unzipped inadvertently. And while it looks like it can adapt to left or right shoulder wear easily, it's not optimized for either. Slings should be a little simpler IMO, to minimize the possibility of error. For me, a sling bag should ride with the strap around the right side of my neck, so that I pull it around on my left ... a little asymmetry works to optimize it in this regard. The Atom 8L does this perfectly: when I have the bag around front, the main and single small pocket zippers point upwards and made access very easy, and even if I push it back onto my back without zipping them closed, the contents slide away from them and deeper into the bag towards its bottom.
The Photo Village Oskar's One Day Bag Mark II has been my standard camera and flight carryall for when I'm traveling with a bit more gear since 2011. It's the same size as the Billingham Hadley model I used before it, lighter, and carries a little more. The Artist & Artisan Oskar's One Day Bag that it was designed from I also have and use: it's not quite as capacious but is also an excellent design.
One of my most used bags of late is a very simple Lowepro Terraclime 100 ... a very light, modestly sized satchel with basically one big space, a flat zippered pocket inside, and a couple of small flat front pockets. It's light, flexible, and handles a lot of stuff ... I use wraps to segregate things when needed. But it's discontinued (for a while, I think). I use it a lot because I'm carrying less and less gear, and I more want a bag to carry "all the other junk" including be a place to stuff my jacket and hat when the day warms up, or when I want to have them just in case it rains (like today).
And my standard cycling bag now is a Patagonia Atom 8L ... Not really designed for camera gear, but a perfect size and weight for general purpose use with most anything I carry when on my bicycle. Like the Terraclime 100, I stuff anything that needs protection into it with a wrap. Again, you're not going to drop anything out of it unless you do something terribly dumb, and it hangs perfectly on your back while cycling or walking, flips around to your chest for access quickly and easily when needed.
There are 20 other bags in the closet: Domkes, Tenbas, Think Tanks, etc. They're all full of various bits and pieces of camera equipment, lighting equipmen, close up equipment, flash equipment, etc. Yes, I have way too much camera gear... !
G
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I just looked at that Timbuk2 Vapor Crossbody. I'm not sure I like the semi-external, individually zippered pockets; I can see lots of opportunity with that design to leave something unzipped inadvertently. And while it looks like it can adapt to left or right shoulder wear easily, it's not optimized for either. Slings should be a little simpler IMO, to minimize the possibility of error. For me, a sling bag should ride with the strap around the right side of my neck, so that I pull it around on my left ... a little asymmetry works to optimize it in this regard. The Atom 8L does this perfectly: when I have the bag around front, the main and single small pocket zippers point upwards and made access very easy, and even if I push it back onto my back without zipping them closed, the contents slide away from them and deeper into the bag towards its bottom.
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Just saw this passing the Chanel store.Spend some money: Oberwerth Bags - high quality camera bags
It will set you back $9,400.



Rick Waldroup
Well-known
Wow! I think I might get one of these. I wonder if they take PayPal?Just saw this passing the Chanel store.
It will set you back $9,400.
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Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
The only way I would buy a $9,400 camera bag is if it came with at least one Leica inside it.
My favorite camera bag is a Think Tank Retrospective 4. It holds a 35mm SLR with lens attached, another lens, and a few rolls of film. Exactly what I want to carry and nothing more. And it's pretty unobtrusive (mine is black).
My favorite camera bag is a Think Tank Retrospective 4. It holds a 35mm SLR with lens attached, another lens, and a few rolls of film. Exactly what I want to carry and nothing more. And it's pretty unobtrusive (mine is black).
Rick Waldroup
Well-known
I have a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20. It is small and I carry one body and two lenses. It is the perfect size for that.The only way I would buy a $9,400 camera bag is if it came with at least one Leica inside it.
My favorite camera bag is a Think Tank Retrospective 4. It holds a 35mm SLR with lens attached, another lens, and a few rolls of film. Exactly what I want to carry and nothing more. And it's pretty unobtrusive (mine is black).
Archiver
Veteran
Expense aside, IMO the worst part about luxury leather bags is the weight. As someone who enjoys walking around with a couple of cameras and lenses with the potential to carry knick knacks and snacks, the bag needs to be only heavy enough to protect the gear, but not so heavy as to feel like it already has gear when empty. I don't even like using the Thinktank Urban Disguise bags for everyday walkaround because they are unfortunately heavy.
My most used bags are light, practical and often not for cameras. My most used bag is the Crumpler Dry Red Boarding Bag, a lightweight canvas 8 litre shoulder bag with a sturdy zip and multiple pockets. It can fit a M9 and micro four thirds camera at a pinch for airline travel, and it doesn't look like a camera bag at all, because it isn't.
Second most used bag is the Alpaka Go Sling Pro, a purpose-designed camera/gear bag with a detachable strap, big enough to hold a Panasonic G9 fitted with 12-35 or Olympus f1.2 Pro prime, a spare lens, cards and batteries. I tend to use this for shooting events, and for airline travel. Another great but discontinued bag is the Lowepro Streamline, a nylon shoulder bag with expandable sides and padded pockets for compact camera and tiny lenses.
Some years ago, I bought into the hype and got a Billingham Hadley Pro, and was disappointed by how heavy and stiff it was. Much of the weight came from the padded insert. I've since put the insert into a Samsonite backpack and used that as a camera bag instead. I brought the Hadley Pro to a camera shop one time and saw a couple of Hadleys on a couch - they turned out to belong to customers! So if I had put my bag on the couch, someone could have picked it up, mistaking it for theirs!
There's almost no chance of this happening with an Oberwerth, given how uncommon they would be, but I'm not spending thousands of dollars to get a heavy, clunky theft magnet.
My most used bags are light, practical and often not for cameras. My most used bag is the Crumpler Dry Red Boarding Bag, a lightweight canvas 8 litre shoulder bag with a sturdy zip and multiple pockets. It can fit a M9 and micro four thirds camera at a pinch for airline travel, and it doesn't look like a camera bag at all, because it isn't.
Second most used bag is the Alpaka Go Sling Pro, a purpose-designed camera/gear bag with a detachable strap, big enough to hold a Panasonic G9 fitted with 12-35 or Olympus f1.2 Pro prime, a spare lens, cards and batteries. I tend to use this for shooting events, and for airline travel. Another great but discontinued bag is the Lowepro Streamline, a nylon shoulder bag with expandable sides and padded pockets for compact camera and tiny lenses.
Some years ago, I bought into the hype and got a Billingham Hadley Pro, and was disappointed by how heavy and stiff it was. Much of the weight came from the padded insert. I've since put the insert into a Samsonite backpack and used that as a camera bag instead. I brought the Hadley Pro to a camera shop one time and saw a couple of Hadleys on a couch - they turned out to belong to customers! So if I had put my bag on the couch, someone could have picked it up, mistaking it for theirs!
There's almost no chance of this happening with an Oberwerth, given how uncommon they would be, but I'm not spending thousands of dollars to get a heavy, clunky theft magnet.
Archiver
Veteran
The Mirrorless Mover series was developed as a slightly scaled down version of the Urban Disguise bags I mentioned above. Still a bit too boxy for me, but I love Thinktank's build quality and plethora of pockets and compartments.I have a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20. It is small and I carry one body and two lenses. It is the perfect size for that.
A
AndyCapp
Guest
I have found that the price of a bag correlates poorly with its usability. Thus far, my luckiest acquisition has been Tenba DNA 11. It is just right for my APS setup –an A6400 body with a zoom attached and two primes. The primes never leave the bag. Hm. Today, I ordered a Wandred Sedona 6L, which will carry my Leica setup. It is orange!


D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
Over the years, I've used many bags. The Billingham didn't make the cut. A stack of Domkes...I still have two original well-used messenger bags and an F-10. My most used bag though is this soft Slow Tools canvas bag from Japan. A Rolleiflex or Leica M (sometimes in a Domke wrap) a meter and a bit of film...



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Vince Lupo
Whatever
Reminds me a bit of one I had -- of course it was a lot cheaper!Just saw this passing the Chanel store.
It will set you back $9,400.
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Just When I Thought I Had Enough Camera Bags... by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
raid
Dad Photographer
One of my heavily used camera bags cost me $30 as a new bag.
sojournerphoto
Veteran
I’ve got one of these that does lots of stuff - work overnights, couple of Ms, sandwiches and a bottle of water…
Tralee Bairn Messenger
And doesn’t look like a camera bag. No padding, no dividers but wrap stuff up and it’s fine
Mike
Tralee Bairn Messenger
And doesn’t look like a camera bag. No padding, no dividers but wrap stuff up and it’s fine
Mike
JohnWolf
Well-known
May a day come when we look upon leather as we now do fur.
John
John
Archiver
Veteran
That bag has been in my Instagram feed for a couple of weeks, let us know how it goes.I have found that the price of a bag correlates poorly with its usability. Thus far, my luckiest acquisition has been Tenba DNA 11. It is just right for my APS setup –an A6400 body with a zoom attached and two primes. The primes never leave the bag. Hm. Today, I ordered a Wandred Sedona 6L, which will carry my Leica setup. It is orange!
View attachment 4835501
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Where can one obtain the Slow Tools bag? I've been looking for one and not found any... ?Over the years, I've used many bags. The Billingham didn't make the cut. A stack of Domkes...I still have two original well-used messenger bags and an F-10. My most used bag though is this soft Slow Tools canvas bag from Japan. A Rolleiflex or Leica M (sometimes in a Domke wrap) a meter and a bit of film...View attachment 4835507
G
hap
Well-known
Did you get a link for this bag?Where can one obtain the Slow Tools bag? I've been looking for one and not found any... ?
G
Hap
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
Here's a link to their leather version.Where can one obtain the Slow Tools bag? I've been looking for one and not found any... ?
G

fino - cartridge shoulder bag - L
本体に日本で最高の技術とされる1937年創業の栃木レザー株式会社製のフルベジタブルタンニングレザー(ヌメ革)を使用しています。古来伝承のピット槽によるフルベジタブルタンニンなめし専門タンナーとして世界的にも知られています。南米産のミモザの樹皮から抽出されたパウダー状のタンニン剤でじっくりと時間をかけてなめしあげた純正ヌメ革は、匠の技術を巧みに駆使し造り上げた
This one looks very close.... and less expensive
Frost River Shell Bag | Canadian Outdoor Equipment Co.
The Frost River Shell Bag is perfect for anybody looking to add some extra storage capacity. Used by both hunters, anglers and hikers alike, this bag can carry any extra ammo, plano boxes, or gear that you want to keep dry and easily accessible. You can

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Godfrey
somewhat colored
Here's a link to their leather version.
I had a friend in Japan send me one![]()
fino - cartridge shoulder bag - L
本体に日本で最高の技術とされる1937年創業の栃木レザー株式会社製のフルベジタブルタンニングレザー(ヌメ革)を使用しています。古来伝承のピット槽によるフルベジタブルタンニンなめし専門タンナーとして世界的にも知られています。南米産のミモザの樹皮から抽出されたパウダー状のタンニン剤でじっくりと時間をかけてなめしあげた純正ヌメ革は、匠の技術を巧みに駆使し造り上げたstore.slow-web.com
This one looks very close.... and less expensive
Frost River Shell Bag | Canadian Outdoor Equipment Co.
The Frost River Shell Bag is perfect for anybody looking to add some extra storage capacity. Used by both hunters, anglers and hikers alike, this bag can carry any extra ammo, plano boxes, or gear that you want to keep dry and easily accessible. You canwww.canadianoutdoorequipment.com
Many thanks! I like the Slow Tools bag but yes, they are pretty expensive.
I'm looking for a specific size and shape, and there seem to be a couple of choices on the Frost River site that will work nicely, and I kinda prefer the canvas over the leather for my application. The FRs are available at a much lower price too..
Things to think about...
G
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