One for the bag gurus - X100s, two conversion lenses and extras... including an iPad

Ken Ford

Ken Ford

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I have a BBB-E that I use for my NEX7 kit and iPad, and now need another similar bag for the new X100s kit. I'll be starting with just the X100s, charger, an extra battery or two and the iPad but will possibly be adding one or both of the Fuji conversion lenses.

I like the BBB-E (a lot), but what else can people recommend?
 
I ordered a custom-designed, medium-size "masculine" bag from Porteen Gear and have to say, it is awesome, easily the most comfy camera bag I've ever had, and I have a closet full of them. The bag is soft, light, and sufficiently pliant so it's a pleasure to carry, and its padding feels very secure. And, it looks great :)
 
akptc said:
I ordered a custom-designed, medium-size "masculine" bag from Porteen Gear and have to say, it is awesome, easily the most comfy camera bag I've ever had, and I have a closet full of them. The bag is soft, light, and sufficiently pliant so it's a pleasure to carry, and its padding feels very secure. And, it looks great :)
Click to expand...

i think we need a pic of this bag...:D
 
I've had one of the smaller Domke satchels for years (The F-802, I think). Sounds about the right size for your needs.

Mine fits an M + 2 lenses, X100s, and an iPad (but it'll be full by that time!).
 
I just got an X100s and a Think Tank Turnstyle 5 to go with it. There's a compartment for a tablet, but I don't have one to tell you how it fits. But in general the 5 is great, just enough for the X100s and a few accessories. It's my first 'sling' style bag, too, and I'm very glad to have a bag I can whip around speedily to front or back, and not a real shoulder bag wracking my back (I used to love them, and almost got another, but I'm glad I didn't.)
 
That Turnstyle 5 looks interesting - I've never used a sling bag. It looks bulky on their website, though - Rick, what's your impression on the overall size for what it can carry?
 
I've been thoroughly delighted with the Think Tank Photo "Mirrorless Mover 30i". It's a reasonably light, reasonably protective, reasonably compact bag that will hold up to four medium size SLR lenses (Leica R or Nikkor) and one body (Sony A7/Leicaflex SL-Nikon F plain prism size), and necessary accessories. It can hold a second body as well, with three lenses total.

I like that it holds its shape well, and that the lid opens away from you so it's easy to get gear in and out with out fussing with the bag. I like that the strap is easy to exchange to suit your preferences too. It has a protected pocket for up to full size iPad inside too. And it costs only about $65 or so.

I like this bag so much I bought a second one so I can keep one empty and ready to load up when I go out, rather than having to open a full one and pull out what I don't want for a given session, leaving the excess sitting around unprotected on my desk.

It's a little large for the E-M1 with a small lens kit (say, 14/25/45/75) but not excessively so. You could easily fit a second body into it for that kit.

G
 
I was looking at the Mirrorless Mover 30i, but I think it may be too big for what I have in mind. And the Turnstyle 5 seems to be too small for a normal iPad.

I'm beginning to think another BBB-E may be in my future, or possibly I'll rehome the NEX7 kit to something else and use my current one for the X100s.
 
Ken Ford said:
That Turnstyle 5 looks interesting - I've never used a sling bag. It looks bulky on their website, though - Rick, what's your impression on the overall size for what it can carry?
Click to expand...

It's more than I need right now, but it's not bulky. It's seriously like an outsized fannypack worn wrong. It's only got the X100s, one spare battery, a Zoom H2, notebook and cards, and there's plenty of room for other stuff. There are two dividers making three sections in the main compartment; this could hold two small flashes and a wireless kit. I've been eyeing the Yongnuo 560-III flashes; these are smaller than my Vivitar 285s, which don't fit in the bag. You can fit one Viv laying on its side.

Ken Ford said:
And the Turnstyle 5 seems to be too small for a normal iPad.
Click to expand...

ah, I just noticed that the 'iPad compartment' is labelled with a tablet icon and the word 'mini'. There is a Turnstyle 10, which I tried out before settling on the 5. That must be able to hold a full-size iPad, but the excess room in the main compartment was just too much.

FWIW, my other bag for a small kit is a Domke F-3X, and the Turnstyle 5 feels more appropriately sized for the x100s. It's swimming in the Domke.
 
Ona Bowery fits your criteria. I use it for my x100s and an M2 along with film, filters, batteries, and my iPad air. Could easily replace the film stuff with conversion lenses and you should be good to go.
 
Tamrac Zuma 4. This is a very small bag (about the width of an iPad, which will be your minimum size anyway), but it is 100% functional, with iPad/keyboard pockets and a loop for your roll-on bag. Boxy is good. The main compartment will hold many different things, but each 1/3 of it (if you divide it that way) will hold things of these sizes:

- An X100
- An M240 with 21-35 lens
- A 70-200 zoom (or an SLR with pretty most shorter lenses nose-down)
- A Polaroid folding pack cam
- A GA645
- A full-size shoe mount flash
- Two Leica M lenses

Then there is the front accessory pocket, which holds tons of small items separately. I use it to carry filters, batteries (including 12xAA in a plastic clip, lens pens/brushes, memory cards etc.).

The only real downside is that due to the huge number of places to store things, you can easily load it heavier than is comfortable to carry, though I imagine changing the strap pad might help.

Don't screw around with leather bags. Leather absorbs and releases moisture, which in turn enhances the possibility of fungus. They also age extraordinarily poorly.

Also, don't underestimate the utility of having a bag with top handles.

Dante
 
akptc said:
I ordered a custom-designed, medium-size "masculine" bag from Porteen Gear and have to say, it is awesome, easily the most comfy camera bag I've ever had, and I have a closet full of them. The bag is soft, light, and sufficiently pliant so it's a pleasure to carry, and its padding feels very secure. And, it looks great :)
Click to expand...

I have a custom bag from Robin Porteens etsy shop as well.
Looks great and very nicely padded. Not 100% stoked on the strap width which is just too wide for my liking on a medium size bag.
$125 for custom material choices is a nice deal.
iPda fits nicely inside with two bodies and 2-3 primes.

Cheers!
 
Godfrey said:
I've been thoroughly delighted with the Think Tank Photo "Mirrorless Mover 30i". It's a reasonably light, reasonably protective, reasonably compact bag that will hold up to four medium size SLR lenses (Leica R or Nikkor) and one body (Sony A7/Leicaflex SL-Nikon F plain prism size), and necessary accessories. It can hold a second body as well, with three lenses total.

I like that it holds its shape well, and that the lid opens away from you so it's easy to get gear in and out with out fussing with the bag. I like that the strap is easy to exchange to suit your preferences too. It has a protected pocket for up to full size iPad inside too. And it costs only about $65 or so.

I like this bag so much I bought a second one so I can keep one empty and ready to load up when I go out, rather than having to open a full one and pull out what I don't want for a given session, leaving the excess sitting around unprotected on my desk.

It's a little large for the E-M1 with a small lens kit (say, 14/25/45/75) but not excessively so. You could easily fit a second body into it for that kit.

G
Click to expand...

I have the 30i as well. I keep a digital P&S, a CL plus lenses and a cell phone in the bag. The iPad slot fits my Nook HD+ quite well.
 
OK, I've chased down a lot of bags on the web and I'm not seeing anything I like better than the BBB-E.

I prefer an unstructured bag that form-fits to your hip when shooting. I used one of the classic Leica canvas bags for years, that's too large for what I want now but close. Skinny is better than boxy. I'd like to keep this to $100 or less, which I don't think is possible - a BBB-E is about the most I can pull off. Material is fairly unimportant.

Any other ideas?
 
if you like the tamracs then look at their 'rally' line of bags too.
i have one of them, the rally 5 i think…well made, holds lots including an ipad...
 
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