ordered a new 'camera' bag

[JoeFriday]

I just found this messenger bag, LINK HERE, for a decent price, and thought I'd see how it works out

I've bought some Mountainsmith stuff before and I've always been very impressed with the quality.. while it's a messenger bag instead of a camera bag (and probably not heavily padded), I think it should work out very well for carrying an M-body and a couple lenses for a walk around town

I'll give an update when it arrives in a week or so

 

[SolaresLarrave]

My Domke F5XB bags are ideal for that kind of job... but then, I need room for film. I'm interested in learning how many rolls of film can you add in the mix with this bag, one M body and a couple of lenses...

Keep us posted! 🙂

 

[Bill58]

The absolute best (light/ well designed) I've come across are the Artisan & Artist stuff from Japan---but OHHHHH so pricey.

 

[Dfin]

I have been thinking of getting a Lowe-Pro Orion,has anybody tried one?

 

[Silva Lining]

I have been thinking of getting a Lowe-Pro Orion,has anybody tried one?

I've had an Orion Trekker for years and it has literally been around the world with me. The bag is so practical with room for an EOS20d, Leica M3 plus 'cron and Voigtlander Perkeo II, my usual kit, in the bottom. In the top section you can carry your day-pack items, waterprrof coat, drink food etc, whatever you need, also has handy pouches for filters, CF cards etc. Only draw back was getting caught in a torrential downpour (In Paris, of all places !) when a small amount of water got in the top compartment, (Cameras remainder dry though!) In fact I think the newer versions have an option for a waterproof cover too. I'm looking to upgradem but am waiting to see whether the revised airline size restrictions remain in place.

 

[sbug]

What does a Mountainsmith bag like that set you back? I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a Crumpler Six Million Dollar Home. I've finally seen a Five Million in person and it is a bit small.

 

[Stanton]

I just carried an Eddie Bauer Daddy's Diaper Bag all over Peru with two Konica Minolta A2's in it and much other gear. Green Cordura nylon, leather front flap, water proof. I added a single divider to keep the cameras from hitting each other. $17.95 US at Babies are Us. Nice looking, and after this trip, no signs of wear. Some of this stuff is grossly overpriced and advertises "steal me." Dave

 

[JoeFriday]

What does a Mountainsmith bag like that set you back? I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a Crumpler Six Million Dollar Home. I've finally seen a Five Million in person and it is a bit small.

I was also debating between a 5MDH and 6MDH.. there's a bit of a price jump between the two.. I think the 5MDH goes for about $70, while the 6MDH jumps over $100.. I guess that's not too significant of a jump.. but I tend to shy away from gear bags that hit 3 figures

maybe I'll end up with one of those eventually.. but this Mountainsmith bag was only $36 with shipping.. I think it'll be about the size of the 5MDH.. possibly smaller.. but I just wanted something to throw in the M3 with 40/50/90 lenses and a handful of film for a couple hour walk around town.. and if it doesn't work out as a camera bag, I can always use it as a man purse

this is my third order from ebags.com.. they're a good company, but a little slow to ship things

 

[jan normandale]

Brett what about the bag it contains binoculars...? Hope you're not taking up birdwatching for photography. Maybe we need an intervention in a $2 coin op photo booth with high power flash to re-orient you back to photography?

I'm coming to save you

yer fly fishing (infrequent in 2006) pal, Jan

 

[sbug]

I was also debating between a 5MDH and 6MDH.. there's a bit of a price jump between the two.. I think the 5MDH goes for about $70, while the 6MDH jumps over $100.. I guess that's not too significant of a jump.. but I tend to shy away from gear bags that hit 3 figures

maybe I'll end up with one of those eventually.. but this Mountainsmith bag was only $36 with shipping.. I think it'll be about the size of the 5MDH.. possibly smaller.. but I just wanted something to throw in the M3 with 40/50/90 lenses and a handful of film for a couple hour walk around town.. and if it doesn't work out as a camera bag, I can always use it as a man purse

this is my third order from ebags.com.. they're a good company, but a little slow to ship things

Yep, a 6MDH is just north of $100. A bit more than I'd like to spend but nothing like a M-Classics or Billimgham. The Crumplers seem to have generous padding too which is a plus in my book. I'll check out ebags. I've been looking at the Crumplers at Midwest Bags mostly because they have black in-stock.

 

[JoeFriday]

Brett what about the bag it contains binoculars...? Hope you're not taking up birdwatching for photography. Maybe we need an intervention in a $2 coin op photo booth with high power flash to re-orient you back to photography?

I'm coming to save you

yer fly fishing (infrequent in 2006) pal, Jan

birds.. chicks.. same thing

I don't even know where a photobooth is anymore.. you find one and we'll go.. I'll even bring the chicks

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Those look very similar to the Timbuk2 messenger bag I use. Good product for camera and about 3 lenses. Well padded.

 

[back alley]

My Domke F5XB bags are ideal for that kind of job... but then, I need room for film. I'm interested in learning how many rolls of film can you add in the mix with this bag, one M body and a couple of lenses...

Keep us posted! 🙂

like you, i now have 2 of these bags.
i have them divided into 3 sections, camera in the middle w/ a lens attached and one lens in the end and film in the other end section. if i take 2 extra lenses they go into the ends and then i put film in there next to the lenses.
last night i put both cl cameras in one bag, both with lenses attached and then film in the 3rd section.
a little cramped but works great and is a very small package to carry around.

joe

 

[icemendicant]

I can vouch for the Crumpler Formal Lounge which I've been using as my everyday work bag for the past year. It's nicely padded and carries two rangefinder bodies with room for a couple of lenses, a few films and basic cleaning kit. The upper part of the rucksack will hold an A4 wallet for documents, magazines and a few other odds and sods. It certainly works for me as I like to have a 'man-bag' that doesn't look too dodgy, and I can always keep a camera with me without actually looking like I'm carrying a camera bag.

Dan

 

[bsdunek]

I have been thinking of getting a Lowe-Pro Orion,has anybody tried one?

I like mine. It will hold two lenses and a Nikon F with 105mm or shorter, or more likely, I use it to hold a 28mm & 20mm on one side, a 105mm on the other, and film in the center, and carry the camera on my shoulder.
That's about all it will carry, but it's nice for short trips with the rest of the equipment in the car. 😎

 

[Fred]

I have been thinking of getting a Lowe-Pro Orion,has anybody tried one?

Yup, I 've been using one of these for the best part of a year now. It's been to a couple of the UK London RFF meets and kept everything dry in the important section and only very slightly damped the upper section on my motor cycle when riding through a very heavy storm for some 20 minutes at about 70 MPH on a UK motorway M4. I'd have stopped otherwise 🙂

It carries at least one RF body, and a bunch of lenses. Depends if I'm travelling light when its the Bessa R 35 Ultron and 75 Heliar.

 

[vrgard]

My Domke F5XB bags are ideal for that kind of job... but then, I need room for film. I'm interested in learning how many rolls of film can you add in the mix with this bag, one M body and a couple of lenses...

Keep us posted! 🙂

For what it's worth, I just picked up one of these Domke F-5xb bags recently for what I thought was a reasonable price. Admittedly, it was the Domke Tamron version (labelled as such on the tag sewn across the front - which I promptly cut off) for whatever that's worth. Ordered it from Adorama for $39.95 plus $10 shipping for a total of $49.95. Here's the link in case anyone is interested: http://www.adorama.com/TMCSDF5X.html?searchinfo=domke tamron&item_no=1

I also recently picked up another nice bag, albeit slightly larger (yet still not what I would call big). It's a Tamrac Adventure Messenger 3 Shoulder Bag (messenger bag style but smaller). Easily holds an M camera plus 3-4 lens plus film, etc., in a very compact user friendly package. It was $35 plus shipping from B&H Photo Video (can't tell you what the total with shipping would be because I also purchased some other items at the same time). Here's the link for anyone interested: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=425882&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

In my limited use so far (although I did carry the Tamrac with M6 and a total of 4 lenses, including the one on the camera, all over Disneyland last week with no problem - in retrospect I shoulda just taken the Domke F-5xb and two lenses since that's all I really needed), I find the Tamrac good for a slightly fuller camera setup and the Domke good for a lighter more streamlined around-town kinda load. Regardless, either one is a very easy carry.

I also have a Domke F-3xb which is also a nice bag. Even though Domke characterizes it as compact, which it is by comparison to many of their other bags, I just found it to be slightly too big for my needs in general. I'll keep it for when I want to carry two cameras with lenses, etc., which it excells at.

Gee, why do I suddenly feel like I'm writing an article for the fashion page? 😀

Oh, and thanks, Brett, for pointing out the Mountainsmith bag. Looks good to me. Guess the one thing that I think I like better about the above-discussed bags is that they provide some separation/dividers to keep the camera and lens from banging into each other. Also, just my personal preference mind you, the one thing I decided I did not like about the Domke F-3xb is that it is just a little too unstructured or floppy whereas the F-5xb and Tamrac bags have a bit more of a defined shape. Guess the reason that I mention that is because the Mountainsmith bag looks like it, too, might be a bit too floppy for my tastes. Again, just my preference since I can imagine others preferring just the opposite.

 

[Ash]

Lowepro bags look good... but there was a special in a local camera shop - proper camera bags (diaper bag-lookin ones, fat padding) for a fiver... instead I went to Peter Gilberts and bought this for £4 (including the bushing adapter).

It's more useful to me than a camera bag, and I recently got a laptop backpack which has enough pockets for cameras, lenses, monopod etc etc etc

 

[PhotoMat]

MountainSmith makes some pretty nice bags at a reasonable price. In my search for a bag for my RF gear, I ended up placing a Domke 3-compartment insert in my MountainSmith Trek lumbar pack. The Trek comes with a removable shoulder strap, so I can either use this setup as a waist pack or a shoulder bag. The photo below shows the contents of the main compartment only -- there are plenty of additional spaces for water bottles, rain gear, etc. All in all, the MountainSmith is a compact bag that carries well and doesn't advertise its contents.

Dfin: I have the LowePro Orion for my Mamiya 7 kit -- it's perfect for the camera, additional lenses and film. If you want to carry other essentials, (i.e. clothing, lunch, etc.), you may want to look into the Orion AW. This version has a detachable daypack and is slightly taller in size. That being said, I find that it is rarely used (wink, wink -- I have a like new Orion AW for sale) and I find that the plain-Jane Orion works just fine for my MF kit. For 35mm RF cameras, I find that I don't need the depth of the Orion series and find myself gravitating toward a slimmer profile case like my MountainSmith setup or a courier-style bag.

I've pretty much determined that I'll make my first million when I design the perfect camera bag, but I just don't have the time -- I have lunch with Elvis tomorrow and a photo session with Bigfoot on Friday. 😀