The Perfect Bag; The Impossible Dream

stupid leica said:
I've been using the same Crumpler 5 mil (first-gen) for about 4-5 years now. Been all over with me. Works great for DSLR + 3 lenses, or film SLR + 4(small) lenses. Carries an entire RF kit lol.
Often if i go on a weekend trip, i'll toss the Canon P, 35/50/100 kit, along with an FE2 and 50mm inside. It'll hold all that and a good bit of film.
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Yes me too -- the Crumpler "4 million dollar home" has worked great for 4 or 5 years. It's inconspicuous, but safely holds one body with 2 or 3 lenses, OR a TLR. Thumbs up.
 
Vince Lupo said:
Anyone know anything about these? I'm fighting the urge to hit the 'Add to Cart' button!

http://www.wotancraft.com/products/bags/cityexplorer/007.htm
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Now that is really a nice bag. A bit heavy for my taste, but really nice for a city jungle. I guess it would be a great match for a Rolleiflex, Bessa 667 or a compact 35 mm RF setup. I will keep it on my 'bag list' should I ever get one of the cameras mentioned.

But fortunately I do not need another camera or bag :angel:
 
I'm looking at a 5 million dollar home for my OM-2 an extra lens and a few rolls of film, i need to go find one and stuff all my gear inside to see how it fits.
Most of the time i just use my Camelbak Blowfish and of course i have 2lts of fluid for those hot days far away from safe drinking water. I would seriously consider another type of Camelbak as hydration is important as is sunscreen and a hat.
yeah it's still summer here in far off NZ
:D
 
I use mainly a small sized backpack by Kipling (with the green monkey). It is small, so it has only two compartments. I can load it with the Summilux on bottom in a lens case, with the M6+Summicron on top, plus the CV 25mm in a lens case on bottom,with the Hexar RF+19mm on top. There are two external pockets for at least ten rolls of film. An alternative "load" is the 2.8D Rolleiflex in one compartment.and the M6 + 2 lenses in the other. It is too small to look like a camera backpack. People may think that I carry stuff for my daughters in it.

It is like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KIPLING-Dark-Bl...945?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2561166e59
 
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The perfect bag is no bag.

I use rangefinders. That means I am willing to forego whatever DSLR's bring to the table for the convenience of rangefinders. Increasingly, though, I am willing to sacrifice whatever rangefinders brings to the table for the convenience of a camera that you can actually stick in a jacket pocket. (I sunno about you, but Leicas and Bessas don't fit in any jacket I where.)

I've got a little Sigma and a little Ricoh. I'm intrigued by the GRX. Increasingly, I use thos two little cameras, not my Leica or my Bessa or my OM-2N. Are the photos as good? Probably not, in a technical sense. But, I don't care. I'm not printing, and lugging around a bag detracts from the pleasure of taking pictures.
 
The "perfect" bag is only perfect for a particular occasion. Generally, I like the smallest bag possible to carry everything I want.

I'm up to three now. I had two sizes in Tamrac Express bags, but now I got a Tenba messenger bag to carry cameras and diapers :)

I don't like backpacks because it just makes the job of pickpockets easy.
 
I just throw stuff in a common daypack with some padded wraps and t-shirts and neoprene cases for lenses and such. But the idea is to have your camera out.... in the city it is usually worn sling style so I am more aware of it.
 
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Rob-F said:
I'm still waiting for Domke to come out with a "stretch" version of the F5-XB. It would be longer than the standard bag by one additional compartment. It would have three dividers, instead of two, to create four compartments. The belt loop would be replaced with a rear pocket, like on the F-803 and the F-6, etc.

In keeping with the designation of "stretch" Boeing airliners, this would be the Domke F5-XB-500 model.
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Hehe. I feel exactly the same way. I even left a message on the Domke forum at tiffen.com suggesting a F-5XB "little bit bigger".

But I've solved my "perfect bag" problem. The perfect bag is really five bags, for different combos of gear, all Domke. Now that I think of it, I must be insane.
 
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For years I got along fine with a surplus gas mask bag which carried an M2 with 19. 35, 50. 90 lenses (each wrapped up in a high grade protective cotton sock), plus about a dozen battered tins of hand-rolled Tri-X. Bought around 1970, wore out in 2005. Since then various Nova squareish bags for one mini-cam each, a Domke F5 (I think, tag is long gone) which now carries two M9s and 2-4 lenses and/or flash gear, chargers etc. And buying a P45+ MFDB brought along a huge Pelikan plastic wheeled case for two Hassies and three lenses plus backs. I almost never use the Pelikan, and in fact always prefer to just hand carry one camera and at most one extra lens that I think I might need.

scott
 
I'm using the Tenba Mixx (small). It currently holds a Nikon D700 w/ 85mm 1.8 (hood attached), a second lens, Nikon SB-30 flash, voice recorder, 5 rolls of film, two reporters notebooks, and several pens and flash drives. The small external pockets and one of the two lens partitions on the inside remain unused. A lot of space for such a small bag. My only complaint is that it doesn't stay close enough to my hip, and slips off of my slanted shoulders constantly (can't help my genetics).
 
I'm sure there is a thesis this for someone :) .

My latest bag is a Domke f802 clone and its working out just great containing my M6, 50mm and 35mm lenses, lens cloths, rolls of film, notebook, holga and lots of room for more, without it looking like a camera bag.

Of course, I have many other bags, one of which is a Lowepro Nature AW II and weighs almost as much as the gear I put into it. You can imagine how much use that gets :)
 
I tried a lot of different bags but actually I guess I just found the perfect one :
It's a messenger bag made for (my) life by Chrome, San Francisco, USA.
5550837012_142c892785_m.jpg

With its comfortable strap, that messenger bag previously designed to be used on a bike fits perfectly to my body when I move, but with the quick release, I can take my camera instantly.
The two passed years it was with me in all my photo trips, and never betrayed me.
5550836232_8ffcf9f7fc_m.jpg

In my bag there's : a notebook, a pen, my phone, a pen lens cleaner, a cable release, my camera with 3 or 4 lenses, a flash unit, batteries for my camera and the flash unit, memory cards, and a mini tripod.
There's still little pockets for money, ID card, tickets…

(The partition is an addition; if I take it out I have my original bag back.
I can also get as many lens pouches as I want if I move the pads.)
5550837910_2535c9e531_m.jpg
 
With rangefinders, usually two bags. The carry bag is an A&A - I don't remember which one - that holds two Ms, one with a 28 mounted and the other with a CV 21. A 50 Summilux pre-asph and a 90 Summicron, also pre-asph, are mounted back to back in the center compartment. An A&A film gizmo - holds four rolls - on one end, and two Vivitar 2800s in the outside pockets. Everything's available and nothing falls out. The in-the-car bag - a little bit smaller Domke - holds an M8, a Viso III, a 200, and a 135 2.8, extra film, batteries, etc. This can do everything I need to do, film or digital, except sports. For that, a Canon DSLR in a Domke F2. Too much? Sure. But I do shoot for work and don't always know what I'll need until I get there. For walking around, an M with a 50, a small 35 and a Tele-Elmarit back to back and a couple rolls of film.
 
I just pulled the trigger on the perfect bag -- a Thinktank Retrospective 20. Yes, I know it is too big for a daily use bag with RF gear, but I already have a UD 30 for that. It is for my other uses where the Retro 20 is perfect: 1) with with my D700 and 2 zooms up to a 70-200mm OR 2) for travel with an RF body and 2-3 lenses, a NEX5 + kit lens, film, accessories and non-photo gear such as a rain jacket, Moleskine notebook, paperback to read, netbook, etc... Any other RFF'ers with the Retrospective 20?

PS - if you go to the blog below and link on the SPECIAL OFFER link to the TT website, you get a free accessory (small bag, strap, etc...) with your bag order. I'm not affiliated with the blog or its owner -- just wanted to pass along the deal.

http://www.ronmartblog.com/2010/01/review-think-tank-photo-urban-disguise.html
 
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