the perfect camera bag?

Well, since this thread started I picked up a Domke F6 and 5xb. Both are excellent not that big and comfortable. I use the F6 when I carry more than one body, and 5xb when I am flying solo. Both hold my wallet, cell and other little things along with my camera gear. The Domke 803 will be the next "Perfect Camera Bag" that I buy.
 
I have many bags, and have yet to find anything better designed and built than the Lowepros (www.lowepro.com). For street shooting, I use the Lowepro Trekker Beltpack. Holds plenty of film, extra lens, etc.

Russ
 
rover, I'm a Domke fan and I have an F-2 and an F-3X. The problem with Domke bags (and small rangefinders) is that you can fit your entire set of lenses and a body (or 2) into an F-3X. At least I can because I only have one camera body. 🙂 So of course I carry around everything all the time because it all fits into the bag.

I needed something smaller and settled on a Domke F-803. I took a flying leap and bought a Safrotto Domke clone from Hong Kong for $37.50. The bag is beautifully made of thick quality canvas and the insert is also excellent. I cannot recommend this bag highly enough. IMO it is a better made product than the Domke. There is a catch - shipping is $29 and takes about 6 days. But if you add the total cost of the HK bag versus a Domke bought in the U.S. you come out way ahead.

The F-803 can be currently seen at this link which will eventually expire. Afterward type "like Domke" into the eBay search engine and you will locate the seller. This particular seller is offering F-1 and F-2 clones at prices that are around the same as the F-803. Other Domke clones can be seen on this page.
 
I seldom carry gear other than film and spare lens when walking,
so usually my jacket pockets surfice.
My gear is almost always in the car when I'm working, and it rides
(and hides) in one of several picnic coolers. I always have the 2 Bessas and an OM-2n with lenses and film in a "nine-can" soft-sided cooler with individual thin (1/4") foam dividers. No problem, even with the heat of Washington area summers. Have a larger hard-sided cooler with foam inserts when I haul the Kowa Six or the Rolleis for larger negs.... and yes, I do have some "real" bags, too.
Rick
 
I'm convinced that there is no perfect camera bag for me; I've given up the search. One thing I did learn was not to go too big. I briefly had a rather large Domke (J2 maybe?) but the problem with using these older cameras is no lightweight plastic -- all metal. I got rid of the large bag and went with two smaller ones, which is working well. I can take one or the other, or both if necessary and be better balanced. As I mentioned a few spaces above I like using various Op/Tech products to provide protection.

For plane travel I use Pelican 1500 cases. They are legal carry-on size for every airline I checked. A lesson learned with Pelican was to get the padded divider set (not the "Pick 'n Pluck" foam), then the compartments can be changed to suit different assortments of gear. They also offer a photographers lid organizer -- they work well.

D2

P. S. I had to edit this -- I have a terrible memory for things like camera bag model numbers. I think the big bag I got rid of was a J2, I know I could stuff about six cameras and about as many extra lenses in it with room to spare, but it took two to lift it when it was full! I also got rid of a Domke "OutPack" for the same reason -- I never want to work that hard!😀
 
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Billingham Beta 12

Billingham Beta 12

10" (250mm) x 8" (200mm) x 6-1/2" (165mm) approximate sizes (the 10" measurement is to the longest point, it tapers back to about 7" or 180mm). The grey square is one of the Op/Tech wraps, I've been using this bag to haul the Alpa around in lately. If you buy black you have to provide your own lint and cat hair -- not a problem here, we have plenty with two cats!

D2
 
I'm lazy about shoulder bags. Found acceptable ones at the local camera store. I use two bags, a Lowepro Nova 2 or Nova 3, depending on how much gear I'm carrying. Nothing special about them but they're well made, well padded, flexible and relatively inexpensive.

Gene
 
My most-used is an old black Tamrac belt bag, model unknown. It's made of ballistic nylon material with a black leather insert on the front; inside has two dividers on velcro strips. There's a front zipper pocket with a net separator, and another pocket on the back.

This bag is JUST big enough to hold an RF body with two lenses in the main compartment, plus several rolls of film or spare batteries/memory cards and a small exposure meter. If I need to be carrying more stuff than that, it's probably not an RF photo opportunity!

The fact that it belts around my waist rather than hanging from my shoulder means that I don't have to worry about it swinging around and whacking into drinking fountains, doorframes, small children, etc.

It's so handy that even when I'm lugging my big bag of DSLR stuff, I empty out the belt bag and lay it in the top compartment of my big bag. When I reach my location, I put the belt bag around my waist and use it for batteries/memory cards/cell phone/parking place for a spare lens/etc.
 
I am a bag "lover" and I must say that fater having had several Lowepro's, which are all good, I now have 3 crumplers, a small midsized and big, can't remember the names. The large one I use as a briefcase workthingie sort of bag for laptop etc. but can easily be converted to fit most of my photo gear. The midsized holds my Hasselblad, G2 and other stuffe nicely, not heavy on the shoulder, easy to open when on the should and quite inconspicuous (green) and very very sturdy and lastly absolutely wheather safe, wind, rain, storm, snow or any of these combination will not have any effect to the inside ... and the contents
 
Me too, I love the Domke designs. Just sold the Domke F-3X I talked about above to a PN member in the Czech Republic - I was stuffing just too much gear into it - I have an F-2 for that! So now this F-803 clone is my daily bag. It can carry two cameras with lenses on and two more lenses, plus film and filters etc. More than enough to be walking around with. 🙂
 
I don't like camera bags because more often than not they look like a camera bag 😛.

When I need a bag, I have a tiny Tumi shoulder bag with room for an RF with lens and probably a couple of other lenses if I could afford a couple of other lenses.
 
I second peter here, the 803 clones are perfect (except for the closing buckle I think)
They are super comfortable to carry, and they fit everything you will need.
carried arround 2x M4-Ps, 2.8/90mm, 2.5/75, 2/35, 4.5/15, Fuji Xpan, 4/90, 4/45, sekonic 558, a gossen digiflash AND 18 rolls of film among other things and there is still room for more..
once again, thank you peter! 🙂

cheers,
Phil
 
Last night, I got a LowePro Photo Runner bag. It's a waist pouch design that can also be carried on the shoulder with a detachable strap. I wanted a waist pouch because I find shoulder bags annoying when walking around for the whole day or shooting in crowded places.

It has room for my R2 with 35/1.7 mounted, 75/2.5, 15/4.5 w/VF in CV case, Minolta Auto Meter IV, 5 rolls in capsules and a few gadgets (filters, film extractor, PDA, etc.).
 
felipe said:
I second peter here, the 803 clones are perfect (except for the closing buckle I think)
They are super comfortable to carry, and they fit everything you will need.
carried arround 2x M4-Ps, 2.8/90mm, 2.5/75, 2/35, 4.5/15, Fuji Xpan, 4/90, 4/45, sekonic 558, a gossen digiflash AND 18 rolls of film among other things and there is still room for more..
once again, thank you peter! 🙂

cheers,
Phil
Click to expand...
Agree on the buckle, Phil. The buckles on my F-2 are much better. I think I'll write Domke to see if I can get a spare one. I know someone who could stitch it onto the new bag for me... 🙂
 
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