the problem with perfection...

I started with a shoulder bag in the late '60's and stuck with that style, albeit bigger and bigger until the load became too much, sometime in the late '80's. Gave up serious photography for a bit around then and came back in when digital got interesting. By that time the internet was in full blast and I discovered that there were other types of bags out there. In an effort to please my now aging/weaker back, I tried backpacks, sling bags and eventually came full circle and back to a shoulder bag. Just decided to carry less. I now have:
- A Billingham Hadley Pro that carries a body (DSLR or film) and 1/2 lenses
- An Ape Case satchel type bag that hold my Mamiya 645 kit and typically stays in the car.
- A Domke F2 that's used for storage
- A hard case that's used for storage
Last time I traveled I took a Fuji X100T in a small Tenba BYOB insert style case that holds the camera and all it's bits, and can be stuffed in another bag. Worked great. I really don't want to buy any more bags now that I know that perfection is not carrying anything.
 
My F6 is perfect for what I want to carry in it. 2 Fuji bodies, 3 lenses, a small flash, xtra batteries and a couple of doo-dads.I wouldn't get rid of that bag for anything now. All my dslr stuff is in a back pack style camera bag.
 
yeah, the f6 is truly hard to beat...i have the black one for winter and a sand color one for summer...
i love camera bags!
 
I *lorved* using my Domke f6. That's why, last month, when I first a Lowe-Pro AW 150 backpack, I just walked on by.

Then, I came back, and checked out the multiple access points, the large camera compartment (larger than the f6) the separate spaces for sweaters, books, laptop, etc.

Finally, I got tired of dithering. I told the store clerk I'd leave it up him. If he'd give me a deal, I'd buy it. He did, I did, and I've been carrying it ever since.
 
i don't like backpacks...very uncomfortable for me...and you have to take them off every time you want another piece of gear.
if i were on safari i'd be the guy with a leather weekender bag!
 
I can't remember what camera bag I had for my first outfit. It got me through the military, and a year after that. Sold it along with my second outfit, and it was a long time before I needed another one, as I was shooting mostly fixed lens rangefinders for a while.

But I went back to an SLR (Nikon FM), and needed an outfit bag, so I got an Original Domke (back before EVERYONE had to have one). F2 I think. It had no model number tag, but I see them for sale now with that designation. Great bag for a body with lens, flash, and three other lenses, plus a motor drive. Good pockets for filters, film, and a lens cleaning kit. I should have kept it when I had to sell off almost all my gear, but it was part of the outfit, so it went.

I finally found one, same color and all, in a pile of bags one day, and was able to pick it up cheap. Looked through all the pockets, and found some Vericolor III box ends. The film I was always using back then. I wouldn't surprise me that it's my old bag. Feels great to have one again.

PF
 
Back
Top Bottom