Ultimate Rangefinder carry bag

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snaggs

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Now that I have a Leica, Ive noticed how MASSIVE all my SLR carry bags are... big enough for about 50 lenses and 10 bodies at least. Have any outstanding rangefinder specific camera bags ever been made? Links or pictures of designs please!

My best friend does alot of leather work making wallets, shoes and recently a knife carrier for a friend whos a chef. He's agreed to work with me and design/build the ultimate rangefinder carry bag.

I would be interested to hear from people here as to what important design criteria are to make sure I dont overlook anything, and 50 heads are certainly better than one for brainstorming.

So far I've come up with..

* Store 1 body (with or without 35mm lens attached? - Im thinking with)
* Store 3 lenses, 15mm, 35mm, 85mm (Im going with Zeiss flavors)
* Store 1 accessory viewfinder
* Consider storage of lens hoods
* Easy access to lenses for changing, without having to stop and find a table somewhere
* Room for a few rolls of film would be good
* Think about how your going to get the lens out of the bag whilst holding the camera and changing lenses
* Think about dust build up in the bag
* Think about use in the rain, changing lenses in the rain
* Should look discrete? (not sure whether this is a absoloute criteria, for example, a ammo belt/sash design could a good idea ergonomically).

Daniel.
 
Great, Leica made a bag themselves?? Any links to the Billingham bags?

PS. Im Australian, hence the english english.
 
You just described the Domke J-803 digital satchel. I prefer the polyester material over their traditional canvas bags. Room to hold everything you described (with the optional 3 compartment insert). Smart looking and most importantly, does not look like a camera bag. Black, discreet, it can be dismissed as regular satchel bag. Tough construction and quality finish, I use one and readily recommend it.
 
I am partial to the Plano tacklebox myself. Seriously, Domke makes a few that are good for rangefinders. I use the F803.
 
The Domke bags are great but recently I found that vintage Perring bags mad of California Tan Leather from the 1940-50ties are really great. The are so well made, the inner leather is like an italian shoe - sujper smooth - and the outher leather is heavy duty natural tan laether, with zippers to last a lifetime. The are foun on ebay with natural patina at about USD 30 - but go for the old ones - this last month I have bought 5 - two Perrin Contours and 3 larger ones on the way in the post - They are also getting very trendy and vintage cool so no my Teenage daughters do not mind walking with me 🙂 actually the want the bags! - good thing is that it does not give people any hint to expensive photogear - just vintage and perhaps trendy-nerdy 🙂
--ruben
 
I prefer a bag that has a separate compartment for each lens, so that I'll have a place ready for each one when I need to change them.

One problem I have with most of the bags available is that the compartments are so deep that RF lenses get lost down them!

In my SLR bag, I've put foam blocks in the bottoms of the compartment for the 35mm and 50mm lenses, to hold them up at the same level as the longer lenses in their compartments. But of course this wastes space, which I hate to do in an RF bag since when shooting RF I like to travel light.

Any recommendations for bags with compartments that aren't too deep? My ideal would be a thin bag that could hold one RF body (alone or with lens attached) plus compartments for three lenses in the 21mm-50mm range.
 
Daniel: I think you've got it. So far, though, I've been reasonably happy with an interim bag; it's a Tamrac "Digital". Don't know the exact model (it was meant to be used with a mini video camera or two), but I can store three lenses in it, and put my M6 with a lens mounted on it on top, and be able to close the bag (with the carrying strap sticking out). In the bag I can also carry with me at least 8 rolls of film, three filters, a cleaning cloth, a cleaning pen, a writing pad and two pens (one for writing on the film which frame number I changed it -- in case I'm doing it mid-roll). Oh, and the vented hood can rest on top of the 50mm that happens to be in the bag, there's enough room on top.

Not elegant, but it's compact and it works. I paid less than $45 for it. I know many people have paid over $150 for a nice-looking bag that will fit two lenses and a body, and not much else. If I can fit all of what I have comfortably, without nudging or borrowing vaporware real estate, for under $100, I'll be in line with my check.
 
I think I havnt explained myself well, Im looking to make something a a few wrungs above "a bag". Some which is a custom fit, of a quality level equal to the contents, and since were hand making it, considerations of whether it can be mass produced in china dont exist.

If a genie came out of a bottle and said, I will make you any camera bag in the word that you can dream off.. you would choose the Domke ?

Ive had a look at the Domke, Its still huge, I dont see any custom holders for rangefinder size lenses, when you where that bag, if your leaning over to take a shot, youll have to take the bag off or otherwise it will swing in the way.

The M-Classics looks ok, not quite what I was thinking of. I was looking for something more durable/sturdy than a soft fabric bag. Something not much more bulky than slinging the M over your shoulder and stuffing the film and a lens into your pockets.

2752.jpg


Also the "speed pocket" is only speedy if the latches on the camera bag undone.. looks like you could kneel down, have the bag tip and all your lovely M glass crash to the ground..
Oh well, Ill post some photos here along the production process.

Daniel.
 
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sometimes i try to find the bag johnny depp used in "the ninth gate". no luck yet. 🙁

jlw, there are lots of bags with shallow front compartments, but they look very "camera bag"-ish.
 
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I wonder what bag the Sultan of Brunei uses for gold Leica and lenses.
 
I prefer a bag that has a separate compartment for each lens, so that I'll have a place ready for each one when I need to change them.

One problem I have with most of the bags available is that the compartments are so deep that RF lenses get lost down them!
Click to expand...

Im thinking individual snug fit compartments for all the lens compartments so theres no sliding/banging around.

The problem with any shoulder mount bag, is when you bend over they swing around, if you lean sideways (or how rounded shoulders) they can fall off, there never seems a good place for them.

The problem with back packs, is you can't access them without stopping and taking them off.

I want a bag which sticks in one convenient location on the body, with ready access to lens without having to take things off.. Im thinking of something along of the lines of a gun holster and bullet belt type design.

The small size of rangefinder lenses lead themselves to some totally different possibilities than SLR zoom lenses the size of 2 litre coke bottles.

Daniel.
 
snaggs said:
I think I havnt explained myself well, Im looking to make something a a few wrungs above "a bag". Some which is a custom fit, of a quality level equal to the contents, and since were hand making it, considerations of whether it can be mass produced in china dont exist.

If a genie came out of a bottle and said, I will make you any camera bag in the word that you can dream off.. you would choose the Domke ?

Ive had a look at the Domke, Its still huge, I dont see any custom holders for rangefinder size lenses, when you where that bag, if your leaning over to take a shot, youll have to take the bag off or otherwise it will swing in the way.

The M-Classics looks ok, not quite what I was thinking of. I was looking for something more durable/sturdy than a soft fabric bag. Something not much more bulky than slinging the M over your shoulder and stuffing the film and a lens into your pockets.

2752.jpg


Also the "speed pocket" is only speedy if the latches on the camera bag undone.. looks like you could kneel down, have the bag tip and all your lovely M glass crash to the ground..
Oh well, Ill post some photos here along the production process.

Daniel.
Click to expand...

nothing has fallen out of my m classic bag yet!
the original design for this bag came from leica and has been 'improved' upon over the years. it is waterproof. i put some closed cell foam at the bottom of each pocket and i was ready to go. easy camera handling in & out of the bag on the fly.

make what you want but most here would agree that there is no perfect bag.

also maybe you might want to look at the billingham s3 bag. one camera and 2 lenses or 2 cameras and lens in your pocket. bomb proof bag.
joe
 
What about designing custom leather lens holder inserts for Domke/Billingham and other bags to accommodate rangefinder lenses and cams - it might be easier than designing a whole new bag and may fulfil a need for RFF members.
 
Any of a number of small Billinghams (I have several) will do what you want. I favour NOT having separate lens compartments as this adds greatly to the bulk of the bag. Keeping the lenses in chamois leather pouches (a common 1930s trick) gives adequate protection and only slows down lens changing slightly.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)
 
Actually, I've never understood all the fuss about having a camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag. I've had bags of all kinds, but the one that gets the most use is an inexpensive Lowepro Nova 2. Smallish -- just three compartments -- and I carry it courier style rather than on my shoulder. Very lightweight. When I'm using RF's I put a folded sock in the bottom of two of the compartments to make the compartment shallower for the short lenses. Utilitarian and well padded.

Gene
 
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