Which camera case/bag do you use?

[scottgee1]

Having recently acquired a CV R2 with two lenses (about to be three), I discovered that all of my camera cases are too much for this delightfully diminutive kit.

As light as it is, I'm thinking some kind of belt pack may even work.

Of course I want to be able to carry a few filters and some film as well.

What do you use/like? Hoping to benefit from your experience.

TIA!/ScottGee1

 

[Pecker]

Billingham and Domke for general hauling around, Pelican cases for travel are my preferences.

Pecker

 

[peter_n]

I do like Domke, I have an F-2 and an F-803 knock-off. They are very hard wearing and don't look like camera bags. I'm a fan of a Domke copy called Safrotto, less than half the price of a Domke and extremely well made. Shipping is expensive though. 🙁

 

[back alley]

i have domke, billingham, tamrac and a no name book bag.
they all work well depending on the day, the shoot and what i want to carry.

i keep the bessa r and both lenses in the tamrac. the model is/was the 'traveller' but now all i see on their site is a 'zoom traveler' which is way bigger. mine is perfect for this kit.

joe

 

[Gordon Coale]

Here is a thread about a bag that I use for my FED: The lost small camera bag. It's small and very handy. It's not a camera bag. Scroll to the end of the thread to see where I got it. It's pretty sweet.

 

[back alley]

looking at the tamrac site again, it would seem that the 601 expo looks alot like my traveler bag.

 

[schaubild]

For travel I have a Lowepro Omni Trekker, takes most of the camera gear (as shown in my gallery). Beside this I take a Billingham 225 with me, so for the plane I load it with additional film, documents, iPod... When arrived I use the small bag for walks with only one camera and one or two lenses. Works fine that way.
For light gear (like the XPan, 3 lenses, filters) I use a Tenba Brieftraveler P215 (http://www.tenba.com/camera/brieftraveler.htm), very elegant, doesn't look too much like a camera bag.

 

[JohnM]

Domke Fx-5, I think, for carrying the rangefinder kits out and about. When I'm going to carry a DSLR set up as well, I have a KATA Rucksack - it's a bombproof backpack that's comfortable to carry even over a period of hours. I can get two rangefinders, lenses, and a DSLR with a zoom into it fairly easily and a tripod rides in its own carrier.

 

[ddutchison]

I've pretty much dispensed with camera bags altogether for Rf shooting.

I have a small belt pack (Lowe-pro) for the light meter. The camera goes over the shoulder - under a jacket - and the jacket pockets hold 2 lenses, spare film and any other stuff I need. I carry the lenses in those cloth pouches they give away with sunglasses.

I like the feeling of carrying a whole kit without looking like I'm carying anything, and there's nothing to get grabed in a crowd, or (I've done it once 🙁 ) left at a bar.

 

[RObert Budding]

I use a Domke J-803 - it's shaped like a small messanger , so it hugs in close to my body. It easily holds my Contax IIIa, a couple of lenses, light meter, filters, and film. bhphoto.com has them for about $85 in ballistic nylon. Best bag I've ever owned!

Robert

 

[GeneW]

I picked up the Safrotto F-803 clone and it's a sweet number. I also use the utilitarian but serviceable Lowepro Nova 2 and Nova 3 bags, and a Lowepro MicroTrekker 200 small backpack bag.

Gene

 

[Stu :)]

I use to be big Lowpro user until I discovered Crumpler.
I have a Crumpler Budgie Smuggler, it happily fits one Bessa R with three lenses (CV 35mm, Leica 50mm and 90mm) and theres room left over for a at least two more lens and a bagel. Or you could swap your lunch for a Canonet QL17. The front pouch has enough room for 6-8 rolls of un-boxed film, shutter release cable, a few filters and an old metal lens hood.

Several things about the Crumpler that I like are-

It's Mother Nature proof. Not just water, but sand, dust, dirt, and 9.8 meters-per-second proof to boot. My old Lowpro backpack was water proof, but one mild west coast sand storm later... had me up most of the night cleaning black sand out of my SLR lenses.

It doesn't look like a camera bag. This is good when you don't want to attract unwanted attention to wards your gear. Also Crumpler goes crazy with the velco, so if you don't see your camera getting lifted out of your bag, you'll sure as heck hear those fingers trying to get in.

Comfort. The Budgie Smuggler is well thought out and a joy to wear, easily the most comfortable bag I've ever worn.

Stu 🙂

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Lowepro Novo 3 when I carry all the Leica arsenal (2 bodies, 3 lenses, flash, film, filters, grip) and a nice Domke FX5B for one body with lens and two additional lenses or 1 lens and a flash, some film.

IOW, the heavy and the light bags. I really like the Domke. Even though it's a light tan color, it doesn't seem to get dirty. It's tough and probably looks like a camera bag, but its size makes it very manageable.

In fact, I've been thinking of getting another, for my small Contax G system...

Hope this helps!

 

[nwcanonman]

I haven't used on "yet', but the Kata S-308 looks really interesting. It's a Sling-type shoulder bag with expanable compartments. I may have to get one ~ ; - )

 

[peter_n]

I picked up the Safrotto F-803 clone and it's a sweet number.

Hey a fellow user! 🙂 Which color did you get Gene?

 

[Honu-Hugger]

I try to walk around urban areas with no bag -- Domke vest, if necessary. I hike the back country with a couple different packs, my favorite being one I outfitted myself from a hiking backpack. I tote my stuff to and from the car in a cuple of ancient Domke bags and a relatively new Billingham (upon Joe's recommendation).
Alpa and Rollei SL66 gear are safely tucked into Pelican cases, both airline legal for carry-on. To me, bags are just containers -- I don't get too excited about them. Pelicans take a lot of abuse and transfer none of it to the precious cargo -- that's all I ask from them.

 

[back alley]

which billingham did you pick up?

as of today, i hate all my bags.
didn't matter which one i picked, packed or used they all felt 'wrong'!

could have something to do with my aching back, just a guess...

joe

 

[GeneW]

Hey a fellow user! 🙂 Which color did you get Gene?

I got a tan one, Peter. Don't know why but I really like tan ... Nice bag, eh?

Gene

 

[peter_n]

Very nice!! 😀

 

[scottgee1]

Many thanks!

Many thanks!

I appreciate all the input on this subject.

In my original post I should have mentioned stealth. I'm a member of the anti-Halliburton 'I'm expensive, steal me' school of camera carrying. Sounds like a few other folks are as well. A friend got me going on the idea of putting the camera bag inside a K-Mart bag so people would ignore it. 😉

I posted the same question to the VC UG mailing list and found that Domke certainly has a following in both places.

Interestingly, Hans Hockx and Grant Petersen on that list have actually designed and prototyped a modular belt pack concept inspired by the VC gear. More details are forthcoming and it's intriguing.

Many thanks!/ScottGee1