Good camera bags?

Bernard wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Jan Chelminski wrote:

Sling-O-Matic 10.

It can carry the 1X, 1mk2, four lenses, PCM audio recorder, small Sirui travel tripod and a tripod-style folding seat. Very heavy load capacity for a sling, it has a thick, well padded and contoured shoulder strap, as well as good heavy duty construction overall.

Other times, I can use it to take more basic 1X + 1/2/3 lens kit (with plenty of room for drinks, etc) out, and it feels very lightweight.

Love how I can very quickly slide it from my back to front (while walking, if necessary) to remove or replace the camera, etc.

Best all-around bag I have ever used.

I have too many other bags to count, including the (Domke, mostly) stuff I used in the 80's. My huge bag of bag dividers is like one of those rubber-band balls, slowly, but always growing...,

Rgds,

Jan

I have an old Domke too! I unpacked it the other day and the memories came streaming back. I actually used it when I got my first camera back in the 90s and it was my favorite bag for 10 years or so, not getting replaced until the mid 2000s.

Like many people here, I have way too many bags for different occasions and various camera/lens configurations. However, the one I take with me the most when traveling, vacations, or walkabouts is the Domke F-5xb which I have had for roughly 7 years. It is light, but rugged, and water-resistant. To me it is similar to the Think Tank Retrospective 5 but much lighter, a little smaller and less bulky.

I definitely prefer the Domke over the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover series because the Domke's canvas drapes and fits to your side making it feel natural and less obtrusive, whereas the Mirrorless Movers are hard, jut out, and bounce on your side uncomfortably. This, of course, is just my personal experience based on having tried out these bags. The more I used it, the more I found myself enjoying the comfort and security of the Domke. It even survived being rained upon for several hours in Cologne, Germany with my equipment remaining bone-dry!

In theory I have bags that I should like more because they are lighter, quieter (no velcro) and more configurable. In practice, however, I somehow always seem to reach for my Domke.

Regards,

Bernard

Yes I love my Domke bag too.  It's still in great condition after all these years!  And thank you for mentioning velcro, I thought I was the only one who found velcro parts annoying!

Wow that's a nice list!  I didn't know you could fit a laptop into the same bag with your camera.  I must look into that.

Sheena UK wrote:

For events when I use (could now be used since I now have the E-M5 iii) my DSLR and 3 primes plus E-M10 it’s the Lowepro micro trekker 100 - love it. For travel, holidays etc for the past few years I have only taken the E-M10 with 14-42 kit lens, 17mm 1.8 and 40-150 f4-5.6 and I have used the Tamrac Aria 2 - does not shout ‘camera bag’. Since getting the E-M5 iii And 12-45 pro I bought the larger Aria 3 (Although discontinued you can still get hold of these if you look hard enough - and at a good price).

I’ve always fancied a sling bag to use instead of the micro trekker but I use my left shoulder and most including Lowepro are for use over the right shoulder. I’ve just bought the Thinktank Turnstyle 10. Not used it yet but it seems to tick all the boxes.

DSLR kit will most likely go soon as I’ve come to realise that I prefer Olympus Micro 4/3!

You sound like me with the Lowepro bag, I found it "sneaky" in the sense that it doesn't look too large but I can fit two bodies and three lenses snugly inside it!  I've been downsizing with my bags since I realized that I just dont use the larger ones as often.

I like them- they look similar to what I have (except mine are black).  I also like the compact design.  I have a couple of larger bags and all I use them for is to hold heavy accessories I rarely use.

Nice trick!  I should've done this when I squeezed that third lens into my bag vertically lol.

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Bernard wrote:

I have an old Domke too! I unpacked it the other day and the memories came streaming back. I actually used it when I got my first camera back in the 90s and it was my favorite bag for 10 years or so, not getting replaced until the mid 2000s.

Like many people here, I have way too many bags for different occasions and various camera/lens configurations. However, the one I take with me the most when traveling, vacations, or walkabouts is the Domke F-5xb which I have had for roughly 7 years. It is light, but rugged, and water-resistant. To me it is similar to the Think Tank Retrospective 5 but much lighter, a little smaller and less bulky.

I definitely prefer the Domke over the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover series because the Domke's canvas drapes and fits to your side making it feel natural and less obtrusive, whereas the Mirrorless Movers are hard, jut out, and bounce on your side uncomfortably. This, of course, is just my personal experience based on having tried out these bags. The more I used it, the more I found myself enjoying the comfort and security of the Domke. It even survived being rained upon for several hours in Cologne, Germany with my equipment remaining bone-dry!

In theory I have bags that I should like more because they are lighter, quieter (no velcro) and more configurable. In practice, however, I somehow always seem to reach for my Domke.

Regards,

Bernard

Yes I love my Domke bag too. It's still in great condition after all these years! And thank you for mentioning velcro, I thought I was the only one who found velcro parts annoying!

LOL!  Try being a tourist in a cathedral with a mass going on when you rip open your camera bag and the sound amplifies and echos off the walls and ceiling of the cathedral as everyone turns around and stares at you disapprovingly!

I have learned my lesson, and if it isn't raining and I am taking my camera in and out of the bag frequently, I will simply flip the cover over and just open and close the bag using the zippers as needed with the velcro out of the way.

On the other hand, the velcro would never allow someone to surreptitiously steal your camera out of the bag!

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

What camera bag(s) do you use? I have a highly portable camera bag and a not-so highly portable camera bag.

I collected a few bags over time. The most used in the past years is a waist bag, and..... these are my favorite to carry camera gear:

Larger photo bags are great to store camera gear at home, and protect it whilst in the car.

Bernard wrote:

Yes I love my Domke bag too. It's still in great condition after all these years! And thank you for mentioning velcro, I thought I was the only one who found velcro parts annoying!

LOL! Try being a tourist in a cathedral with a mass going on when you rip open your camera bag and the sound amplifies and echos off the walls and ceiling of the cathedral as everyone turns around and stares at you disapprovingly!

I have learned my lesson, and if it isn't raining and I am taking my camera in and out of the bag frequently, I will simply flip the cover over and just open and close the bag using the zippers as needed with the velcro out of the way.

On the other hand, the velcro would never allow someone to surreptitiously steal your camera out of the bag!

Tenba do a quiet opening Velcro, pull the flap down before opening and its almost silent.

ThinkTank have pull down flaps that close the Velcro off allowing the flap to open quietly in places like churches and museums

Bernard wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Bernard wrote:

I have an old Domke too! I unpacked it the other day and the memories came streaming back. I actually used it when I got my first camera back in the 90s and it was my favorite bag for 10 years or so, not getting replaced until the mid 2000s.

Like many people here, I have way too many bags for different occasions and various camera/lens configurations. However, the one I take with me the most when traveling, vacations, or walkabouts is the Domke F-5xb which I have had for roughly 7 years. It is light, but rugged, and water-resistant. To me it is similar to the Think Tank Retrospective 5 but much lighter, a little smaller and less bulky.

I definitely prefer the Domke over the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover series because the Domke's canvas drapes and fits to your side making it feel natural and less obtrusive, whereas the Mirrorless Movers are hard, jut out, and bounce on your side uncomfortably. This, of course, is just my personal experience based on having tried out these bags. The more I used it, the more I found myself enjoying the comfort and security of the Domke. It even survived being rained upon for several hours in Cologne, Germany with my equipment remaining bone-dry!

In theory I have bags that I should like more because they are lighter, quieter (no velcro) and more configurable. In practice, however, I somehow always seem to reach for my Domke.

Regards,

Bernard

Yes I love my Domke bag too. It's still in great condition after all these years! And thank you for mentioning velcro, I thought I was the only one who found velcro parts annoying!

LOL! Try being a tourist in a cathedral with a mass going on when you rip open your camera bag and the sound amplifies and echos off the walls and ceiling of the cathedral as everyone turns around and stares at you disapprovingly!

I have learned my lesson, and if it isn't raining and I am taking my camera in and out of the bag frequently, I will simply flip the cover over and just open and close the bag using the zippers as needed with the velcro out of the way.

On the other hand, the velcro would never allow someone to surreptitiously steal your camera out of the bag!

That's one of the things I like about the Lowepro Event Messengers. They have reversible velcro bits, so you can have a velcro'd bag when you want to drop the lid but have a little bit of security, but a silent bag for when needed. Currently mine is set to silent because I kept scaring wildlife.