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Camera Bags for a small DSLR or rangefinder kit

by Josh Root; revised August 2007

Camera Bags - what's right for a small DSLR or rangefinder kit?

There are vast and varied photographic subjects in the world. Photographers have unique styles and different techniques, while carrying out their work with varying pieces of equipment. One thing that almost every photographer has in common with every other photographer, is the search for the perfect camera bag. No matter if you are carrying a 8x10 view camera or a tiny digital, it never seems like you have a bag that does exactly what you want it to. Even if you do find a great bag, for some reason, we always think there is something else out there that is just a little bit better.

I am currently on the "perfect bag search" for a small shoulder bag that will carry a rangefinder or small DSLR body, 2-3 prime lenses, and a small flash. In typical stuck-up-street-photographer fashion, I want a bag that doesn't look like a camera bag. For the past few years, I have used a Domke F6 "little bit smaller" bag. It has served me well with few problems. But, like I said above, I always think there is something better out there for this size of camera outfit. I have chosen a few of the most talked about styles of bags, and a couple others that seemed to fit the bill, and tested them all for photo.net.

The bag images were all photographed with the rangefinder kit as an example. As you can see, this kit is about the same size as a small DSLR kit, such as this Pentax K10D and three of Pentax's "limited" prime lenses.

Camera Bags Reviewed

Domke F6

  • Buy Domke F6
  • List/street price: $99/$70-75 (August 2007)
  • Construction: waterproof canvas or ballistic nylon
  • Most likely to be confused with: a small diaper bag

About the bag:

The size of the F6 is perfect for the test kit. The four section divider makes it easy to carry equipment and not have anything bump against anything else. By offsetting the divider insert to one side or the other, you can leave yourself plenty of space for a body with lens/VF attached, even most larger lenses will fit.

Overall, the F6 has less padding than many typical camera bags. The bottom has a light sheet of foam, as do the sides of the four-way divider. The sides/top of the bag have no padding. While this might give less protection for hard knocks, it has the benefit of letting the bag sit more naturally against the curves of your body, especially when it is not packed to the gills with gear. This is a feature of high value in a shoulder bag.

The mesh see-through pocket on the underside of the "flap" is not particularly useful, as it is small and makes the flap harder to operate when filled. The zippered pocket on the front of the bag is large enough for any film or accessories that you might need.

Domke's closure system is well designed. The little metal clasps are easy to open and quick to close. But some find them finicky to open quickly and are also annoyed by the slight "clink-clink" sound that they make when walking with the bag. However, the sound can be muted by wrapping a little cloth tape over the ring half of the clasp. One the best aspects of the bag is that when the divider is offset you can leave one of the two clasps unlatched, allowing access to your camera while still being reasonably sure that the contents won't fall out if you set the bag down on it's side accidentally.

This particular F6 is made of Domke's "ballistic" nylon, and only comes in black. It has a slight glossy sheen compared to their canvas bags, but works in nicely to a nice well-used look with age. While Domke says their canvas bags are waterproof, they seem more prone to be able to soak up water. This might be a reason to consider the water shedding abilities of the ballistic nylon over the canvas.

The strap is made out of the same 1.5-inch canvas webbing that Domke uses for most of it's bags of this size. It has grippy rubber threads running through the underside to help keep the bag stable on your shoulder. There is no padding on the strap, but as long as you don't overload the bag you aren't likely to notice. The smaller grab-strap is very handy for carrying the bag when it isn't on your shoulder.

Others say:

"Perfectly sized", "Fiddly to open", "Minimal padding works for me, but might bother others"

My thoughts:

As I said above, this is my personal bag and I have had it for a number of years. While it isn't perfect, I use it a lot and would recomend it to anyone. It is priced well, handles the weather, and is easy to work out of. When overloaded, it is awkward and the narrow strap is hard on your shoulder. But for an smaller sized kit, it works great.

Domke F803

  • Buy Domke F-803
  • List/street price: $99/$80 (August 2007)
  • Construction: Waterproof canvas or ballistic nylon
  • Most likely to be confused with: a laptop case

About the bag:

The F803 is very well sized for a standard rangefinder kit, and it does not look like a camera bag at all. It is narrow and stays close to the body. The main compartment of the bag is divided by a single insert that creates three separate sections. The bag has padding on the bottom and sides, but not on the front or back, the insert has padding on the sides and bottom. There is more padding in this bag than in the F6, but the layout is less user-friendly. This is mostly due to the fact that the F803's pockets are much deeper than they are wide. Lenses have a tendency to be hard to access if they are the only thing in that section. Some photographers will put a couple boxes of film in the bottom so that the lens sits up higher. The disadvantage to that solution is that it can make the bag overly top-heavy. Like the F6, you can offset the divider and keep a camera with a lens mounted ready to go in the larger section. However, the 803's narrow dimensions limit the size of the lens you can leave attached and still access it easily.

The two front outer pockets have plenty of room for a small lens or more film. Objects are also more easily accessed here than something that is deep in one of the main body sections. The pockets are not padded and the F803 will not balance upright when set down due to its narrow design. Putting a lens in the front pocket increases the likelihood that your bag will flop over onto its face and bonk the lens. There is a very handy flat pocket on the back of the bag between it and your body. This is great for a small notebook, map, or other papers when on the job. The papers don't get terribly wrinkled. This is mostly due to the fact that the top of the flap section has some sort of plastic insert that provides some protection, but also keeps the bag shape rigid. It does not form to your body as well as the F6, though due to the F803's narrow design, you aren't likely to notice. There are also two small zippered pockets on the bags flap. However, they are hard to access because of their small size and the stiffening-bar. They are large enough for batteries or a small cell phone though.

Except for the fact that this particular bag is made from the canvas rather than ballistic nylon, the materials, clasp, and strap are the same as the F6, so read that section if you haven't already.

Others say:

"Perfect bag for me", "Does not look like a camera bag at all", "Sections are too small for my large hands, I can't get things at the bottom"

My thoughts:

This is a great bag if you are looking for something that specifically does not look like a camera bag. But for me personally, its dimensions and layout make it not my first choice. However, I know many many photographers who swear by it as a rangefinder bag. I would absolutely suggest giving it some consideration when shopping for a bag.

M-Classics

  • M-Classics Web Site
  • List/street price: $198/$198
  • Construction: canvas with soft cotton inner backing, leather trim, and sandwiched waterproof layer
  • Most likely to be confused with: a laptop bag

About the bag:

The M-Classics bag is a licensed copy of an old Leitz/Leica rangefinder bag from the 1940-50's. Indeed, Seth Levine (M-Classics owner) has even embossed the old "Leitz" script logo into the leather on the front of the bag.

Unlike other bags, there is no foam padding in the M-classics bag. It is more or less like a bike messenger satchel with photography-specific pockets. This causes some concern for photographers looking for a camera bag and one of their first questions is usually something along the lines of "Doesn't the gear get beat up?". The answer is no, it does not, unless you throw your bag around or drops it on the sidewalk. The lack of foam padding is something to consider when looking at the M-classics, but isn't a reason to dismiss it outright. One bit of protection that the bag does have are two thick leather pads on the bottom. These pads have the dual function of protecting your gear in case you set the bag down harder than you should, and keeping the bottom of the bag protected from wear.

The M-Classics bag fits the test kit with room to spare. In fact, for a rangefinder kit it might be a bit large. That will depend on where you decide to put your equipment inside it. If you like the design but desire something a bit smaller, M-Classics will shortly be selling a "digital" bag that is designed in the same style as the larger bag, but with about 30% less carrying space.

The black version of this bag is made of high quality cabriolet cloth. This is the same tough good-looking fabric that is used for the seats of BMW and Porsche sports cars. It is highly resistant to stains and wear. Its one drawback is that it is a fairly stiff fabric and the bag hangs a little rigidly on the hip. If this is an issue for you, look into one of the other bag colors. Their fabric is equally tough and is somewhat more supple. In either case, a little aging and use will probably help as well. The strap pad works well enough, though when new, the suede-ish underside left little threads of leather on my shoulder. This went away quickly with use though. Even better, in the future, M-classics bags will have the same type of bumpy leather used to make American footballs on the underside of the strap pad. Believe me, this is a great idea and works very well. An often-overlooked feature of this bag is how the strap is attached onto the back of the bag rather than the sides. This really improves the way that the bag hangs off the shoulder and makes access significantly easier.

the closure flaps could be designed a little differently as they can seem like a bit of overkill. The Velcro holds the bag securely closed in regular use, so I don't really have use for the three leather straps. I just wish there was a simple and easy way to secure the bag for travel or security. Happily, much like the new leather on the strap pad, M-classics' new improved strap design is the best I have ever seen. It uses twist lock system that is very fast, and just as secure as any buckle or snap. And the straps stay under the flap out of the way when not being used.

Others say:

"Designed for rangefinder photographers!", "Love the speed-pocket, dislike the snaps/buckles", "Pricey, but well made", "A little stiff and rigid"

My thoughts:

This bag was designed for one thing, to work out of while it hangs at your side. In many ways it is my favorite bag in the review. It is well made without being flashy or snooty looking. The black/black of the sample bag helps with the subdued look. But I think that, like the Billingham bags, the other Mclassics colors would age nicely. The speed pocket is one of the best features I have ever seen on a camera bag. Nothing short of a genius invention, it functions perfectly. And as you might expect, makes this bag an absolute joy to work out of. I do wish that the other internal divider was eliminated in favor of a second divided speed pocket for lenses or a second body. But from what other photographers tell me, the divider is well liked because of the ability to adjust for different equipment shapes. This bag isn't the cheapest of the bunch, but you get what you pay for here. Seth Levine, owner of M-Classics, is a very nice guy who stands behind his products.

Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home

  • Buy $5 Million Home
  • List/street price: $90/$75 (August 2007)
  • Construction: water resistant nylon
  • Most likely to be confused with: a purse

About the bag:

This bag is part of Crumpler's " ‘X' million dollar home" line. There are seven different bag sizes, appropriately named 1-7. The 5 Million is just about in the middle as far as the bag sizes go. As you can see, it's the only brightly colored bag in this review article. It also comes in more subdued versions of blue, black, or brown. The inside is fully padded, lined with soft brushed nylon, and divided by two movable inserts. There is enough space to offset the inserts and carry a body with a lens attached. The bag overall is a little small for the test kit. If one item is left out, the flash or a lens for example, the gear fits just fine. It would appear that the next size up would be better sized for this article's intended use. There is more padding in this bag than in either of the Domke bags. However, unlike some camera bags, the foam seems to be made of a soft enough material that the bag does not feel like a rigid box. It is quite soft and fairly flexible. There is a sheet of thin plastic or cardboard sewn into the bottom of the bag to give it a bit of shape. Overall, it seems to form to the body much better than most fully padded bags, though not as well as the soft sided bags.

The 5 Million Home has two other pockets: a mesh one on the underside of the cover flap, and one on the front of the bag. Though not all that different in design, the flap pocket is somehow more useful than the one on the Domke F6, though it still isn't useful for holding much, maybe a lens cloth or a battery or two. But it is easier to access than the Domke one. The front pocket is oddly shaped not terribly useful. It does have another inner mesh pocket that is great for holding keys or other small items.

The bag's fabric is tough and seems very water resistant. The flap is held closed by a simple plastic quick release (the kind used in on camping/outdoor products) that is sturdy and easy to operate. There is also a fairly large patch of Velcro that holds the bag closed. The Velcro works very well, and the quick release is not needed to securely close the flap. But some people really hate the sound of Velcro, or find it to be too loud for some situations. The answer is to just cover one "side" of the Velcro with another piece of fabric. This solves the problem and is easily reversible. One problem that is less reversible is that the Five Million Home has a plastic thread running through the piping around the edge of the bag flap. I think the purpose of this is to give a little more structure to the flap. Annoyingly though, it keeps the flap from being able to stay open on it's own. It's too stiff and just wants to flop back closed. It should be noted that the stiffness does not affect the photographer's ability to easily access the gear inside the bag.

The strap is 2-inch nylon webbing. Unlike most of the other bags in this review, it is removable. One reason this might be useful is so the strap could be replaced completely. As the nylon is very slippery and the bag can slide around more than you might like. This may be because the test bag did not come with the shoulder pad that is pictured in the Crumpler catalog. We believe this to be just a simple mistake and do not suggest reading too much into the slippery-strap issue.

Others say:

"This red is too bright", "Perfectly padded and a great size", "A little small, too purse-like", "Cool ‘young urban' styling"

My thoughts:

This really is a nice bag. Tough construction and the design fairly well done. It is comfortable to work out of, though as I mentioned, this particular size was a bit small for the test kit. If you like a small kit, use this one, otherwise go for the 6 or 7. The smaller bag might look a little purse-like, but really isn't any different than most of the urban/messenger satchels that people wear all the time.

Billingham Hadley Pro

  • Buy Billingham Hadley Pro
  • List/street price: $276/$200 (august 2007)
  • Construction: Nylon with leather trim plus sandwiched waterproof layer
  • Most likely to be confused with: A soft side attache

About the bag:

The Hadley Pro is the largest of the three bags in Billingham's "Hadley" line, and is similar in shape but just slightly smaller than the Domke F803. This is a very good size for the test kit. Unlike the F803, the Hadley Pro uses a system of two full-length movable dividers and two smaller ones, giving a number of different layout options for the inside of the bag. The bag is padded on all sides, and the camera compartment is one removable unit that snaps into the bag. This could be useful if you ever needed to wash the outer bag, or use it for something other than camera gear. While the bag is fully padded, it does not feel as rigid as you might expect. This is due to the lack of a full-width "stiffening bar" on the top of the bag (as the Domke F803 has), the softness of the foam padding, and the flexibility of the high quality leather and fabric used in the bags construction. It all ends up giving you a bag that protects well, but still hangs at your side nicely.

The two front pockets are unpadded, but are very roomy and have plenty of space for film, meters, or other accessories. They are easy to open and close due to a simple but effective snap closure system. There is also a long flat pocket across the back of the bag (again, like the F803). It closes with a zipper and even has a flap to prevent water from getting inside the zipper.

An important word about the Billingham strap closure system: it is one of the best designed for camera bags. Like all fine leather, it takes a bit to break in. But after it does, the leather & brass strap and tab system is quick to open/close, quiet, and good looking. If for nothing else, you should look at Billingham bags for this reason alone. In the interest of fairness, it bears mentioning that the Billingham strap system has it's share of detractors. They say that the leather breaks in too much, and that the straps then become hard to keep closed. However, that issue wasn't apparent with the test bags.

The materials and construction used in Billingham bags are very high quality. The cloth has a slight gloss sheen to it that should help to shed water and dirt. The leather is bright when new, but like all good leather, with a little time it will age into the comfortable used look of a nice wallet or jacket. However, it is a bit fancy-looking. It's a bag that may not really fit in with photography locations such as dive bars and horse barns. To be fair though, age and use would take a lot of the "newness" away and the bag would not stand out as much. This especially should be the case with Billingham's tan fabric color, which will age excellently. A black bag/black leather option might help as well.

The strap is 1.5-inch canvas with no padding or anti-slip rubber. Like others mentioned in this article, this is a bag that if you overloaded it, would probably dig into your shoulder fairly quickly. But a kit such as the one used in this article hardly qualifies as as "overloading" a bag of this size.

Others say:

"Looks very nice", "Great size", "Too expensive", "Looks too fancy"

My Thoughts:

The Hadley Pro is my favorite of the Billingham line. It could be considered a smidge big for the test kit. But that has a lot to do with personal preference than anything else. It is easy to work out of thanks to the flexible fabric, movable dividers, and the excellent closure system. The biggest issue I have with the Hadley Pro is that it is quite expensive. You get a lot for your money, but I'm not sure that what you get is that much more than with the similar Domke 803. However, if money is not an issue for you, I would give this bag some serious consideration.

Billingham L2/Alice

  • Buy Billingham L2/Alice
  • List/street price: $254/$184 (August 2007)
  • Construction: nylon with leather trim plus sandwiched waterproof layer
  • Most likely to be confused with: A lunch box

About the bag:

The Billingham L2 (also called the Alice) carries just about the same amount of equipment as the Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home. This is to say that it is a little small for the test kit used here. It has four movable dividers inside a compartment that is padded on all sides except for the top. For some reason, the bottom padding is an inch-thick removable pad, which I find odd and a little excessive. Removing or replacing this pad might create a little more room for gear.

There are no other pockets on the L2. This is odd and a little annoying. There is space to put a few things between the padding and the bag in the main compartment, but that leaves them open to banging against each other and falling out if the bag is tipped.

Though made of the same fabric as the Hadley, this bag is not as pleasurable to wear. Due to its boxy shape, it bounces on the hip a lot more. A particularly undesirable feature, the brass "feet" on the bottom of the bag add weight and the ability to scratch anything soft that the bag is set down on or bumped against.

The strap, materials, style, and other construction features are the same as the Hadley Pro above. Refer to these sections in the Hadley section.

Others say:

"Looks like a VHS-C video camera bag", "I love the size", "Classy looking", "Small and boxy"

My Thoughts:

I am not really a fan of this bag. While the excellent Billingham closure and fabric made the L2 typically easy to access, I found it to be fairly frustrating to wear and work out of. The bag's shape made it want to bounce around on my hip a lot when moving. However, the fact that I wear my camera bags lower on my hip then others might have caused some of this. The brass feet are a questionable design choice, and the lack of pockets for film/batteries/etc was a great annoyance. As a counter-opinion though, I do know of a number of rangefinder photographers who enjoy this bag for a smaller RF kit. For the price, I would look elsewhere.

Billingham 225

  • Buy Billingham 225
  • List/street price: $459/$335 (August 2007)
  • Construction: nylon with leather trim plus sandwiched waterproof layer
  • Most likely to be confused with: a small overnight bag

About the bag:

The 225 is Billingham's smallest "classic" style camera bag. But it is still significantly larger than all the other bags here. So it is at a bit of a disadvantage in this review as it was bound to come across as too large for most rangefinder photographers to want to use for a kit this size. Keeping that in mind, there is a lot to like about this bag.

The interior padding is cleverly designed, The padding on the sides only comes up halfway, which makes accessing a camera with lens attached easy even if the bag is mostly closed. The padding on the front and back is designed as two independent pieces of foam. This has the effect of making the bag less of a rigid box, and greatly improves the way it sits at the photographer's side. There is a very nice two-compartment movable divider, perfectly sized for small prime lenses. One of the two compartments is slightly larger than the other, which was exceptionally handy. So handy in fact, that we pulled it out and tried it in other bags that were around the office. Like the L2/Alice, the 225 has a large and thick removable bottom padding piece. If using this bag regularly, one would probably remove and/or replace it with something smaller and more flexible.

In addition to the standard flap, the main compartment zippers closed. This is a feature that we seldom, if ever, used. But some photographers might find it useful to close the bag up tight for traveling. There are two unpadded pockets covered by another smaller flap on the front of the bag. A nice feature of these pockets is that one side of them is stitched in such a way as to create a couple of "pen" pockets. Between these outside pockets and the main compartment, is a zippered pocket with plenty of space for film and two other lightly padded pockets inside. There is also the same flat pocket on the back that is found on the Hadley Pro.

Ignoring the size of the bag, which has to be accepted as a bit large, there are just two real problems with the bag. For some reason, Billingham seems to love those brass feet, since the 225 has them just like the L2 does. As said before, this is a bad design concept.The other issue is that, unlike the Hadley, which has a carrying handle attached to the top of the bag flap, the 225 has a carrying handle that snaps together across the top of the bag like a gym bag. While it works fine for carrying, it dangles and gets in the way when it is not snapped together. And it's hard to get into the bag when it is snapped together. It's a fine concept, but if they were insistent about including it, Billingham should have made it removable.

Unlike the two other Billingham bags reviewed here, the 225 has a 2.5 x 8.5 inch leather shoulder pad on the bag strap. It is slightly padded with neoprene on the underside. The rubbery texture of the neoprene gives a measure of stability on your shoulder. The bag also has a two point "y" connection between the strap and the bag. This helps keep it from flopping over when being picked up or set down. Other than these features, the construction, style, and materials are the same as the L2 and Hadley Pro above.

Others say: "Way too big and expensive", "What's the deal with those handles", "Big, but well designed and classy looking"

My Thoughts: This would be a great sized bag for a small SLR or large RF kit. But for our test kit, it is just overkill. It is very well designed and I find myself wishing for a 2/3 size version. The annoying carrying handle dangles and gets in the way while trying to work out of the bag. But other than that it is a pleasure to use, and a sharp pair of scissors would take care of the problem easily. Aside from those brass feet, the only other real issue is the price. This isn't a cheap bag but, like the Hadley, you get a lot the money. If money isn't an issue, and you have a larger kit, I would happily recommend this bag.

Lowepro Slingshot 100

  • Buy Slingshot 100
  • List/street price: $99/$90 (August 2007)
  • Construction: nylon and 600D TXP
  • Most likely to be confused with: a hipster bookbag

About the bag:

The Lowepro Slingshot is a bag without a classification. It is worn differently than a standard shoulder bag, but is far from a backpack. Lowepro calls it a "slingbag", which is as good of a name as any. Styled like many hip student bookbags, the Slingshot is worn on the back, but has just one strap that runs across the chest. The idea behind this is that it is easier to work out of than a backpack, but lighter and more comfortable than a shoulder bag. The Slingshot's construction is essentially the same as any other Lowe bag, water resistant nylon outside, and brushed soft padding inside. One feature this bag has, that you won't find on any other bag in this article, is a waterproof "All Weather" cover that can be pulled over the bag if you get caught in a downpour. When not in use, the cover stores neatly in it's own little pocket.

The way that the Slingshot is meant to operate is that you wear it on your back when walking or shooting, then slide the bag around your body and under your arm when you want to get into it. It's a process that doesn't make much sense when written down. Please reference the included photos photos from the Lowepro's website to help illustrate the concept. As odd as it may sound, the whole thing works very well. The bag is as out of the way as a backpack when on your back, and as easy to use as a shoulder bag (maybe even easier) when swung around in front. Due to its backpack-like design, it is even possible to run while wearing the bag. Trying to hustle to catch a bus while having a shoulder bag bouncing at your side can be a real pain.

The Slingshot 200 was far too large for the test kit. The smaller Slingshot 100 would have been a better choice for this article. That isn't to say that you would be upset having bought the 200, just that there was more space than was really needed. Then again, since the interior dividers of the Slingshot are more designed for an SLR photographer than an RF photographer, divider pockets had to be rearranged somewhat to get a setup that worked. The 200's extra space might have helped in that department.

Others say:

"Looks like a high-school bookbag", "Comfortable!", "Interesting design, I might like it"

My thoughts:

It took a little practice to get the bag on correctly the first few times. That may sound stupid stupid, but I kept wanting to hang it over my left shoulder and across my body (as if I was hanging a shoulder bag across my body rather than just on my right shoulder). The Slingshot however, is designed to hang over your right shoulder and across your body. It felt just fine in use, but I had to remember how to put it on the first few times I used it.

The LowePro Slingshot is the oddball of this bunch. It is really nothing like the rest of the bags here, which are all variations of the popular classic shoulder satchel. But I wanted to include it because not only do I find it to be a completely workable option, but it is one of the few innovations that this class/size of camera bags has seen in recent years.For me, this bag works. Yes, it is more designed for the SLR photographer than the RF photographer. With a little fiddling, you can get the bag setup in a completely workable way. I find it very easy to access the bag and just as easy to swing it out of the way again. The comfort level is far beyond any shoulder bag.

Overall Conclusion and recommendations:

There will never be a "best/worst" in a grouping of camera bags. There are just too many variables for every photographer. What are you looking for: a cheap bag? A bag that is comfortable? A bag that doesn't look like a camera bag at all? A bag that is as small as possible?

That having been said, if I were looking for a value bag, I would look at either of the Domke bags. If I wanted something a little more stylish and trendy, but still a workhorse, I'd check out the Crumpler. If I were looking for something with nicer construction and design, I would look at the M-Classics. If the M-Classics didn't have enough padding, I would try the Billingham Hadley. And if I wanted something that was completely different than my other shoulder bags, I would look into the LowePro Slingshot.

For what it's worth, my personal favorites are the Domke F6, the M-Classics, and the Slingshot (though I might prefer the smaller sizes of the latter two).

Text and pictures ©Copyright 2006 Josh Root.

Readers' Comments


Add a comment



Michael Ging , January 07, 2008; 08:13 P.M.

Josh , this is a well thought out presentation , thanks for doing it. I would like to mention my favorite small bag that I used for travel. I carry my Contax G2.s,or if I am going retro , my Contax or Nikon RF cameras in a Domke F-5XA SMALL SHOULDER AND BELT BAG.I always coat my Domke canvas bags with several coats of Tent waterproofing,and even in a downpour this bag keeps my cameras dry. This small bag is just big enough to carry my 2 G2's and 3 lenses,or since I usually have one hanging around my neck, a camera,extra lenses and a few rolls of film . I do own both of the Domke Bags you reviewed, which work very well for most shoots,but I like the top flap of the F-5XA for street shooting ,expecially when I am in a rainy area.I also use the Domke mailman's Pad on what ever bag I am using,I keeps the strap on your shoulder and makes even a heavy bag easier to carry.

Peter N , January 07, 2008; 08:33 P.M.

The Chinese (Safrotto) clone of the Domke F-803 is a better bag in every respect. Better strap, canvas, stitching, insert and best of all it doesn't have that pesky plastic insert under the top handle that makes the F-803 so very uncomfortable. It is also less than 1/2 the price...

Lee Shively , January 07, 2008; 08:51 P.M.

Excellent review. Of the bags I'm familiar with in the review, I agree with the assessements. My personal favorites are the Billingham Hadley Pro and the Domke F6. I've owned a Domke 803 for a very long time and I've used it off-and-on but it always ends up being tossed in the back of the closet after a while.

Ilkka , January 07, 2008; 09:26 P.M.

Excellent review. Just a few additional comments from a user of most of the bags in your review...

I find the Domke metal clasps a bit dangerous especially around LCD screens and exposed lens surfaces. They can give a solid whack to anything that is at the top of bag when slowly opening or closing the flap. The 803 is not prone to this with its bigger flap that moves the closure hardware further from the bag contents.

The Chinese Safrotto or Mekko copy is okay and in some ways better, but I find the top plastic stiffener in 803 very useful to give some shape to the bag. The Chinese copies are a bit limp, especially if the big insert is removed.

Some (bigger) Billingham bags come with the shoulder pad and it can be bought separately, or easily moved from one bag to another. I have three Billinghams and two of them came with the shoulder pad. Using the pad makes the Hadley even better.

All Crumpler bags seem to use very thin and slippery seat belt strap material. Some sort of pad is a must for the Crumpler. Domke strap with its built in rubber strips is very much better. Domke also has a very comfy 'postman' pad that is very soft but gets a bit scruffy after a while.

Lawrence Christopher , January 07, 2008; 09:44 P.M.

I have a Roots HZ20s which is probably about the size of the Lowepro Slingshot 200. I carry am M3, an M6, and 5 lenses plus a few smaller items. Great little bag, 50 bucks here. Only problem, it is a bit stylishly colored for an old guy like me! LOL

Image Attachment: roots-1.jpg

Paul A. - Los Angeles, CA. , January 08, 2008; 06:40 A.M.

I have been using the same sand-color 803 Domke satchel for 15 years. Its gotten weathered and been washed a few times. For Christmas 2007 I upgraded to a new 803 Domke, this time OD green. For the money, utility, and discretion cannot be beat.

Anthony Ilardi , January 08, 2008; 10:41 A.M.

I have three of the bags reviewed -- sort of-- I actually have the Domke J-803, basically a ballistic nylon version of the F-803, plus the Domke F-6 and a Crumpler 5 million.

I use the J-803 with the three compartment insert. It easily holds two M bodies, four lenses, flash and whatever. An M body with up to a 50mm lens, hood reversed, will slide right in. It is also great for travel. Magazines,newspapers, etc., fit nicely in the rear outside compartment. The J-803 also has an "extra" inside compartment that will hold a paperback book as well. I have occasionally stuffed a windbreaker in it and the camera equipment.

The F-6 will actually hold more camera equipment, but weighs a bit less. Right now it holds a Canon SLR, three lenses (including a 70-200/4) and a tele-extender. It is almost too large for my Leica system, but so is the J-803.

I bought the Crumpler for a trip where I wanted to carry ony one M body and a couple of extra lenses, plus the SF-20 plus film. Not as quick to use as the two Domkes, but very compact. It also will hold two bodies, each with a lens mounted, plus flash and film.

Eric Calderwood , January 08, 2008; 03:47 P.M.

Another vote here for the Domke J803. Superb piece of kit. It is a Domke F803 in ballistic nylon with four more pockets in a very slightly larger package, excellent.

Dean G , January 08, 2008; 05:49 P.M.

Nice review or these bags, and helpful. I've had a Domke F5 that I use for one camera with a zoom lens, lately a Panasonic dmc-L1 with the largish Panasonic-Leica D vario-elmarit 14-50mm lens. The F5 will also easily fit the Olympus E-410 2 lens kit, or the E-410 and a couple of OM primes. But I've been wanting something a bit larger and based on your review either the F6 or F803 should work. Thanks.

John Boyle , January 08, 2008; 08:06 P.M.

This was an interesting comparason but we all have our favorites. I have a Billingham 225 but do not take it out very often. It's not the easiest bag to open and, although it is very well made, it's just not that handy to use in the field. The one that gets the most use now is a Lowepro Nova 3. It's big enough for my M2 with 4 lenses, a light meter, film and some attachments yet quite easy to access. My most used bag is an original M Classic which now has a badly frayed carrying strap. I used this bag for years doing wildflower photography in the Canadian Rockies. It held my M2, Visoflex, Bellows, macro and telephoto lenses, table tripod, lightmeter and several rolls of film. Not very elegant but eminently practical.

David Carson , January 09, 2008; 11:09 A.M.

Consider the Domke F-3x

Domke F-3x

One excellent bag in the Domke line that was missed is the F-3x. It has the speed pocket of the type found in the M-Classics bag, but is more of a squarish shape. I have the older model (F-3) that doesn't have the two external pockets, and it is my most used bag. It just hugs to my hip.

Pablito Pistola , January 12, 2008; 12:21 A.M.

M classic is extremely versatile. I have two of them. I have the domke 802 as well, they both have their uses but the "M" is easier to work from and holds more. The M classic will hold two or three M's WITH LENSES. YOu can use the outside middle pocket for a body with lens attached, as long as it's not a huge lens.the M classic is also lighter than the domke. If you are going to be moving around a lot and shooting not so much, then the domke will give you more protection. But if you are going to be shooting a lot, the M classic gets in your way less, even if it offers less padding.

Stephen Dodds , February 25, 2008; 07:37 A.M.

Another usable small(ish) bag for anyone who shoots digital and likes the Lowepro type of thing is their Stealth Reporter D100 AW. Unlike most Lowepro bags, the padded, divided insert is removable. You can use just the padded base insert if you want to. It has several useful pockets on front, back and inside. Plus, there's a sturdy removable zippered media card wallet and an accessories pouch for all those digital widgets one accumulates.

Access is via a zippered and/or plastic snap-buckled flap that gives good protection, or through a weather-resistant zipper in the top flap itself for faster access. No camera-scratching metal to watch out for.

Lowepro has really put a ton of thought into this little bag. Perhaps to the point of overkill? It's a little chunky/boxy and does not hug the hip like a slimmer bag would, but it also comes with a removable waist strap to keep it from bouncing around if you're worried about that kind of thing.

Oh,and being an AW bag, it has a hideaway nylon shower cap thingie for the totally paranoid.

Here in Indonesia, the Chinese-made bag is fantastic material value at just over US$40. I've owned a number of Lowepros and have yet to break one. definitely worth a look.

Nancy Chuang , March 03, 2008; 01:08 P.M.

Very nice review. Would be interested in seeing a similar round-up for true TRAVEL bags. I am not looking to replace mine yet but it's starting to form small tears at the seams so, someday I will.

What I mean by travel bag, is at the VERY least...it needs to zip closed! When I recently started looking around again for bags, I was surprised how many simply have a flap top...but it seems they are meant for daily use, not for the actual transportation of equipment.

I have a Tamrac 637 (I believe that's the correct number--it converts to a backpack and there aren't any like that on the current lineup) that I bought new off ebay for $20 4 years ago. It's not a bag to walk with--too stiff and boxy, and although I think it looks less photo-dork than the bags with lots of exterior pockets, it still screams "camera bag!" to me. But on my last trip it was flipped upside down and strapped to a donkey in Ethiopia while I trekked carrying my OM-2n and a second lens in a simple woven purse. The Tamrac carried the remaining lens, filters and film, plus my P&S digital, binocs, and necessary things like money, passport, phone, etc without damage/loss from the bumpy donkey ride.

Right now I'm not seeing many reasonably-priced bags that seem to be as well-equipped for rough travel, especially because many makers seem to equate these requirements with "pro, needing 2 bodies and lots of equipment" thus the bags are really large. Tenba's small messenger is the perfect size but "zipper" is not in the spec listing. Maybe Safrotto...? Pics seem Ok on ebay but perhaps not reputable?

Anyway, another review roundup would be much appreciated!


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