Hey guys,

I just got back from a conference in Providence, RI where I was lugging my street outfit everywhere I went. Visited the historical area around Benefit St. and saw alot of 19th century Victorian architecture and genuine "town gas" streetlamps (or so I was told). Also, Providence is a place which abounds with anecdotal history and I spent a very busy Tuesday afternoon chasing some of the local superstitions in the area (H.P. Lovecraft's "The Shunned House" inspiration was a house on Benefit St.). By far, two of the most famous residents of Providence were H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Alan Poe (both of which lived in the Brown's University campus area). Lovecraft is interred at Swan Point Cemetary just outside Providence in the Metro area. He never achieved fame and fortune in life; his family plot consists of his parents and himself just behind the Phillips plot on Avenue Lane. A simple limestone marker sits at the head of his plot with the words under his name reading "I am Providence". Very provocative.

Anyways, I'm here to report on the Courierware small camera satchel which has recently replaced my Domke 803. For my outfit the small satchel is ideal. I could've went with the extra-small but the guys at Courierware assured me that the weight difference between them is negligible and the extra 300 cubic centimeters of space would come in handy. I couldn't agree more. The way I have the setup is within the three foam compartments (fully adjustable) I have the 0.85 body with the 50 Cron (and hood) on one side with Lutz's sling and a Softie attatched. In the middle compartment sit the 24 and 75 (both in their leather cases), the Universal Polarizer, SF-20 flash, and 24 finder. On the other side resides the 0.72 body with the 35 Cron and hood (again with Sling and Softie). The inner side unlined pockets allow me to carry about 20 rolls of film while the middle unlined pocket is for microfiber cloth, various other small items. The outside three pockets carry a Spyderco Harpy and mini-screwdriver set, a foldable 8" reflector panel, and my wallet. In the back, the back inside compartment carries my camera staps (with keychain quick releases Lutz-style) and the outside pocket at the back carries a filter pouch for 9 filters (6 filters #16 and #29 in 3 sizes).

This whole outfit is very easy to work with because of the extra depth of the bag. I find myself just "dropping" the cameras into the bag because there is so much extra room around them. This also allows the bag to hug your body much more than a smaller satchel filled to the gills with gear. The bag comes with a non-removable 2" strap that has an adjuster that everyone should be using... heavy duty and super-easy to adjust on the fly adjustments can be made effortlessly with just 1 hand! Now I'm not really a fan of velcro but on this bag it works great. If your not using the releases to hold the flap down then the velcro strips do a great job keeping the flap of your camera satchel closed as you are shooting. From a security aspect if someone wants to palm something from your satchel then at least you will hear the velcro. Still, I wish there was a more "quieter" velcro out there.... 3M GET OFF YOUR BUTTS AND GIVE US A BETTER VELCRO!.

Overall, I really like this bag (luckily for me considering the price). You can even remove the base padding along with the camera case inserts so the satchel becomes a true messenger satchel with no padding and ultra-light should you so desire. A direct comparison can be made to Billingham's large Hadley and I think with exception to the weatherproofing and velcro issue the Courierware bag is much more desirable. Lighter, more internal pockets, less stiffer and more useful internal configurations than the Billingham. Also, the ripstop Denier nylon and heavy duty stitching (warrantied for life) are not as visible as the Billingham luxurious canvas and leather trim. Not to knock Billingham but when I see those bags the first thing that comes to mind is "well-monied". The Courierware satchel makes people think "starving student who does across town deliveries to help pay for tuition"; a much better image to present to a would-be-thief.

If you have only one body and 3 lenses then you can probably get away with the extra-small bag. But if you want to be able to USE that extra body (not just have it tucked away for a rainy day) with any lens combination between two bodies and a host of useful accessories prete-a-porte then the small is ideal.

BTW: My best shots in Providence were taken with the 35 Cron.

Regards,

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), July 28, 2001

Answers

John,

Which model did you get? The Camera Bag with neoprene insert?

http://www.courierwareusa.com/level.shtml?20

Cheers.

-- Simon Wong (drsimonwong@hotmail.com), July 28, 2001.

Yep,

I think it retails in the area of $139 USD with the foam camera insert. Courierware really goes the distance with high grade materials. Just comparing the velco that Domke uses with that of my newer satchel there is a big difference. The Courierware satchel uses thicker thread in the weave of the velcro and looks to be more durable in the long run than the Domke's velcro. Also, I find the plastic release buckles easier to use than Domke's metal fasteners. Now maybe I'm stepping on a few toes here when I state that my preference is for the Courierware over Billingham but for my purposes it seems to fit the bill. The interior of the bag also uses a special (first time I've ever seen) ripstop Denier nylon liner that is anti-abrasive (ie soft surface) thus adding an even greater element of protection for your gear. If you use the bag like a satchel then the strap is amazingly comfortable to wear (with less than 8 pounds in the bag). Otherwise, you can get a shoulder pad which in my case is a waste of $$$$ as my outfit weighs in at a hair over 6 pounds total. My only regret is that I should've ordered an additional velcro divider for more config options.

Cheers,

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), July 28, 2001.

Hey guys,

I'm going to try something that will make this bag the ultimate stealth bag. I'm getting rubberized magnetic strips and putting velcro material on the backs of them. That way I can have magnetic "adapters" to the velcro strips stored in the bag at all times and they can replace the velcro in sensitive situations where no noise is of paramount importance. I'll get the magnets at the local electrical supplyhouse and the velcro fasteners at Fabricland and give it a go.

Should work out great and if it does I'll report back.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), July 28, 2001.

Sounds like a great idea but one suggestion: those rubberized magnetic strips have self-stick on one side, if you stick the velcro to that side then the facing surfaces of the magnet will be the same polarity and will then repel each other. You'll probably want to stick the velcro to the opposite side of one piece, and then use Goof- Off to get rid of the self-stick on the other side of the magnet.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 28, 2001.

Hey John,

How about posting some of your Providence shots? I'd love to see some Lovecraft related stuff!!! Sounds really neato (as they say)...

-- Steve Hoffman (shoffman2@socal.rr.com), July 28, 2001.

I am glad you like the Courierware bag, but I didn't like mine and returned it. FWIW, here are some thoughts I've had about three popular bags:

Domke 5xb

Pro:

1. Compact size.

2. Velcro compatible interior – easy to configure for different uses.

3. Shoulder strap - easily replaceable with better, after market strap (e.g. Optech).

4. Zipper closure – keeps out dust and thieves.

Con:

1. Size – Able too carry lots of gear, but, depending on amount of equipment, may be too small to work out of.

2. Not enough pockets.

3. Zipper closure – more difficult to remove and return gear to bag, may scratch gear.

Domke F-803

Pro:

1. Large enough to carry lots of gear.

2. Slim even when full.

3. No zipper - Easy to access gear.

4. Lots of pockets.

5. Does not look like a camera bag. Looks like a satchel style briefcase.

6. Strap removable/replacable.

Con:

1. Inside not Velcro compatible. Limited ways to configure inside.

2. No zipper – may allow dust and thieves to get to gear.

Courierware Camera Bag – Extra small size. Pro:

1. Large enough to carry a lot of gear.

2. Lots of pockets.

3. Waterproof material.

4. Light gray interior – easy to see what’s inside bag.

5. Closure - Velcro on flap plus Fastec buckle type closure.

6. No zipper – easy to access gear.

Con:

1. Heavy even when empty – 3lbs 12oz.

2. Very bulky when full.

3. No zipper – may allow dust and thieves to get to gear.

4. Shoulder strap not removable.

5. Shoulder strap slippery – will not stay shoulder as well as other designs.

Ideal bag:

Domke F-803 with a Velcro compatible interior and a removable shoulder strap.

-- Bob (robljones@home.com), July 28, 2001.

With a little glue/sewing I guarentee that you can make a Domke 803 velcro compatable. In fact, as soon as I can afford to get one, I plan to do just that.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), July 28, 2001.

I'm doing a DIY courier camera bag. Just bought a 3 compartment inset from Domke. And planning to plonk it into a courier bag. Also fits my other backpacks too. Stealth city!

-- Simon Wong (drsimonwong@hotmail.com), July 30, 2001.

I've been doing the same thing as Simon, only w/the Courierware insert & bottom pad (cut down to fit) inside my regular business bags. If you must, I'm sure you can do the same basic thing w/any bag, from a canvas Land's End student bag to a large briefcase.

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@cris.com), August 02, 2001.