Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about getting a Domke FX-3 Photojournalist bag and was playing with it this weekend before someone else grabbed it to fit his Nikons. I was wondering whether it is worth sticking in a Leica rangefinder or my Leicaflex plus point and shoots and Elmar/Summicron lens into the Domke for faster street shooting despite the fact there isn't any padding? It looks comfortable and fast loading to be honest although I'm a big Lowepro fan because of the padding and waterproofing but for most cases I was thinking whether the Domke could be easier to unload equipment for drawing out equipment.

Cool beans and hope to hear from other people's opinions soon!

sincerely, Alfie :)

-- Alfie Wang (albert.wang@ibx.com), November 05, 2001

Answers

I've been using Domke for awhile (F6 - which is a small version of F2), and am very pleased with it. Padding is relatively less than Lowepro, but I find it to be sufficient. The F6 swallows my M6 fitted with 35 'cron, an M3, along with 135 APO, 21mm Pre Asph, 50'cron, with rooms for C-PL filter (in its case) films, and other small accessories without any problem at all (not that I usually carry this many pieces of glasses/accessories at any one time though). The bag tends to "cling" with my body and does not swing as much as other conventional bags. Gaining access to my gear is also very easy, relatively speaking.

-- Yuth L. (nuchyut@asianet.co.th), November 05, 2001.

What do I think about the Domke Photojournalist bag? I don't like it and it's also too expensive. I prefer my Lowepro "Orion Mini". As I mentioned here somewhere earlier, this waist bag is "small enough" for one body with lens on, two other lenses, a wide-angle finder, 2-4-6 films, batteries etc. Very quick and easy to open and close.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), November 05, 2001.

The Domke F3X is kind of large for Winogrand Leica-style street shooting; I use one all the time to haul a couple Nikon bodies, four lenses and all the motors, film, cable releases, filters and meters that go with all of that. It has held up well, though after several years the gripper strap needs to be replaced. For street shooting, my preference is a body, a lens, and a jacket with film in one pocket and maybe an extra lens in another.

-- Josef Brugger (jbrugger@pcez.com), November 05, 2001.

I second the F6 recommendation. I used it with my SLR gear in China a couple years ago, and it was just fine: it held 2 bodies, a P&S, 3 small primes and an 80-210/f4 zoom quite easily.

I cut off the tag, so it really doesn't scream 'photo bag,' which the LowePros do. I think since they're smaller you'll manage them better.

IMO, you either want lots of padding to help with very likely abuse- e.g., handled by others, or you're rock climbing with expensive gear; or you want less padding to keep things less bulky and more easily managed and handled by you. For the latter, most cases you'll be carrying the bag, and the padding is good to keep the light knocks from causing any damage- but it acts as feedback to you as you're carrying it. Think of it as a hard hat. A hard hat's not going to save you from a 12 inch I-beam that accidentally swings into your head- but the hard hat tells you to be careful when you're walking around, keeps light debris from harming you, etc.. Light padding plays a similar role.

-- Tse-Sung (tsesung@yahoo.com), November 05, 2001.

Hi, alfie:

I can't think of street photography along with a bag. Any kind of bag.

In fact I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to do this or this should I had been carrying a bag around . . . Not that these are any outstanding examples of street photography but I think that they do exemplify that in the streets and in occasions having your camera in your hands could make things much easier. In other words, a bag could be part of the problems instead of the solutions . . .

Cheers, Alphie.

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), November 05, 2001.

I have a standard Domke bag, and I don't know its F-number; but it's not the "little bit bigger" or the "little bit smaller" bag; just the normal one. Into this I get a Hasselblad with PME45 prism and 100mm Planar; 60mm Distagon; 150mm Sonnar; extra chimmney finder; one or two light meters; eight rolls of film; extra magazine; eight or ten filters; canned air, tissue, extra batteries, lens hoods . . .

So what's my point? This, and most other Domke bags I see, are not on a scale with 35mm gear, especially not with M gear, because the large roomy lens cells dwarf the tiny Leica lenses. If you try to add more than one per cell, then you risk damage from them clanking together.

I did see one very small Domke bag-again I don't kow the F-number- which has M-sized compartments, but not enough pockets for accessories and film. It was very expensive for what it was--maybe $65.00.

My vote for a compact street Leica M outfit remains the Lowepro Nova 1. It is small, holds plenty, and the price is right. For the R, I like my model 706 Deluxe Convertible by tamrac. Five lens compartments, plus the lens bridge system that accepts the camera with a medium telephoto. Plenty of extra pockets for everything else.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 05, 2001.

Alfie,

I have two Domke bags, an F-2 and a F-803 camera satchel. Both of them are great bags. I usually use the F-2 when I need my nikons whith big zooms and a couple of flashes. The F-803 works great for the Leicas - a couple of M with lenses and a flash, meter, film, etc. They are easy to get in and out of and the canvas hugs your hip after you break it in. Mine rides on the back of my hip and I just reach my hand back and grab what I need with out looking. Almost every one I've worked with uses Domkes and they like them. I've seen the F-3X and it would probably be a bit big for what you need - i'd recommend the F-803. I've never had a problem with the waterprofing or the padding. It does't ever really downpour here in Montana, but when I was shooting down south I was dumped on - My cameras around my neck and myself were soaked, but the inside of my canvas bag was dry. (I was very suprised my all electronic cameras were even still working!)

I admit that they are expensive, but they work great.

good luck, john

-- john locher (locherjohn@hotmail.com), November 06, 2001.

I use the F3x for my Leica gear - 2 M bodies, 4 or 5 lenses, film, flash etc - great travel bag. I've also used the F2 for the same equipment plus snacks, a water bottle and a guidebook or an SLR. IMO, it may even be a better travel bag, cause of the extra stuff you can put in it - like shopping trinkets - but is bigger... Anyway, they're both great, and while bigger than you really need, you aren't required to fill them up! They ride very comfortably against my hip, and don't bounce around if I'm chasing the action. Plus, they don't look like fancy bags with several thousand dollars of equipment inside them!

Cool beans???

Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 06, 2001.

I usualy walk through life with a waist pack and a M in it, but when I need more, I love my F-803 for three bodies and it´s lenses, I own a F-2 also, but find it too big, maybe good for a SLR system.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), November 06, 2001.

Thanks for all your advice :)... I promise to post more as soon as I figure out whether or not I pick up the Domke before my trip. After all, my fiancee would like me to style up a little when I wear my leather jacket :)

And cool beans again (some Midwest expression I picked up while at Purdue)...

Alfie

-- Albert Wang (albert.wang@ibx.com), November 07, 2001.

And cool beans again (some Midwest expression I picked up while at Purdue)...

Midwest? I picked it up from a southerner. But that was in Pittsburgh, which is the midwest, tho' some may beg to differ.

BTW, a black or forest green canvas Domke bag is likely to match a leather jacket better than a nylon covered LowePro. I wish I had something smaller than the F6 tho'.

-- Tse-Sung (tsesung@yahoo.com), November 07, 2001.

Great bags, I'd rather not use another, mainly because they don't look like the others,,,, but they're not always so easy to pull things in & out of like people say. Because they don't have all the padding the bag tends to collapse, or rather compact, around the contents,,,, makes it tricky to pull that lens that's wedged down the bottom of the bag if you're in a hurry.

-- Paul Kiss (paul.kiss@skynet.be), November 27, 2001.

Anyone here have any information if Domke is going out of business? I was looking at micro-tools.com, a Domke distributor, and they said that Domke's having problems with supplies.

-- Ron Gregorio (rongregorio@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

To transport camera while not taking pictures, almost any bag will do.

To transport a camera while taking pictures, no bag will do. Use the strap. Extra film, second lens in pocket if you must.

If you need to carry every bit of camera equipment you own with you when out photographing, hire a psychiatrist and a chiropractor. Take pictures when you get better. ;-)

-- Hil (hegomez@aol.com), January 17, 2002.

I use a black F-803 Sachel to carry (2) M4's, 3 lenses, a hand held light meter, film, filters, the usual stuff and without the bulk of a large bag. I have more Domke bags than I care to admit to my wife, including, but not limited to (3) F-3X, (1) F4AF & others. I find the F-803 to be able to carry more in a smaller package due to its design. I did however replace the standard padded insert with a 3 compartment Domke insert that is a perfect fit. I now need no other bags & life is good! ;-)

-- Ron Snyder (STUDIO1401@AOL.COM), January 17, 2002.

I have four Domke bags. I don't shoot with cameras in the bag though, so I can't understand the comment about not getting a specific shot when carrying the bag. I carry at least ten and typically twenty rolls of film at a time, so a bag is essential.

One of the nice things about Domke bags is that you can choose how much, if any, padding you want. I usually work unpadded unless I am going to be somewhere where the bag gets banged around.

There is a great small Domke bag, the F5XB, ideal for lightweight street shooting. It's just about the right size for a rangefinder, a second lens, and a pile of film. It looks like a "man purse," so people don't expect to find a camera in it. I've had women ask where to buy it, not knowing it's a camera bag.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), January 17, 2002.

i use the Domke 803 and 802 to the point where the 803 is now wearing through on the outside pockets but its been to hell and back. i just got a bag from mclassics check out the site www.mclassics.com, between the 803 and 802 in size, well made - a great bag i hear the Calumet are taking over Domke that's not so cool if they market the Domke products like they do Zone V1 Studios stuff...... even worse getting hold of Domke products here in the UK now.

-- Simon Larbalestier (mail@simon-larbalestier.co.uk), January 18, 2002.