The Ideal M Camera Bag?

[kenneth]

For quite a few years I have had, in my climbing gear cupboard a bum bag which I carried to supplement a rucsack for ski touring. The one I have is now called the Lowe Alpine Mesa Runner and is available from various outdoor gear shops and Amazon for about £25.00.. It has a main compartment which has padding at the back which holds an M camera and lens. There is enough room down each side for two lenses in lens cases. The front zip packet holds my light meter and film and filters. I fitted padding (cut up Karrimat) along the base and up the sides. The great thing about this bag is that it has clinch straps round the sides and 2 compression straps around the girth so the contents can be secured whatever you carry. Last but not least are two nylon loops so as a shoulder strap can be added. The bag is made from waterproofed heavy duty ripstop nylon as used in the companies climbing sacs so it is virtually bombproof. I just thought I would share this idea with the forum. Bum bags, or Fanny Bags, as they are known in France are available from many different manufacturers in varying sizes, I think the Lowe Alpine version is about 18 leitres. The North Face, Karrimor and Salamon are three other manufacturers of these

[Photoskeptic]

I use the Artisan & Artist Oskar day bag. It carries M8 w/lens & hood and an M3 w/lens and cover. There is still room for filters, film and an extra battery for the M8. It doesn't look like a typical camera bag. It's the best I've tried so far...

[Efra1]

Originally Posted by Photoskeptic

I use the Artisan & Artist Oskar day bag. It carries M8 w/lens & hood and an M3 w/lens and cover. There is still room for filters, film and an extra battery for the M8. It doesn't look like a typical camera bag. It's the best I've tried so far...

I agree complety, I buy one in The Village Photo in NY, I put inside a M8, M6TTL and 4 lens.

[kenneth]

Whilst I was looking for a suitable picture of a camera bag I came across this which I thought was quite amusing

[kenneth]

I agree the Artisan and artist bag is fine but at $249- I could buy a Billingham L2 (Alice) Camera Bag for $199 which Billingham developed with Leica for the M camera and 2 extra lenses. And more to the point it is Made in England which, in my book, still means something.

I was, however suggesting the Lowe Alpine Bum Bag on price and performance

[jamhowa]

I tried everything with my M system and have to say that my favorite choices were 1. billingham, 2 fogg and 3 domke in that order

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by jamhowa

I tried everything with my M system and have to say that my favorite choices were 1. billingham, 2 fogg and 3 domke in that order

And there again the Fogg bag retains at $419 compared with the Billingham at $199. Having read about the crafts involved they came over to Manchester UK to learn their skill. So I would see no justification whatsoever in buy what is basically a Billingham copy

[ibogost]

Bag thread!

I gave up. I use the Artisan & Artist Rina case thing. Holds M body + 35 cron w/shade. Then you put it in any other bag. Sun rises, sun sets, life continues.

[MPerson]

The ultimate M bag........................


leica_bag.jpg

[j. white]

It's a Timbuk2 bike messenger bag for me. Holds everything I may need to carry including my camera, two lenses, a flash, gym clothes, portable audio recorder, etc...

And nothing says "nothing to see here" quite like a nondescript bag.


-j.

[Kent10D]

I have a regular Billingham Hadley and a small Hadley. The small version gets the most use for a one-body and a couple of lenses kit. Those things are really well made, and unless someone knows it's a Billingham, most people don't seem to suspect that it is actually a camera bag.

[kenneth]

The thread title I chose was maybe not quite right in hindsight, and I apologise if it has caused confusion. Of course there is no one do all camera bag because camera equipment is many things to many people and I agree with many of the sentiments expressed so far. I do, however believe that having spent a considerable amount of money in what is arguably one of the most prestigious brands anywhere in the world I see no reason to take out a second mortgage to to acquire some sort of bag to transport it in and because there are as many bag options as there are photographers there cannot be an ideal. I was rather taken by the Lowe Alpine Bum Bag idea but I also use an old game bag sometimes to transport it in. I also have a selection of CCS cases which are very protective and I might bring those into use in the mountains. Last but not least, I have a rather swanky English hide shoulder bag which sometimes is pressed into action when I want to pose

[stunsworth]

Leather Billingham Hadley. I've been using is since 2001, don't see any reason to change - expecially since I can fit my 13" laptop in it when I'm travelling.

Things I don't like about bags - Billingham Khaki, Velcro, straps that slide off the shoulder.

[SJP]

I am very happy with the Artisan & Artist Oskar one day bag as well. With continued use it is looking even less like a bag for an expensive camera, + it is comfortable and very robust. Maybe the best feature is the strap which does not slip off your shoulder (some sort of non slip rubber coating). I spent last week walking & visiting family in Devon & Cornwall it is completely waterproof, unlike my 500+ euro goretex "raincoat" which is going back for replacement.

[darkstar2004]

I like my Domke F4AF - as with any Domke, it is the best for working out of the bag, as you would do when shooting on the street.

For less stuff, its the Billingham Hadley Pro. For more stuff, its the Billingham 335. All three bags are tan in order to not absorb as much heat as a dark bag and broil the cameras & lenses when its 90'F and hotter.

The Billingham bags are more protective of your gear, but not quite as easy to work out of as the Domke bags. They are a cut above Domkes in impact protection, rain protection and heat protection, IMHO. When I have to fly somewhere, my gear goes into the Billingham 335 and I hand carry it on the "sky bus."

As it always is with camera bags, there is no perfect camera bag (at least not that I have found).. You can get about 90% there, in my experience but never 100%, but both Domkes and Billinghams are damn close to 100%.

[peter_n]

I use Domke, I have a 16 year-old F-2 that still works well and a Safrotto clone of the F-803 which is IMO a better bag than the original. I waterproof the canvas with Nikwax TX.Direct and was caught in a two hour downpour in Ireland last year with the F-2. When I got back to the car everything was bone dry inside.

[jaapv]

The daily bags are the Billingham Presstop for the DMR and the Billingham small Leica with two end pouches for the M8. Both with the Billingham waist belt. I'm very happy with both. The full M8 set fits into a Lowe Pro Omnitraveller which in turn fits into a Pelican Case, and for long journeys a combined M8/DMR set with laptop and Monopod go into a Lowe Minitrekker backpack. I must have a bag-obsession Oh- I have an Orion Mini bum bag for walking about in the rain...