travelling with the m8 - how do you protect it?

[Essemmlee]

Originally Posted by simon_hughes

I, like most of you have a ton of bags, but lately I've been using the Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW. It allows me to put in both of my M8 bodies (with lenses mounted) as well as 5 other lenses, batteries, blower, beanbag, table-top tripod & other accessories and it is extremely comfortable. It is also quite compact and light. The sling bags are nice because they allow you to wear it like a backpack but easily swing it around in front of you for access (which is well thought out also), or for safety reasons. As it is an "AW: (all weather) bag, it also as a pull-out rain cover.

Lowepro - SlingShot 100 AW

I have no affiliation with Lowepro, but I do have a few of their bags! ThinkTank also make some incredibly well constructed and thought out bags but I have yet to find one that I like for RFs.

I have one of these also but care needs to be taken when opening the bag. If you sling it around to your front and open it the lenses can drop out and one of mine did.
I dropped a brand new 21mm ASPH on the Rialto bridge in Venice. It fortunately came to a stop 2 cm from the edge. Slightly damaged but still working perfectly. I have never used the bag fro anything other than Nikon gear since.

[stephengilbert]

I highly recommend Courierware. The people there are very nice, and they'll make changes in their bags for you. They made mine with D-rings rather than their permanently attached shoulder strap so I could use an Op-Tech strap on it.

Steve

[Singlemalt]

Thanks for all the replies....

A lot for me to consider.

I'll start to check them out now.

Cheers,
SM.

[Daniel Ortego]

I just purchased my new M8 w/28-cron’ and traveled from AZ to FL. I ordered a Fogg “b-laika” because it looks great but until it arrives, I picked up a super cheap 15-dollar bag from Wal-Mart. It holds it vertically along with the charger and it works. I get some strange looks since it looks more like a little girls’ purse ~ whatever!
Regards,

[JimP]

Originally Posted by stephengilbert

I highly recommend Courierware. The people there are very nice, and they'll make changes in their bags for you. They made mine with D-rings rather than their permanently attached shoulder strap so I could use an Op-Tech strap on it.

Steve

I can also vouch for the durability of the bags. I commute by bicycle to work and have a Courierware bag to carry my clothes and laptop. 3 years later it still looks new (well, maybe a bit dirty) but no frays/tears/seam problems. Very tough bags.

[bradreiman]

Originally Posted by jedi996sps

And, that of course stops u putting the 'bag' down and losing it, as u can wear it on yr head! nice.
I hav a walking sock that i use for mine, stuffed into my rucksack.

Ali

i put my lenses in thick cotton socks as well....b

[kepstein]

I just bought the Bare Bones Bag. It is a modified Courierware bag, with more pockets to fit lenses. If you're in Vermont, you can pick one up from Stephen in his beautiful studio in Pawlet. Take a look here:

BBB The Figital Revolution

[grduprey]

Originally Posted by Singlemalt

After getting my m8 and summicron 35 I am now trying to figure out the best way to protect it while travelling. It seems to me the most popular case seems to be the luigi case (half or full). There doesn't seem to be a lot of alternatives that I've seen. I've got a nice little bag but no real padding - it makes me a little worried if I use it.

Anyone else use anything else?

Also my summicron is made in canada - gen IV preASPH with a plastic lens hood. I'm paranoid it will break off in transit. I presume people take it off and not keep it on all the time.

Just wanted to see what other people are using.

I'm having a lot of fun though

Cheers,
SM.

What's wrong with around your neck or on your shoulder? I just spent 6 months traveling, 3 months in the US and 3 months in Europe, and the M8 was just fine going this way. It was also always ready to shoot at a moments notice.

gene

[danyves]

Around the neck or in the hand even better for being ready. Not on shoulder, can always fell from.

[epand56]

I use a large computer backpack that protect from bumps and usually carry my M8 wrapped up in a soft woolly bag to avoid scratches, along with at least three lenses in their bags or cases.
The back pack is heavily padded and provides good protections. When I shoot i keep my camera hanging on my left side along a Y-Strap that is IMO the most comfortable way to carry a camera ready.

I use the domke bags, not as pretty as some but they work great. The F-803 satchel bag is low-profile and works great for RF cameras. I also have a tiny one, an F5xa that will hold just one body and maybe two lenses and some film or M8 cards/batteries.

Often when I travel by air for the travel days I'll carry on a backpack with either film or my laptop and my gear is wrapped up in domke lenswraps. They're soft fabric wraps with velcro to hold them closed. I wrap each body in one, and then I can wrap two or three lenses end to end. Makes for quick security inspections and the gear is still padded if they ask me to remove it from the bag at checkpoints. I run it through the x-rays in the lensraps and have never had complaints even from grumpy security workers at 4am. My wraps are bright red so I can spot them easily.

Last time I traveled with film I carried 100 rolls of tri-x, three bodies and five lenses in a small backpack, and it worked great.

For days when I'm out and about and not stuck in airports, I agree about having your camera on a shoulder and ready to go. But I always like to have some bag with me in case I get stuck in a rain storm or need go to somewhere where I don't want to obviously be carrying a camera.

[vanhulsenbeek]

Originally Posted by epand56

I use a large computer backpack that protect from bumps and usually carry my M8 wrapped up in a soft woolly bag to avoid scratches, along with at least three lenses in their bags or cases.
The back pack is heavily padded and provides good protections. When I shoot i keep my camera hanging on my left side along a Y-Strap that is IMO the most comfortable way to carry a camera ready.

For trips that call for extra protection against moisture and/or dust I use:

-Last year in 6 hours walking in the rain in the Sumbawa jungle down Mount Tambora (Indonesia), this waist-attachable 'Aqua-Cam' case helped: ORTLIEB product description

-and this year in South Africa and Namibia we religiously both kept our camera's in this 'Zip-City' shoulder bag: ORTLIEB product description

plus all chargers, cards etc in this 'Rack-Pack' during dusty car rides:ORTLIEB product description

Not pretty, but not expensive. Billingham insert used for the Zipcities ( can one get more snotty? )

[Isabelle Lenatio]

I use to pack it in after every shot .... the first 4 weeks that is. Now, being a tool, I just chuck it into my handbag along with the 35cron. I also attached a wrist strap instead of the round-the-neck thing.

I did however need to purchase a new handbag in order to accommodate it :-)

And yes it is scratched, the screen looks like skated on ice, but then I hardly ever use it anyway, the screen that is.

[jaapv]

I usually do not protect it myself, but I always try to have somebody around who will do it for me....

[Stefflaurent]

I use a neopren suit for the m8 and a classic light backpack. I usually travel in South africa, Namibia (desert), or other tropical island where I live.

When I'm in a photographic mood, the m8 is in my hand with the strap rolled around my wrist, otherwise in his neopren suit.

For the travel , I put it in my hand luggage. By the past I used to take 3 or more lens !! Now I try to reduce : with the M8 a Cron 35 asph for the 50mm feeling , and a cron 90 AA for distant things, that's all.

I can tell you, all these leica stuff are really resistant things !!! I used to travel with a M3 and a MP, never got any problems with them, and they did encounter difficult conditions !

Have a nice trip !

Steph

[sfokevin]

Here are great little neoprene bags for your lenses... (they have a larger one just right for the M8 Too)

560102 Zing Small Drawstring Pouch - Black with blue top hem (5" long/3.75"diameter)

They holds lenses perfect so they don't scratch each other and the fit perfect into the lower pocket of cargo pants

[skimmel]

I really like the Kinesis bags. They're not so well know around the Leica world it seems, but the bag below is perfect for an M8 with 1-2 lenses. I use it all the time. It's not superpadded but you can put the equipment in the bag and then put the bag in a larger bag with other padding (e.g., clothes). A lot of their bags can go on a belt, but I prefer to just use this one with the Y315 strap:

Kinesis Photo Gear [A-Series] Accessory Pouches

Kinesis Photo Gear [Y-Series] System Accessories


I also have their larger bag (the E330 now replaced by the M550) when I want to carry more stuff, and I use the larger strap on it (the Y515):

Kinesis Photo Gear [M-Series] Multi-Lens/Multi-Purpose Pouches

[WeinschelA]

Originally Posted by Kent10D

You don't use your Billingham?!

My Billinghams are about the only bags I use any more: a regular Hadley for a two-body kit (or one body and a bushel of lenses), or a small Hadley for a one-body kit (or two bodies with just one lens each). And either of those will fit in a roomy carry-on bag for further protection when traveling.

Shouldn't let a good Billingham go to waste!

I sue a small Billingham Hadley also. Sometimes I will remove the foam insert and stick it into a larger carry-on bag and pack the outside of the Billingham in a suitcase for use when I arrive. As for lens hoods it depends on the lens and what else I want to carry. If its the 35 'cron or my 25 Zeiss, the hood stays on in the Billngham.

[SJP]

You take the M8 and put it in a plastic bag, that goes into a solid case filled with foam chips, and you put that in a brass box that is soldered shut (after replacing the air by argon). Optionally you can then cast it in 12 feet of concrete depending on whether you want to keep it stored for a longer period of time. Make sure to check with the airline for weight & size restrictions.

I stuff my M8 and lenses into a A&A Oskar one day bag, or if I am travelling (very) light I put the body + bodycap and 28 cron into my computer (notebook) bag. The cron is protected with some 'bubble wrap'. Works for me - 0 scratches so far.

[steich]

Normally I have my M8 (with 50´cron, 28 Elmarit and 15CV) in my Tamrac 601. On longer bike trips, I put the Tamrac into a Ortlieb waterproof bag (ORTLIEB product description. Works perfectly- especially that you can take out the equipment at once when it´s in a bag in a bag...

Stefan