Anyone using "Ewans Walker" Artisan Bag with M9 and four lenses?

[adli]

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Miguel, if you don't mind spending twice as much (hey, you bought an M9!), the Fogg b-Laika, in all black, is a perfect bag for your system. I've used mine for 15 years or so and it has held up perfectly. It has a top flap, no zippers, which I prefer, and has no velcro.

 

Jeff

 

The Fogg bags is the best built bags I have seen, I have the Flute myself. The only problem with them (apart from the price tag) is that they are so expensive looking it's almost like writing "steal me" on the front of your bag.

[nik_nik9]

Hi Miguel

I have the Evans Walker since last summer - bought it in Japan. Used to buy the same size, but with flap cover (velcro) first, but it showed that you've easy lost small items, as the bag was not closed by zip lock.

Actually the Evans Walker is THE perfect bag for me. It's enough space for the M8 (M9 from on next month:)) and up to 4 additional lenses (3 if you have long tele lens). The smaller compartment has enough space for mobile, i-pod and so on. It's very comfortable to carry around, especially as it showed up that you got your Leica much more in hand than in the bag:)

One thing to mention: I checked the bag at Lemonsha in Tokyo and decided to take the more expensive one (with leather front). The material is much nicer and finer, and the zippers are much better and smoother to handle. The cotton finish of the Evans Walker looked a little bit cheap to me. I also got rid of the upholstering of the strap as I like to swing the bag easy behind my back, so I even sewed some rip band onto the inner side of the strap to let it slip easier - but I know, that's just personal preference.

On my Minolta CLE days some 25 years ago I used a Fogg bag. God, that was kind of tricky to organise that bag in those times without internet:) Still great bags, but the Artisan & Artist ones are nicer, lighter and don't look that expensive (sure aren't that expensive, too).

Happy new year, Nik

[cldp]

I use the A&A Evans Walker when I'm using one camera and 2 or 3 lenses. I use the larger Image Smith when I need to carry 2 M bodies and 5 lenses. Both are hands down the best bags I've ever used. I can even squeeze my old CLE [w/40mm] in the larger bag in a pinch. They're not the cheapest bags available but I find they are well worth the extra cost.

[Jeff S]

The Fogg bags is the best built bags I have seen, I have the Flute myself. The only problem with them (apart from the price tag) is that they are so expensive looking it's almost like writing "steal me" on the front of your bag.

 

That's why I use the all black ones. They don't show these on their site, but virtually all of their bags can be ordered that way.

 

Jeff

[glenerrolrd]

I have looked this many times and settled on the Domke J-803..which will hold 2 M bodies and 6-7 lenses if packet for travel. Its a black ballistic nylon bag that is very discrete. The dimensions in inches 14L-4w-10h are close to perfect.

 

The width of 4 inches works with M s and keeps the bag close to the body when doing street shooting. 10inches is more than enough for M glass and stacking with a dual end cap is useful. The length of 14 inches maybe a little more than required but its close. These dimensions are similar to the GCAM-7000.

 

The key to making this working is using the Domke F-2 wide divider. Its a padded square divider that is shorter than the interior bag. Its made for another bag size but can be compressed in a J-803 or a billingham hadley . This makes access to the lenses easier.

 

The J803 is not otherwise padded on the sides ....making it lighter and more open when working but less protective when traveling. I use bubble wrap or optech pouches when traveling but none on the street.

 

When working out of the bag I will typically use 2 m bodies (28 and 50) and 2-3 other lenses in bag . I stuff a small towel in the bag to act as padding and for wipe downs should I catch some rain. The bag is super light and I position it in the small of my back . Not everyone likes to work this way but with street ..I think you decide..one body and maybe 2 lenses no bag or 2 bodies out and 2-3 lenses in a bag ,vest or jacket.

 

I do like the A&A bags but not sure if the inserts will be as flexible as the domke.

 

The one advantage of the Billingham Hadley Large is that a MacBooK Pro fits for travel.

 

The other option is to dedicate a smaller bag to just the lenses.

[mrcmrc]

One thing to mention: I checked the bag at Lemonsha in Tokyo and decided to take the more expensive one (with leather front). The material is much nicer and finer, and the zippers are much better and smoother to handle. The cotton finish of the Evans Walker looked a little bit cheap to me.

 

Which model is that with leather front?

 

Thanks

[Åmund]

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Hi, Miguel. I don't own A&A (have Fogg), but I think the Oskar One Day bag would probably better do the trick since its dimensions are closer to a bag I own. The Walker Evans seems small.

 

To accommodate more lenses, my bag has a divider with a flap that can be placed horizontally over one lens, with another lens on top, so 2 lenses can fit comfortably in one compartment. You could probably rig something like this if the A&A doesn't have something similar.

 

I also prefer a top flap to zippers, for weather protection and ease of access. Having said that, I generally use a bag for transit and travel, preferring no bag for shooting. Just a few thoughts...sorry if none of this helps.

 

Jeff

 

Which Fogg do you use? I have ordered a b-laïka.

 

Åmund

[KM-25]

One thing I don't like about the 7100 is the velcro closure. Its noisy to open.

 

The only time I don't like the velcro is when I am in a quiet setting, which is most likely more secure in terms of theft. So I simply cut two strips of velcro from a roll and keep them in the bag outside of the padding. When I know I am going into say, a monastery, I put the matching velcro on the non-flap side and it is then silent. I am looking to make better use of the buckle on the bottom and may have a male fitting attached the bottom to secure the flap.

 

I also took the side padding out of the bag through slits I cut in the bottom of each side of the red padding fabric. Now I carry one M6 with 35 lux mounted, one M3 with 50 lux LHSA mounted, a 90 Tele-Elmarit and 28 cron in the center, all with shades attached at the ready.

I often keep a SF-20 flash and Nikon SC-17 cord in the mesh overhead zipper area. The two front pockets hold a digisix and exposed film in one, unexposed film in the other.

 

I use this bag 99% of the time in this configuration, I love it.