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Domke or Billingham

henkv

By henkv
in Leica M9 / M-E

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250swb

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I'd also vote for the Billingham Hadley Pro. I've had mine for many years and it is the 'go to' bag for a relaxed day out. I've had Domke bags and am not impressed, although they can look nicely understated. The very best bags on the market imo for a serious set of gear, and backup pockets for drink bottles and maps etc, are the Think Tank 'Urban Disguise' range. I currently have seven camera bags, and I must have had thirty or so over the years, and my UD40 is the best made bag I have ever had, not to mention its easy to use, most comfortable to carry, and very understated.

 

Steve

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henkv

henkv

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These bags are expensive but they are of the best quality:

Fogg Specialist Bags - photographic bags and camera cases

 

I see a lot of Fogg bags, but none of them show the interior. Has someone a photo with camera + lenses, etc in it? I have 1 M9 + lens attached and two other lenses. Is this too small? Fogg Specialist Bags - photographic bags and camera cases

And what is the smallest Billingham for this set?

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henkv

henkv

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If you are looking at Fogg's, I would consier the B-laïka for that set up.

Looks really nice indeed: My Perfect M8 small bag. Fogg b-laika - The GetDPI Photography Forums

 

BTW, here some photos of the Domke F-5XB: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.taschenfreak.de/TASCHEN/DOMKE/F-5XB/domke_f-5xb_07_jl_thm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.taschenfreak.de/TASCHEN/DOMKE/F-5XB/index.htm&usg=__XUZe_2sA-ynkgZyKo9OjyNKjBcM=&h=94&w=125&sz=8&hl=nl&start=410&um=1&tbnid=kiRtmK63SB8YFM:&tbnh=68&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddomke%2Bf5xb%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Dnl%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D396%26um%3D1 (Ok, with DSLR).

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jonoslack

jonoslack

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FOGG for me!

 

Thank you!

That bag is still in daily use - still wonderful - today it has an M7 with a 50 'lux, an M9 with a MATE, with a WATE under one camera and the Frankenfinder under the other.

 

I was sure I had taken some pictures, but I couldn't find out where! Thank you for finding them for me. That bag has been used every day since the pictures were taken, and it's still looking lovely (with a bit of a patina these days).

 

The point is that it's very slightly wider than the Small Hadley (which I've had and enjoyed) meaning that you can put a camera in with a finder on board - basically it'll fit 2 m bodies with lenses and 2 extra lenses or 1 M body and 5 extra lenses, in a package which really is weatherproof, and which is slightly smaller than a small hadley.

 

The bags are made in France by bee berman and Nigel Fogg (who started the business together), they are delightful to deal with, and the bags are just splendid.

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jonoslack

jonoslack

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Try to google for b-laika, you will easily find your own pictures of it on the net :)

 

LOL - it hadn't occurred to me - still, I'm pleased to be of some kind of service, I'm a real bag whore, and since I discovered them 18 months ago, I've not bought another bag; the combination of wonderful workmanship, fantastic and idiosyncratic service and absolute functionality is irresistible.

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jonoslack

jonoslack

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Does anyone know why the style of the b-laika on the Fogg website looks different than the b-laika Jono has?

 

Hi There

The pictures on the website are a little out of date - they may have changed them again, but I don't think so. I bought another bag in August - it's sitting on the shelf in front of me waiting for mine to be worn out! The newer design (shown in my pictures) has more leather around the base and the flap, which is represented in my pictures.

 

If you're in doubt, then you can easily contact them and ask, they are charming, helpful and interesting.

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jonoslack

jonoslack

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Thanks, Jono. I was wondering if the website might be outdated. I sent an e-mail seeking clarification, because I want to order the bag you have--not the one on the official website. That one just looks too much like a purse.

 

Ken

 

HI Ken

I'd like to post some shots of the bag a year later . . . but really, the fact that it's still being used every day is rather unique for me!

 

Please pass on my best regards to bee or Nigel and good luck!

 

all the best

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peter_n

peter_n

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Just looked up my records and I bought my Domke F-2 on 10/5/1988. They are poor quality because the rubber woven into the strap wore out a couple weeks ago! ;) But no problem, a new strap came in the mail and the bag's now at the local cobblers getting the new strap stitched in. Good for another 22 years! :)

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noah_addis

noah_addis

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The Billingham and Fogg bags are beautiful and I'm sure they're well made. The problem with them is, at least for me, that they actually look expensive enough to be stolen even if the thief doesn't know what's inside:eek:

 

The A&A bags without flaps (I think the GCAM 1100 and GCAM 1000) look very much like camera bags to me. In my opinion, and I've never done a survey of potential thieves to see what they think, the small bags with flaps look less like camera bags. Additionally, they provide more rain protection and are great to work from. I'm talking about bags like the Domkes, and the GCAM 7000. (By the way, if A&A are going to use his name, can they please spell Sebastião's name correctly? Or maybe they're doing it without permission and intentionally spelling his name wrong. That's sleazy in my opinion.)

 

The F5XB is not too tall for Leicas, in fact it's just about the perfect height. The F803 is a bit tall, but it has other advantages so I put up with the extra wasted height when I need a larger bag. It does provide plenty of space for stacking even longer lenses.

 

The new Domke waxed finish looks nice, but unfortunately since my bags are fairly new I won't be due for a new bag for another 10-15 years!

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Baptiste

Baptiste

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HI Ken

I'd like to post some shots of the bag a year later . . . but really, the fact that it's still being used every day is rather unique for me!

 

Please pass on my best regards to bee or Nigel and good luck!

 

all the best

 

I sent them a mail to get some more info (and the price as well ;)), I'm waiting for some news about it... Do you know if they have dealers in France? I haven't seen links to french shops on their site...

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viramati

viramati

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I think the Billingham Hadley Pro is a great Bag. Get it good and stained and I doesn't really stick out

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KM-25

KM-25

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Sounds like the advice a of a shooter, not an enthusiast..;)

 

I have and use a lightly modified A&A Oskar's One Day, it is great, looks like a messenger bag if I don't have the pockets too stuffed. I used it for 12 hours in Times Square on New Years Eve with over 6 hours of steady rain and it kept everything totally dry. The fabric is designed to swell when wet on the outside keeping moisture out.

 

Also, I see a lot of complaints on here about Domke not having enough padding. You have to remember why these bags were made, to shoot from, not protect your M9 and hand signed Nocti Asph from an unruly valet as he corners your Bentley too hard on the way to the parking garage at the Waldorf Astoria. If they were as padded as the other bags, I would not own 6 different Domke bags.

 

And just in case any of you were wondering what some of the higher caliber, more famous Leica shooters use, here is one well known M shooter's take on bags as of 3 days ago:

 

"I never use a bag that is a camera bag. Prefer small mountain bike backpack or courier style shoulder bag. Never look or act like a pro photog...".

 

I whole heartedly agree, that is my lesson for today on bags..:D

 

The Billingham and Fogg bags are beautiful and I'm sure they're well made. The problem with them is, at least for me, that they actually look expensive enough to be stolen even if the thief doesn't know what's inside:eek:

 

The A&A bags without flaps (I think the GCAM 1100 and GCAM 1000) look very much like camera bags to me. In my opinion, and I've never done a survey of potential thieves to see what they think, the small bags with flaps look less like camera bags. Additionally, they provide more rain protection and are great to work from. I'm talking about bags like the Domkes, and the GCAM 7000. (By the way, if A&A are going to use his name, can they please spell Sebastião's name correctly? Or maybe they're doing it without permission and intentionally spelling his name wrong. That's sleazy in my opinion.)

 

The F5XB is not too tall for Leicas, in fact it's just about the perfect height. The F803 is a bit tall, but it has other advantages so I put up with the extra wasted height when I need a larger bag. It does provide plenty of space for stacking even longer lenses.

 

The new Domke waxed finish looks nice, but unfortunately since my bags are fairly new I won't be due for a new bag for another 10-15 years!

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Jeff S

Jeff S

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Ok, I told myself not to respond to another bag thread. But, can't resist repeating some thoughts on the Fogg bags.

 

Unlike the pics on their site, all of their bags come in all black...similar to the Billinghams. My b-laika is all black and more than a dozen years old. It doesn't look fancy, as others complain, but has held up wonderfully well. I've suggested to bee that the site show the bags in black, but as a small company with all hand made items, they have higher priorities.

 

bee and Nigel are down to earth folks, and a bit quirky...in a delightful way. Don't expect immediate replies, given their workload, but know that they treat customers extremely well. And, they will customize just about anything...if you can afford the time and cost.

 

As a small company, they've had to change suppliers for various items over the years. In addition, they update designs to accommodate camera changes and user comments. So, my b-laika is a bit different than the ones produced today. This is just fine for me, as each item is unique and of the highest quality.

 

When I lost an insert during a move last year, they thoughtfully sent me another complete set of inserts...in exchange for a chocolate bar.

 

Jeff

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