Find a good bag...

[pjteixeira]

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Hi again,

 

thank you all for the tips and info on bags.

 

I'm almost certain that the Billingham Hadley Pro is the best option for me at this time. Both because of availability and characteristics.

 

Two questions remain...

 

Canvas or Fibrenyte?

Does the Hadley Pro back have space to carry an iPad if needed?

 

Last questions! I promise!

 

Thanks again,

 

Paulo

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[BishT]

Paulo,

 

The zip pocket on the Hadley Pro fits the iPad perfectly.

 

Regards,

Tim

[Doc Henry]

Hi again,

Two questions remain...

Canvas or Fibrenyte?

Paulo

Paulo,

I bought 1 canvas Hadley Pro canvas Khaki and 2 canvas black

No problem with rain water !

 

"In a recent Maeser test, pictured on the right, Billingham Stormblock Canvas was first aged and then flexed in water over 100,000 times".

 

Billingham bags - Materials

 

Henry

[Doc Henry]

Here is example how I put the R8 and the M7 in a Hadley Pro Khaki bag

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

taken with M8 Summilux 35mm Asph

 

Henry

PS : i prefer the opening system of the Hadley Billingham : no zip in the middle when you take the camera and no risk of scratches on the camera

[pjteixeira]

Hi again,

 

Thank you so much for all your help and info. This was a very pleasant experience for a new Leica user like myself.

 

After considering all your suggestions and seeing some of the recommended bags I've went with the Billingham Hadley Pro.

 

The build quality is excellent and I suspect that I will like the bag's look more when it starts to be used.

 

It holds all my actual gear and even if I'll certainly buy more lenses I can't see why I would need to carry, at the same time, more gear then the Hadley Pro can accommodate.

 

The bonus is that my iPad can travel confortably on the zipped back pocket.

 

Now lets hope the bag lives up to the expectations.

 

Paulo

[Double Negative]

I've been using (and loving) a Think Tank Photo "Urban Disguise 20" bag. Holds a camera w/lens, 4-5 additional, batteries, SD cards, mini tripod, cleaning supplies... Yet it's tiny and weighs very little, even fully loaded. The materials and workmanship, like all their stuff, is top notch.

[AncientCityPhoto]

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How about the ThinkTank Retrospective 10. I have one in black and its very low profile.

Retrospective™ 10 (Pinestone) Shoulder Bag = Think Tank

 

Adding small inserts to divide how you need the inside lets you customize it. It folds very flat and doesn't look like there is a camera in there at all. It also has the best strap ThinkTank has ever made. Very comfortable.

[d2mini]

How about the ThinkTank Retrospective 10. I have one in black and its very low profile.

Retrospective™ 10 (Pinestone) Shoulder Bag = Think Tank

 

Adding small inserts to divide how you need the inside lets you customize it. It folds very flat and doesn't look like there is a camera in there at all. It also has the best strap ThinkTank has ever made. Very comfortable.

 

This is just MY experience, but that was the bulkiest bag out of all three that I tried (domke f803, hadley pro, retro 10).

I was one of the first people to get one and I was very disappointed it was so big and bulky because everything else about the bag is freakin fantastic. Think Tank seriously makes the best most well thought out and engineered photography bags ever. Function over form. I just wish they would make a bag specifically for rangefinders. If it wasn't so deep, i probably would have kept it. It needed to be cut down by about half. I felt like I was dropping my M9 into a deep dark hole, like a magicians hat... the problem with most bags originally meant to hold a dslr.

[Double Negative]

The new Retrospective bags are awesome, especially in that "pinestone" fabric. Problem is, they're mostly made for DSLRs with 70-200mm zooms in tow. Way too deep for effective RF use, IMO.

[skinnfell]

I love the Domke F-5XB so much I have two...

 

Small, discrete, practical and indestructible.

Holds an M camera with three lenses (one on camera) plus batteries, cleaning cloth, notebook and pens.

Best of all, it doesnt look like a camera bag.

Also its fairly inexpensive (compared to billingham).

 

Sometimes I substitute one lens for a binocular for travels (ultravid 8x20)

 

Then again, the billingham bags are awesome.

 

Lowepro, Crumpler et al doesnt really have a solution for rangefinder systems as far as I know - its all tailored towards SLR .

[Guest WPalank]

The new Retrospective bags are awesome, especially in that "pinestone" fabric. Problem is, they're mostly made for DSLRs with 70-200mm zooms in tow. Way too deep for effective RF use, IMO.

 

The middle bag is the deep one (I forget which number). Simply place the camera in vertically and with the Leica grip, the perfect size IMHO. I have the smallest one (10).

[d2mini]

The middle bag is the deep one (I forget which number). Simply place the camera in vertically and with the Leica grip, the perfect size IMHO. I have the smallest one (10).

 

That's the one i had. Smallest I could get, yet still DSLR deep.

[250swb]

I continue to be baffled with the idea of wanting the smallest possible RF bag, or even worse, a fitted bag with no room at all for anything else.

 

I like to be able to drop a lens deep into a bag, far away from prying fingers. I like to be able to carry a small fold up waterproof jacket in the bottom of the bag for weather emergencies. I like to be able to carry a bottle of water and sun block on a hot day. I like to be able to stack a couple of lesser used lenses out of the way. I like to have enough room to get the camera easily into the bag with its largest lens attached. I like to have enough room for a flash gun without changing to my much larger bag. I think RF bags should have some space around the camera to allow swift removal. In short, I think RF bags should be a bit bigger than the minimum size for the kit, it shifts them away from being a limiting homage to style and into the territory of being useful.

 

Steve

[elgenper]

I continue to be baffled with the idea of wanting the smallest possible RF bag, or even worse, a fitted bag with no room at all for anything else.

 

I like to be able to drop a lens deep into a bag, far away from prying fingers. I like to be able to carry a small fold up waterproof jacket in the bottom of the bag for weather emergencies. I like to be able to carry a bottle of water and sun block on a hot day. I like to be able to stack a couple of lesser used lenses out of the way. I like to have enough room to get the camera easily into the bag with its largest lens attached. I like to have enough room for a flash gun without changing to my much larger bag. I think RF bags should have some space around the camera to allow swift removal. In short, I think RF bags should be a bit bigger than the minimum size for the kit, it shifts them away from being a limiting homage to style and into the territory of being useful.

 

Steve

 

Exactly my feelings.... The big difference is between bag or no bag, not between very small bag or slightly larger bag. And ´no bag´ means, say, a DLux 4, not the M9. If I do take the M9 in a bag, I want that bag to work for me!

[aymoon]

I continue to be baffled with the idea of wanting the smallest possible RF bag, or even worse, a fitted bag with no room at all for anything else.

 

I like to be able to drop a lens deep into a bag, far away from prying fingers. I like to be able to carry a small fold up waterproof jacket in the bottom of the bag for weather emergencies. I like to be able to carry a bottle of water and sun block on a hot day. I like to be able to stack a couple of lesser used lenses out of the way. I like to have enough room to get the camera easily into the bag with its largest lens attached. I like to have enough room for a flash gun without changing to my much larger bag. I think RF bags should have some space around the camera to allow swift removal. In short, I think RF bags should be a bit bigger than the minimum size for the kit, it shifts them away from being a limiting homage to style and into the territory of being useful.

 

Steve

 

I can't disagree with your reasoning, and that is obviously what works for you. In that sense, I think you'll be spoiled for choice.

 

For me, however, if I have to carry a bag with me day in, day out, and I know exactly what my working kit will be, then it's a massive bonus to have an outfit that is as compact and light as possible. I don't like the idea of squeezing into a crowded tube train with a bag even an inch bigger than is strictly necessary. My kit requirements will not change that often, so I'd rather a compact bag that fits my requirements for now and the foreseeable future. Also, I'd feel safer if my kit doesn't have any room to move around and is constantly snuggled against some good padding.

[Double Negative]

When you travel, every inch counts. I'd rather stuff all the superfluous stuff in my luggage...

 

The middle bag is the deep one (I forget which number). Simply place the camera in vertically and with the Leica grip, the perfect size IMHO. I have the smallest one (10).

 

Ahh, okay.. I'll have to take another look at them; the store near me just has the 20/30. They're actually similar to the Urban Disguise bags internally, but I like the messenger bag style of the Retrospective.

[bocaburger]

I continue to be baffled with the idea of wanting the smallest possible RF bag, or even worse, a fitted bag with no room at all for anything else.

 

I like to be able to drop a lens deep into a bag, far away from prying fingers. I like to be able to carry a small fold up waterproof jacket in the bottom of the bag for weather emergencies. I like to be able to carry a bottle of water and sun block on a hot day. I like to be able to stack a couple of lesser used lenses out of the way. I like to have enough room to get the camera easily into the bag with its largest lens attached. I like to have enough room for a flash gun without changing to my much larger bag. I think RF bags should have some space around the camera to allow swift removal. In short, I think RF bags should be a bit bigger than the minimum size for the kit, it shifts them away from being a limiting homage to style and into the territory of being useful.

 

Steve

 

I agree, but unfortunately find such a bag an inconvenience and a deterrent to my photography, and entirely defeats the primary reason I spent the huge premium for a Leica outfit. In my Domke F5XB I get one body with lens, plus 4 additional lenses using the double rear caps, an SF24D, 1 or 2 accessory viewfinders, half a dozen SD cards, and 2 spare batteries (in addition to the one in the camera). What doesn't fit in the bag I can usually manage to get in a jacket pocket (table tripod for example, which doesn't really need padded protection, or a half-liter water bottle, or that tube of sunblock). Instead of a waterproof jacket I have a vinyl poncho I got at The Dollar Store which folded is no bigger than my wallet and fits in the opposite rear pocket of my trousers. I also carry a disposable shower cap like they give you in hotels, to fit quickly over the camera in a rainstorm.

 

I also found that I feel more comfortably balanced carrying a second pouch-like bag on the other side of my body for sundry items if needed, rather than one larger camera bag on one side.

[att]

I just received an Artisan and Artist GCAM 7200 bag last week. I believe it is out of production, but can be ordered from 3rd party merchants. I got mine off Pop Flash.

 

The bag is tiny and perfect for an M-system camera. It fits my M9 with a lens attached and two more lenses, as well as a polishing cloth, lens caps, light meter, and a few small bits and bobs.

 

The most important criteria for my bag was stealth. It doesn't look like a typical camera bag, and doesn't attract any attention. I also prefer not looking like I'm hauling several kilograms of camera gear. I bring my camera with my almost everywhere I go, so this tiny bag is perfect for light travel.

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Hallo,

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[bocaburger]

 

The most important criteria for my bag was stealth. It doesn't look like a typical camera bag, and doesn't attract any attention. I also prefer not looking like I'm hauling several kilograms of camera gear.

 

If you're going where armed robbery is a threat, then perhaps. Otherwise, I think it might be a myth that "stealth" bags are inherently less attractive to thieves. If I were a thief I would rather snatch a purse-sized bag containing (I would hope) cash, credit cards, an iPad or a netbook, than have to make off running through a crowd wielding a bulky 20lb bag.

[Guest WPalank]

Ahh, okay.. I'll have to take another look at them; the store near me just has the 20/30. They're actually similar to the Urban Disguise bags internally, but I like the messenger bag style of the Retrospective.

 

Yeah, it's the 20 that is very deep. The foam insert of the A&A Oskar Day Bag fits perfectly inside my 10. I think you can purchase it separately from A&A.

 

The two camera shops that carry them in the Bay Area sell out almost immediately when stock comes in from ThinkTank.