Best insert(s) for generic bags?

[d2mini]

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Out of all the readily available inserts for camera bags (and as in "available" I mean being able to purchase separately), which would you want to use in a generic bag... a bag that's not camera specific and is in need of some extra padding and organization.

 

Thanks!

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[RockyIII]

Replacement inserts for some brands are hard to find. I think I would start by checking the Domke and Billingham spare inserts on the B&H website, and go from there depending on what fits.

 

Rocky

[wattsy]

I've used the insert from a Billingham (Hadley Small, I think) and I find it the ideal way to carry an M with one or two lenses plus the kind of stuff you might want to carry around anyway (phone, book, keys, etc.).

[Nicoleica]

If you are not too worried about rigidity, or about style, then you can easily make your own with a roll/strip of those 'air-bag' thingies that are used in packaging. (Not 'bubble-wrap' but the bigger bags filled with air.) The larger bags give very good protection, and if you tape a strip of 4 or more together, they can be shaped into padded compartments to fit any sized bag.

[250swb]

From a practical point of view the Billingham inserts for the Hadley and Hadley small have a flap that covers the top of the insert, so you could put other things in the bag on top of it without damaging the camera or introducing dust etc. It would be easy to add a velcro tab to secure the flap in the open or closed position.

 

Steve

[redbaron]

Mountainsmith make an insert that has a drawstring closure about the right size.

[Nick_Yoon]

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Tenba has an insert for their laptop messenger which is a good size, eg. fits in the Domke 803. Artisan and Artist also has nice inserts. There are also some available on Amazon.

[bill]

I use either the insert for the Hadley Pro or the insert for my Safrotto in my briefcase or a cheapy Gap bag (they are a good source of nondescript bags). If travelling light I just put a shemagh at the bottom of the bag and drop the camera on top.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[euston]

Here’s the army haversack that I’ve been using as a camera bag for nigh on forty years. I added the Small Hadley insert in honour of the M9. This insert fits perfectly and easily accommodates the camera with lens mounted, two other lenses and additional small bits and pieces.

 

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[dickgrafixstop]

I occasionally take the inserts from my Naneu Pro Lima Military ops bag and use one or both of

them in my computer case when I want to take a camera. One nicely fits the M9 and one lens,

the other is big enough for three lens and the camera with lens attached. You might contact

their very friendly customer service to see if they'l sell the inserts individually. (mine are bright orange - easy to pick out of a carry-on suitcase by they'll never win a design award).

[Bo_Lorentzen]

One more vote for the Naneu Pro Lima Military ops, I got their little brief case, hated the design, but loved the liners, then yanked the liners out and stuffed them in the domke 803 - its perfection, awesome liners in a comfortable bag.

 

The domke liners simply is horrible, the ones I have purchased had no bottom padding, and I ended up putting extra padding in the bags.. the Naneu is about the perfect padded liner.

 

Gotta say Im kind of looking frequently at the Naneu page, they do some cool things with materials and great storage.. there could be love in the future. :-)

 

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[bill]

The domke liners simply is horrible, the ones I have purchased had no bottom padding

 

Score another for the Safrottos. Canvas like Domke used to use, metal fitments throughout, a decent shoulder pad and fully padded liners.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[elgenper]

.......

The domke liners simply is horrible, the ones I have purchased had no bottom padding....

 

Well, there´s a reason, according to Domke: without bottom padding, the inserts can be ´collapsed´ when empty, thus slimming the bag, or making room for bigger equipment. The bottom of the bags is padded enough, they feel.

 

I agree the lack of bottom padding is a nuisance when trying to use the inserts in, say, a generic backpack without any padding. I cut square or rectangular pieces of closed-cell foam to put in the inserts (giving the added benefit of allowing me to stuff spare memory cards, lens cloths or whatever under the foam, so they´re safe but easy to get at).

[Bo_Lorentzen]

mayah... without bottom padding I can not "dump" my camera bag on the floor. I want my camera bag to be a protected space, which can be handled, dumped in the back of taxi cabs, can land from shoulder height safely on the ground. one of the things I fear most in liners is the corner, cheap ones have as much as 1cm space with no padding, meaning a diagonal impact will find the lens entirely unprotected on the diagonal.

 

Lenses are shocking sturdy creatures, and so are the M cameras for that matter, Im not talking about inches of padding, but enough closed foam padding to reduce the g spike of the impact to something which will not damage things.

 

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