E.M Posted April 18, 2011 Share #1 Posted April 18, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi all , my Domke F2 is 18 years old and needs to be replaced , it is the only camera bag I ever bought , and I've always been happy with it . It is not imported ( anymore ) in Belgium , but can be ordered at 170 € . I have seen on the net that in the US the prices are around 145 $ , and that is a big difference . My question : do any of you know a good and reliable place to order it from ? According to my former dealer it is not the same quality anymore as before and it is manufactured by another company as originally . Any thoughts ? Thanks a lot for your replies . Etienne Michiels Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 18, 2011 Posted April 18, 2011 Hi E.M, Take a look here Domke F2. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wattsy Posted April 18, 2011 Share #2 Posted April 18, 2011 Your dealer is correct about the quality no longer being what it once was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSkeoch Posted April 18, 2011 Share #3 Posted April 18, 2011 I have a really old F3 sand coloured. I mean old, I took it through Cambodia 20 years ago. I have the same case new. They look like the same material to me. I don't think they've changed except that it now comes with a cool divider for your lenses. I don't recall having that years ago. You can still get the old material but they also have new look bags called rugged wear. It's like a waxed canvas and costs a few more dollars. I also think there are more colours available now, black, sand and rugged wear.... as well as grey and olive. At least that's what my list shows. You can send me an email if you have other questions. I'm in Canada. skeoch@sympatico.ca -rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubenkok Posted April 18, 2011 Share #4 Posted April 18, 2011 . It is not imported ( anymore ) in Belgium [/url] Etienne, Foto Konijnenberg - kenners kiezen konijnenberg Foto Konijnenberg Turnhout BVBA has them on stock Domke F-2 Ballistic Nylon Bag Black | Foto Konijnenberg Hope this some help, Kind regards, Ruben Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmetron Posted April 19, 2011 Share #5 Posted April 19, 2011 I've had Domke's since the late 1970's and they are still the sam equality. If you liked the F-2, consider the J-2. Same roominess, better exterior pocket design, and ballistic nylon. Get it at B&H Photo in NYC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted April 19, 2011 Share #6 Posted April 19, 2011 Domkes are definitely not the same quality. The canvas is thinner and the previously metal fittings are now plastic. For bags as they used to be made, Google "Safrotto". They took over the original Domke designs when the company went bust and continued to make them when "Domke" was resurrected under different ownership. They are significantly cheaper than the Domkes, which frankly are overpriced. Make no mistake - these are not cheap knock-offs. I have two Domkes ("original" and "current") and a Safrotto and the latter knocks the Domkes into a cocked hat. The canvas is decent quality, the fittings are metal and the insert, which is provided free, has bottom protection which the Domkes do not. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmetron Posted April 19, 2011 Share #7 Posted April 19, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Bill, I've been buying Domkes for years ( I have about 10 of their bags; many duplicates of the same model) and have not noticed any difference. I purchase their classic styles and they still have all-metal buckles except for the loop that connects the straps to the bags. I also checked out Saffrotto and they seem OK having copied the Domke models almost exactly except for some enhancements. The interiors seem a little tighter and the bags is a little bulkier in my opinion, regardless of the model. Apparently they were unable to be sold in the states for sometime due to patent infringements. Domke also had a tiss with Tenba over patent infringements as well a few years ago and made some deliberate mods to steer away from trouble. Regarding Domke bags, although nice to work out of, over time the shoulder straps frays and the overall canvas takes a beating...not like ballistic nylon. It;s been true for all of their bags over the years. All in all I like them more so then anything else on the market, but recommend the "J" series and not the classic style. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted April 19, 2011 Share #8 Posted April 19, 2011 I've also been using Domkes for years and haven't noticed any deterioration in product quality since Jim Domke sold his business to Tiffen. I haven't seen Safrotto, but if anyone tries to sell you a "Domke" with plastic fittings, it's a fake. And I agree fully with VETTRAN: ... All in all I like them more so then anything else on the market ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted April 19, 2011 Share #9 Posted April 19, 2011 Gentlemen, with all due respect, you are talking through your, er, hats. I have before me two Domkes - an ancient (15-16 year old) F3 and a much newer F2. The F2 was bought new from Grays of Westminster - hardly a fly by night operation. I honestly don't remember where I bought the F3. Both, interestingly, have plastic buckles and fittings. My Safrotto, on the other hand, has metal throughout. There is an interesting snobbery here that refuses to believe that Domke are now built to a price. Believe what you will, I shall continue to happily recommend, use, and buy in future, a genuine Safrotto (CF800 in my case) since they seem to know how to make bags like Jim used to. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted April 19, 2011 Share #10 Posted April 19, 2011 Oh, by the way, all the Safrottos for sale on eBay at the moment are in the US. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted April 20, 2011 Share #11 Posted April 20, 2011 ... I have before me two Domkes - an ancient (15-16 year old) F3 and a much newer F2. ... Both, interestingly, have plastic buckles and fittings. ... So both the older and the new ones have plastic buckles and fittings. I think two of us have been saying that the newer ones aren't built more cheaply than the older ones; you seem to agree. I've just checked four Domke bags. All (one dating back to the 80's) have plastic adjustments for the shoulder strap, but metal for the fasteners. So it seems from what's been said here, today's Domkes are as good as those of yesteryear, but you prefer another brand. I don't think anyone is talking through his hat, but then you're the only judge of that, aren't you, Bill? At any rate, you've reversed your above statement, viz: Domkes are definitely not the same quality. The canvas is thinner and the previously metal fittings are now plastic.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted April 20, 2011 Share #12 Posted April 20, 2011 Bless you Howard, you can have that one point if it makes you feel better. Of course you also have to concede that "real" Domkes ARE made with plastic components. Real Safrottos, on the other hand, have metal fittings throughout, are made of the same thickness of canvas as my old F3 - which is heavier duty than my more recent F2 - and come with free inserts which have padded bases. Oh, and they don't take the piss with their pricing. I'll take a real Safrotto over a "real" Domke any day. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted April 20, 2011 Share #13 Posted April 20, 2011 Understood, Bill. No problem from my side. I was only approaching the contention that today's Domkes aren't like yesterday's. The plastic has held up well for me, as have the bags, so I have no problem there. Thanks for raising the point; I had never even noticed the plastic parts. I was disappointed when I discovered that the name "Domke" is now owned by Tiffen, and they indeed may not be the same bags as previously; nonetheless, I don't see any difference and I'm quite satisfied with them. I repeated above VETTRAN's statement that "I like them more than anything else on the market." I should amend that to "I'm happy with them and like them more than anything else I've seen on the market." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.M Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted April 25, 2011 Thanks all for your replies , regards , Etienne . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted April 25, 2011 Share #15 Posted April 25, 2011 I have the following Domke bags: F2 "Emerald Edition", F6 (smaller version of F2), F4AF, F1 (larger version of F2), 2x F3, large satchel (804?), J3 (special edition for White House Press Photog's Assoc.), F803 and J803. Oldest ones were bought in the latter 1990s, newest ones perhaps 4-5 years ago. All of these bags have metal spring clips and metal rings where the spring clips attach. All except the F2-Emerald have plastic strap fittings. The F2 Emerald's are brass-plated metal. All that aside, the relative lack of security of the spring-clip-style Domkes have relegated them to non-photographic use. I use the F5XB/J5XB for my Leica M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Posted April 25, 2011 Share #16 Posted April 25, 2011 I couldn’t fit my M-9 with Visoflex into any of the Leica type bags I have here. But, I remembered my old Domke in the closet which was bought, I believe, back when I got a new Nikon F2a. By using the padded,velcro square divider with no inserts the rig fits fine even with a short lens… flat on the bottom strap up. The leftover space has no divider at all but I can put three other longer teles in it using a padder bag for each. It works great…. the old strap is pretty frayed on the edges… but I don’t care. By the way…. all the hardware is metal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Posted April 25, 2011 Share #17 Posted April 25, 2011 I see B&H has the sand colored, 2 inch, replacement strap for 10 bucks. Well, whyyyy not? Looks like plastic fittings but I can use the metal ones from the worn strap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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