Which bag for the SL

[wlaidlaw]

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It must be quite a tight squeeze on the L2, which is still made, I just had not rolled down to the bottom of the page. Its depth front to back internally is given as 4", whereas I measure the depth of the SL at 4.15". It might fit in a well worn one but maybe not, I suspect, in a new one. The Aperture 2.8 is a similar form to the L2 but just a little bigger in every dimension. If I bought one of those, would mean I have to go through the pain of dealing with the leather man again to get a new top handle. He is an excellent craftsman but makes it painfully obvious to customers a) that he knows this and they are wrong about everything they want. Luckily he is a bit of a Leica man as well and when he saw it was for a Leica (he has a D-Lux), agreed reluctantly to do what I wanted. 

[rickp13]

There's this one, but it's probably a bit too 'cheapo' for the SL user

 

http://uk.louisvuitton.com/eng-gb/products/camera-bag-damier-graphite-000416

lovely bag.  shame about the typo (decimal point too far to the right). 

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[wlaidlaw]

lovely bag.  shame about the typo (decimal point too far to the right). 

Afraid that bag just does not match my shoes.

 

However they are super people at Louis Vuitton. We were restoring a 1938 Figoni and Falaschi bodied Delahaye 135MS Competition, which had had the interior originally done by Louis Vuitton for Coco Chanel, the first owner. Some of the brass hinges, door levers and other fittings had broken or worn very badly. We contacted them with photos of the parts needed, expecting to be told to go jump in a lake. They came up with replacements for every single bit, which they had had in stock since the 1930's. What astonished us was that they charged 1930's prices for the parts, saying it was their pleasure. It restores your faith in human nature when something like that happens. They even made a replacement for the tiny red leather football that is on the end of the 4" long lever for the Cotal electrically operated pre-selector gearbox.

Edited November 21, 2015 by wlaidlaw

[ramarren]

It must be quite a tight squeeze on the L2, which is still made, I just had not rolled down to the bottom of the page. Its depth front to back internally is given as 4", whereas I measure the depth of the SL at 4.15". It might fit in a well worn one but maybe not, I suspect, in a new one. The Aperture 2.8 is a similar form to the L2 but just a little bigger in every dimension. If I bought one of those, would mean I have to go through the pain of dealing with the leather man again to get a new top handle. He is an excellent craftsman but makes it painfully obvious to customers a) that he knows this and they are wrong about everything they want. Luckily he is a bit of a Leica man as well and when he saw it was for a Leica (he has a D-Lux), agreed reluctantly to do what I wanted. 

 

 

The SL + 24-90 just squeezes in. And yes, takes advantage of the flexibility of the bag to gain a little room. ;-) This L2 is about 11-14 years old, if I remember correctly, and has seen quite a bit of use. 

 

If I ever start carrying the 24-90 very often, I'll likely want something just a bit bigger for ease of getting it in and out, and/or if I want to carry anything else with it. Right now I'm shooting with my R lenses and enjoying myself too much to swap over to the 24-90 and the exercise regimen it requires.

 

Oh. Maybe it is the exercise regimen. 

[Rick]

Can't believe I missed this one.  Ok John, here it is:  http://www.thebagforum.com - never not funny.  

 

RickBag

[wlaidlaw]

Can't believe I missed this one.  Ok John, here it is:  http://www.thebagforum.com - never not funny.  

 

RickBag

They didn't seem to have a thread for Lidl bags?

[Peter Walker]

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I bought the Billingham f1.4 in black.  The Leica SL with 24-90 lens fits with some room at one end for a divider and small lens.  The style and quality matches the SL perfectly.

 

Regards

Peter

[LocalHero1953]

Afraid that bag just does not match my shoes.

 

However they are super people at Louis Vuitton. We were restoring a 1938 Figoni and Falaschi bodied Delahaye 135MS Competition, which had had the interior originally done by Louis Vuitton for Coco Chanel, the first owner. Some of the brass hinges, door levers and other fittings had broken or worn very badly. We contacted them with photos of the parts needed, expecting to be told to go jump in a lake. They came up with replacements for every single bit, which they had had in stock since the 1930's. What astonished us was that they charged 1930's prices for the parts, saying it was their pleasure. It restores your faith in human nature when something like that happens. They even made a replacement for the tiny red leather football that is on the end of the 4" long lever for the Cotal electrically operated pre-selector gearbox.

It's always a pleasure when you get this service. OT: I inherited a magnificent brass 1902 Baker binocular microscope, with all the accessories, from my great-grandfather back in the 60s when I was a teenager. I wrote to Bakers, whose 1902 address was on a bit of paper in the box, and got a long letter back from a man at Vickers (a defence contractor), who now owned the remnants. After explaining the technical details of my lens mounts, he enclosed two more brass objectives they had found in a drawer - for free. 

[wlaidlaw]

I bought the Billingham f1.4 in black.  The Leica SL with 24-90 lens fits with some room at one end for a divider and small lens.  The style and quality matches the SL perfectly.

 

Regards

Peter

That is I think the one I will go for after January and into my next financial year. I will then get a leather top handle put on like I did on my Billingham M. 

 

Wilson

[AlanJW]

That is I think the one I will go for after January and into my next financial year. I will then get a leather top handle put on like I did on my Billingham M. 

 

Wilson

I think Billingham should offer a top handle as an option.  For example, the Hadley Pro has a handle.  The Hadley Large, (which is larger of course and needs a handle) does not.   I had a local luggage shop put one on, using my Hadley Pro as a guide.   But if I do get an SL at some point I don't think it will also mean a new bag.  I already have a closet full.  My wife is very understanding re my camera purchases but not so regarding clutter.

[wlaidlaw]

I sent Billingham a picture of the top handle I had had put on my M bag (see post #19 on this thread). Billingham said that it was a very sensible addition but they did not own the design rights to the M bag, Leica did. They do not even sell the M bag, it is a Leica product. However sadly, the light did not switch on for Billingham to think; "actually there are a number of our bags that would be a good idea on."  As Alan says, they could sell it as an extra.  

 

I am currently down to just two bags, a Billy M and a very small bag for taking my Olympus EP-5 in when on a boat etc. 

[ramarren]

...   But if I do get an SL at some point I don't think it will also mean a new bag.  I already have a closet full.  ...

 

I'm trying to avoid buying a new bag too, for the same reason: I have a closet full already. I tend to use them as storage for equipment as well as carry tools, which is one reason I've accumulated so many (I have way too much equipment...). 

 

The solution will be to sell off the vast bulk of excess equipment first, then go through what I have in bags to determine what works best for my various kit configurations of the SL. Then sell off the excess bags to reduce the clutter ... 

 

At the moment, I know that the L2 works well for a two-lens kit of medium sized R lenses or the SL with 24-90 alone. The BLB "Oskar's One Day Mark II" similarly works great for a three-four lens kit with the SL, depending on which lenses. I suspect the Tenba Messenger Mini and the Pelican rollaway will work for larger kits to the limits of what I'd ever carry, but I haven't gotten there yet. 

[Jeff S]

I sent Billingham a picture of the top handle I had had put on my M bag (see post #19 on this thread). Billingham said that it was a very sensible addition but they did not own the design rights to the M bag, Leica did. They do not even sell the M bag, it is a Leica product. However sadly, the light did not switch on for Billingham to think; "actually there are a number of our bags that would be a good idea on."  As Alan says, they could sell it as an extra.  

 

 

I'm not so sure about the 'extra' comment.  A wonderful aspect of Billingham construction is that the top handle on the Hadley Pro is not an afterthought or add-on; rather, it's secured to a fiberglass stiffener that runs under the entire length of the top of the bag to distribute weight evenly and to avoid too much pressure against the brass pins. 

 

When I needed a new, larger bag for travel last year, I compared the Billinghams to ONA, both on display at a nearby Leica Store.  A few minutes and it was obvious that the construction of the Billinghams was in another league.....the top handle was but one example of many differences.

 

Jeff

Edited November 23, 2015 by Jeff S

[jonoslack]

The Fogg B-Laika fits the camera and lens (with room for a WATE underneath)

the Bsharp has room to hold the 24-90 upright with a small R lens on the body

i still love their bags!

[jonoslack]

As for the strap. Luigi at Leicatime is working on it

[Jeff S]

The Fogg B-Laika fits the camera and lens (with room for a WATE underneath)

the Bsharp has room to hold the 24-90 upright with a small R lens on the body

i still love their bags!

My b-laika (small 'b' for 'bee berman', the way the owner writes her name) is over 20 years old and might not hold an SL as comfortably....this bag has gotten bigger over time to accommodate more recent gear.  I love mine for my minimal M kit...for transport....no bag for shooting.

 

Jeff

Edited November 23, 2015 by Jeff S

[wlaidlaw]

As for the strap. Luigi at Leicatime is working on it

I don't know if Ginevra is on holiday but correspondence is a tad iffy at the moment. I sent Luigi an email with my calculation on pricing and asked him to confirm but no reply. I have therefore told him that in the absence of any confirmation, I will assume I am correct and have sent the money.

[psss]

https://www.incase.com/shop/camera-bags/incase-dslr-sling-pack/black/

perfect

[ramarren]

https://www.incase.com/shop/camera-bags/incase-dslr-sling-pack/black/

perfect

 

Might be perfect. The Ari Marcopoulos bag is similar and larger if you want to carry more. This is it in leather, but they have a cloth version too for $100 less. 

https://www.incase.com/shop/camera-bags/incaseari-marcopoulos-camera-bag-leather-blac/black/

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[ramarren]

Strap: I've decided to give the ARTISAN & ARTIST ACAM-305 a try. It's a silk cord type strap with nylon/acrylic tape-style ends. Not cheap ... I ordered direct from a vendor in Japan who is selling it for $150. But it's very light, very strong, and for someone who uses a strap the way I do, it might be perfect.

 

(I normally don't hang a camera by the strap around my neck or over my shoulder. I use the strap as a safety, wrapped around my forearm and wrist, most of the time. The problem with flat straps used this way is that they tangle where cord straps do not.)

 

Should be here in a couple of days and I'll let all'y'all know how it works.

Edited November 24, 2015 by ramarren