M11 bag

[Jeff S]

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Old thread…ONA eventually redesigned this bag… but still..

Jeff

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

[AllenB]

3 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

Versus this….

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1042676-REG/billingham_bi_505248_54_hadley_pro_sage_chocolate_trim.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&smpm=ba_f2_lar&lsft=BI%3A514&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD7yMh3iC4Uy6lvBxPQkRmoarcqDW&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8sLI7cDKhgMVd2ZHAR0CsAEQEAQYASABEgIcNvD_BwE
 

Jeff

I had that bag as well, very nice bag but I like bags with a zipper top for travel, and the Billingham looks just a bit too fancy for many areas I travel to.  It's also not very comfortable for long walks while traveling abroad packed full of gear which is why I sold it.  But then my wife and I walk a lot while traveling, I mean a lot, that's why I like slings (or backpacks), they tend to be a bit more forgiving on the shoulder and sit flat on the back.    

[Jeff S]

No zippers for me, thanks!  I also only use bags for transport, not for daily walks (unless maybe snow and freezing temps). My bags are always all black, not showy, regardless of brand, including Billingham. Different strokes… which is why we can’t get enough bag threads.

Jeff 

[AllenB]

6 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

Old thread…ONA eventually redesigned this bag… but still..

Jeff

But that was 10 years ago.  That's like someone not wanting to buy Leica in 2034 because of the freezing issues in 2024.  

[Jeff S]

6 minutes ago, AllenB said:

But that was 10 years ago.  That's like someone not wanting to buy Leica in 2034 because of the freezing issues in 2024.  

As I wrote, “old thread, but still”.  Their top closure designs haven’t changed a bit.  Still expensive and still made in the Dominican to lesser quality standards IMO than other high priced brands like Billingham or Fogg.  As always, customers decide.

Jeff

[Jeff S]

Btw, easy to find more recent complaints regarding both build quality and customer support/warranty standards….

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4380969
 

Jeff

[Knightspirit]

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OK - here's one that I bet nobody has used or even thought of. It's from 511 - the tactical clothing company. It has one side of velcro inside - so I used the peel and stick from Home Depot for the other side so I could put some dividers in. This little bag holds my M11, visoflex, 135mm, 75mm, 4omm VM, 28mm Emarit and an extra battery. Front pouch is pretty good sized as well for whatever else - I usually have a couple of filters and a lens brush.

It's comfortable to wear as a sling bag, and not big at all. Downside is that there is almost no padding - except on the body side of the bag - so you have to be a bit careful. It basically holds everything that my Hadly small holds minus one lens.

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Edited June 7, 2024 by Knightspirit

[MikeW]

I carry an M11-p, Lux 50, Lux 35 and sometimes a VM 28/2 Ultron II in a Bellroy Venture 10L camera sling. It is very much like their 6L and other slings but larger, of course, and has 2 padded, flexible but non-removable dividers. I'm glad there is no velcro in the bag, but if I could have more dividers I'd half one of the ends which would fit two lenses nicely rather than having them swim in the space. I'll find some sort of insert.  Light and comfy to carry all day, additional mesh pockets on either and carry a spare battery and sometimes a Ricoh GR II. There's also room for SD cards, wallet and other items, away from the camera gear. 

So far I've never paid full retail for any Bellroy product; I happen to like ranger green and seem to find backpacks and slings on significant discount at some of their retailers in Canada. One pack had a flaw and they sent me an entirely new pack, which had the same flaw, so I had a local seamstress replace the strap webbing and slider on the shoulder straps for $50 and had two new, excellent packs for the price of less than one. 

[jakontil]

On 6/8/2024 at 5:41 AM, Jeff S said:

As I wrote, “old thread, but still”.  Their top closure designs haven’t changed a bit.  Still expensive and still made in the Dominican to lesser quality standards IMO than other high priced brands like Billingham or Fogg.  As always, customers decide.

Jeff

Still, ona is overrated, their leather not the best, and hardware used as much as they claimed it made of brass, it’s more like magnesium, definitely not brass

i have the brixton and clifton leather backpack

[Knightspirit]

I just got a Wotancraft 3.5 L and I absolutely love it. It’s about the same size as the bag I posted here previously, only with padding and really good engineering. The 3.5L holds my M11, 28mm Elmarit, 40mm VM (on the camera) 75mm APO and 135mm APO plus the Visoflex. It’s amazing how much it holds while being so small.

Very reasonable price for what you get too. Highly recommended!

[Smudgerer]

+1 for the Wotancraft Pilot bags, I recently bought the 7L and liked it well enough to order the 3.5L for a small one-camera carry and I'm now awaiting that bag's arrival. I might have found in the Wotancraft Pilots a bag or two that will join my already very long term favourite bags, Domke F3X and Crumpler Proper Roady II, on the podium shuffling for position.

The 7L is good for two M bodies with lenses mounted plus another one or two alternate lenses, depending of course on the lens's sizes. I'm a compact 35mm guy, no lenses over 50mm and no "fat / long" M lenses for me.

A couple of things about the 7L Wotancraft bag I am not too fond of is the stiff front and rear zipper pockets, when new and the bag isn't "run in" yet they are hard to fully access and as they are deep small things do get lost and unseen in the bottom of the pockets, however Wotancraft do offer some rather interesting clip-on accessory pouch options with which you can extend the carry capacity but I found that a couple of the choices are rather too large on the 7l Pilot, ( but probably just fine on the 10L bag though ), but for me they tend to suffer the same "bottomless pit" syndrome because of their depth. However I have found that Wotancraft themselves are very responsive to critiques and further design / accessory suggestions and they seem to be extending additional options for the existing Pilot range, which is good.

Their adjustable "sling" shoulder strap on the Wotancraft Pilot line nudges it above my Domkes and Crumplers, that alone is worth the price of admission by itself as you can very quickly change/adjust the "hang" of the bag on your body, brilliant.

As they are they are light, quite configurable, versatile, and good value for the very high quality of production.

Edited July 1, 2024 by Smudgerer

[rcusick]

9 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

+1 for the Wotancraft Pilot bags, I recently bought the 7L and liked it well enough to order the 3.5L for a small one-camera carry and I'm now awaiting that bag's arrival. I might have found in the Wotancraft Pilots a bag or two that will join my already very long term favourite bags, Domke F3X and Crumpler Proper Roady II, on the podium shuffling for position.

The 7L is good for two M bodies with lenses mounted plus another one or two alternate lenses, depending of course on the lens's sizes. I'm a compact 35mm guy, no lenses over 50mm and no "fat / long" M lenses for me.

A couple of things about the 7L Wotancraft bag I am not too fond of is the stiff front and rear zipper pockets, when new and the bag isn't "run in" yet they are hard to fully access and as they are deep small things do get lost and unseen in the bottom of the pockets, however Wotancraft do offer some rather interesting clip-on accessory pouch options with which you can extend the carry capacity but I found that a couple of the choices are rather too large on the 7l Pilot, ( but probably just fine on the 10L bag though ), but for me they tend to suffer the same "bottomless pit" syndrome because of their depth. However I have found that Wotancraft themselves are very responsive to critiques and further design / accessory suggestions and they seem to be extending additional options for the existing Pilot range, which is good.

Their adjustable "sling" shoulder strap on the Wotancraft Pilot line nudges it above my Domkes and Crumplers, that alone is worth the price of admission by itself as you can very quickly change/adjust the "hang" of the bag on your body, brilliant.

As they are they are light, quite configurable, versatile, and good value for the very high quality of production.

I have the 2.5l, 3.5l and 7l.

2.5l fits m camera with lens attached and one lens 

3.5l fits m camera with lens attached and two lenses

7l fits sl3 with 24-90 amd 100-400. 

Edited July 2, 2024 by rcusick

[Bobonli]

Question for the Wotancraft Clan: is there a method to carry a water bottle on the 3.5l ? I know there are side pockets on the 7 but suspect it’s more bag than I need. 
 

My usual kit is 1 M body with 35 or 50, small pouch for batteries/filters/cleaning, sometimes the circ polarizer, film, small flash, notebook. I think that would fit nicely in the 3.5 but I also like to have a water bottle with me for longer walks. 

I have a second M on the way so maybe I’d carry both which might press the capacity of the 3.5l but still think the 7l might be bigger than I’d want to carry for a longer period. I currently use a non-descript knapsack with wraps for padding but it’s not exactly convenient when I want to swap lenses or grab film or the flash. Not a huge fan of zippers, and most of the bags mentioned in this thread scream “expensive camera”

[TheEyesHaveIt]

56 minutes ago, Bobonli said:

Question for the Wotancraft Clan: is there a method to carry a water bottle on the 3.5l ? I know there are side pockets on the 7 but suspect it’s more bag than I need. 
 

My usual kit is 1 M body with 35 or 50, small pouch for batteries/filters/cleaning, sometimes the circ polarizer, film, small flash, notebook. I think that would fit nicely in the 3.5 but I also like to have a water bottle with me for longer walks. 

I have a second M on the way so maybe I’d carry both which might press the capacity of the 3.5l but still think the 7l might be bigger than I’d want to carry for a longer period. I currently use a non-descript knapsack with wraps for padding but it’s not exactly convenient when I want to swap lenses or grab film or the flash. Not a huge fan of zippers, and most of the bags mentioned in this thread scream “expensive camera”

I recently got a 2L Pilot to try, which is perfect for an M11 with a small lens attached (say a 35 steel rim) and another lens in the bag (a 90 macro-elmar in my case). For additional accessories, I have purchased the attachable modules - great for something like a mini table top tripod and a ND filter.

I have the 3.5L coming next week as well to compare the size (if you have say a 35 or 50 summilux on the M11, the 2L won't really allow much else into the bag). Of the attachable modules, I don't think any of them would really be suitable for a large water bottle unfortunately. However, the Module 01 (https://www.wotancraft.tw/en/product/add-on-module-01-pouch-black-canvas) will be able to fit in a 17oz plastic water bottle fine. Just bear in mind, that it only has a zipper closure and the bottle will poke out a bit from the top. Because the Pilot bags have Molle webbing though, you could probably just get an external water bottle pouch and attach it to the webbing.

 

First time for me seeing these Wotancraft bags in person and I am extremely impressed. I have Peak Design, Wandrd, Billingham, and Domke bags, and the Wotancraft ones still stand out. Very well made, great strap (even better executed than the PD ones), great accessory system, and don't look overly fancy or overly militaristic. A really nice balance.

Edited August 3, 2024 by TheEyesHaveIt

[AndrewPiper]

Hi guys..

Not sure if I can ad a wanted to buy ad here..But..Im still looking for an Oberwerth bag..For M11 with a lens on it plus maybe one more lens in the bag. Not fussed with leather colour but it must be in excellent condition and Im not wanting the canvas veresion.

 

Thank you in advance

[ldhrads]

On 8/3/2024 at 1:59 PM, TheEyesHaveIt said:

I recently got a 2L Pilot to try, which is perfect for an M11 with a small lens attached (say a 35 steel rim) and another lens in the bag (a 90 macro-elmar in my case). For additional accessories, I have purchased the attachable modules - great for something like a mini table top tripod and a ND filter.

I have the 3.5L coming next week as well to compare the size (if you have say a 35 or 50 summilux on the M11, the 2L won't really allow much else into the bag). Of the attachable modules, I don't think any of them would really be suitable for a large water bottle unfortunately. However, the Module 01 (https://www.wotancraft.tw/en/product/add-on-module-01-pouch-black-canvas) will be able to fit in a 17oz plastic water bottle fine. Just bear in mind, that it only has a zipper closure and the bottle will poke out a bit from the top. Because the Pilot bags have Molle webbing though, you could probably just get an external water bottle pouch and attach it to the webbing.

 

First time for me seeing these Wotancraft bags in person and I am extremely impressed. I have Peak Design, Wandrd, Billingham, and Domke bags, and the Wotancraft ones still stand out. Very well made, great strap (even better executed than the PD ones), great accessory system, and don't look overly fancy or overly militaristic. A really nice balance.

Recently bought the 3.5L Pilot. Love it for my M11-P/MATE combination. I even stuffed a Noctilux 0.95 in there with plenty of room to spare. Very comfortable, very happy with the bag.

[Bobonli]

On 8/3/2024 at 1:03 PM, Bobonli said:

Question for the Wotancraft Clan: is there a method to carry a water bottle on the 3.5l ? I know there are side pockets on the 7 but suspect it’s more bag than I need. 
 

My usual kit is 1 M body with 35 or 50, small pouch for batteries/filters/cleaning, sometimes the circ polarizer, film, small flash, notebook. I think that would fit nicely in the 3.5 but I also like to have a water bottle with me for longer walks. 

I have a second M on the way so maybe I’d carry both which might press the capacity of the 3.5l but still think the 7l might be bigger than I’d want to carry for a longer period. I currently use a non-descript knapsack with wraps for padding but it’s not exactly convenient when I want to swap lenses or grab film or the flash. Not a huge fan of zippers, and most of the bags mentioned in this thread scream “expensive camera”

I’ve had the 3.5l Pilot for two weeks and used it every day for the past week walking about on vacation. In it I have an M body with 35 ‘Cron attached, a 50 ‘Cron and small flash under the divider flap and the Leica swing out circular polarizer in its case. That takes up the entire interior. I gave a small pouch with memory cards in the outer zipped pocket. The bag functions very well with this kit. The shoulder strap is brilliant. The fastener for the flap takes a minute to get accustomed to but is very clever. Overall happy with purchase. 
 

That said, there is no place to carry a water bottle but you can add on a pouch using the Molle webbing. The outer pockets are narrow. I had to work to jam my small wallet and iPhone into the back one, and my keys into the front outer pocket. Basically they are wide enough for a thin notepad like a Field Notes. I like to carry cleaning supplies, batteries and some filters in a small Think Tank pouch but couldn’t find a way to get it into the main bag or outer pockets because of its length and width. I could, I guess, go without the polarizer and find a shorter pouch for the supplies. 
 

A strong point of this bag IMHO is No Zippers. I find them annoying for repeatedly accessing the gear you want and they scratch your gear over time, particularly if the bag has a narrow opening. I really like that you can get your camera out without dragging it over zippers. 
 

If you’re looking for a bag for one body, two lenses and not much else (or a body, lens and other things like a flash and batteries) this is great. I’m not a sling bag guy; prefer the two straps of a backpack for even weight distribution but that’s hard to work out of if you plan to swap lenses or need to stash the camera quickly because going into someplace sketchy. I found the Pilot comfortable — and inconspicuous— but after about two hours of walking I was sort of missing the light Timbuktu knapsack I normally use. 

Edited August 23, 2024 by Bobonli

[Pixeleater]

On 6/7/2024 at 4:35 PM, Knightspirit said:

OK - here's one that I bet nobody has used or even thought of. It's from 511 - the tactical clothing company. It has one side of velcro inside - so I used the peel and stick from Home Depot for the other side so I could put some dividers in. This little bag holds my M11, visoflex, 135mm, 75mm, 4omm VM, 28mm Emarit and an extra battery. Front pouch is pretty good sized as well for whatever else - I usually have a couple of filters and a lens brush.

It's comfortable to wear as a sling bag, and not big at all. Downside is that there is almost no padding - except on the body side of the bag - so you have to be a bit careful. It basically holds everything that my Hadly small holds minus one lens.

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Which model is this one?

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[charlesphoto99]

9 hours ago, Bobonli said:

That said, there is no place to carry a water bottle but you can add on a pouch using the Molle webbing. The outer pockets are narrow. I

The add ons are a joke. I still like my 7L, not so much the 2L (overbuilt for what it can carry), but have seen room for improvement on these bags (the curve of the bag to the back seems wrong for example). 

[Knightspirit]

47 minutes ago, Pixeleater said:

Which model is this one?

Here it is:

 

https://www.511tactical.com/2-banger-bag-5.html