Camera bag for S with 2 or 3 extra lenses

[GMB]

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Very often, I use the system for photographing near my camper truck.  So far, I have used a Think Tank Retrospective 30. It is good with the S with one lens mounted and one extra lens. 
 

However, I would like a bag where I can carry the S with one lens mounted and 2 or 3 extra lenses. Not a back pack (I have a good one for hikes) but a shoulder bag with rigid sides where I have comfortable access to the camera and the lenses. I know that carrying such a bag is not very comfortable but that’s okay as I will not do so for for extended times. 
 

Any suggestion welcome. 
 

Georg

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[Jeff S]

Billingham makes lots of sizes…

Jeff

[John McMaster]

I use a Retrospective 30 some of the time.  Currently it has S(007) with multigrip and 120/2.5 mounted in centre area (lens downward), and 70 and 180 (with lens hood reversed) either side.  My next bag up holds the body and 6 lenses....

john

[Einst_Stein]

You must be very young.  I can take only one extra lens on shoulder. More than that hurts my shoulder, must be backpack.  

[epines]

I use the Billingham 307 for exactly this purpose -- S with one lens mounted, standing upright in the center, and then one lens upright on each side of it in the bag. And Delta pockets added to the sides if you need more storage for miscellaneous items. I tried other spacious shoulder bags for this, and the 307 was the clear winner. It has enough rigidity to hold its structure, but it's flexible enough to be comfortable and expand as needed.  

That's for the camera + two lenses. If you want the camera + one lens, the Billingham Hadley Large fits it well, and is lighter. 

[tom0511]

For S-Camera with one lens attached and 2 additional lenses I do own and use a compagnon messenger and it works great.

But I dont think it will take one lens attached + 3 additional lenses.

messenger Gen III in Hellbraun - für DSLR & 16" Macbook Pro (compagnon-bags.com) (I think I own Gen.2, now there is Gen.3, dont know what was changed)

[davidmknoble]

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You’ll probably laugh, but when I photograph on the coast in the morning I use a Billingham vest.  I can hold two lenses, filter system, extra batteries, etc and put the S camera on my shoulder with a wide Peak Designs strap.

[GMB]

Thanks for all the good advice. Will check out the various options. 
 

@Einst_Stein I am 64. But this is only for short walks near the car. For anything longer, I need a backpack (or less gear). 

[Einst_Stein]

I try to stick with one FL for a session. The most difficult is wedding or special ceremony. I end up, so far, taking two cameras, one with 35mm, the other with 120mm. The Contax 45-90mm zoom is Ok.  I don’t have a proper bag yet, maybe two extra lenses equals to the other camera. 
 

The bottom line is to avoid switching lens on the go, particularly for Leica S. Even with the r mirror as extra isolation, I have problem to keep the sensor clean. This is where MFDB works better, it is much easier to clean the sensor. 

[Pieter12]

1 hour ago, Einst_Stein said:

I try to stick with one FL for a session. The most difficult is wedding or special ceremony. I end up, so far, taking two cameras, one with 35mm, the other with 120mm. The Contax 45-90mm zoom is Ok.  I don’t have a proper bag yet, maybe two extra lenses equals to the other camera. 
 

The bottom line is to avoid switching lens on the go, particularly for Leica S. Even with the r mirror as extra isolation, I have problem to keep the sensor clean. This is where MFDB works better, it is much easier to clean the sensor. 

So what would be a bag for 2 bodies with lens mounted? How much weight would one be carrying?

[Einst_Stein]

18 minutes ago, Pieter12 said:

So what would be a bag for 2 bodies with lens mounted? How much weight would one be carrying?

For me it will be very heavy. Will use it only if unavoidable. 

[irenedp]

I carried this morning in Paris two Nikons, a D850 with grip on  the 24-70 and a Z9 with the 70-200, the arrangement I would have if covering an event. I am not, but to conceal the fact that I am a photographer and carrying professional gear, I used the most standard backpack -pink- I could. Obviously that Implied carrying only one lens for each body. But it can be done, and I find it the safest and most convenient.  It works all the same with the two S bodies. The next thing for carrying more gear is a Think Tank airport with wheels, but that is a more complex arrangement.

My two M bodies and lenses would go inside a tote, with the rest of my stuff (28 and 50 mounted, 75 just in case).

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[Stuart Richardson]

I bought a Billingham 555 in Japan about twenty years ago, and it still is in fantastic shape despite consistent use since then. If they are still made as well, I can recommend it. It has lost a rivet on the handle, but otherwise it looks nearly new other than the shoulder pad and the leather trim (it looks fine, but no longer new).

I like this bag because it is extremely capacious but still not that bulky or heavy when not fully loaded. It will take an S camera with at least four lenses, probably five. It is tall enough that you can put the camera on its back with the lens pointing up, and still be able to close the bag, even with the 120mm, if I recall. The 70mm will fit sitting with the camera on its base or side. The bigger divider pocket fits all s lenses except the 30-90mm with the hood on. The front section has two padded pockets that will hold S lenses, particularly the longer skinnier ones like the 180mm and 30/35/45/180mm. There is enough room in the rest of the bag for numerous batteries, flash adapters, film dark clothes etc. When you really load it up (you might need some wraps as there are a lot of pockets, but not everything is padded, particularly in the front pockets), it will seemingly swallow an entire kit. I think for big camera systems it is an excellent shoulder bag. I use it more as a field base as it were...I would not walk around a city with it, but if I am working on a location or out of a car, It is great to transport the gear to the site and then sit on the ground a be a base station. In my experience it is completely weather proof and since it is just a top flap, it is very easy to maintain access while still protecting the contents from light rain. If it is pouring, probably best to zip it up. To be honest, I leave it unzipped most of the time and have not had any issues...

[davidmknoble]

+1 to @Stuart Richardson.  I carry my entire S system in a Billingham 555 to go back and forth to locations.  I have had mine less (4-5 years) and did not get the 550 because I wanted canvas straps instead of leather straps to hold the top down and just preferred the layout, but they are similar in size.  Every billingham I’ve ever had is still waterproof and works like a charm.  More expensive, but less so than damaged cameras. 

I also use the billingham 25 rucksack to walk about and fly with a system “under the seat in front of you.”  It’s durable, rainproof and comfortable enough.  There are better designed ‘rucksacks’ but this one is indestructible.  It fits an S or 2 bodies and a couple lenses with chargers, etc.

[John McMaster]

I still have Billingham Series 1 and Series 3 bags (over forty years old), the Series 1 was the original 555 I think......

john

[Pierre68]

I have been using the Peak Design 13L Everyday Messenger extensively during a 3 week trio to Iceland.

It will fit the S body with a lens fitted and two additional lenses and a few accessories. It is expensive but really well made.

I highly recommend you soak a look at it.