Bags and more bags

[BBW]

How many do you have? I really only have one big one that was great and would be find for storing everything... It's an old Orvis fishing bag, pictured below, that has worked perfectly fine in the past but it's way too big for what I would like to use now.

Over on that Straps thread which is still in the Open Discussion forum right now https://www.mu-43.com/showthread.php?t=451, several people mentioned a fellow who makes the Y-strap and a wrist strap.

It turns out he makes bags too. His website is a little confusing at first but his bags look quite good. Unfortunately due to the economic climate he's cut back on his products but what he still does make are enticing. I've also read some old posts on the rangefinder.com website about them. Here's the site: http://figitalrevolution.com/bare-bones-bag-camera-bag-leica-lomo-lca-zeiss-rangefinder/ and here's the caveat about the limited versions still available: http://figitalrevolution.com/2009/12/05/the-bare-bones-bag-recession/

I wondered if anyone might already have one and care to comment?

 

[Streetshooter]

He's a cool guy. I have the "Y" strap but never use it.
The camera turns to much hanging that way...
Not my cup of tea. I ya want it...it's yours.
Shooter

 

[Brian Mosley]

Same here Shooter, I prefer the soft leather neck strap... Luigi has a beautiful one, which I may very well order, along with one of his wrist straps any day now.

Cheers

Brian

 

[Streetshooter]

I have too many Luigi's.
My favorite is the braided neck strap.
It's baby soft and great to use. I like the Fox color.
I also have a few wrist straps in Fox and Brown.
All are the highest quality and simply put, the best available.
Shooter

 

[pxpaulx]

I bought one of these when Ritz was going out of business...didn't have a use for it then, but the GF1/20 fits with room to spare - it is bulletproof on the outside, and has a separate padded bright orange insert, and is perfect!

http://www.techforless.com/cgi-bin/tech4less/441663606?mv_pc=google_base&tts=20100126023700

(the price at that site isn't half bad either, got mine for alittle less I think).

For trips when I want to take everything, the Kata 3n1-30 - a backpack that thinks it is a sling bag (if you load it full, you'll break your shoulder if you sling it!) Good thing it can convert to a backpack as well! Very versatile, I am extremely happy with it. In retrospect I probably would have preferred the 3n1-20, but wanted to be able to fit my biggest lens with hood attached without having to reverse the hood (the smaller sizes are only smaller width-wise).

I got one of these off ebay probably 4 years ago now (looks like they are still kicking around there):

http://reviews.overstock.com/9876/2330705/reviews.htm

A nice quality backpack, but it has already seen its better days and has been retired. It is now my lens homebase, so to speak. It really is quite nice (and doesn't scream I'm a camera bag!), but some of the seams have started to come undone, and it was time for replacement this summer.

I have another nice quantaray pack that I got from ritz during closing which I haven't really used, it is just a big shoulder bag and pretty nice (at the time I picked up some standard 4/3 gear at ritz as well and was trying to use 2 systems, which didn't work or compliment each other...M4/3 on the other hand is great!).

Finally, a small tamrac bag I'd used for an fz18 awhile back, and some domke inserts which I use to put in non-camera bags (a messenger bag, or a couple of different backpacks).

OK, so that is just a little overboard (my wife would call it something else!), but I can't be the ONLY closet bag obsessed amateur around here!

 

[Streetshooter]

Well, this is actually embarressing.
I have many more bags than my wife. I bet I have over 40. But that's just what I've kept for so many years.
My bag that I'm using with the Pen is the
Tamrac Velocity 4. It's a small sling bag, holds Pen 1 w/ 20,
17, finder and the 14-45. It's water proof as well as shooter proof.
shooter

 

[BBW]

Thanks to you all for your input.

Don AKA Streetshooter, if the Y strap is not for you, then it's not for me either. Luigi's stuff is beautiful...I just find his website a bit confusing..but wait this was supposed to be about bags. Maybe I should edit the title and add in "Straps"? I think that his straps are worth their costs, for sure.

Small is beautiful, a small bag for a MU43 with an extra lens and a bit o' room for say some sunglasses and not too much more...maybe a cell phone if it won't fit in my pocket. The hunt shall continue!

Perhaps others will post their favorites as time goes by.

 

[Streetshooter]

BB, Try looking at this...it's actually smaller than it looks and holds more than it looks...

http://www.amazon.com/Tamrac-Velocity-Model-Micro-Sling/dp/B000935OKO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264543321&sr=8-1

shooter

 

[BBW]

Thanks Don, I have looked at it but I'm not sure I want to go that direction. I want something a bit more nondescript and have found this company that actually makes Mr. Figitrevolutions bags, or some of them. Courierware USA.com http://www.courierwareusa.com/objects/20.itml/icOid/20 Not inexpensive but for me could serve several purposes, you know us womenfolk we have to have more stuff because generally we have less pockets.

 

[pxpaulx]

I don't have one of these (though I do have several domke inserts, which aren't as sturdy), but it comes well reviewed on pentax forums:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/509016-REG/Tenba_638_251_Pro_Digital_2_0_Photo.html

If you want something non-descript, find a messenger bag or backpack you like, and use one of those! I am sure you can find a nice messenger bag well under $75 (the price difference of buying that $95 bag, or a messenger bag and the above insert).

 

[kengan]

I have several bags, bought in haste, regretted at leisure! But most used are a small Tamrac Digital, takes G1 plus either one of my two lens, spare battery, and cards. And a MRock, a recent addition, which takes everything, including the proverbial kitchen sink, has a tethered waterproof cover, and a tethered internal camera soft wrap, plus all the usual adjustable compartments. A mite big, but can be worn as back-pack, chest-pack, waist-pack, or just plain over shoulder single strap, or even just as a handheld case. So far, I'm quite pleased with it!

http://www.m-rock.com/grand-slr-camera-case.html

Not used now, Lowepro AW100 Sling Bag, too much fiddling about for serious use. Another Tamrac, large, quite nice, but not water proof. And a few others dedicated to cameras, no longer in use, and no selling value.

 

[Streetshooter]

BB,
Forgot....the bag I use for 2 cameras and stuff is a Domke F5xb. It's of course a great bag and well...you could use it for 1 camera and most of the Woman things ya need to carry...
If it's not big enuff...get 2 and then Hubby can carry 1 and the rest of your woman thinggys...and he can still look Kewl....

 

[Brian Mosley]

OK, I'm going to order the black wrist strap for the E-P2, and have e-mailed Luigi about a leather case... he's supposed to be designing one, but I haven't seen it yet.

If I don't like the case, I'll probably order one of his deluxe neck straps too... not sure whether I'm going to prefer the wrist strap to a neck strap (which I've found very good with the E-P1)

Thanks for the recommendation Don, there's a nice discussion thread on Flickr here too.

Cheers

Brian

 

[BBW]

BB,
Forgot....the bag I use for 2 cameras and stuff is a Domke F5xb. It's of course a great bag and well...you could use it for 1 camera and most of the Woman things ya need to carry...
If it's not big enuff...get 2 and then Hubby can carry 1 and the rest of your woman thinggys...and he can still look Kewl....

What a great way to start the morning - thank you Don!! And since my husband's name is Don, as well, I'm sure he'll go along with your fashion advice.

And Brian, I'll look forward to hearing what you figure out once you hear from Luigi. And thanks for giving me yet another site to use for obsessive purposes!

Hey, it's a good thing we have these weighty issues to involve ourselves in, right?

 

[OzRay]

I've been looking for ages for a leather camera bag that can hold all of my Pen gear. The closest that I've found is this and it looks the goods: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ciesta-Wisent-1635L-Brown-Buffalo-Leather-Sholder-Bag_W0QQitemZ270467856261QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef923f785, but so is the price.

There seems to be nothing really available in this respect and I'm not at all interested in the traditional camera bags, I want something a bit retro looking. In additon to the look of regular camera bags, they are all too deep, as they are designed to hold long lenses.

The closest in acceptable size that I've found are the video camera bags, but they tend not to be conducive to holding multiple lenses. I currently use a Sony video camera bag and all the lenses are separated by and stored in neoprene stubbie coolers (a suitably Australian thing I guess - be prepared).

I tired of seeing nothing but ballistic nylon bags, especially in gaudy colours. What happened to style and subtlety?

Cheers

Ray

 

[Bullfrog]

Ray,
Have you looked at the bags Luigi does? http://www.leicatime.com/a000-CustomCases.htm

They're retro looking for sure.

 

[OzRay]

Thanks Paul

I didn't realise that he made cases, just camera straps and camera covers. Having looked at his options though, it doesn't look like he really makes anything big enough for what I want. That said, the current cases, at an average price of 450 Euros, is kind of extreme, even to have the Luigi name. Given that price, I think I could approach a number of local leather artists and get them to make just what I need for potentially less.

Cheers

Ray

 

[Bullfrog]

Yeah, they're pricy. If you're considering options other than leather the NG cases are a good deal:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LY5CUS/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_t1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0PPR2V0CFSSSPS5KFJST&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

I've had one for a good while and it's low-key, spacious enough and tough as old boots.

 

[BBW]

Paul, if I ever do decide to order something from Luigi would you translate his site for me? Honestly, his stuff looks beautiful and I'm really thinking about a strap now that my E=P is going to remain naked...but just reading his site makes my head spin. Only exaggerating slightly here, perhaps once you press the order button it becomes more streamlined.

 

[Bullfrog]

I figure Luigi's site is either:

a) a test to weed out the undedicated

b) the result of not giving a fig about the interweb and the weirdness that lives there

c) what happens when the acid flashbacks get too much

It's a "journey" to be sure:smile: I kinda like the shambolic charm of the place.