[Leica] To vest or not to vest

["BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>]

I have a Domke Photogs vest, which is mostly mesh on the upper half of it 
at least.  I looked at a number of vests and jackets by tamrac and a few 
others at the time.  The Domke won hands down for quality of construction 
and ease of use.  Some of the pockets are water proof and others do a 
fairly good job of keeping EQ relatively dry as well.  It also looks like 
a  professional photographers vest instead of a fishing vest. 

I really don't use it much though, only for foul weather shooting as I 
can wear it under my rain gear when I 'm hiking through mud etc.  I don't 
enjoy working in the rain, but we have a couple construction projects 
where I always seem to get poured on.  It's kills a day to get there so I 
don't have much choice but to shoot anyhow.  If you put a lot of gear in 
the front pockets it doesn't take too long until your neck will be sore 
from the the neck of the vest cutting into your own.  I try to stick a 
bottle of water or a camera and lens in the back pocket to even out the 
weight and eliminate the neck problem.   But you need to be a bit of a 
contortionist if you have long arms to get stuff in and out of the back 
pockets.

I find a vest attracts undo attention to me and it is a pick pocket  
magnet in Ecuador at least.   I'm 6-2 so I stand above everyone else too, 
but I would just as soon not wear something that attracts a second or 
third glance.  I can protect a small Domke bag pretty easily in crowds as 
you can carry it low and it looks kind of like a briefcase and nothing 
like a typical tourists camera bag.  I can't protect gear in a whole 
bunch of different pockets and locations and anybody within a block can 
see you are wearing a vest.  The other factor is that you can easily set 
a bag down if you want to rest, eat or drive.  A vest either means you 
wear it all the time or you risk dumping stuff out when you take it on 
and off and it tends to fly off the car seat if  you don't buckle it  
down some way.  It's pretty darn uncomfortable to sit down with it on if 
you have things in the back pockets too!  I cover a number of different 
kinds of events and photograph dignitaries where I'm wearing a suit and 
the black camera bag blends in with my attire, a vest.....  well you'll 
look severely under dressed.

For most of my location shooting I'm using a small Domke 803 Camera 
satchel, two bodies, three lenses, two spare batteries, aspirin, 
occasionally some Singh Ray graduated ND filters and lots of film.   
That's it, I don't carry items I know probably won't use, so I don't need 
15 pockets.   I'm only 32, but I get tired enough from running around 
trying to get shots,  I don't need to carry anything extra.   For shoots 
where I know I need more lenses or might need more stuff, depending on 
the situation of course, I throw clamps, filters, cords etc. in a hard 
case and bring the other cameras or lenses in a bigger or second Domke 
bag.

So......  my recommendation......  Well, the Domke 803 Camera satchel 
with a short two compartment insert will be more than enough for the 
camera, three lenses and other stuff.   But if you want a vest, I'd buy a 
Domke, Domke or a  DOMKE.   Granted, it's not a Billingham, but for the 
price, you can buy several different Domke bags as well as the vest for 
the same price or far far less without getting the fishing vest look.  
The quality for $ spent ratio is higher  for Domke than other 
manufacturers products I've seen. 

For what it's worth, that's my opinion.  And no, I don't work for or have 
any financial interest in Domke.

Duane Birkey
HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador


>From: "Ferdinand U. LuDo" <fld@mozcom.com>
>Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 20:30:54 +0800
>Subject: [Leica] offtopic:photovest

>Hello Luggers,

>Can anyone here recommend a photojournalist vest/photovest that will 
hold
>an 1 M6 with 3 other lenses, and misc acc., film, etc.
>someone told me about Banana Republic vest, Domke, etc...

>Would appreciate some comments,

>Ferdinand