Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/18

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: LUG[Leica] F5 Bag
From: Ruralmopics@aol.com
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 08:59:32 EST

In a message dated 12/17/99 10:38:33 PM, simple@forestchina.com.hk writes:

<< I have been using a Domke F2 for some time now.  One of the problems with
Domke bags is that the metal lugs that hold the flap down can do serious
damage to the equipment.
 >>

That's never been a problem for me. In fact, I think the simple 
one-hand-is-al-it-takes metal hooks are one of the great selling points to 
the Domke bags. Someone else said that Domke's seem like nothing when you 
first look at them. This is really true. It is hard to explain to the 
skeptical what makes them wonderful but they are. The biggest thing is that 
they are easy to work out of. Everything is right there. They conform to your 
body and hug close when your in a crowd. THey compact to the minimum size 
necessary when you are cramming them under your feet when riding in some 
subjects packed pickup truck or sticking it under an airline seat. The 
material wears like an old pair of blue jeans and gets more comfortable over 
time. Plus a well worn Domke is a badge of honor for a photographer (I always 
hate replacing one). THe 4-pocket insert in the F-2 seems limiting but it's 
not. Each pocket will swallow anything from a 20mm to a 300mm or even a M 
body and a short lens. The zelcro attached insert rip out of the way to 
accomodate bulking loads. The outside pockets are perfectly sized for the 
usual suspect accessories. In short the (F-2) at least is the PERFECT bag 
designed by somebody who just wanted a bag for himself. It just so happened 
that since he was a shooter his needs matched everybody else as well.

I've used Domke bags since I was in college in the late 70s. At that time you 
could only buy them two places -- from Domke directly or at a small camera 
shop in Columbia Missouri where Jim Domke worked when he was a photo student 
there. I'm on my third F-2 (my second one was at that time an ultra rare -- 
now common -- black version that was at the time the subject of a "Vatican 
Press Corps" rumor). I've also owned/used the Little bit Bigger, the 803 
camera satchel, the FX-3 Super Compact, a light stand bag and a long lens 
bag. All have been wonderful products. All well designed. All top notch 
quality. Truly an American classic and a bargain.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I like Domke.

Bob