RE: [Leica] Domke F-803

[Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>]

I must second the opinions shared by Jorg and Hans.  I had been using a
Billingham 225 for my usual M outfit, and had become dissatisfied with the
way it is designed.  The Billingham has so many zippers & flaps, that I
found it hard to work from.  Plus, getting an R body in there with 80-200
was well nigh impossible.

So, I switched to a 2-bag system -- one which carries a fairly complete
Leica kit, and another specifically for light travel.  The Domke F-803
satchel carries an M body + 3 lenses easily along with a small flash,
tabletop tripod, misc other stuff in the small zipper pouches, and a bunch
of film.  It doesn't look like a camera bag, and has a very nice form factor
(very thin).  So, when you're touring, for example, it's very easy to get it
in and out of your car.

The 225 was replaced by a Domke J2, which fits 2 M bodies, 4 lenses, an R6.2
with 80-200 and accessories with 2 large end pockets for film.

- --Jim Laurel

- -----Original Message-----
From: Jorg Willems [mailto:jorg@mindspring.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 1999 8:41 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Domke F-803


Hi Hans et all:

For quite some time I was unhappy with my camera bags and was contemplating
to get me something new.  A month ago I did something that I very rarely do:
I called B&H and bought the Domke F-803 just based on what you and other
said about it.

After a trip to Idaho to see my son and his wife and assisting my wife in
weddings the satchel bag got much use.  For the weddings I use it with two
M6 with lenses (35 mm and Noctilux) and two lenses back-to-back (90 mm
Tele-Elmarit and 21 mm) in the middle compartment.  I really would like to
have the 90mm on the camera and keep the 21mm and 35 mm back-to-back but
unfortunately Leica made that connection piece one or two millimeter too
short.

I really love the bag.   There is one complaint, though:  I would like to
have another lock.  You need both hands for opening and closing the lid.

Thanks for a good advice.

Jorg

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Hans Pahlen <hans.pahlen@mark.komvux.se>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 1999 4:37 PM
Subject: [Leica] Domke F-803


> The Domke F-803 camera satchel bag has been mentioned on the LUG before.
> Today I had the opportunity to examine it for fhe first time in a shop. I
> think it is one of the nicest bags you can find for a Leica M equipment!
On
> each side of the middle compartment I could put down a camera with lens
> attached, and the middle compartment takes two lenses back to back (2
> Rapidwinder M6 with 21 [or 28] -35-50-90).
> The special thing with this bag is that it is thinner and higher than the
> usual bags, unlike Billingham Alice or Domke F6. In fact, it doesn't look
> like a photo bag at all from the outside. There are lots of place for film
> inside the flap, more than the Alice for example, and there is a large
> pocket for maps and travel documents on the back, as well as two zippered
> security pockets on the flap.
> This bag charmed me instantly, and it will become my standard bag when I
am
> going on flight trips with my usual 2 body-4 lens M-outfit. It will be
> easily carried, and it will not bump into people on crowded streets, and
it
> will definately don't announce to anyone that I am a photographer.
> I will keep my Domke F6, because this bag takes 3 M bodies with attached
> lenses, plus 1-3 extra lenses and a light meter. I usually keep 21-35-90
on
> the bodies,  ready to use immediately. But that is for local use, not
> travel.
>
> /Hans
> (a happy owner of yet another camera bag...)
>