Domke F-5XC review

[dkspook]

The Domke F-5XC is a slim, squarish shoulder bag, perfect for an ungripped DSLR with a few extras or a flash. A walk-around camera bag that does not look anything like a camera bag. Until you start pulling cameras and lenses out of it, off course...

All images link to a 1024px version on flickr where you can click on to the 1600px version if you feel the need to count the stitches.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3426826096_7613746e94.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426826096/sizes/l/)

The bag itself, in all it's glory. Notice the grey strips on the shoulder strap. They're rubber, woven into the fabric to keep it from slipping. Not only does it make sure the camera stays on your shoulder, it also makes sure that once you sling it onto your back, it stays there. I took mine hiking recently and unlike all the other shoulder bags I've tried, this one stayed where I put it instead of swinging wildly all over the place.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3426017619_19619ec66d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426017619/sizes/l/)

Note to self: clean the bag before shooting it next time.

Here you can see the two front pockets and the bottom opening to the main compartment. The bag ships with two articulated dividers so you can tailor it to fit just about anything. I carry an ungripped 5D with primes so I use one of the dividers as a "floor" just above the bottom opening. My 5D then fits neatly inside (lying down) with any of my lenses. The other divider is folded at the bottom to make way for two other lenses like this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3426826646_71660cbd7c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426826646/sizes/l/)

24L on the left, 85mm F/1.8 on the right. Sterlingtek BP-511 holding down the flap. :)

The bag is made of canvas and feels like it was built to outlive me. Seriously, this thing is made to LAST! Everything about it just feels so solid and well thought out. Examples:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3426827534_224190a36a.jpg

Nice, strong zipper. And the bag is even machine washable....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/3426829794_861b038289.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426829794/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

Strong, swiveling metal clamps.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/3426018327_a137a43c98.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426018327/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

This is my only dislike about the bag. The velcro is a tad much and VERY loud. Like "wake up the kids sleeping in the other room"-loud. My wife never stops pointing that out.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3426013411_4c8b034061.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_spook/3426013411/sizes/l/)

This is what I currently carry in the bag:
Canon EOS 5D
Canon EF 24L mk I (left)
Canon EF 50mm F/1.4 (mounted)
Monkeys (Long story)
Canon EF 85mm F/1.8 (right)
Moo Business cards
2 extra Sandisk extreme III's
Sterlingtek BP-511

Conclusion: I love this bag. I friggin love it. I keep kicking myself for not getting it sooner, it's perfect for my needs and VERY, very versatile. It is my first Domke, but the second one (F-1X) is on its way.

My love for LowePro started when I got my first DSLR. It ended when I got my first Domke.

[Redlineracer12]

Nice writeup! I also have the f-5xc, I noticed mine picks up hair like no ones business :lol:

Conclusion: I love this bag. I friggin love it. I keep kicking myself for not getting it sooner, it's perfect for my needs and VERY, very versatile. It is my first Domke, but the second one (F-1X) is on its way.

My love for LowePro started when I got my first DSLR. It ended when I got my first Domke.

I too like mine, carry it with me everyday. On a day to day basis I have my XTi (with or without grip) with my Tamron 17-50 up top. I have my 580EX under the shelf similar to how you have your dividers setup. I also have other stuff like my ipod, work badge, jumpdrive, spare camera batteries, etc.

I have used it as strictly a camera bag before too, it works good for an inconspicous day pack. Here are some pictures of mine fully loaded.

http://www.shineyphotos.com/images6/IMG_0138copy.jpg

http://www.shineyphotos.com/images6/IMG_0140copy.jpg

I've also swapped the flash for my 200mm 2.8L and 1.4x TC for certain situations.

[omewilli]

Great review

does it fit with


5D & attached 24-105 & hood (not reversed)

Thanks

[mac66]

this is a great review i have the domke f2 i did have a billingham 335 and a others. as soon as i got my domke i sold all my other bags.this is the best camera bag ever.

[hfgarris]

I have 2 of these bags, one canvas (F-5XC), and one ballistic nylon (J-5XC), and really like the form factor. I don't use the bottom access cover, preferring to have my lenses vertical. It normally has the 5DII with 24-105 or 24-70 (hood reversed) mounted in the center, a 70-200 f/4 on one side, and a 580EX flash on the other side. The pockets carry the charger, extra battery, and extra memory cards.

My other one carries a XSi with 17-55 f/2.8, 10-22, 70-300DO, and a 430EX flash, again with the extras in the pouches.

The only problem I have had is that, on occasion, I have had the hood "catch" on the zipper lining for the lower access cover as I removed the camera/lens from the case. I may cover that with velcro or tape, or maybe just compressing it down may solve that.

The loud velcro noise can be reduced by just covering some of the exposed velcro with a spare piece of velcro of the opposite polarity. This can easily be removed when maximum security might be desired, although the zipper gives that as well.

This is another great Domke case in the F-5Xx family. The smaller F-5XB is great for walking around with just the camera/lens and the F-5XA is a great dual-lens case or for a DSLR with shorter lens mounted.

-howard

[jrsforums]

...This is my only dislike about the bag. The velcro is a tad much and VERY loud. Like "wake up the kids sleeping in the other room"-loud. My wife never stops pointing that out...

Suggestion...

...Get some sew-on velcro and cover half (or more) of one side of the bag's velcro patch. This will make it much easier and quieter to open, yet still have enough to hold it closed.

[hfgarris]

Great review

does it fit with
5D & attached 24-105 & hood (not reversed)

Thanks

The 5D with attached 24-105 with the hood extended in the ready-to-shoot position WILL easily fit either vertically or horizontally in the F-5XC bag.

-howard

[LennartW]

is it possible to fit a 5dii, 24-70 and a 70-200/2.8 in there?
it would be okay not having the hoods on.

[hfgarris]

is it possible to fit a 5dii, 24-70 and a 70-200/2.8 in there?
it would be okay not having the hoods on.

I would think that would fit fine. I have the 5DII, 24-70, 70-200/4, plus the large 580EX flash all side by side vertically with the hoods reversed. If the flash were removed, the larger 70-200 should fit even with the hood reversed (although not mounted to the camera). The inside bag dimensions are 10.25 x 10.25.

-howard

[koenrutten]

is it possible to fit a 5dii, 24-70 and a 70-200/2.8 in there?
it would be okay not having the hoods on.

I've got a sigma 70-200/2.8 ex and 24-70/2.8 ex and those fit with the 24-70 mounted to my 5d.
edit: both with hoods reversed.

[jacobsen1]

is it possible to fit a 5dii, 24-70 and a 70-200/2.8 in there?
it would be okay not having the hoods on.

yes, the 100-400 fits, so the should 70-200 will as well.

[LennartW]

awesome thank you guys!

[fayenatic]

Nice review, I've recently been debating between the F-5XB and F-5XC. Although I don't have a lot of gear right now, I think i will go with the F-5XC so in the future when i buy a new lens and flash, I wont need to buy a new bag to hold it all. Thanks for sharing your experience with the bag, it was definitely helpful for me.

[dkspook]

Thanks for all your feedback guys & gals!

[mufutau55]

Thank you for the review.. I gotta walk-in to B&H and see the size of this bag, I have been thinking of getting the F-5XB.

Mufutau

Thanks for all your feedback guys & gals!

[deming]

Thanks for posting this.

A more vertically designed shoulder bag seems like a great solution to quick camera storage if your back is already dedicated to a hiking pack/camelback.

Thus---
I have been looking all over for a tough, vertical, messenger-type camera bag, not a messenger that I have to frankenstein and end up paying more in the long run. And not something so wide and bulky that it's going to be bumping into my backpack.

I'm ordering one, asap.
(Now it just comes down to color: Black, Olive or Sand...)

[dkspook]

(Now it just comes down to color: Black, Olive or Sand...)

Took me a full month to figure that one out.

[deming]

Do you think it can fit a 450D with a 70-200 F4 attached?

[dkspook]

Do you think it can fit a 450D with a 70-200 F4 attached?

I'll give it a try the next time I visit my mate and his 70-200 :)

Internal dimensions are 10.25 x 5.0 x 10.25" (26.04 x 12.7 x 26.04cm) (WxDxH)

[deming]

Thanks, that'd be awesome. ;)

[itmfl]

Thanks for sharing your review, looks like a great bag


I'm ordering one, asap.
(Now it just comes down to color: Black, Olive or Sand...)
+1 same... leaning towards black or sand...

[deming]

Now I am having the difficulty of deciding between this and the F-3x. The F-3x seems to have better space for miscellaneous stuff and seems to "contour" to your body better, though I have tried neither bag, just this one with all the padding seems as if it would be protrusive all the time.

Maybe I'll end up with both.

I think I'm leaning towards black...

[dkspook]

Now I am having the difficulty of deciding between this and the F-3x. The F-3x seems to have better space for miscellaneous stuff and seems to "contour" to your body better, though I have tried neither bag, just this one with all the padding seems as if it would be protrusive all the time.

Maybe I'll end up with both.

I think I'm leaning towards black...

I have an F-1X incoming... There is no such thing as "one camera bag" :D

[deming]

It's seeming that way.

[hfgarris]

Now I am having the difficulty of deciding between this and the F-3x. The F-3x seems to have better space for miscellaneous stuff and seems to "contour" to your body better, though I have tried neither bag, just this one with all the padding seems as if it would be protrusive all the time.

Maybe I'll end up with both.

I think I'm leaning towards black...

Ummm ... well decisions are hard. I have both the F-5XC and F-3x and they complement each other well.

Camera plus-
1 lens - F-5XB
2 lens - F-5XC
3 lens - F-3x

see ... simple!

-howard

[deming]

Ummm ... well decisions are hard. I have both the F-5XC and F-3x and they complement each other well.

Camera plus-
1 lens - F-5XB
2 lens - F-5XC
3 lens - F-3x

see ... simple!

-howard

Thanks for pointing that out for me, Howard :)

[_aravena]

Definitely going on the wish list because I'm going to give my g/f the 5MDH when I get her setup (which will be my backup backup :lol:) and get this as a "bare essentials" although I can carry quite a bit.

As always, pics of ya'll wearing one?

[psxindo]

sorry for reviving this thread... by looking at the picture... does it have any other pockets besides the two open pockets on the front??....

[cwiss]

sorry for reviving this thread... by looking at the picture... does it have any other pockets besides the two open pockets on the front??....

There's one large pocket on the back that runs almost the height of the bag.

[dkspook]

There's one large pocket on the back that runs almost the height of the bag.

Correct! Sorry for not showing it in the pictures :)

Still madly in love with this bag btw, it goes everywhere I go now.

[EcoRick]

Thanks for the review. Regarding the velco, I agree that they make some noice, but they can be a camera saver. I have the F-5XB and I can't tell you how many times I didn't zipper it and the extra strength in the velcro was great for additional support. Read a few of the "I can't believe what happend when the zipper broke on my bag" threads and you'll be glad you have the velco.

[swolfcg]

Thank you for your review. I pulled the trigger on the F-3X, then changed it to the F-5XC after reading your review. This is all after returning the Crumpler 7mill DH and receiving a the 6 mill DH. I really like the 6 mill DH to hold all my gear, which includes 40D, 70-200, 24-85, 19-35, 430ex II & tons of extras. The only problem I have with it is a little bulky w/ all the built-in padding. I really don't see myself using this cute bag as often as I would like. I think I might keep it when I want to take all my gear and have the F-5XC for easy travel & walking.

My only question is the bottom part of the bag. I haven't seen any really good pics of the bottom of the bag, looking down from the top. If I put my flash (in case) on the bottom, does the vertically held lens topside sit on it , or is there a shelf that divides the two? I am worried that every time I take any item out it will just fall like a Tetris game. It's a good game, but I don't want to play it w/ my expensive gear.

Thx.
Steph

[dkspook]

Thank you for your review. I pulled the trigger on the F-3X, then changed it to the F-5XC after reading your review. This is all after returning the Crumpler 7mill DH and receiving a the 6 mill DH. I really like the 6 mill DH to hold all my gear, which includes 40D, 70-200, 24-85, 19-35, 430ex II & tons of extras. The only problem I have with it is a little bulky w/ all the built-in padding. I really don't see myself using this cute bag as often as I would like. I think I might keep it when I want to take all my gear and have the F-5XC for easy travel & walking.

My only question is the bottom part of the bag. I haven't seen any really good pics of the bottom of the bag, looking down from the top. If I put my flash (in case) on the bottom, does the vertically held lens topside sit on it , or is there a shelf that divides the two? I am worried that every time I take any item out it will just fall like a Tetris game. It's a good game, but I don't want to play it w/ my expensive gear.

Thx.
Steph

There are 2 padded dividers that come with the bag, both articulated so you can fold them in thirds. I use one as "floor", for my camera w. lens to sit on, and the other folded like an upside-down U, creating two seperate, smaller compartments at the bottom. Perfect for my camera + 3 primes kit. It will all make sense when you get the bag :)

I love mine so much that I just got an F-1X as a carry-all bag. The two really supplement each other well... The F-5XC for camera and lenses and the F-1X for flashes, triggers, gels, cleaning kit etc.

Glad you liked the review, be sure to tell how the F-5XC works out for you :)

[swolfcg]

No problem, I will. Thanks for your response.

[RickRickRick]

Can anyone with this bag please post pictures of a side view when it's loaded and a picture of themselves carrying it on their backs? Trying to figure out if it looks good or not.

[jsvfoto]

Many thanks for this review. I've been looking for a "street" bag that doesn't look like a camera bag. I'll be picking this one up real soon.

Kind regards,
JSV

[Romenyc]

Great review. I decided to change my dividers to how you have them, which solved my lens shade issue addressed in another post of mine. I think this bag is perfect for street shooting, or traveling light to places that are not conducive to larger bags or do not allow them (museums, etc.). Plus, as others have mentioned, it looks like a messenger bag, so it's fairly low profile.

[darosk]

Great review, been considering this bag recently.

[romeo26]

what do you guys think...
will the 7d w/ 24-105 f4L attached, a tokana 11-16f2.8 or 16-35 f2.8L, and a speedlight 430 ex2 fit in the bag for day shooting?

[Jim G]

Very nice review... thanks for posting :)

[jsvfoto]

I bought this bag last summer, and what a blast it's been.

It is almost the perfect street photography bag.

There are two versions, the waxed and the un-waxed. In Canada the waxed was running at $189 at Henry's. I bought the non-waxed version from Adorama for $89.

Pros:
Compact
Rugged canvas material
Great strap (gets more comfortable with USPS shoulder pad)
Can accommodate more than it looks like it could
Awesome velcro flap...it's prevented stuff from falling out when I forgot to close the bottom zipper
Easy to access top zipper to get at your gear
It doesn't scream "Photographer"

Cons:
Figuring out the best combination of the inserts is a pain
Very little padding


*************
I ended up buying other padded inserts off Ebay, and added them throughout the bag. I'm currently looking into actually tearing the top of the inside and inserting a sheet of foam to add extra padding, while leaving the fabric alone so I can still use velcro inserts inside the bag.

If it were better padded this would be the perfect bag.

I can squeeze my FE with a 20mm f4, my D40x with a 50mm f1.8, a YN-460 flash, one of my 85mm f1.4 lenses, a remote control, some film, and a body cap/rear lens cap plus a few other small accessories. What more could you want to carry?

Any larger and it would feel like a notebook bag, any smaller and it would seem like a gas mask bag (a la Indiana Jones). It's just the right size for my needs.

[ChadAndreo]

can your 40d fit with a grip?

[alemmo]

anyone know if you can fit an Ipad into this bag somehow? sorry to revive such an old thread lol

[treck_dialect]

will this fit a gripped 7d with a 24-105 and the hood in place mounted on it,a 10-22 and a 580exII?

[Jon]

Not a gripped body with lens attached. Of the Domke bags I'm familiar with, the F3x is the smallest that'll take a gripped body while the lens is attached.

[olivier34]

Juste received it from UK. It's the perfect bag for my 5DmkII plus primes (Zeiss 21, 35 and 100). I can aso change the dividers to fit my 70-200 is II !
Thank you very much for your review it was helpful !

[SuzyView]

Love my bag. I use it a lot these days with the 5D2 and flash.

[LRM]

I'm just wondering..

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4584391287_7a3350379b.jpg
That photo tell me that i can fit my 40D with 70-200mm F4 L atached to body inside the bag, but would Canon 28-135mm and 50mm 1.8 also fit in there? Maybe some few misc items also.

[Jon]

I don't have the F5XC or the 28-135, but it looks like there's room either under or beside the 40D/70-200 for a couple of lenses. I'll qualify that since I have no idea how long the 28-135 is, so there may not be enough room to stack the 28-135 and 50. I suspect that if you had the 28-135 on the body and the 70-200 in the bottom you'd be able to squeeze the 50 in.