Domke F-8: NOT for DSLR users!

In2Photos wrote in post #4099182
Sorry. I am a lover, not a fighter.

I don't want your love

Karl C wrote in post #4099028
So, which is better? Canvas or Ballistic Nylon? I have the Lowepro Nova 5 and it's a great bag; carries a lot. The F2/F3 look nice too. I only have a 20D w/grip with 16-35L always attached along with a 50mm, and 580EX (more gear coming though). Maybe it's time to look at the Domke's again.

Instigator...

:p

If it's not canvas, it's not a Real Domke!

F-3x and F-2 side by side:

Initially when I saw "cotton canvas" I was a bit concerned, having never owned one of these things before. Cotton makes me think of t-shirts and things like that.

Couldn't be more wrong. I've always been a fan of synthetic materials till I owned my first F-802. That cotton canvas stuff could even be tougher than elephant hide. I don't baby my bag either, it gets slung into everything, thrown onto car floors, dragged through the mud (literally at last photo op), I run with it through the pounding rain (second to last photo op), and then some. It's the toughest bag I own. Period.

There is one documented report of a photographer wearing through the back panel of his Domke F-2. It only took him 25 years. (I'm not expected to live another 25, so not a big deal)

I did wear the corners of my first F-805. But that has rigid plastic inserts in the end panels to abrade them, and it took something over 5 years of daily use to manage that.

Jon wrote in post #4099592
If it's not canvas, it's not a Real Domke!

Understandable. However, my concern is how well the canvas holds up in inclement weather. I live in 4-seasons country and snow is right around the corner. My Lowepro is pretty weather resistent.

Unfortunately, no local store stocks Domke's. I will be in LA this weekend so maybe I can find them out west.

I live and work primarily in tropical climates where RAIN means the kind of rain that POUNDS on your head and drums inside your skull when you get caught in it. Kinda like standing under a shower running full blast.

A garbage bag makes a GREAT all-weather cover, as well as being useful for a million and one other purposes

The heavy canvas does just fine in anything less than a hurricane. As it gets damp, it swells up. keeping water from running through as it can with nylon. Plus, there's no urethane coating to wear out. Also, Domkes generally have a pocket in the lid, which gives you a two-ply protection there.

Rain or not, I would think you would have another bag to cover that weather. One thing I like about thinktanks is that all their products (not sure if all but the ones I got) all come with seam-sealed rain cover.

I do hesitate to bust out my Domke if it's raining.

As a former news photog .. I've shot stuff from the Artic Circle to Desert Sands to Tropical Rain Forrests ... Domke/Canvas is just fine (I do cheat with a plastic trash bag when weather gets ugly.) I have a 30 y/o bag that still works (you can put stuff inside and it doesn't fall out the bottom.) It's an original bag (back then Jim only made one bag) and cost about $28 ... (if I remember correctly.)

Gary

Jon wrote in post #4099592
If it's not canvas, it's not a Real Domke!

F-3x and F-2 side by side:

IMG NOTICE: [NOT AN IMAGE URL, NOT RENDERED INLINE]

IMG NOTICE: [NOT AN IMAGE URL, NOT RENDERED INLINE]

That's a 100-400 on the 20D in the F-3x, BTW, so it won't be anything like as high with a shorter lens. More like the height of the F-2.

These two pics speak volumes about how "small" the F-3 is guys. I still want one eventually.

Karl C wrote in post #4099674
Understandable. However, my concern is how well the canvas holds up in inclement weather. I live in 4-seasons country and snow is right around the corner. My Lowepro is pretty weather resistent.

Unfortunately, no local store stocks Domke's. I will be in LA this weekend so maybe I can find them out west.

Karl-

Samy's in LA/Costa Mesa used to have a very good selection of Domke bags, I imagine they still do. Man, have they become expensive.

What I like best about the Domke is that they are very fast to get into and out-of. A news photog never/rarely uses a "camera" bag for a camera ... always for lenses and stuff (the camera(s) is kept on the body where it belongs and always ready.) Camera bags are all about changing lenses (and way back when ... film.)

Gary

Lightstream wrote in post #4099687
I live and work primarily in tropical climates where RAIN means the kind of rain that POUNDS on your head and drums inside your skull when you get caught in it. Kinda like standing under a shower running full blast.

A garbage bag makes a GREAT all-weather cover, as well as being useful for a million and one other purposes

Jon wrote in post #4099692
The heavy canvas does just fine in anything less than a hurricane. As it gets damp, it swells up. keeping water from running through as it can with nylon. Plus, there's no urethane coating to wear out. Also, Domkes generally have a pocket in the lid, which gives you a two-ply protection there.

nutsnbolts wrote in post #4099727
Rain or not, I would think you would have another bag to cover that weather. One thing I like about thinktanks is that all their products (not sure if all but the ones I got) all come with seam-sealed rain cover.

I do hesitate to bust out my Domke if it's raining.

Seefutlung wrote in post #4099817
As a former news photog .. I've shot stuff from the Artic Circle to Desert Sands to Tropical Rain Forrests ... Domke/Canvas is just fine (I do cheat with a plastic trash bag when weather gets ugly.) I have a 30 y/o bag that still works (you can put stuff inside and it doesn't fall out the bottom.) It's an original bag (back then Jim only made one bag) and cost about $28 ... (if I remember correctly.)

Gary

Thanks for the info. Time for a visit to Samy's Fairfax.

In2Photos wrote in post #4099862
These two pics speak volumes about how "small" the F-3 is guys. I still want one eventually.

Sorry for the thread hijack, Mike.

Karl C wrote in post #4099885
Thanks for the info. Time for a visit to Samy's Fairfax.


Sorry for the thread hijack, Mike.

No appology necessary. I like Domke talk.

Seefutlung wrote in post #4099880
Karl-

Samy's in LA/Costa Mesa used to have a very good selection of Domke bags, I imagine they still do. Man, have they become expensive.

What I like best about the Domke is that they are very fast to get into and out-of. A news photog never/rarely uses a "camera" bag for a camera ... always for lenses and stuff (the camera(s) is kept on the body where it belongs and always ready.) Camera bags are all about changing lenses (and way back when ... film.)

Gary

I plan on making a pilgrimage to Samy's Fairfax either tomorrow or Friday.

Thanks for the heads-up and info.

In2Photos wrote in post #4099862
These two pics speak volumes about how "small" the F-3 is guys. I still want one eventually.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

It isn't that big if you don't have that gear in there.

Seriously, you will love this bag, it molds, conforms, ........

and not to start a fight with anyone else, but it isn't a padded BOX like a Lowepro Nova