Help me choose a new Domke

I've had my Domke F-5XB for several months and love it. Its compact, small, and light. Perfect for local outings where I want to be a minimalist. It can hold my 500d, 24-105, and 50 f/1.4, with batteries, hoods, and extra SDHC cards. Truth be told, its a squeeze for transport.

I want to get another larger Domke for events, sports, and vacation. The times when I need to carry more gear. I would like a bag that can carry my gripped 500d (since the F-5XB can't handle that), a lens on the body, 2 to 3 extra lenses, and a 430EX II.

The lenses this bag will see are:
-24-105
-50 f/1.4
-85 f/1.8 or 100 f/2
-135 f/2
-70-200 f/2.8 IS

The bigger lenses will most likely be rented per event, but a 85 f/1.8 or 100 f/2 should join my militia soon.

The three bags I'm looking at are:
-F-4AF
-F-6 Little Bit Smaller
-F-3X

I'm more interested in the F-4 and F-6 because I like the thought of padded inserts. Any thoughts, concerns, or input for me?

None of them.

The F3x would handle your 500D with the 24-105 and a 50 + 85 or 100, or 24-105 with 70-200. (maybe substituting the 135 for one of the other two lenses).

The F6 would only take the 70-200 horizontally, which means there wouldn't be room for more than one of your other two (24-105 or 135) bigger lenses with the two small primes.

And the F4 would, I think (it's the only one of the lot I don't have) be pushing it with all those.

I'd suggest the F-2 with the 720-230 3-compartment insert and, maybe, a single- or double-compartment insert. The 720-230 compartments are a bit larger than the other insert compartments; it's about the only insert I use. In the F2, with the 70-200 mounted on the camera, you'd need to lie the camera/lens on its side, and the grip would force you to a 2-compartment insert, or collapsing one of the compartments of the 3-compartment one. I've been doing that for 25-30 years with no problems (not, obviously, with the 70-200, but with other Canon tele zooms). The lens by itself will be able to stand vertically in the 720-230 in an F2 though. The 135 f/2 and 24-105 will also be happier in the larger insert. And you can stack the 50 and 85 or 100 in a single compartment. If you don't keep the 70-200 mounted to the body while it's in the bag you can store the camera with an attached lens vertically in the F2 and use a 720-230 and a 720-220 insert for your lenses.

If you want to carry all those lenses with the 70-200 mounted, you'll need an F1x or F7AF, or to lose the grip. Personally, with that many lenses along, I'd want a second body so I spent more time shooting and less time changing lenses. And I typically use an F802 (ungripped bodies), F1x or F7 Double AF for my combo. I typically have the 5D2/24-70, 7D/100-400 or 70-200 2.8, a Sigma 15-30 UWA and a flash in the F802; with the F1x I can add a P&S, second flash, and maybe a small prime (35, 50 or 85). With the F7, I can carry both the 70-200 and the 100-400 (or the 300 f/4) in addition to the 24-70 and 15-30, the two flashes, and a couple of small primes. Note: lifting this isn't something to be taken lightly. Pun unavoidable.

Thanks for the input Jon. I thought about it and I think there might be some confusion; I don't want to carry all of those lenses, just a couple at a time.

I'll post some scenarios for what I think I might use:

Outdoor sports:
-24-105
-70-200 f/2.8 IS

Indoor sports:
-70-200 f/2.8 IS
-50 f/1.4
-85 or 100

Events/Vacation:
-24-105
-50
-85, 100, 135, or 70-200
-430EX II

I'm not really interested in the F7. I'll have to check out the F2. IIRC it was loads bigger than the F3x. I don't want a bag that is too big, just something that can carry 3 lenses and a flash. I really don't see myself having the need to carry 5 lenses and 2 bodies any time soon, nor do I have the money for that.

The F4 can handle any of those combinations. It would actually hold everything in the first post so long as you put the 50 and 85/100 in a side pocket.

F3x and F2 side by side:

Hey Jon, you have a lot of gear Would you mind taking some pictures of any of my probable lens combinations in your f-3x? Obviously the lenses don't have to be exact, but if you can get similar that would be awesome.

I went to the local brick store to test fit some gear in the F-6 and F-4AF. The F-4 was way way way too deep for all lenses except the 70-200 f/2.8. Also having the external pockets made it hard to fit more than a pair of lenses in the bag. The F-6 on the other hand was nice. It was able to fit a 70-200 f/2.8, 50 f/1.4, 85 f/1.8, 430EX II, and a gripped 50d with 24-105 attached. It was a snug fit, but there was still room left for batteries and the larger lens hoods (70-200 and 24-105).

I didn't get to play with the F-3x which is why I'm making a request I guess the only thing holding me back from the F-3x is the lack of inserts and being too clustered to work out of. The F-6 holds everything nice and tidy.

If you like the F6 and can fit your gear in it then you really should take a close look at the F2.

Well after a lot of thought, I went and got myself a F-3x

Staszek wrote in post #10411591
Well after a lot of thought, I went and got myself a F-3x

I don't know why I ever doubted this bag. I just got it today and am in love! Thanks for the recommendation Jon. I won't be fully filling this bag up for a while, but it will hold any lens that I want to rent in the mean time