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from Orange Co, Ca. on 1/10/2010
Comments about Domke Domke F-5XB Shoulder & Belt Canvas Camera Bag, RuggedWear:
Very practical size for carrying 1 body and 2 lenses, film, filters. Well made.
[5 of 5 customers found this review helpful]
from Astoria, NY on 8/31/2009
Comments about Domke Domke F-5XB Shoulder & Belt Canvas Camera Bag, RuggedWear:
This bag was smaller than I expected even given the dimensions in the description but now that I've had it for a day and have put it through some paces I feel it is a perfect fit for what I need.
It is replacing a Lowepro Sideline Shooter waist bag. I had been using the straps as a shoulder sling but in the end was pretty uncomfortable. However, it was about the perfect size for a very portable bag and that's what prompted me to look for a similar bag in a true over-the-shoulder design. My main requirement was to fit a Leica with 50mm lens attached plus two lenses and some accessories. Since I normally keep my Leica strapped to my wrist and out at all times, I usually fill the middle space with something else (film, for example) but I was adamant about getting one that would fit the camera with lens attached in case of rain.
It holds more than it seems it should and I'm sure that with age, it will continue to stretch and accommodate a wider array of gadgets. I also wanted it to go unnoticed and it accomplishes this well too. While I am not the biggest fan of the big DOMKE logo on the front flap, the bag is nonetheless stylish and the wax RuggedWear finish gives it a patina that lends a well-worn look and helps it to blend in to the surroundings. It looks like a miniature messenger bag and only those who know the Domke namesake (mainly photogs) would recognize it as a camera bag.
It's a perfect NYC bag - just big enough to carry the things you really need. I also own a Lowepro Elite AW bag and although it is more spacious, it is eminently unwieldy due to its thoroughly square shape and sharp corners. It sits on the hip in a very bad way and perhaps worst, makes no effort to be discrete. Black ballistic nylon begone! The waxy, already-worn finish of the F-5XBRW does away with all these things and leaves you with a fashionable, functional alternative. Also, big kudos for the stylish rubberized strips on the inside of the strap. I give it two thumbs up!