Justin Low

I’ve been looking for a bag smaller than my Hadley for the longest time. While the Hadley is a great bag to bring travelling, and to use as a day-bag, it is sometimes too large—occasionally, I only want to take out my Leica, one lens and a few rolls of film.

I had considered a Hadley Small, or the L2, both from Billingham, but they were outside my budget. I had a look at the Artisan & Artist Evan’s Walker a friend bought, but the form factor wasn’t really to my liking. The last option I was thinking of was the Domke F-5XB.

I chanced across an auction for a black one on eBay, and the price seemed good. It was 30% cheaper than what I would have paid locally. It’s here now, and I’m satisfied with it.

The F-5XB is half the size of the Hadley, and roughly the same depth. A Leica with a 50mm Summicron fits nicely, along with half a dozen rolls of film and a Sekonic L308B meter. There is ample space left for my wallet, cellphone, iPod and a notepad and pen. I could probably put another lens in there, but I don’t like full bags—it makes it hard to access the equipment within.

The bag feels comfortable against my body, and the strap feels very secure even when hung on a shoulder. I typically wear my bags with the strap across my chest, and the Domke seems to sit well.

Compared with the Billingham, I must say that the Domke is well-built considering the difference in pricing. Costing 60% less, it would be unfair of me to criticise the lower build quality.

The most obvious would be the choice in materials: the Domke uses a coarse canvas, and while it’s better than the Cordura material used in Crumpler bags, the smooth, fine canvas used for the Billingham is worlds apart.

The stitching is sound, but there are a number of loose threads and other bits on the inside of the bag. Although it does not affect the functionality, it does imply a lower manufacturing standard than the Billingham.

I have a few gripes about the bag:

How these play out in use is yet to be seen. I’ll update my review once I’ve used the bag enough.

At this point, I’m satisfied with the F-5XB, and folks looking for something to hold a small rangefinder kit would do well to consider it.

Comment

  1. Hi justin,
    I just came across your site and it just so happens i’m also making a decision between the bags you’re talking about. Especially the A&A’s Evan’s Walker and the Domke.
    Could you describe why you didn’t like the A&A in more detail? I thought the fine canvas and red inserts were beautiful, not sure about feel though. Feel free to email me ;)

    Thanks!
    Shaun

    — Shaun Tan · 18 April 08 · #

  2. I realize this is a very old post, but I’d like to throw in my opinion on the F-5XB. I think it’s a great small kit bag. I use it regularly to carry my M8 with one lens mounted, and two extra lenses. Each piece is in its own section. In the front pocket I can carry an extra battery, cell phone, and other odds and ends. I’ve found it to be just about perfect.

    BTW, I just leave it unzipped, unless I’m traveling somewhere. When shooting, I flip the flap to the back, and I can easily grab lenses, etc. while on the move.

    — Mike · 11 April 10 · #

  3. I use the Domke F-5XB too, but I have customized it a little. To get rid of the metal clinking, I had a shoemaker remove the two hooks and attach the strap directly onto the two rings. Silent as a ninja now. Also I removed the Velcro, all of it. This is no problem, because the flap stays put by itself perfectly anyway. I think a magnet system could be put in easily, but I see no need for it. Left the zipper alone, although I thought about having it removed. But then there would be no way to securely close the camera compartment. Not that things easily fall out, but you never know. Most of the time I just leave the zipper open. You can fold it to the sides a little. I thought about removing or replacing the bottom plate, but the bag needs to be taken apart completely or an incision has to be made somewhere. Didn’t seem the way to go for me. Nice bag, especially now it is tailored to my needs.

    — Robin Smackface · 6 October 11 · #

  4. I think the zipper on this bag sucks, but there’s a simple solution. Fold back the zipper to both sides and secure it with a small safety-pin on each side. Voila.

    — Suzanne High · 2 May 13 · #

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