Club Obi Wan

Does anyone here use their Indy bag as a serious camera bag? By serious, I'm not talking about chucking a point and shoot in there with your mirror, lipstick, tam........umm......

I mean an SLR chassis, a couple of lenses, some filters, and other equipment.

Do you use any sort of padding or dividing mechanisms?

I use mine for just that. I usually carry the body and primary lens for that particular day in my hand, then extra lens filters and such in the bag.. also my Holga goes in there, too. I don't put extra padding in there.. but probably should.

All that to say, I carry an extra lens and my other various gear in there. haha

Randy

Holgas are great fun! Anyway, the MkVII is nice because the divider allows you to compartmentalize your body, lens, etc. But if I were looking for a serious camera bag for a high-end rig, I'd get just that, a serious camera bag. The real camera bags should have better padding and protection than a typical canvas bag, and they're designed specifically with cameras in mind.

Oh, I know. I have a SERIOUS camera bag, but I was curious to know if anyone used their Indybag for it. The Indybag is certainly more accessible than the backpack variety that I use.

Do you guys really carry Holgas? WOW.

I don't call my rig a high end. SLR yes high end.. no. I shoot a Nikon D40. I wouldn't carry an expensive camera in a MKVII!

I just don't use my Holga enough! Need to change that. Also, this reminds me I've got a roll in there that needs to be developed!

Back on track..

I'd be careful with expensive equipment and buy a camera bag. they have some very nice ones that have rugged features.

Randy

Gotcha, maboot. Yeah, I've used mine as a camera bag before. I admit I haven't taken some of my old film cameras out in a while, but when I did, the Holga was frequently in my bag. They're fun and quirky! Here's a snap of a rare artifact, found on an archaeological dig:

I'm still learning mine. Half the first roll I did were double exposures on either side. ha

Randy

That's half the fun of the Holga, playing with double exposure... all while carrying camera gear in your MkVII. Actually, one of the compartments is perfect for a camera that size.

I've got a great backpack for all my camera gear, but sometimes, especially in the heat of summer, the backpack isn't ideal.

I was one of the last people I know to switch to digital. I was strictly film forever. I became great at knowing when to shoot and when not to shoot so as to conserve film. After a while, the switch just made sense, so now I have an old N-65 for film SLR, but I don't use it anymore, because my new digital SLR chassis does all I need it to, and I can shoot to my heart's content.

I don't feel bad chucking my chassis OR my lenses in the indy bag. My biggest concern is chucking the chassis in with the lens ATTACHED. Many lenses mount with plastic threading that can snap easily.

That's the key, detaching the lens from the body before putting it in the MkVII. In that case, I think it would make a pretty decent camera bag. I hear you about film, though. For me, funds were tight enough that I couldn't afford to process my film on a regular basis. And then I found I was using my point-and-shoot digital a lot more. I should dig out the Argus C3 and my Yashica Mat again...

Ha ha ha. I'm starting a company called Argus. Won't be cameras though. I hope they don't mind.

What brand digital do you shoot?

I use mine for my Canon Powershot S5, memory cards, extra lens and slave flash attachment all the time. In fact when someone borrows my camera, I just hand them the Indy bag.

Which means from time to time, I get others to wear Indygear whether they want to or not.

For years as a working professional I've used Domke bags for the reason they are made out of heavy canvas. I prefer natural materials as they tend to behave in ways I find appropriate to heavy use. They also don't have much padding and aren't bulky. I've worn out a number of them and always sew them up and duct tape them until they're no longer useable.

Shooting with something small like Leica M's, a small bag like the Indy was always what I was looking for before I knew what an Indy bag was. One great one was a Swiss Army medical bag. Now I use the Indy for carrying a rangefinder.

But for SLR's the Indy would be best for holding maybe a lens and some memory cards or a lens and some film with a body that will hang from your shoulder. But I usually carry two large bodies (they make cameras too big these days) and two fast lenses (17/35 2.8 and 80/200 2.8 plus a 300 2.8 when needed) all of which are too big to fit in that bag. I prefer the smaller size Domke for SLR work, plus there's a little padding that's needed when throwing stuff around. I've destroyed a lot of gear over the years.

By the way, the lens on Holga's are too good. I prefer the much less perfected "original" toy camera and it's clones that I've used over the past decade or so. The below have no post processing other than converting to duotones, so you get "junk" straight from the negative.

Impressive work Raider S!

Randy

Raider S, you prefer the Diana cameras and clones? I'd love to get my hands on one, but they end up going for more than I'm willing to pay for one. I've still seen some excellent Holga images (apart from goofy images of garden gnomes ). I also like to shoot with my father's old Hawkeye Brownie. I have a rare Pouva Start which is a funky bakelite camera with a cool twist out lens. Fun cameras, the lot of them. All this talk of film is making me want to dust off those lenses!

Rick, hit the flea markets and house sales. My favorite, that has been all over the world with me, still has the 69 cent price sticker from the Salvation Army store I found it in. I probably have 10 or more of them and all but two or three were found for a dollar or so at junk stores and sales.

One suggestion for working with DSLR's is to avoid taking the lens off as much as possible. Dust is the enemy and a reason people use several bodies is to stick a lens on each and just leave them. Constantly taking a lens off to put in a bag will get that sensor dirty in no time.

I'd show more photos but I do a lot of nudes with them so I'll refrain. I also still build my own odd cameras and make primative lenses.

I had to get my sensor cleaned a while back.. what a nightmare! the place suggested by Orlando's reputable hometown camera shop next to ruined the camera. I had to end up sending it to Nikon for repairs.. which cost half the price of the body's used worth.

Randy

I use an Ortlieb waterproof camera bag myself, can't fit any extra lenses or accessories in there but that's why I usually only carry my EF-S 17-85mm IS lens.

theinterchange wrote:What brand digital do you shoot?

I swear by my Nikon D-80. The Nikon "hundreds" just don't seem to give me THAT much extra functionality. Not anything I can't work with a new lens.

I love my D40, it's a tough, light weight, go anywhere sort of camera.

Randy

Hey guys,

I shoot with a Canon EOS 40D and a wide angle zoom as primary lens, so it doesn't fit in the MKVII as easily as I'd like it to. I do, however, keep my telephoto, binoculars, and miscellaneous small gear in my MKVII and use a LowePro mini for the 40D and wide angle lens because it's small and snug. I've updated the strap on the mini (of course) but no other mods are necessary. In the field, mostly the camera is around my neck or in my hand and I'm accessing the MKVII more than the Lowepro anyway.

I spent two and a half months in Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Inda) last year including a tiger safari in Northern India and carried my gear in the MKVII, Lowepro, and a larger National Geographic shoulder bag for everything camera when moving around the countries. Day trips = MVII and Lowepro.

You can check out some of the shots I took on my photo site:

http://www.wadeshots.com

Also, one thing you can do... I took the padded pocket out of my large camera bag and fit it into the larger compartment in the MKVII to hold the camera body or lens safely in the MKVII on small day trips or hiking to a shoot. Just give added protection.

Best,

W.E.

Very nice Wade!

Here is a link to a simple picasa library of some of my shots. They are all taken with either a Pentax Program Plus, a Nikon N-65, or a Nikon D-80.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dan.madore/ ... Portfolio#

Oh, and I may take your suggestion about taking the padded parts out of my camera bag and putting them into my Indy bag.

Great shots Dan. I love the one of you and your wife, very creative. And the colors on the Tony Stewart, that was film right?

Randy

Thanks Randy. The 20 car at turn 1 through the fence was definitely on 35mm Kodak film!

I use my MkVI as a camera bag all the time. I went to the fabric store and bought some cloth that is quilted and has padding. I made a protective sleeve for my video camera. It’s easy to slip the camera in and out of the sleeve as I need it; the padded sleeve provides protection to the camera when it’s in my bag.
It’s worked well in the jungles of Mexico, the beaches of Hawaii, and the most hostile location of all....Vegas!
Regards,
Forrestal

maboot38 wrote:Thanks Randy. The 20 car at turn 1 through the fence was definitely on 35mm Kodak film!

For that nice of color, I pretty much knew it had to be.

Randy

That's not the film, its Tony's brilliance!

Great stuff Raider S and maboot! I've checked out Raider S's stuff before. Very cool. Not too many people get the chance to get to Macchu Picchu these days. A true Indy adventure and extremely interesting place.




W.E.

Thanks Wade. Some of my El Slavador project is currently up in New York and I'm hoping for funding to continue work there. Though it has one of the highest, if not the highest, murder rates in the world, the people are beautiful and warm. Sportier a place than touristy Peru and it's worth doing a Google search to see various facts and figues and State Dept. info. Sobering.

I think you can buy various spray-on type products to help waterproof canvas and it might be a good idea for those wanting to keep a camera in an Indy bag. At least on the bottom of the bag for when setting down on the ground.

I'd fit a piece of closed cell foam along the bottom of the bag for some protection. That's always been the place that seems to damage equipment; sometimes you set things down harder than you plan too or a strap slips off the shoulder. It would also help to give the bag some shape and keep it like a rectangle.

I have to agree about touristy Peru. I'd much rather be shooting in El Salvador, although for ruinas, I think Belize might be best. At any rate, I think the travel photography might have to take a back seat to the new baby photography, at least until she gets her passport!!!!

Yes, I used a Mark IV to hold my Pentax 35mm when I did work in Miami back in the 80's. It was the perfect size and compact enough for use when flying around in a helicopter. No bulk.

Regards! Michaelson

Yep use my MK to carry my cameras all the time. It fits my FM or F3HP perfectly even with my 80-200 attached, sometimes an extra lens or two a few extra rolls of film. When it comes to digital I find the D40 fits great and a nice combo is the D40 with a 18-200 attached. My D70 is a bit tighter fit, anything larger then that no way in heck. I keep a folded up shemagh in there to use as padding and in case I need it in the field.

As mentioned changing lenses in the field is a chance for dust and dirt to get in. One of the reasons I use the 18-200 on the D40 so much.

A little story, I was out in the field doing some research for school and I had taken my FM with 50mm lens attached to help document my work. Well I get out in the field hiked about 3 miles from the truck and the sky opens up. My FM was in my MK and that was all it had to protect it. When the rain would die down a little I would take it out take some photos and put it back in the bag. This was an absolute torrential down pour I was soaked to the bone and so was my MK. I got back to the field lab and pulled the camera out and the inner pocket had stayed completely dry! I was so shocked by that. I mean that lil FM and 50 have been very abused temps ranging from -30 F to over 120 F and absolutely drenched so I figure the MK is an awesome bag for it.

I also use Domke bags as well.