Gear

Voigtlander 18mm - The Most Exciting Lens For Fujifilm In Years!

Voigtlander 18mm f2.8 Color Skopar for Fujifilm X-Mount

I have been waiting for this for years! A small and compact, 28mm (full frame equivalent), manual focus lens, with focus tab. This just might be the best street photography lens for Fujifilm, ever!

As an owner of the Voigtlander 27mm f2 Ultron (review coming shortly), I already know that the built quality on the new 18/2.8 will be premium. The focus will be smooth and the aperture ring will have just the right amount of clicks stiffness. The 27/2 is a great little lens, but for street photography using zone focus, this will be amazing!

My one concern is the very short distance between 2 meters and infinity. The 27/2 has the same travel distance between 3 meters to infinity and I found that to be very short. But I did get used to it fairly quickly, plus the 18mm will have much more depth of field than the 27mm

I still love my original Fujifilm 18/2, but it’s never been the best lens for zone focusing on the street.

I’ll review this as soon as I get my hands on one, but needless to say…I’m excited!

Fujifilm Framing Outline Feature

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As a music photographer I often have trouble seeing where the edge of the frame is inside my viewfinder while shooting in dark venues. I often have pictures where my subject’s head is just touching the top of the frame where I thought I had allowed headroom.

So I was delighted when I found (by accident) a feature that is in the X-T2, X-T3, X100F, X100V, and I’m sure all the latest cameras. It’s called ‘Framing Outline’ and it puts a grey outline around the frame on both the electronic viewfinder and the rear LCD screen. Here’s where to find it.

SET UP - SCREEN SET-UP - DISP. CUSTOM SETTING - 'FRAMING OUTLINE (usually the last on the 4th page). Just make sure that’s ticked and you will see an outline on your frame.

This is not just a great feature for those of us shooting in dark music venues, but for portraits against black or dark backgrounds or any kind of night shooting. Give it a try and leave a comment below if you find this useful.

What's In A Music Photographers Bag

I sort of fell into the genre of music and over the last seven years, I’ve shot more than 300 artists and taken more than 50,000 pictures as a music photographer. I shoot all types of music, but mostly jazz. I am currently the official photographer for the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) and my pictures have been featured on album covers, tour posters and magazine publications. At the time of writing this post, I am putting the finishing touches on a book featuring the last 7 years with the SNJO.

THAT WAS THEN

There was a time when I shot Nikon alongside my Fuji’s, but with the release of the Fujifilm XF50-140mm f2.8 my D800 (amazing camera) ended up staying at home, and after six months or so of no use my full Nikon kit was sold. I also used a Lowepro backpack for a long time, but as I often have to pull my camera back out of the bag just as I am about to leave a venue, a shoulder bag is the way I go these days (mostly).

THIS IS NOW

These days I am using a Domke F2 (black canvas) bag. It’s not a massive bag, but it’s not small either. What I can fit inside the F2 is about as much weight as I want to carry and as it is packed full, I have to take out a lens if I want to include a different one. This works well for me as I would end up carrying way to much gear otherwise. If I know I’ll be shooting a lot of backstage pictures I might wear my belt-pack to the gig and put an X-Pro2 body in one of the side pockets as I prefer a rangefinder-style body for that sort of shooting.

SIDE POCKETS

Starting at the F2’s side pockets. I have a BlackRapid Yeti double harness strap, a Manfrotto Pixie mini tripod and a Spider Holster in one pocket, and a small pouch that attaches to my belt in the other pocket.

BLACK RAPID YETI

The BlackRapid strap takes up a lot of room and I have thought of getting rid of it and using regular straps many times, but this harness works well and is easy to adjust quickly for one camera or two.

SPIDER HOLSTER

The Spider Holster is rarely used but can be handy when using a third camera. I keep the spall spanner/wrench in my belt pouch for attaching the little stud to the bottom of the camera.

BELT POUCH

These tactical pouches are available on Amazon for very little money and are essential for what I do. I put this on my belt as soon as I arrive at the venue and it saves me from having to get to my bag (which can be at the side of the stage) for essentials. I keep a notebook, pens, spare batteries, SD cards, business cards and a lens cleaner in this. It also has a section on the outside for my iPhone, which I insert upside down, face inward (and muted) so that it doesn’t light up on its own.

LOWEPRO PADDED WRAP

I have had this green Lowepro padded wrap, that came with another bag, for years. It is folded like an envelope and mostly just lies on top of my gear as the F2 doesn’t have any padding. I keep an iPad mini in the zippered pocket on the lid of the F2, which protects the screen on the back of my camera, but the wrap is just added protection. It can also come in handy for kneeling on or a number of other uses.

INSIDE THE BAG

FUJIFILM X-T2 AND XF 16-55mm F2.8 WR

The Fujifilm XF 16-55 f2.8 lens is attached to my X-T2 most of the time and this the camera and lens combo that I keep handy at the top of my bag so that I can pull it out or put it back in the F2 easily. It sits in the bag with the lens facing down. This comes in handy when leaving a venue as I often have to pull a camera out for a few shots, or if I keep it out it means I can slip it back in at the venue door without needing to remove the bag from my shoulder. Something the backpacks are not functional for.

THE FUJIFILM X-T3

The amazing 50-140 f2.8 lens is my concert workhorse. It can’t fit in the Domke attached to my X-T3, so the camera body fits inside the F2 square insert. These inserts are divided into 4 sections for lenses, but unlike the older versions that were sewn, the newer ones have Velcro so the section can be adjusted to take the X-T3 with the battery grip attached. This also creates a space for my Zoom H1 audio recorder (more on that later). I attached a spare Billingham Velcro insert above the X-T3 that acts as a hinge and folds over to protect the X-T3 and X-T2 from bumping into each other.

SWITCHABLE LENS

Still on that square Domke insert (this one is included with the F2). I have the 23mm f1.4 lens in the photo above, but this is where I keep my switchable lens. By switchable, I mean that if I need to bring another lens, it will go in here and the 23mm will stay at home. This stops me from carrying too much equipment and weight (more on these extra lenses later).

Front pocket contain audio equipment (left) and white balance tools & business cards (right)

LENSES

I have a 16mm f1.4 and a 56mm f1.2 stacked in a tall square Domke insert I bought on Ebay. I use the JJC square metal lens hood on both these lenses (and the 23/1.4), so they can be stacked safely as they have flat plastic caps. I highly recommend these lens hoods. They are equal in quality to the Fuji optional ones, but less expensive.

The 50-140mm f2.8 workhorse lens sits inside a Domke insert that comes with an F-4AF bag. This insert is a bit wider and has the space required to include the tripod mount on the lens. I attach the BlackRapid strap to the tripod mount instead of the camera as the weight of this heavy lens would put too much strain on the camera’s lens mount.

NISSIN i40 FLASH

I rarely use flash for music photography (never ever for shooting during a concert), but sometimes I might need to use it for a backstage portrait if the light is really bad. The Nissin i40 is small and slips in the F2 between the sidewall of the bag and the smaller of the lens inserts. It sits in there and I forget about it until I need to remember. The i40 runs on 4 AA batteries and has enough power for anything I need on a music shoot. If I am required to shoot promotional portraits or promo shots, I will take a bag full of Yongnuo YN560 IV’s, stands and modifiers. But that’s another story.

AUDIO EQUIPMENT

After being asked to shoot some after-show video clips and interviews without any notice, then having to cobble a less than ideal setup to get by with, I now always keep a small audio kit with me. You have already seen where I keep the Zoom H1 inside the main compartment of the F2, and the Manfrotto Pixie that can be used as a tabletop tripod for shooting video. I use one of the front pockets to store a Rode lav microphone and extension cable (including an adaptor to allow it to fit the X-T3 or my iPhone). I also have a set of Apple earbuds for monitoring sound and a spare 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable that can be used to attach the Zoom H1 to the X-T3’s headphone socket. So I can record audio in camera, lav mic to Zoom H1 or both at the same time.

WHITE BALANCE

The other front pocket of the F2 is used for business cards and white balance tools. I have a Color Checker Passport, ExpoDisc and a set of white balance cards on a lanyard. Overkill? Perhaps. I also use this bag for portrait shoots so the Color Checker is invaluable.

OPTIONAL LENSES

The three lenses that I often swap out when needed are the 12mm f2.8 Samyang, the Fuji 10-24mm f4, and the awesome Fuji 90mm f2. These lenses all have their use, but it can often depend on the venue or the job. For instance, The 12mm Samyang is useful if I can get on stage behind a band or orchestra and shoot toward the audience.

CARDS AND CLEANING

I also take a JJC SD card holder (stored in with the white balance tools) and both the RocketBlower (F2 side pocket) and a Lens Pen. I also have a lens cloth in my belt pouch. I don’t use lens caps so like to clean my lenses before a show.

iPAD

It’s not shown in the photos, but I also keep an iPad Mini inside the zipped pocket in the top lid. I often send a couple of pictures during the interval from a camera to the iPad using the built-in wifi feature. I edit these using Snapseed and then send them to the client so they can be used on Facebook to promote the following night’s performance. It saves me having to do it when I get home.

Lowepro CompuTrekker 350 backpack, Domke F2 and the Domke F-1x

OPTIONAL BAGS

If I really must take extra gear I can use the larger F-1x (bottom right in the picture above) which can hold a massive amount of gear but can get too heavy. Or I might opt for the LowePro Computrekker 350 backpack if I’m travelling by train and have a long walk to the venue.

A FEW LAST TIPS

  1. Always have more than one camera.

  2. Always have at least one camera with a lens attached in your bag.

  3. Always keep spare batteries and cards on your body.

  4. Use a belt bag or pouch to carry your spares and phone.

  5. Make sure you get a photo pass from the venue or the client.

  6. Lock in your white balance, it will save you hours of editing time later.

  7. Shoot completely manual. I tend to shoot at f2.8, /125th of a second and adjust my ISO using the front command wheel.

  8. Clean lenses before a show.

  9. Sync camera clocks before the show (see below if you forget).

  10. Make sure you have enough space on SD cards for the full show.

SYNCHRONISING CAMERA CLOCKS AFTER THE SHOOT

It is crucial to synchronise the clocks on all cameras used on a shoot. It’s always better to do this before the gig, but it’s very easy to forget. So here is a method I use when I get home. I use a world clock app called ClockZ which constantly updates the time and is extremely accurate.

  1. Shoot a photo on each camera of your phone while it displays the world clock time.

  2. Ingest all the pictures from your shoot into Lightroom.

  3. Press G on your keyboard to enter Library Module Grid Mode.

  4. Click on Metadata above your pictures.

  5. In the camera section, choose one of your cameras.

  6. Now go to the last picture you shot (which should be the one of your phone).

  7. Click on that picture.

  8. Hold down Command (Ctrl on Windows) and press A on your keyboard to select all.

  9. Now ho to the Metadata menu at the top of your screen and choose Edit Capture Time.

  10. Make sure ‘Adjust to a specific time and date’ is checked.

  11. Input the time & date from the picture of your phone into the ‘Corrected Time’ section.

  12. Click ‘Change’. It will warn that this can’t be undone but don’t worry about that.

  13. Now repeat the process for your other cameras and all your pictures will be in sync.

If you have found this post helpful and you are thinking of buying any of the gear I use? You could help me out (at no cost to yourself) by buying from Amazon UK using the links below. Thanks.

The Domke F-3x One Year On

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I wanted to do a follow-up to my review of the Domke F-3x that I wrote back in August 2018 called Domke Or An Ass. There’s so much more you pick up on a bag (or any product for that matter) after using it over a long period of time. Those things tend to be both good and bad. Probably the biggest thing I’ve realised about the F-3x (which would apply to a lot of Domke bags) is that it’s a blank canvas and should be adapted to the individual.

Top row (left to right) Fujifilm X70, X-Pro2 & X100F. Bottom row (left to right) Fujinon 50mm f2 & 16mm f2.8 lenses stacked, GoPro Hero 7, Fuji WCL-X100 lens & wallet.

Top row (left to right) Fujifilm X70, X-Pro2 & X100F. Bottom row (left to right) Fujinon 50mm f2 & 16mm f2.8 lenses stacked, GoPro Hero 7, Fuji WCL-X100 lens & wallet.

BILLINGHAM SUPERFLEX INSERTS

I wasn’t keen on the setup of the F-3x main compartment as it had very little protection for my gear. Two very thin canvas loops (designed for lenses and a single piece of padding to keep two bodies apart is just not enough (for me at least). Smaller lenses can get under those bottomless canvas loops and go on a tour of the bag, visiting the rest of the gear inside with nasty results. So in my review, I used two different inserts. The Billingham Hadley Small is narrow, doesn’t really utilise the space of the F-3x that well, but is a good insert for the bag and provides a great amount of protection for the equipment inside. The Koolertron (seen in my review), although a great insert with good protection, didn’t really make use of the amount of space it took up, which was all of the main compartment. It also made the F-3x very boxy due to its tight fit and is the full height of the bag. Domke dividers didn’t give me the sizes I was looking for.

But then I came across the Billingham Superflex Partitions, a full range of fold-flat bottomless inserts that allow me to use the space in my F-3x more efficiently. The Superflex series are all 15cm in depth (back to front), which is almost perfect for the base of the F-3x (just overhanging slightly). The height and width of these dividers are in the names, with the last number always being the height. So a 9-15 is 9cm wide and 15cm tall (remember the depth is always 15cm across the range. A 10-18 is 10cm wide and 18cm tall. The F-3x can take the 18cm range comfortably, but I opted for the 15cm high ones as it provided a good depth for my cameras and lenses without having to dig down to reach my gear. It also leaves some room on the top for a scarf or a book if required, and lets the lid of the bag be a little more loose and floppy, which I like about the F-3x.

A view with the content pulled out slightly.

A view with the content pulled out slightly.

All of the Superflex inserts are divided into two compartments and there is a good amount of variation from size to size. The 9-15 is divided up into two sections of 9cm and 6cm, which is ideal for my X-Pro2 with a Gariz leather half case and either a 16/2.8, 18/2, or 35/2 lens attached in the 9x9cm part and then I can fit an X70 without a hood, or more small lenses. It’s worth pointing out that one compartment on each insert is always a square. So the first number of the name has that many centimetres square. 9-15 has a 9x9cm compartment, 12-21 has a 12x12cm compartment and so on (see diagram below).

My X100F sits nicely in the 8-15, which is divided up into 8cm and a 7cm compartments. So the X100F can fit in the 8cm space with lens hood attached and the X70 can fit in the 7cm space with lens hood attached too. My third and last Superflex divider is the 7-15, which like the 8-15 is divided up into 8cm and 7cm compartments. This one is ideal for lenses and accessories. Here is Billingham’s chart for the various sizes of Superflex inserts (the 9-21 to 12-21 won’t fit the F-3x, they are too tall). You can also find my review of the excellent Billingham Hadley Small Pro HERE.

These are the sizes available of the Billingham Superflex Inserts

These are the sizes available of the Billingham Superflex Inserts

THE WAX OF THE RUGGED WEAR BAGS

You can sit at a computer for days reading about all that has been written about the wax coating of these Rugged Wear Domke bags. In my opinion, they look good, but no-one wants to get wax on their hands that then gets transferred on to cameras and lenses. So I went through a phase at the beginning of leaving my F-3x outside in the sun and wiping the wax off with a towel as much as possible. Waterproofing is nice, but it’s not a massive deal for me, and if I really did get caught in a massive downpour I know that most of my kit is weather sealed. So one year in and the wax has been removed quite a bit by me and by natural use.

Domke Post Office Pad on the F2 Shooters Bag. The most comfortable shoulder pad I’ve used.

Domke Post Office Pad on the F2 Shooters Bag. The most comfortable shoulder pad I’ve used.

DOMKE POST OFFICE PAD

Domke’s Post Office Pad is an optional accessory that I bought at the same time as the F-3x. It can make a huge difference in the comfort of the shoulder strap when carrying a lot of heavy gear. I was very grateful for it on days when I had my Hasselblad system (500c/m, two lenses, two backs and a light meter) and the Fuji system together. But around the six-month mark I started to notice the glue that held the rubber padding to the plastic shoulder plate (that attached to the strap) was breaking down.

BILLINGHAM SP50 LEATHER SHOULDER PAD

Another option for a shoulder pad on Domke bags with a 2” strap is the Billingham SP50. These pads are well made and come in either Tan, Chocolate or Black leather. They have a decent amount of padding and look great, but the Domke Post Office Pad wins for comfort.

VELCRO ON THE MAIN FLAP

This is a negative point I’m afraid, but not a deal-breaker. The velcro on the main lid of the bag should have been twice the height that it is because unless the bag is stuffed full, the two pieces of velcro can miss each-other completely and be useless at holding the bag shut. This is a problem because Domke users tend to only fasten the metal clamps when in transit but rely on the velcro while working out of the bag.

One other slight annoyance is that the ring to attach the main clasp at the front of the bag seems to be under the bag rather than on the front. The clasps themselves tend to get a bad right-up, but I don’t find them to be a problem and I can easily undo the one on my F-3x one-handed while the bag is on my shoulder.

SLEEPING WITH THIEVES

After using the F-3x for a good length of time, I have found that they are pretty good for sleeping on while sitting in a chair at airports and hospital waiting rooms. I have my Shemagh scarf sitting on the top of my bag (between the cameras and the lid), so it’s quite comfortable to put both arms over the top of the bag and lay my head on my arms. This also ensures your bag will still be there when you wake-up. So I’ll admit it; I love my Domke so much I’ve slept with it :o)

Domke F2 (top left), F-1x (top right), F-3x (bottom left and the F-803 (bottom right). All three black bags are canvas but the F2 is new.

Domke F2 (top left), F-1x (top right), F-3x (bottom left and the F-803 (bottom right). All three black bags are canvas but the F2 is new.

DOMKE BAGS ARE MOREISH

Domke bags can get a little addictive once you have used one. It’s even worse in, like me, you have a natural affinity for really worn and even abused bags. Domke is sort of the Leica of camera bags. Just like an old M3 looks better with plenty of brass showing through the black paint, Domke bags look better the more scuffed and faded they become. I for one have spent far too many hours trolling Ebay for used and abused Domke’s.

Ruggerwear waxed canvas bags are sort new as they are made from a cloth material. The standard canvas bags are less pliable and take a while to break in but become soft like denin as time goes by.

SIZE COMPARISON

There can often be some confusion over the size of Domke bags, so hopefully, the pictures above will help if you are considering one of these camera bags. The F2 is my work bag and holds a lot of kit, but it has to be packed in a specific way to fit in everything needed for a music shoot with an X-T3 & X-T2 kit. I will get round to doing a post about the F2 soon. In the meantime, leave any questions in the comments below and I’ll try to hep if I can.

You can buy the F-3X at Amazon UK

I also have a review of the small Domke F-5xb

Meike 25mm F1.8 - A £65 Lens Review

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£65 for a lens. I know what you’re thinking. But if you really are thinking what I think you’re thinking…think again.

During a recent trip to Milan where I shot with an X100F, X-Pro2 and X70, the latter of which I was zone focusing for street photography. I started thinking I would like a manual focus lens for the X-Pro2. I have the 16mm and 23mm, which along with the 14mm are the best manual focus x-series lenses available, but I wanted an old school manual focus lens. I wanted something small with depth of field markings. I also wanted something around a full-frame equivalent to a 35mm, but I wasn’t really interested in using a lens mount adapter. So a quick search on the web, a few YouTube videos later and I had settled on the Meike 25mm f1.8. It was a bonus that it was available for just £65 on Amazon.

A picture of my son after a paint ball session on a grey November day. A few small adjustments in Lightroom

BUILD QUALITY

Build quality on this multi-coated lens is fantastic. All metal construction with 7 elements in 5 groups and smooth aperture and focus rings. The lens feels solid and has a bit of weight to it. It actually looks and feels like a vintage lens in so many ways, helped I’m sure by the Voightlander style focus ring.

WHY BUY THE MEIKE 25mm v THE FUJIFILM 23mm?

Fujifilm lenses are fantastic but they are all, focus by wire, which basically is an electronic sensor, rather than a mechanical focus ring. So the focus rings continuously turn with no hard stop at either end. Sure the 14mm, 16mm and 23mm all have a clutch mechanism and have a definite stop at either end of the range, but they are not linear (except when using X-T3 or X-Pro3 linear focusing mode). The Meike 25/1.8 is just like a vintage lens in that the focus mechanism is mechanical and has hard stops at either end of the focusing range. I wish Fujifilm would make a full-frame equivalent 28mm & 35mm lenses that are not focus by wire. Proper street lenses similar to the Leica Sumicrone 28 & 35mm. Let’s hope they replace the current 18mm f2 with something like this, with hyperfocal distance markings. That would be worthy of a mkII version.

IMAGE QUALITY

The picture on the left (finger in the earhole) is straight out of camera (SOOC) and the one on the right has the following adjustments in Lightroom Classic.

  • +0.20 Exposure

  • +15 Contrast

  • -20 Highlights

  • +48 Shadows

  • +15 Clarity

  • +15 Texture

Adjusting contrast etc has pushed the saturation a little, and looking at it hear, I wish I had dropped it back down again. I’m too lazy to go back and fix it, so the yellows are a bit strong on this one. But I like the tones from this lens. These are the tones I always wanted when I used to shoot with Nikon DSLR’s, but I could never quite get there, even in post.

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I’m impressed with how the Meike lens renders colour. It’s rich and warm, plus there seems to be an earthy brown tone, which I really like. There is a difference in exposure by around -1/3 of a stop from what you see in the EVF to the darker image captured, but you get used to that and compensate as you shoot.

LIKES

  • Great build quality

  • Small size

  • Multi-coated

  • Smooth aperture and focus rings

  • Depth of field markings

DISLIKES

  • The centre markings are not quite in the centre

  • I wish the markings for feet or metres were in a different colour

  • Clickless aperture (It’s ok but I prefer clicks)

This one was shot using the Acros film simulation. It’s been given a bit more punch in LR, but the JPEG was nice too.

This one was shot using the Acros film simulation. It’s been given a bit more punch in LR, but the JPEG was nice too.

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CONCLUSION

I’m really enjoying using this lens. My X-Pro2 suddenly feels like an old rangefinder film camera. It slows the process down and that can be a good thing. Colours are also nice and it’s sharp enough (especially at street photography apertures such as f8 or f11. At £65 it is a no brainer to pick one of these lenses up and give it a try.

Buy on Amazon

Domke F-5xb: Lightweight Street Bag

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Over-filling camera bags is something I (and I would assume many others) have a problem with. If there’s a space for another camera I’ll throw one in. An empty front pocket? I’ll add more batteries, notebooks or who knows what. So the only way around this sad affliction is to use smaller bags if I want to travel light.

Street photography is one area where I like to travel light because of the large number of miles I end up walking, and The Domke F-5xb is an ideal little bag for that very reason. I have the brown RuggedWear wax canvas version. It’s one of five Domke bags I own (at the time of writing this). I bought this one-second hand for £22, it’s in great condition and has none of the waxiness that these RuggedWear bags can sometimes have.

The Domke F-5xb with a standard iPhone 7 for size comparison

The Domke F-5xb with a standard iPhone 7 for size comparison

These two Velcro patches sit too high to make contact with the narrow strip on the front flap

These two Velcro patches sit too high to make contact with the narrow strip on the front flap

EXTERIOR

Unlike a lot of the larger Domke models, the strap on the F-5xb does not go all the way around the base. Instead, it attaches by oversized clips onto an O ring at either side, and these rings are attached using looped pieces of thick canvas sewn onto the side. The clips are extremely tough and do not unlatch accidentally (like ONA bags do). The strap is the standard Domke webbing version with the dual non-slip rubber strips to hold it in place on your shoulder. Another oversized thing is the YKK zipper. It’s chunky and both the tabs used to close the zip are massive. This zip will probably last longer than I will.

I do wish Tiffin would change the straps to a dark brown on these brown Rugged Wear bags as these light ones get so dirty during day to day use.

The zip on the main compartment is covered by a flap. This flap acts as an extra layer to keep the rain out, to keep thieves from opening the zip, and also to cover the front pocket. The pocket is a single compartment, with no zip or velcro, for holding small accessories. I have my wallet, a tiny Moleskine notebook, two spare Fuji batteries, and my Apple AirPods. I probably shouldn’t keep my wallet in here as it’s not that thief-proof! The bottom of the pocket is oddly sewn an inch and a half up from the base of the bag making it a little too shallow, even though there doesn’t seem to be a reason for this.

One downside to this front flap is that the pieces of velcro that hold it closed are positioned in such a way that they only connect if the bag is stuffed full. Each piece should be taller in my opinion.

The oversized belt loop at the back

The oversized belt loop at the back

Domke says this is a small bag or belt pack, meaning you can unclip the strap and use the sewn-in loop at the back of the bag to attach it to your belt. This might work if you use a separate belt and don’t overstuff the bag with too much kit, but I wouldn’t recommend putting it onto the belt that’s holding up your trousers/pants or you might find the photographer becomes the photographed.

There’s enough room inside the main compartment for 3 mirrorless cameras and an iPad Mini

There’s enough room inside the main compartment for 3 mirrorless cameras and an iPad Mini

INTERIOR

Inside the main compartment of the F-5xb, you will find two dividers that allow for three compartments for cameras and lenses. I have three Fuji cameras in here, an X100F, X70 and an X-Pro2 in the centre compartment with one of the smaller Fujicron lenses attached (16/2.8, 18/2, 35/2, or 35/1.4). I mostly have the 35/2, which gives me 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm (in full-frame terms) across my three cameras. If I want to carry one or two other lenses, I have to leave a camera at home. The F-5xb is always a compromise but it keeps the weight down. For the past few weeks, I’ve had the manual focus Meike 25mm f1.8 attached to the X-Pro2. More on that lens in a future blog post (or two).

The interior padded section is sewn into the bag, but there is a compartment between the padded section and the inside front of the bag. This compartment is exactly the right size for an iPad mini with a low profile case. Obviously, this adds more weight, so a choice has to be made.

One downside of the interior is the lack of padding on the ends of the bag. Domke has many bags that lean toward being smaller and better for working out of rather than being heavily padded. But the F-5xb is well padded at the front, rear and base, so why miss out on padding the sides? The bag is tiny so a couple of extra centimetres in length wouldn’t have made that much difference. My X70 and X100F lenses both face outward (toward the sides) so I have added a couple of dividers from other bags to help pad the sides a bit, even though it does make the inside of the bag a little tight.

The front pocket doesn’t have a zip or Velcro to hold it shut and is only covered by the front flap

The front pocket doesn’t have a zip or Velcro to hold it shut and is only covered by the front flap

CONCLUSION

The Domke F-5xb is a fantastic little bag that is super comfortable to carry for a full day street shooting. When I’m using a camera on the street the 5xb feels so lightweight and the rubber grip strips embedded into the strap keeps it from sliding off my shoulder. This bag is equally good for using the strap crossbody style. Like all Domke bags, they are very well made, plus they look and feel better with age.

PROS

  • Small & lightweight.

  • Extremely tough.

  • Rubber grip strips embedded into the strap.

  • Over-engineered parts, especially the zipper.

  • Doesn’t look expensive (and isn’t).

  • An internal base plate that keeps water out.

  • Can be re-waxed to make water-resistant (can of wax supplied).

CONS

  • The front pocket is not very secure.

  • Front pocket could easily have been deeper.

  • Velcro for the front flap is positioned badly.

  • No padding on the ends of the bag.

  • Difficult to fit a pen.

Billingham Hadley Small Pro Review

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My day to day small walk around camera bag for the past two years has been the ONA Bowery in Dark Truffle leather. I also have the ONO Prince Street (also in Dark truffle) but my Hasselblad stuff lives in that one. I still really love the Bowery for the amount of gear I can fit in such a small space, but I felt like trying something new.

My friend John Summers had given me an insert for a Hadley Small a while back and I’ve used it in various bags, including the Christopher by Millican and recently in the F-3x by Domke. The size of that insert is perfect and almost identical to the Bowery. So after looking at various small bags from many different manufacturers, I kept coming back to the fact that I was looking for something that would either take the Hadley Small insert or have the same interior size. So being the genius that I am, I finally realised the bag I was looking for might just be a Billingham.

Not being too into the beige thing and wanting to be a lot more stealth; I opted for the black bag with black leather details. The original Hadley Small is still available (£159 in the UK), but the new Hadley Small Pro was released last year (£199 UK) and has some really worthwhile additions to the original bag (more on this later).

The Hadley Small Pro is made from Billinghams FiberNyte material, which has a layer of rubber sandwiched in the middle of its three-ply makeup. This makes the Hadley range permanently shower proof, no need to apply wax or use an additional rain cover when out in the rain. My bags always get soaked at some point, so this will be a really handy feature. The strap on the original Hadley Small was stitched to the side of the bag, but the Pro has a removable strap via leather fasteners. I would rather have the older method as I don’t trust straps that are removable. This is mostly due to the ONA Bowery strap coming undone loads of times as I lifted it from the passenger seat of my car. This resulted in the destruction of a Fuji X100F when the Bowery hit the deck. My Bowery now has zip ties holding the clasps on the strap permanently shut. Time will tell if the Billingham is more secure than the ONA, but it is absolutely solid right now and should stay that way as I won't be removing them, causing the leather to soften.

The handle is fairly rigid and easy to grab. It’s riveted and stitched to the top of the bag which has an internal support

The handle is fairly rigid and easy to grab. It’s riveted and stitched to the top of the bag which has an internal support

Another new feature on the Pro is the addition of a handle on the top. This is ideal for that passenger seat scenario and a great feature to have. I would make sure the lid is secure before using the handle, but at least the Hadley Small Pro doesn’t tip over, spilling everything onto the ground. .

Two more new features on the Pro are found around the back. The first is the welcomed addition of a luggage strap so that it can be slid over the handle of a rolling suitcase. All bags should have this in my opinion.

Waterproof zip keeps iPads or documents dry and the luggage strap is really useful

Waterproof zip keeps iPads or documents dry and the luggage strap is really useful

Just above the luggage strap, you will find the waterproof zip for the rear document pocket. This is a super handy pocket that will keep documents or iPad Mini 100% dry. Well worth the price difference between the Pro and the older model.

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The main compartment of the Hadley Small Pro (and also the original Small) is one open space that can be used as it is, or with the included insert. This is one of those bags that feels bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I can easily fit my X-Pro2 with the 35mm f2 attached, X100F with lens hood, and two lenses stacked in the third partition (I have the 50mm f2 and the WCLX100 wide angle converter lens). Two cameras and four focal lengths (28, 35, 50 & 75mm in FF terms) is fantastic in such a small bag and there’s even enough room in there to include the pancake 27mm too. Or I can leave the 50/2 at home and take my X70 for a bit of shooting from the hip. The insert is held inside the bag using a single stud fastener at the front. It has a padded hinged lid to protect gear from things falling on top..

This is everything I have in the Hadley Small Pro. The Fuji X70 gets swapped for the 50mm f2 sometimes

This is everything I have in the Hadley Small Pro. The Fuji X70 gets swapped for the 50mm f2 sometimes

The front pockets are held shut with stud fasteners and are really great for a bag this size. Both are roomy and can be expanded or reduced in size by fastening a stud at the outer side. This also creates a makeshift pen holder. I can put my passport sized Midori Travellers Notebook, pens, wallet, memory card holder, phone, spare batteries, and Apple Airpods in there with space to spare. 

The leather and brass fixings ooze quality and should last a lifetime. I opted for the black leather on a black bag, so the fixings are also nickel plated. It’s almost criminal to not show off the leather like on some of the two-tone bags, but I need something that doesn’t draw attention. I was almost tempted by the green version though as they always look really nice on the web.

The front fasteners as extremely stiff due to the excellent quality of leather and can be awkward and time-consuming to open, but it should just take a short amount of time to loosen up to the point of opening the bag one-handed.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

I opted to buy the SP40 leather shoulder pad at the same time as the bag. Not having tried the bag before, I wasn’t sure if I would even need a shoulder pad, but I thought it was better to be over prepared than have a sore shoulder. The pad is as well made as the bags and is easily attached or removed by two heavy-duty stud fasteners. The underside of the pad is grippy and curves around your shoulder perfectly due to grooves that allow it to bend without kinking.

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CONCLUSION

The Hadley Small Pro is an ideal bag for smaller kits. Leica owners or mirrorless shooters alike will love it. I have a backpack for my more demanding shoots, which is where my X-T3, X-T2 and most of my other lenses live (including the bigger red label f2.8 zooms). But for day to day walking around documentary and street shooting, this is an ideal bag. It’s waterproof and versatile and I'm looking forward to using it on a few trips abroad this year.

I also have a Tenba Cooper 13 Slim that I use when I need to carry my 13” MacBook Pro with me. The Cooper has been a fantastic bag, but I might try a Hadley Pro or a Hadley One to see if it would work as my mid-sized bag. Life would probably be a bit easier using different sizes of the same bag...I think.

Pros. 

  • Top Handle.

  • Luggage Strap.

  • Rear waterproof pocket.

  • Removable camera insert.

  • Good amount of padding.

  • A generous amount of dividers (unlike ONA).

  • Good sized and expandable front pockets.

  • Comfortable to wear on long walks.


Cons

  • I would have preferred leather on the base or some sort of wipe clean material.

  • Leather tabs are a bit short to get a proper grip when opening the bag.

  • Difficult to open one-handed (this might change as the leather softens).

Find out more at www.billingham.co.uk

But the Hadley Small Pro at Amazon UK

Touched-Up: A Fujifilm X-E3 Review

Small but perfectly formed (from the front), the X-E3 is a good looking camera

Small but perfectly formed (from the front), the X-E3 is a good looking camera

Back in the early days of the X-Series, I shot with the X-Pro1 and the X-E1 together (one on each side). Although their performance wasn’t even close to the super-powered X-100F, X-Pro2 and especially the X-T3 I shoot with now, they were so nice as a working pair. They were like the same camera in slightly different skins. As the X-Pro1 grew long in the tooth and the X-E2 came along, I started to use the X-E2 and the X100S (then the X100T) as a working pair. I was so into the X-E2 (and by that time the X-T1 had came along) that I didn’t think my setup had any room for the (then) soon to be released X-Pro2. That seems strange now because my X-Pro2 is always with me. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I’ve always loved the X-E cameras.

So when the X-E3 was announced I had that same feeling. My X-E2 was sitting in my desk drawer getting very little action and I was wondering if there was a space for this latest version in my current line-up. There’s only one way to find out. So I took one out for a week to see how it performed.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first thing I noticed when I opened the Peli case, was just how small it looked and felt. It’s only slightly shorter than the X-E2, but it seems a good bit smaller in a few ways. The design on the front is a little cleaner I would say and the front grip is pretty much the same.

Not quite as wide as the X-E2 but it makes quite a noticeable difference

Not quite as wide as the X-E2 but it makes quite a noticeable difference

TOP PLATE
The top plate is almost the same as the X-E2, but the X-E3 doesn’t have a built in flash. There is no dedicated ISO dial, but the shutter speed dial is a little on the small side for an X-Pro2 style dial. The Fujinon logo has been left off, as it has on the X-Pro2, but I’d like to see a return of this logo on the top plates of all rangefinder style cameras.

MEET ME ROUND THE BACK
The back of the camera is where things get real (as the hip kids say). On the plus side, the thumb grip is perfect and results in the X-E3 being much more comfortable and safer to hold than it’s predecessors. The joystick has also been included. Fantastic! There are now three buttons along the back of the top plate (next to the viewfinder), like the X-Pro2. The diopter is to the left of the viewfinder, but recessed enough so’s not to get changed by accident. 

IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME
Let's get the D-Pad touchscreen and button placement thing out of the way. As a photographer that owns and uses many X-Series cameras (often using two at a time), it drives me crazy that button placement has not become standard across all X-Series cameras. The X-E3 has the play button at the bottom, which is typically where the Back/Display button would be. For me, the Play Button should be at the top (below the joystick), with the Menu/OK button below that. Obviously different departments design each camera, but I wish all X-Series rangefinder style cameras could get a standard button layout.

X-E2 back with D-Pad and a much more tactile thumb wheel.

X-E2 back with D-Pad and a much more tactile thumb wheel.

I love the D-Pad on all my cameras. It's basically 4 function buttons in a small space that I can control in the dark without taking my eye away from the viewfinder. I have the D-Pads on all my cameras set up (as much as possible) the same way. But the D-Pad has been omitted from the X-E3 (even though there's space for it). This is a deal breaker for me. I was worried that this would become the norm going forward, but I was happy to see a D-Pad on the X-T3.

I mostly hate touch screens, but I find the one on the X-T3 very useful for video recording. I would have left it off of the X-E3 though. Like the touch screen on my X70, I turned it off on the X-E3. But before I turned it off, I went out and shot some street photography. The touch screen function buttons, where you can swipe at the top, bottom, left and right side of the screen is the worst feature on any camera I have used. Every time I lifted the camera to my eye, something else had changed and it took me a while to work out it was that dumb touch screen. But it does have one useful feature…called OFF.

The Auto switch is so useful when shooting street photography, jumping from full manual to auto

The Auto switch is so useful when shooting street photography, jumping from full manual to auto

I was super pleased that the X-E3 has an Auto button on the top plate. I use this often on my X70 as I tend to shoot street photography totally manual with the focus also set to a fixed distance (click HERE to see my post about zone focusing). But when I step inside a building and the light changes or if I want to grab a quick shot close up or far away without upsetting my settings, I simply switch to Auto, grab the shot and switch back to manual. Love it!

Image quality is exactly the same as the other X-Series cameras as they all share the same sensor

Image quality is exactly the same as the other X-Series cameras as they all share the same sensor

SIZE MATTERS
The X-E3 is very small, even smaller than the X-E2, but it feels so comfortable in my hand. Part of it is due to the front grip, but mostly to the rear thumb grip. Although this camera is a standard X-Mount and can take any of the XF or XC lenses, it is definitely better suited to the smaller lenses. I automatically attached the 18mm f2 straight away when the body arrived, and it's just perfect for it. Although the 18/2 could do with an updated mkII version with internal focusing and even weather-proofing (if that's your thing), it's still a great little lens and so well suited to the X-E3. But basically, any lens that is physically small, like the 27/2.8, 35/2, 23/2 will be great on this camera. Obviously, the larger X-Series lenses will work on this camera but will be very front heavy.

WHO IS IT FOR?
Where the X-E2 felt more like a backup for the pro photographer with the X-Pro1 or X-Pro2. I feel the X-E3 is aiming more at people that love shooting with smartphones but want to take it up a notch. It would be a fantastic little vlogging camera, but lacks the flip round screen of the X70.

I hate a smeared LCD screen but there's no escape with a touchscreen

I hate a smeared LCD screen but there's no escape with a touchscreen

CONCLUSION
The X-E3 is a damn fine camera. The performance in such a small body is stunning! And though It bothers me a that they omitted the D-Pad, I do think this camera will do extremely well for Fujifilm. New parents that want to document their kids life in very high quality won’t go wrong with this with a 35/2 lens attached. At the moment, I’m shooting with an X-T3, X-T2, X-Pro2, X100F and X70, so I don’t think the X-E3 has a place in my bag. But if I needed a small compact video camera, this would be the one. Which is the very reason my Kage Collective buddy Kevin Mullins bought one. More about that at www.f16.click

LIKES

  • Auto Button (like on the X70 and X-T20)

  • Joystick

  • 24 Megapixel sensor

  • X-Processor Pro III

  • My Menu

  • Rear Dial Auto Focus (needed on the X-Pro2)

  • Front Dial ISO (needed on the X-Pro2)

  • Design (very handsome little guy)

  • Thumb grip

  • Trash /Drive dual purpose button

  • AF Mode ‘All’ (this should be on all X-Series cameras)

DISLIKES

  • Touchscreen function buttons (it’s just not my bag baby)

  • No D-Pad

  • No ISO Dial

  • Button layout different from the X-Series rangefinder style bodies

WISHES

  • ISO Dial

  • D-Pad

  • Top-plate Fujinon logo (on all Fujifilm cameras)

  • Front Fn Button

Domke Or An Ass? : The Domke F-3X Review

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Watch any Hollywood films featuring photojournalists and chances are there will be a Domke in there somewhere. I rewatched an old documentary on YouTube recently called 'The Photographers (a film about National Geographic photographers) and all of them were using Domke. I've been using the F-3X for a couple of months now as my every day carry around camera bag and have also recently used it while traveling to the Czech Republic.

A Brief History Of Domke
You can download a free ebook by Jim Domke from the Tiffin website for an interesting and detailed history of the Domke company's beginnings, but here is my very short version. Skip this section if you have no interest in the past.

Jim Domke was a staff photographer for the Philadelphia Inquirer back in the '70's. Frustrated by the hard shell camera cases available at the time, which were made for setting down and working out of, rather than working out of while it was on your shoulder. Mr. Domke started using fishing bags, which although offered little to no protection, did allow him to work out of and swap lenses on his cameras. Fishing bags were also soft and adjusted to the shape of the user's body.

He then went to a manufacturer and showed them his fishing bag but asked them to make him a similar thing but with a few modifications to suit photo gear. The Philadelphia Inquirer liked the bag so much that they ordered the bags for the rest of the staff photographers. They even started to sell them as an add in the paper. This went well until advertisers started to complain because it conflicted with their own products. So the New York Times stopped selling the bags and Jim Domke was in business. Many photographers made requests for modifications, so the original version went through a few changes until the Domke F2 Shooters Bag as we know it today, was finalized. The F-3X is a similar style of bag to the F2, but a little smaller. Domke is now owned by Tiffen

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Waxy As A Waxy Thing
My first impression of the F-3X was not exactly what I had expected. Having looked at many pictures on the web, I decided to order the Rugged Wear wax canvas version because it looked as though it would become really beat up looking very quickly. I had read various reviews and comments about the wax finish, with some saying it was too waxy (greasy) and some saying theirs had no residue problems. So when mine arrived I was a little disappointed that the wax was indeed a bit too heavy. Nobody wants to get wax all over their hands and then have to handle cameras and lenses. So I left the bag outside, hoping the sun would burn the wax off. The F-3X instantly looked wet. Over time the wax has worn off and I'm sure when I eventually give it a scrub in the shower (Domke recommends this rather than putting it in a washing machine), the wax feel will be gone. A tin of wax is supplied with all Rugged Wear bags, so it can be reapplied if required.

F-3X Build Quality
I was a little surprised when I first held the lid of the F-3X up to the light. The wax canvas material was much thinner than I had expected. I bought the bag from Amazon and my initial thought was that it might be a fake Domke (to shoot all that fake news). But on closer inspection, I noticed how well made the bag is. The single clip on the front to hold the lid of the bag closed is solid and with a bit of practice is easy to work with one hand. It's not always necessary to use the clip though as the lid also has Velcro.

One of the most impressive features in the build quality front is the shoulder strap and handle. The latter is a simple canvas strap that comes in really handy when lifting the bag to and from the passenger seat of a car. It can also be unclipped and reattached to a couple of D rings on the back of the bag. I think this is to allow the bag to be held onto the handle of rolling luggage. I managed to do this fine while the handle was in its normal position. In my opinion, the handle is a little longer than it needs to be.
The shoulder strap is impressive in a few ways. It isn’t noticeable because of the side pockets, but the shoulder strap actually goes around and under the bag, so it is actually supported from the bottom, rather than from the sides. That isn’t the full truth though, because the strap that goes under the bag and the one that hangs from your shoulder are two separate straps. The good news is that they are joined together by really tough plastic attachments. The underside of the strap has two strips of rubber to grip your shoulder and keep the bag from sliding off. This works really well. I also purchased the optional Post Office Pad which has a thick rubber padding and makes a huge difference in comfort when carrying a fully loaded F-3X. Jim Domke copied the shoulder pad used on the bags of US postal workers bags.

The F-3X In Real-World Use
The only way to really know how good a camera bag is and how well it functions in the field is to use it. So I've carried the F-3X with me every day for the last couple of months, using it for everything except for a couple of shoots where I needed to use more kit that would fit in the Domke.

This is the original Dome configuration. Great to work out of with a little amount of kit, but very little padding

This is the original Dome configuration. Great to work out of with a little amount of kit, but very little padding

The F-3X is a strange shapeshifter of a bag. It's happy with a little kit or a lot of kit and molds nicely to the shape of your body. I must admit that I haven’t used the bag in its usual setup, which is basically two thin canvas hoops that are sewn in the sides of the bag. These look like two lens pouches. A single lightly padded square with Velcro at either side is also supplied. This pad connects both of the side pouches and sets the bag up as a two camera and two lens configuration in the main compartment. The downside with this setup is that there is very little protection for the gear and the top half of the bag is wasted space. See the next section for my two preferred ways to set up the F-3X with optional inserts

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The F-3X has a good amount of pockets for storing all sorts of kit. The hidden one under the main flap is really handy to store cash and passports as it has a zip. I can only guess that this was the pocket Lindsay Addario used to store her passport when she was kidnapped in a war zone a few years ago. Although her kidnappers went through her Domke, they didn't find her passport and she was able to pass herself off as an Italian photographer (rather than an American one). Read Lindsay's great book called 'It's What I Do' for the full story.

The front pocket is the large single space variety, rather than sewn up into two smaller ones. It functions well and is good for sunglasses and memory card wallets etc. But it's the side pockets that are the jewel in the crown. Two many bag companies either make the side pockets too tight or forget to include them at all. Not Domke. The side pockets on the F-3X are large enough to carry lenses or water bottles. I bought a pet treats pouch from the local pet store (beats me too), which holds any of my Fuji primes snuggly and with extra padding. A climbing chalk bag is basically the same thing.

One major flaw of the Domke Shooters Bags is the way they design the top lid and the lids on the side pockets. In both cases, the material is cut too narrow at the end that attaches to the bag. So the side pockets have gaps that rainwater could get in. Likewise, there can be gaps on each side of the top lid unless you take the time to pull each stretch the lid out over the bag. In the case of the lid, unlike other bags that have flat lids, the F-3X is stitched so that it forms a little roof.

Two Ways To Set Up The F-3X With Aftermarket Inserts
Like I said, the Domke setup doesn’t protect gear much and has a lot of wasted space too. Although the side dividers are sewn and can’t be removed, they easily fold flat against the sides of the bag leaving one large compartment. So I've been using two different aftermarket camera bag inserts depending on what my needs are.

The Dome F-3X with the Hadley Small Insert keeps the bag nice and slim. The centre space holds my X-Pro2 and 35mm f2 attached.

The Dome F-3X with the Hadley Small Insert keeps the bag nice and slim. The centre space holds my X-Pro2 and 35mm f2 attached.

The Hadley Small insert (above) was given to me by my friend John Summers and is the same width as the main compartment on the F-3X. I can divide the insert up into three sections and get my X100F, X-Pro2 with the 35/2 attached and X70 with the WCL-X100 underneath. That leaves a bit of space in front of the insert for a book and still leaves all the pockets free for extra lenses and batteries etc.

The Koolertron (above) is an insert I bought on Amazon especially for the F-3X that is almost exactly the same size as the main compartment. I also have this one divided up into three compartments. This insert gives a little more room for longer lenses, so I can have my X-100F with the WCL-X100 attached and the X-Pro2 with anything up to the Fuji 90/2 attached. Again this leaves the other pockets for lenses or batteries etc. Click HERE for a link to the Koolertron on Amazon UK.

Traveling With The F-3X
I chose to use the Hadley Small insert for my trip to the Czech Republic. The Koolertron is great for holding lots of kit, but because it’s almost exactly the same size as the main compartment (and fairly rigid), it makes the F-3X a bit boxy and I wanted it to be soft and easy to carry. I wanted it to sit on my hip and mold around me, making it easier to move through crowded spaces and busy public transport. I made the right choice.
My Bose QC25 headphones fit in any of the end pockets and the hidden zipper pocket in the lid allows me to put my watch, cash, and passport in there as my bag goes through airport security. I don’t need to worry that someone will grab my cash if I get stopped at security. The rear pocket is ideal for my iPad mini and all the hotel and travel documents that I print out just in case I need them (I also keep digital versions in Evernote). I don't think the Domke is a bag that will attract the attention of thieves. It doesn’t look like, nor is it an expensive bag. It’s a really functional travel camera bag.

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Conclusion
Domke bags may not be for everyone. Even if you like Domke, the Rugged Wear version may not be for you. I would say it's best to see them in the flesh at a proper camera store (if you can find one of those). The F-3X is a winner for me and I'll be using it a lot. This bag was never meant to be my every day carry around bag, so I'll be going back to my ONA Bowery for that. But my Domke is so versatile I can see this as my go-to bag of choice for a number of situations. Like ONA bags, the Domke bags just get better looking after lots of use and abuse. I can't think of a better camera bag for traveling either. My F-3X already looks as though it has been on the road for a long time. Maybe I'll do a follow up to this when it starts to get really frayed at the edges and has a few battle scars.

Positives
Shapeshifter
Large side pockets
Hidden pocket with zipper
Grab handle/luggage strap
Great for inserts
The strap goes under the bag
Rear pocket fits iPad Mini or paperwork

Negatives
Wax is too waxy
Flaps are too small to keep rain out
Very little padding

You can buy the F-3X at Amazon UK

Bastards

Photo by Kevin Mullins

Photo by Kevin Mullins

My Kage Collective buddy Bert Stephani, who a lot of you will know as a Fujifilm X-Photographer, excellent photographer and all round nice guy, has had his camera gear stolen.

Bert is based in Belgium and while he was out doing a talk at a local camera club, thieves were breaking into his house and stealing most of his camera gear. He is a professional photographer, so he depends on his equipment to be able to make a living. Not only was Bert doing the talk for free, but he often works on a project to help refugees. Nice guys don't just finnish last, they get humped!

Here is a list of his stolen gear, plus serial numbers. It was stolen in Belgium, but it could easily pop up anywhere in Europe and could be available internationally through Ebay.

Fuji GFX50S SN:71005024 (Fuji strap was attached, contained 2 Lexard cards, probably without battery charger or any of the other supplies accessories)
Fuji GF63mm SN: 75A02439
Fuji GF110mm SN: 76A01409

Fuji X-T2 It has one of the special customized serial numbers: BERT S1 (There was a green strap attached, probably without a battery charger, flash or any other accessory, there were 2 SanDisk cards in there.)
Fuji XF16-55mm SN:56A23230 (probably without lens cap, was attached to the X-T2)
Fuji XF50-140mm can't find the serial number, it didn't have the tripod collar attached
Fuji XF100-400mm SN65A07297

These items will probably be offered without box, lens cloths, or any of the accessories they should come with. If you see anything that might be Bert's, please contact him at bert@bertstephani.com