Domke F-6 Little Bit Smaller Ruggedwear Bag Reviews

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List Price: $159.99
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SIZE:

The bag is smaller than I thought it would be. I bought it to use with a Canon 300D, 50/1.4, 100/2, 70-200/4L, and the 18-55/3.5 kit lens. This kit will fit, but it's slightly more cramped than I'd prefer. Since then, I've moved to a 40D, 28-135, 10-22, 50/1.4, 200/2.8, 1.4X TC, and a 430EX flash. This is really the maximum for this bag. One or two middle lenses less would be ideal.

To mold to your hip, the F6 has to have two open spaces in the center partition. It's really designed for people who have some other bag to *store* their gear and want a quick working pack for travel. It's not supposed to be full. If you've got a big superzoom (100-400, 70-200/2.8) or an equipment list similar to what's above, move up to the Domke F-2. It's nearly as discreet, but a lot more spacious.

INTERIOR:

The only interior layout this bag has is a four-part partition held in place by velcro. If you remove the partition, it's just an empty space. On either side of the partition are larger areas that, in my case, hold the 430EX and the 200/2.8. The partition itself was designed for manual equipment: long and thin lenses, and film bodies without deep grips that could be slotted where I have the prime and the flash. That's Domke's graphic, anyway. It's both difficult and inconvenient to fit a DSLR in those areas, though, and you have to remove the lens.

The better solution, and the one I was forced to use because I have more equipment than before, is to have a moderately heavy lens like the 28-135 mounted to the camera at all times. Then you just put the camera face-down over an empty partition space. The malleable nature of the partition and the weight of the lens hold the camera in place, with the added bonus of freeing up space and having the camera ready to shoot.

While it's also possible to do this with the 50/1.4, the bag starts to feel slightly top heavy, so you'd want to have at least one side of the cover clipped to keep everything secure.

BUILD AND FEATURES:

There is no side padding on this bag. It conforms to the waist better for that reason, but don't buy it if you're worried about bumping your SLR. The front pocket, bottom pad, and the partition do keep the lenses in the middle decently protected. If not for this light padding, the bag would not hold its shape. Even as is, heavier loads cause unused pockets to compress in on themselves, so if you take a lens out, it may take a bit of fiddling to get it back in.

The two metal clips stink. They're small, difficult to unclip, and tend to knock about into your lenses when not in use. There's no easy way to remove them, but if you're willing to reduce the resale value of the bag, you can replace them with superior mini-carabiners.

As shipped, the F-6 is not waterproof, but it can be made water-resistant with the same aerosol waterproofer you'd use on leather boots. I put two coats of Kiwi "Camp Dry" 13% Silicon water repellent on my bag two years ago. A water puddle on the cover will still bead for a full minute before it starts to wet the canvas.

IN USE:

People tend not to assume that this Domke is a camera bag. On two occasions, I've been able to enter a sports venue without the ticket-checker bothering to look for equipment. While the front pocket is not padded, it can hold quite a lot. I was able to "hide" a 70-200/4L inside with little change in the bag's outside appearance.

The rubber embedded in the strap is great if you wear the bag like a purse, but I loop the strap over the other side of my neck and across the chest. When I do that, the rubber makes it difficult to shift the bag in front of me without binding my shirt. No big deal; there's no rubber on the opposing side side of the strap, so I just turn it over.

If you fill the bag with my revised equipment list above, it'll feel like a brick on your side and will cause your shoulder to ache after a few hours. I bought the mail carrier strap to mitigate this problem, but I find myself rarely using it. The padding on this optional addition is less soft than it appears in the picture, and the whole item feels bulky. A wider and less-thickly-padded generic alternative would probably work better.

ALTERNATIVES:

There are comparable Chinese rip-off bags by Mekko and Safrotto. They're high quality and cost about 30% less than this Domke bag. I bought the Domke because the olive green color wasn't available in the others, and the Mekko bags in particular have too many ostentatious logos I didn't feel like removing. Otherwise, they're worth a look.

The biggest competition for the F-6 is Domke's own F2. While the F-6 is handsome and functional, it doesn't have much room to grow. The F2 offers significantly more space, though because the unused portions collapse on themselves like with any canvas bag, it doesn't look or feel much larger than the F-6. Had I known that I'd expand my kit to the extent that I did, I'd have chosen the F2.

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I've been using this bag for about six months now and still love it. It's exactly the same thing as the other Domke F-6 Little Bit Smaller Bag (Sand) bags, except for the finish, so check out the reviews on those as well.

The Ruggedwear finish is dark brown, doesn't feel waxy or oily, and doesn't smell. The bag isn't weatherproof, but I've carried my gear on a mile walk through a blizzard when the buses stopped running and everything inside stayed dry. I can't say if that's any different than the normal canvas Domkes, but it's good enough for me. Overall I like the Ruggedwear finish, but I probably wouldn't miss it if I didn't have it.

As for the lack of padding mentioned by the other reviews, I don't think it's fair to hold that against it. It's an intentional design choice: more padding would affect how the bag collapses and carries, and how accessible the gear inside is. Domkes are designed for photographers who need this kind of bag. The style is either totally wrong or perfectly right for you, depending on what you need, but it's not an inherently flawed style.

I carry around a 40D with grip, a flash, several small/medium lenses, and too many accessories and cables in this bag. It's not a bag to transport everything you own if you have a lot, but it's a really versatile day bag. The balance is perfect, and the strap keeps it in place as I walk. The clips on the lid are tough to work at first, but they ease up a little, and I like the extra security their toughness gives me.

It's a good, durable bag. I love mine and would get it or another Domke again, no hesitation.

August 2013 update: I'm still using this as my day bag after three years, and everything I wrote above still applies. The bag sees a lot of outdoors use since I mainly shoot bugs, and it doesn't really show any significant wear. It's actually an excellent working bag for a bug photographer, since it can hold my entire macro rig assembled -though it's a better fit with the flash removed -and the rest of the gear I typically want when I'm shooting.

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I bought the F-6 because it appeared to be a durable, functional camera bag, and it surpassed my expectations. Its tough shell has survived airports, car rides, snow, and daily wear and tear with not even a hint of stress and strain.

With a Canon 30D with battery pack, three lenses (two stacked), charger, filters, and a few other small tools, it's pretty well full inside. It's still able to carry a compact tripod tucked into the top, though.

The inside compartments are removable for flexibility, and other styles can be inserted. The size works well as a carry-on, as well.

The only negative is the brand name rather blatantly displayed on the outside. I'm not big on oversized branding, and it stands out a bit for my tastes. Small issue, though, on such a great product, which happens to be made in America (a definite rarity these days).

Honest reviews on Domke F-6 Little Bit Smaller Ruggedwear Bag

Domke F-6 Little Bit Smaller Bag (olive)

After much research looking for a shoulder camera bag, I kept going back to this one and finally ordered one, and am glad I did. I wanted something comfortable to carry, and I can't imagine it can get any more so than this one offers. Very durable canvas that shapes to your gear and you, surprisingly light in weight, yet offers good protection for carrying around. I didn't want storage, I wanted portable, and this is without bulk. I got my Olympus E-500 with 40-150mm zoom, 14-45mm lens, lens hoods, batteries, filters, cleaning kit, notepad, even a small Canon PowerShot and still have some room in there left over. Could easily get a flash in, as well. Or maybe a sandwich? It's a working bag for on the go.

The bottom has a sturdy pad, there's a 4-compartment insert that can be moved to either side or in the middle, and room for more if you worry about more protection. With my camera ready to go and at one end, I can loosen one clip and have access to it FAR easier than my other bag. The strap has anti-slip on one side that really keeps it on your shoulder, and is thick and comfy. The craftmanship is excellent, with superb stitching, heavy duty webbing, and a fabric that looks like it would withstand a lot of wear. One zippered front pocket just under the flap, another zippered pocket under the flap on the bag, and an open pocket along the back (great for slipping a lens cap into in a hurry). And the best part, it doesn't scream "I have an expensive camera in here to steal!" This is one low key bag. I bought the olive, which is a nice DARK color, and it looks great.

I have a compact tripod that, after adjusting the main strap, I managed to slip into the two "holes" at either end, just above the bag. Perfect! The webbing along each end is also loose so you could hang things with a carabiner (water bottle, lens bag, ??).

Very, very happy with this bag.

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I love this bag. It really is the bridge between the bag that treats your equipment a little too preciously and the thrift store army satchel you can pick up for cheap. It doesn't scream "Hey, I'm a photographer," but it works incredibly well and looks good enough to carry darned near everywhere.

So what's in it? You have a good sized main compartment that comes with a velcro four compartment insert that you can move back and forth wherever you like. There's a zippered compartment under the lid flap (this is the least convenient to get to... I keep my emergency batteries and extra LCD screen protectors there). There's another zip pocket in the front (I keep film, extra memory cards, etc. there). There's also an open pocket in the back (for quick access... snack bars, magazines, a notepad, etc). This past weekend, I used it to lug along a medium format Twin Lens Reflex, a handheld meter, my dSLR, the kit lens, a 50mm lens, a 28mm lens, a teleextender, and five rolls of 120 film easily. The bag was a little heavy, but it was surprisingly comfortable.

Comfort really is the best selling point. The shoulder strap is embedded with veins of rubber, so it grips to your clothes. This takes a bit of getting used to, but the bag won't swing around on your shoulders while walking or biking. It just stays put. And it sits well on your hip... it will bend around you a little, since it isn't stiff. And the canvas feels well worn already. It feels like it's been used for years and just barely broken in.

All in all, this is the best camera bag I've had pretty much ever.