Domke F-2

Owner contribution

The Domke F2 is, in my opinion, the best camera bag ever made. I bought my F2 twenty-two years ago. It outlived my Tamrac 610 and old Tenba bag. It's more than durable, it wears like iron. It has a plywood bottom sewn in and adjustable padded inserts. Plenty of roomy pockets for film and accessories, maps, notepads, releases & documents, paperback books. The canvas construction is so sturdy that if you over load it you won't need to worry about busting any seams or closures. It's easy to work out of without ever taking it off your shoulder. And it goes anywhere: under airplane seats, in overheads, on your lap on the bus, on the floor behind the driver's seat of your car. The F2 is the bag I travel with and take on shoots when I need a lot of gear. The one bag you will never have to replace, although you may want to own one in each color.

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Owner contribution

"This is my Domke. There are many others like it, but this one is mine..." I knew I shouldn't have watched Full Metal Jacket before writing this:). I am a newspaper photographer (hence the NPPA patch), so I am always on the run, and I am none too kind to a camera bag. I bought this bag slightly used from a rich amateur over a year ago when I was completely broke, and I have never regretted switching from those mediocre Lowepros I used to use (go ahead, chastise me, see if I care if you like cheap bags made with child labour). There is a ton of space in this bag, and since I just switched to Nikon, I haven't had time to get some of the lenses I used to use back, like a 80-200mm f/2.8, a 12-24 DX, or 10.5mm f/2.8. all which fit well in the bag (I'm using the charger and manual camera gear to fill space for the illustrations), but the body/80-200mm f/2.8 combo does not fit in the bag together, the lens is too tall (that's what they make J-1's and F1's for). The Nikon F2 is a space filler until I get a D70, which fits in the same space, or better yet on the opposite side of the D1H. The end pouches are big enough for a pair of SB-800's or 80DX flashes, with room for a SC-17/28/29 cord and a spare set of batteries. The best way to use this bag (I found) is to carry your gear completely unassembled (move the insert to the center of the bag and flank it with two camera bodies) in it to wherever you're going, put together the two bodies you need (A D1h with a 80-200mm f/2.8/2.8 and strobe and a D70 or another D-series with a wide angle lens and another strobe), throw a few spare batteries onto a simple belt system, and leave the bag in a safe place (like a locked car). For what I do, I don't have time to change lenses, so it's better to pack light when you are running away from an explosion or chasing a parade down the street. I hope this helps, and keep shooting:).

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My D200 is on the right side burried uinder the Domke Gripper strap

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Owner contribution

I love it because it has almost no extraneous bulk; the grey pockets are entirely removable and even the ffoam around them comes out if desired. There is a stabilizer board underneath the gear that I often remove to make the bag even softer. Very quick to work from -- all pockets immediately accessible with free hand. Also, it definitely does not scream "camera bag" or "tourist" the way that a Tamrac or Tenba nylon exterior does. Will hold the D70 mounted to the 80-200 in vertical position, with bag closed. Dislikes: not the best bag for hikes, I will switch to a backpack if carrying over rough ground for more than a half mile. Also, top of bag is not cushioned.

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This is my first Domke bag and I like it so far. I have had other shoulder bags that have a lot of padding and this adds to the weight before you even put any camera equipment. I also got the postman\'s pad to go on the strap and it helps.

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Owner contribution

I tried many way to put my 24-70 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L with hood invert to my domke more than 1 month but now i found that this way i like it most. because the original insert it can't fit with both 2.8L so i decided to move my 24-70 2.8L out of insert and cut some partition for put my Mark III inside. If you think it/'s good please try it , you will like !!!

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Owner contribution

I got this bag as a travel light w/o a laptop bag. So far looks good. I will not be taking the 300mm with every place but nice to know I can. Its a tight fit for the 300 but it works. All the lens have hoods, most on the lens some tucked away. Even with all this stuff loaded the bag "fits" well. Meaning its not bulky.

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Owner contribution

i love the domke f2 bag. nice, heavy canvas and holds most of my stuff very nicely.

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Here's my Domke F2. I use it when I don't need to bring my 100-400mm along. If I need the bigger lens, I bring my Tamrac Expedition 5 instead. Please excuse the image quality - I had to take these with my ancient Kodak DC240 in order to get my 20D in the bag.

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Owner contribution

Let me share with you some pics of my new bag: a Domke F2, the original shoulder bag. I saw it on your website and some reviews convinced me it was THE bag for my gear and my needs: fast access, classic cotton canvas, and especially a "soft concept", that can mold your hip, with few padding, the opposite of "the box with the rope", you know what I mean.......... I could easily add one more small lens like a 85 1.8 on top of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM in the same compartment. There's one hand strap not really confortable and one shoulder strap with 2 rubber tracks. When you walk with it, it molds your hip, especially if not full, and when the 2 lateral pockets are empty, the bag looks really shorter. I love it, I paid only 124 USD for this bag brand new (shipment to France included) from an US EBay merchant, so if you live in the US it's 110 USD only though the official retail price is 173 USD thanks to Pierre for review.

+1

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here's my Domke F-2. There's space for 2-3 more lenses, which is good for expansion, but comfortably holds my kit as is right now.

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My black canvas Domke F-2 is my first shoulder bag. I read the reviews and found out that there were many satisfied users. Some users had their F-2 for well over 10 years. That's a good sign of quality and durability. I went to my local camera store and purchased one without hessitation. Right now it holds my gear comfortably. As pictured I have my XTi with grip and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens attached in the "main" compartment. The sectioned off insert holds my lenses and accesories. The way it is configured now is perfect for what I do. Bag items are easily accessible. This bag is perfect for daily activities. It's not cumbersome and is just right in size.

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