Exterior:waterproof cotton canvas Interior: Padded side walls Interior: Rigid top panel Interior: Op
Colours
Black, Navy, Sand,Olive Drab
About this bag
F-803 Camera Satchel
( Canvas ).
This smallest of Domke Satchels has gained a large following among photographers who don't want to call attention to their expensive equipment. Many describe the F-803 as a bag that doesn't shout "cameras!".
Facts and Figures:
* Seven compartments and pockets.
* Includes movable/removable one compartment Padded Insert.
* Full-length Velcro strips inside main compartment accept additional Padded Inserts, sold separately.
* Padded side walls and bottom protect equipment.
* Adjustable Gripper Shoulder Strap runs completely around the Satchel.
What fits inside
2 or 3 film or digital SLR cameras, 3-4 lenses, and accessories
This bag has been my favour as it doesn't look like a camera bag. The problem is that none of the Domke inserts is practical so I designed and sewed one myself so that no space would be left unused. I wish it had a 2" strap however as the 1.5" strap makes the bag feel heavy when loaded.
What works
satchel design
Room for improvement
narrow 1.5" strap, factory insert
In the bag
Pentax *ist DS + Pentax DA 16-45mm f/4 ED AL
Pentax SMCP-DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 ED
Pentax SMCP-FA 77mm f/1.8 + B+W 960 49mm hood
Pentax SMCP-DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED+ B+W 960 77mm hood (or whatever similar size lenses)
Limited amount of accessories in front pockets
pentax ist d
Comfortable, compact-enough bag, holds a surprising amount of gear for its small size. When not fully loaded (I remove one lens & take the flash and memory/battery holder from the front pockets and place them inside the bag), it's very slim and fits comfortably inside a carry-on suitcase along with a laptop & change of clothes. This is exactly what I did on a recent round-the-world business trip, easily meeting the one-carry-on only restriction by some airlines these days, and having access to my computer, photo gear pre-packed in a convenient walkabout bag, and a change of clothes in case my checked-in luggage didn't make it. This setup makes more sense (for me) than a dedicated photo roll-aboard case or backpack. I've used the included Domke insert, plus some padding pieces/neoprene sleeves from elsewhere. I actually purchased some extra Domke inserts, but didn't use them, because usable space really starts to disappear then.
What works
Comfortable bag, not bulky, reasonably easy access to all gear without having to put the bag down someplace. As has been mentioned by other reviewers, this doesn't scream "camera bag", so you can roam city streets more discreetly.
Room for improvement
Need both hands to open clasp, which is generally OK for security purposes, but inconvenient at times. Tight fit for the equipment in the pictures, but that's not really a complaint, I can always get a bigger bag!
In the bag
Canon 400D Digital Rebel XTi
Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8L IS USM
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon 430EX Speedlite
battery charger
memory cards, card reader & batteries in a Tenba wallet
circular polarizer, white balance card
Lenspen, body & rear lens caps, hoods for all lenses, etc.
canon 400d rebel xti
I have the Domke F-5XB and while it is a good little bag, it can really only hold the Canon EOS 20D (w/ lens) plus one other lens. I used this bag throughout a 3-week trip to Asia and it performed fine. The zipper didn't bother me at all. The teeth are large and plastic and don't catch on anything or scratch anything up.
However.. often times you need to carry more than one extra lens. To fulfil this need I picked up the Domke F-803. I wanted a bag that could carry the 20D w/ 1 lens attached, 2 extra lenses, and a few titbits like lens caps and maps. I also wanted a bag that didn't look like a camera bag.
The Domke F-803 fulfils this role quite well, IMO. I ordered one in the 'sand' colour to disguise the bag's role a bit further (black bags still scream 'camera' to me - especially the black shoulder straps).
Plus the clasp isn't the classic plastic prong-type found on most camera bags, it's a metal hook-style clasp. This is both a blessing and a curse. It makes the bag very secure when closed, but it means you need two hands to open it.
Most of the time, however, I leave it unhooked. To give the bag a fastener without the hook, I cut off the flaps to the two pockets (don't really need these as the pockets are quite deep) and had an alteration shop sew the velcro from them on to the main flap of the bag (I can't sew to save my life). This gives the main flap a good velcro fastener.
Ironically, most times I don't even want the velcro because I like being able to slip the camera in and out one-handed, so I recently slapped some duct tape over the velcro :).
Few last titbits: the strap is a nice beige colour (avoid those black straps!) and it has some rubber threads sewn into it which makes it much grippier than your average strap without needing the tell-tale shoulder pad built into the strap. The handle is also pretty good.. feels very sturdy.
The only downsides I find with this bag are that it doesn't always stand completely upright (probably due to the way I have the lenses arranged internally) and it'd be nice if the metal clasp was easier to un-do
In the bag
Canon EOS 20D and Sigma 18-50mm EX f/2.8 lens attached
Canonm 70-300 DO
Canon 50 f/1.8
Canon 10-22mm
canon 20d
Off to the zoo today, so loading up the Domke F 803 with the body (EOS 1Ds Mk 2); walk-around lens 24-105 L); tele-zoom (100-400L); 50mm 1.4; speedlight 220EX and a spare battery.
Thought I'd post a sequence showing how well this all fits.This is 1 of 5.
Note that I removed the insert that comes with the 803 (this allows the bag to open much wider, essential to get a 1 series body in it), and I'm using a wrap to pad the big zoom.
In the bag
Canon 1Ds MkII
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon 220EX Speedlite
canon 1ds mk ii
