So frustrated by my searching and seeing the bag prices going ever up, still with little idea if I am even on the right track, I emailed the best source for Domke Bags in Australia (Greg Smith at Photovideo Accessories), the company I have bought probably 8-10 bags off over the years (all except the very first and last Domkes actually).
I requested “anything like an F802 only taller and bigger”. maybe an F804, F832, F833, F812, J??? in that order, not expecting to have any luck.
“They are discontinued (804’s), but I have a single black one out the back” came the reply.
I am guessing the front pockets are the same as the F802, which makes the bag a couple of inches taller, as advertised. The optional base board is the same as the one for the F1x “Little bit bigger” bag, so I am expecting an F802 satchel, with the footprint of an F2 bag +1” all round.
It was full priced (not overpriced like some, just original ticket!). The F802’s are a very tempting $135au, but achieve little. This one is $279au, which to be honest is the outer limit I was expecting to pay for a bag, but after looking around, not too bad at all (Bumblebee was $200+ and not built like this).
Dimensions are noticeably bigger, especially in depth;
F802
36.83 x 7.62 x 30.48 cm
F804
38.1 x 16.51 x 31.75 cm
Under $300 for a bag I will likely have for the rest of my career? Seems reasonable.
Have I bought the wrong thing, have I let fate pull me along by the nose?
It has no padding, is a simple, old school design and big, really big.
Padding is fixed by using the good old Tenba insert, possibly even two! One will be too small to fill it, but that is also fine. I have other things to add in. The bag is also tall enough for me to line the bottom of with something soft like a thick scarf, rain jacket etc. Things like that add padding and come in handy occassionally. I may be able to source another insert if needed, but to be honest, I only need a little “shape” to make it work and I actually like some void space.
The added internal volume means I do not have to (but still can) bother with side packs, which make the F802 longer, more cumbersome. I know the big lens and camera will fit fine, the inner sleeve will take any laptop and the front pockets will handle the rest (The bag can apparently take 11x14” print boxes). I should even be able to take my 300mm on camera, which is a bonus I was not expecting. If I want to fill a single large bag with cables etc, this may also be it.
The other very real factor is, empty space does not weigh anything. A big bag with un-used space weighs much the same as a smaller one fully stuffed. The difference in work dynamic though is huge.
I know and trust the design, so no issue there. I am so used to the F802’s now, so this will be the same only different. Habits formed are life savers when you are in a hurry. I literally have a different place for my phone, keys, cards, batteries etc. in every bag, which is really not helpful when you are tired and in a hurry.
Black is fine. I dislike the yellow fading the straps can take on, but they can be re-dyed and the strap even replaced. That fading is also a sign of a bag well used and after 30+ years, my old F2 is still looking reasonable.
My only real issue is I now have a surplus of bags. The new Crumpler will be used as my school kit bag, the Filson and Porter may be cycled with it, but the 802? Probably my big event bag or even an alternate for the paper. Holding true to the thinking above, I should really just use the two Domke bags to keep things consistent.
At the end of the day, all of my bags past and present probably total the value of my dearest camera body. This is similar to buying a top end video camera then scrimping on mics. They need each other, simple as that and you are more likely to curse a too-small or uncomfotable bag, than your camera.