Still My Favorite M4/3 Bag

Ape Case Large Messenger; Large is relative here as it is only about
10.5" (26 cm) across (click to enlarge)

A couple of years ago, I wrote about the bags in which I carry my photographic gear.  Well, I'm still using the same bags but I have added one additional since I now own three separate camera kits for three different formats.

The gear I use most often is my M4/3 gear, specifically my Olympus E-M1 and lenses.  I was looking for a bag just the right size for the amount of gear I desired to carry.  Over the years, I have learned from myself that the bigger the bag, the more gear I will stuff into it, whether or not I think I'll really need it for any specific photo trip.  I learned that if I keep my bag relatively small, then I will take only what I need.

Also, I set one of the criteria for the bag and that is to not really look like a traditional camera bag. Finally, I wanted it to be lightweight and most importantly, I wanted a zipper across the top and not flap.  I really dislike flaps (like are found on most bags, especially messenger bags) as they just get in my way.  I find myself having to either tuck the flap out of the way behind the bag (then the top is exposed to everything) or hold the flap out of the way as I reach in to get a lens.

On Amazon.com, I found the Ape Case Large Messenger bag.  It is blue.  I've never owned or would think about buying a blue camera bag.  But that may be a plus as almost no camera bags are blue!  The inside is yellow instead of black, which makes it easy to see small items that may be on the bottom of the bag.  Even though it is sold as "large", it is not large as one would think, but just right for a camera, three lenses (7-14mm, 12-40mm and 40-150mm) plus the normal accessories of extra cards, lens cloth, a couple of filters, extra batteries, battery charger, etc.

LowePro Passport Sling II in green (click to enlarge)

My second most used gear is my Fujifilm X-T1 and lenses.  I wanted to try another sort of bag for this kit, also lightweight but a bit larger so I could maybe carry a bottle of water with me when necessary.  The Ape Case was too small to carry water. Again, the criteria was lightweight, zipper on top and something that doesn't necessarily look like a camera bag. 

I found a LowePro Passport Sling II on sale for about $20 in green—it really looks like a military green/olive drab—and really doesn't look like a bag in which one would carry camera gear.   Twenty bucks for a bag is hard to pass up. The only downside that I have found is that the straps are connected 90° to the way other straps are attached and it feels a bit funny as the straps have to rotate that same 90° so the strap lies flat across one's shoulder.  Nothing major.  It works well.

Domke canvas bag I bought in the late 1970s.  It holds much more
than you would think and is light and sturdy.  I can't see myself
ever getting rid of it. (click to enlarge)

As long as I'm talking about bags, my third bag for my Nikon D810 and lenses.  It is my tried and true 1977 vintage Domke canvas bag.  It is like the Energizer Bunny®, it just keeps going and going and going and always serves me perfectly for that full-frame gear.

All this being said, the Ape Case still is my favorite bag.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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