Photofocus

Mini Review of the Domke 700-10B F-1X Little Bigger Bag – Domke 700-10B F-1X Little Bit Bigger Bag

Note: For the purposes of this review I also added a Domke 725-310 FA-031 U.S. Post Office Shoulder Pad

It seems like I’ve always owned at least one Domke photo bag. Starting more than 30 years, Jim Domke’s bags have been used by photojournalists around the globe.

I recently retired my ancient F2. It provided me decades of service. I decided to replace it with the slightly larger F-1X “Little Bigger Bag.” At under $150, this bag seems inexpensive given the high-cost of most photo bags, but that doesn’t mean it’s poorly built.

Domke bags are designed for use when shooting. Bigger, beefier bags like my wonderful Kiboko bag from GuraGear or the lovely ThinkTank Photo Airport Addicted are great for getting gear TO THE FIELD. The Domke bag is lighter and offers less padding. It’s designed to use when you’re actually shooting. It doesn’t have as much cushioning material as some bags, and that’s by design. That makes it lighter, allows it to hold more gear in a smaller space and most importantly to me, allows me to get the gear out quickly without taking the bag off my shoulder.

A great example of when I would use a bag like this is during a photo walk. I don’t want to carry everything I own on a photo walk. I just need room for a flash or two, two bodies and three lenses. That’s no problem for this bag.

The F-1X is made of waterproof canvas. There is a removable padded bottom and a non-slip gripper strap. This model also offers 15 compartments, including a four-compartment movable insert. It includes a four-point suspension handgrip. There is also a weather flap that has three see-through mesh compartments. The inside zippered section can hold business cards, gels and other flat accessories.

The only negative point I’d raise relating to the F-1X is the strap. It offers no padding. But, if you’re willing to spend an extra $19, there’s a simple fix. Domke sells the Post Office Shoulder Pad as an accessory. This provides a very comfortable and thick pad that you attach to the strap with velcro. It sounds like a kludge but it works great. This pad is designed to fit the contour of your shoulder. Hook and loop fasteners attach to straps up to 2-1/2″ wide.

For photographers who like to work directly out of the bag, who need a day bag that is designed to work off your shoulder, or who just want a solid, inexpensive, reliable camera bag that holds a fair amount of gear, the the Domke F-1X Little Bigger Bag is an excellent choice. Highly recommended.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store