Leica What is your camera bag(s) for your Leica?

I bought the Leica 18746 compact bag a couple years ago, and carried the Monochrom plus Noctilux in it, but being compact there was no room for extra lenses etc., although the front pouch has plenty of room for small accessories. I've had a couple of Billinghams before that - very nice bags those Billinghams (also compact). If I have a few hundred $$ to spare someday, I may buy one of these:

http://leicastoremiami.com/collecti...ll-photo-bag-cordura-leather-olive-dark-brown

I carry my Pana-Leicas in the clamshell leather cases, and for my fixed-lens Q, I've ordered a custom fit case from Luigi (about $640 USD incl. shipping).
 
Very interesting that Leica partnered with Hermes to come up with a camera but not a bag, which is one of the thing that Hermes is famous for. hmm, maybe a beaten up bag to go with the Lenny Kravitz camera for $25,000??
 
I use the Billingham f/2.8 most of the time, which will hold both of my Ms with lenses fitted with room for either a third lens or my glasses case, my full-sized iPad and in the front pouch all of the batteries, cards and other paraphernalia. The bag also works well with my X Vario and X 113 with EVFs attached and still (barely) can fit my glasses case and the other junk. Occasionally I will even replace the glasses case with my M5 body and share the two lenses from the digital Ms.

I also have a Bally messenger bag that is quite small and makes a nice day bag when carrying only one camera with a small lens, glasses and perhaps even a snack. It isn't padded and was not designed for photography, but I like the size and for business travel with just the X 113 and EVF is it perfect.
 
If I had a spare $50,000 I would buy a couple of new lenses and use the remaining $40,000 (ish) to travel the world and make photographs. to each his/her own, though.
 
I've bought too many bags trying to find just the right one.... I don't think it exists :(. Anyway, I've considered very seriously to have a leather bag custom made in the smallest and lightest design to carry the M240 with a lens mounted and perhaps another 4 lenses plus the extra battery, small lens cleaner and an extra SD card... However, I can't find anyone to make it so far. I pulled the trigger on a ONA leather Bowery bag but the seller backed out.

I had purchased a nice looking canvas messenger bag from eBay months ago. I liked it for the style and relatively good quality construction. The size was about right to carry my M4/3 camera and lenses, and later the M240 and lenses, etc. However, t was just a big bag without any padding or dividers. I tried some DIY solutions, but they really did not work well. Anyway, while shopping online for another On a Bowery bar, I saw the Koolertron padded camera insert with dividers and bought it on impulse. I thought it might just fit the canvas messenger bag and solve the problem.

Anyway, it worked pretty nicely. With the dividers in place, I can carry the M240 with the 24mm f2.8 mounted as well as the 50mm f1.4 Lux, the 35mm f2 Cron, 90mm F2.8 Elmar and the CV 15mm f4.5 *and* the extra battery, lens cleaner, EVF and a few other small items. I still want the On a Bowery or my own custom made bag. But for a few dollars I have a pretty usable and not too bad looking bag :2thumbs:. The insert cost about $15, and if my memory serves me, the messenger bag was under $30.... For reference I laid a 12" ruler by the insert in the photo.

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One small Lowerpro holds my Leica iif RD, a 50/2 Nikkor 28cm/3.5 a shade for each a hood for each a turret viewfinder ,the CZJ one, along with a DeJUR light meter. An oldie but a goodie. A few pre-cut rolls of out of date film plucked from the freezer rounds out the first bag. The other bag, another small but nice 2nd hand bag is a Eddie Bauer. It sports the double zipper of a small video cam. But hey it holds a Leica iiif with a cased 35/2.8 and a CZJ f=5cm 1:1,5. Both have filters and a hood. A Elmer 90/4 also has it's own shade and filter. the Braun viewfinder tops everything off in this bag. Again 3-4 assorted rolls of pre-cut film in the side pocket. An old, but working example of the GE exposure meter that helps me set things up. A pair of solf brushes takes off the dust as needed the old kind that work like an old lip-stick thingie. I kinda like being ready to go with a lite bag of goods that has all I need. I remember my early days lugging my SLR'S wilt nearly every lens I owned that fit the cameras I was toting, Ugh. Liter is better, and I do so enjoy old stuff.
 
I carry my camera around in a reproduction of a WW2 US Army GP Ammo Bag. Usually with Voigtländer VC-II light meter or a Gossen Poly-Six (You got to love a "vintage" meter that runs on penlight batteries).
Sometimes a few rolls of film and some filters or a hood are included.
Sometimes I keep a towel in there as a liner when I go out in cold weather.
 
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If travelling around I will have a Leica M6 with a 35mm summaron + half a dozen rolls of tri-x and a couple of rolls of portra 400. I also carry my kindle, local map, a notepad, polarising and yellow filters and possibly an i-pad. I have a few lenses but love the way the summaron draws on Tri-x.
I use two Frankie Falcon bags - one (pictured) is my large canvas one - totally everything proof (fire retardant, waterproof etc.) - this was with me in Vietnam and I am taking to Cuba and the other is a more bling white leather one for city breaks (it joined me in Venice recently). They were both made locally by hand in Lancashire and I actually went to the workshop to see the leather one being finished. Very cool.
 
I just picked up a Tenba Messenger camera bag (#638-342) on Amazon.

It is a perfect fit for one M camera w/lens attached and four other lenses plus a few accessories. This bag is really an outstanding design and the quality of materials and workmanship are excellent. This bag has been discontinued by Tenba, but there are a few left on Amazon and probably other websites.
 
This is my other bag - bling and bright. I use the one above when I worry about being discreet but generally I don't. I prefer to smile and engage with subjects. It was made by hand in England by Frankie Falcon from Italian calf leather and British bridle leather. I am taking it to Cuba in a few days. It holds my iPad in the rear slip, passport and a book (Hemingway for Cuba....has to be), sd cards in the leather sd slips, my M9 and M6 with 28mm and 50mm and a load of tri-x and portra. I love it.
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I commute 55 miles (each way) by train Mon-Fri. I have, virtually always, an old, black Billingham Hadley with one M Body, 35mm and 90mm Summicrons + spare roll of film (+ phone, glasses case, etc).

Last weekend, the same bag contained my Hasselblad 503cx, 80mm f2.8 and 50mm f4 + 3 rolls of 120 and all my other bits and bobs. For those familiar with Doctor Who, I call this bag my "Tardis" as it is capable of carrying much more inside than its external appearance suggests.

There are numerous other bags in my cupboard, some considerably larger than the Tardis but I've never found a better, more protective, ergonomic and durable bag than those made by Billingham. But I can only speak for myself, of course....
 
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