I'm working with a pro seamstress to put together a custom "insert" for my Domke F-2 that will maintain the comfy flex but make it a useful, modern bag. The idea, as it stands now, is to make a bucket-ish insert out of thin neoprene (wetsuit) fabric that fits perfectly inside the main compartment.

The first try will probably just have a T-shaped neoprene divider, with a long area for a body plus 70-200 and then two smaller areas for lenses. The second one, I think, will be just the neoprene insert, with no dividers, but lined all over with the "loop" fabric of hook-and-loop (Velcro) fame. Then I can insert spare dividers from other bags.

Any thoughts on refining the plans before I get her started?

I like the idea of an insert lined with "loop" and then some custom dividers that allow you to not only divide vertically but also hozizontally (a la Crumpler). A bit like the J-series insert. Also worth considering is a system similar to Domke's current inserts that enabled you to slide the padding out of some dividers if necessary. That would make the F-2 a useful bag IMO. I presume you'll still use the Domke bottom pad.

You might also want to figure out the cost and try selling them here on FM... I'd probably buy one, even at double to cost of Domke's regular inserts (after perhaps buying another F-2).

I just put the 70-200 IS plus 1ds2 in my F2 and there won't be much room for anything else. With the camera body on left, lens toward top, there was room for my 35L in the lower right corner but thats without any padding at all. So an "L" shaped insert or one with dividers would interest me more. Good luck with the project.

Hmm ... Yep--I just did the same and noticed the same thing. I remember it being bigger.

Maybe I need an F-1 too, but they don't make one in waxwear. I do like that waxwear.

Seems like an "empty" four-walled insert (with a bottom for the fifth wall) lined with loop fabric would be the way to go. It occurred to me that we could make nice light flexy dividers with some of the leftover neoprene and some "hook" fabric, although the sewing person would know better than I would what's left over from the pattern after making the insert.

fwiw, the three-cell domke insert attached to the back wall leaves the entire length of the bag for long stuff; and a cheapo foam sleeping mat from a dollar store, cut to measure with x-acto, is an excellent replacement for the four-pound pine plank domke sticks at the bottom of the F-2. that's my current config--me happy as a pig in borscht



(easy on the hook-and-loop: too generous and all kinds of things will stick to it, most annoyingly straps, covers and pouches)

Right, but the three-cell Domke insert itself still uses those 1960-era compartments that won't hold modern lenses. The camping mat idea for the bottom is a really good one.

Is it the lenses that are too fat, or just that the hoods are ridiculously huge? I use the Domke inserts in an Arcteryx backpack (the now discontinued Blade 21) and have completely ditched the Canon hoods for all lenses 50mm and longer in favor of a couple of the Mamiya collapsible rubber hoods and adapter rings, which save a ton of space and work great. But I guess if you're using the 24-70/105 that hood won't be much help. The only lens that is a bit tight is the 85L.

I think the difficulty with the Domke F2 is that it sounds like you want to carry the lens attached to the body, which will hog a lot of space.

Ron