Has anyone designed and built their own camera bag?

[Chuck Pere]

The old white Zone VI bags are basically shoulder bags. I use the later slightly larger model that has adjustable partitions for my 4x5. And small 5x7 camera outfit. And P67 outfit. I've used them as a shoulder bag, attached to a backpack frame and with a Tamrac harness that lets me carry it like a back pack. Fairly common on the used market.

[abruzzi]

I should have mentioned, I already have a couple of great bags for my 4x5s. The Linhof Master Technika lives in a Domke F-2 and fits perfectly, and the Technikardan lives in a Domke F-7 and fits a little less than perfectly but still very usable. Both of those can easily hold the camera, 3 or 4 lenses, 6 film holders, and all the necessary accessories. This project is for an 8x10, which is much harder to find reasonable bags for. Obviously, everything is heavier and larger, so I'm hoping for the camera, 2 film holders, 2 lenses, plus the miscellaneous bits and bobs. I'm currently faking it with a old Crumpler Brazillion Dollar Home bag that barely fits the camera and one film holder, then I have a second bag to hold the lens, dark cloth, loupe, etc. It allows me to move it around, but its far from ideal, because I'm carrying two bags plus the tripod, and the fit is bad.

The approximate size of the camera folded is about 14x14x5, so i need the opening for the camera to be a bit larger than that, my idea would be the camera oriented upright closest to me, and the ground glass facing away from me (towards the center of the bag), then a padded divider creating a forward section that is itself divided into two sections--on the left a wider space that can accept several film holders, and on the right a narrower space that I could drop several lenses in (large enough for a lens but since it will be as deep as the camera--14in--it could take two, maybe three lenses. There is probably space for the dark cloth in the space for the film holders, then a large flap that folds over and which has a pouch for things like the cable release, loupe, meter, etc.