Other than backpacks, what kinds of cases do you use to carry your long lenses? I'm specifically looking for info for a 500 f4 but would like to hear options for others.
Carrying long lenses?
Other than backpacks, what kinds of cases do you use to carry your long lenses? I'm specifically looking for info for a 500 f4 but would like to hear options for others.
Hi Chris, depending on what I am traveling with and what baggage allowances I have (European flight allowances are MUCH less than USA) I sometimes use a Think Tank Big Bazooka (actually a tripod case) as the 500 f4 fits in quite snugly without the hood. Its easy to carry and protects well :)
Tell
I use a tripod bag too. It's well padded and suitable for carry-on. I often protect it even more with a towel.
I should have been more specific: I don't expect to be flying anywhere with the lens, and I'd like to carry it with a body attached. I guess I was looking for answers along the lines of a Domke or Tenba bag. There do not appear to be many other options.
I carry my Canon 500 f4 in a Think Tank "Glass Taxi". It carries like a back pack and the lens fits like a glove.
Hi Chris First check the size restrictions since they vary. I use a Lowe Pro Road Runner but believe its no longer made, for my next will get a Think Tank.
Might check in the Bulletin archives and Artie has a great report on the Road Runner which will give you an idea how much you can pack in there. The TT will have about the same capacity!!!
I went for the Tamrac Expedition 8x, but I travel and fly a lot. It takes my 500mm f:4 with body attached, and extra lens, computer, HDD, Flash, Extender and chargers. It feels comfortable for me, but it is heavy. I am used to the weight though. I can also attach my tripod on the outside when I am going to the location.
Hope that helps.
Hello, Chris.
While I'm hiking, I carry the 500mm in my Lowepro Lenstrekker. I love that bag! When I'm stalking or expecting action, I just throw it across my shoulders while connected to the monopod. It rests quite nicely on top of the Lenstrekker and takes the weight directly off of my shoulders.
Colin
Check out Vertex Photo's Long Lens Bag. http://www.vertexphoto.com/PhotoTools.aspx
For my two long lenses 500 & 300 I bought a tennis racket bag with 2 compartment and a memory foam mattress pad at Walmart. I cut up the pad and lined the 2 compartments with it. It fits the 500 & ext attached & 300 & 2x with camera attached in the compartments.
cheap & easy to carry & well padded & does not look like expensive photo equipment.
This seems like a great option, as long as you don't need to carry it long distances.
Disguising it as tennis gear seems like a good trick too, unless thieves like tennis rackets. =0)
Colin
I use the Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 MKII for the 600. I'm not %100 sure but the 500 may fit in, with the hood in shooting position - depending on how long the hood is.
Richard, it doesn't. =(
Colin
For carrying the lens on its own I use a kinesis bag however I've found it better to keep all my gear in one bag. The one that solves all my needs, is designed to fit the 500 plus all other camera gear and legal carry-on in all airlines (designed with that in mind) is the Kiboko bag (guragear.com). Well worth checking out.
That's a shame, I thought the MKII might have been tall enough as they added a couple of inches to teh height over the old MKI version :(Originally Posted by clknight
Thank you for all your responses! Although you've all made excellent suggestions, I'm trying to avoid a back-pack type of bag, mostly because I'm a big guy: 6'5" and about 280 lbs, and most backpacks are designed (at the shoulder spread) for more "normal" sized people. I'm leaning towards getting something like a Kinesis L511 for my local shooting, and probably a Tenba large "Roadie" case for travel.
Last edited by Chris Brennan; 07-18-2009 at 01:51 PM.
Case Update:
I've ordered a professional video case made by the Porta Brace people in Vermont. Since I prefer to carry the lens/body combination horizontally, this case is the best of it's kind for that: cordura nylon wrapped around a rigid aluminum frame and heavily padded, and very flexible in terms of partitioning. I figure since they're designed and engineered to protect professional video cameras costing 3-4x what my rig costs, it should work out fine...
Seriously? How much was this thing?
Never heard of Porta Brace before. I tried to look up some stuff but their informational videos automatically re-sized my browser window and I hate that.
Colin
PortaBrace has been around for quite a long time, and their video and film production carrying gear is probably the best in (that) business. They design, engineer and build it all in Vermont, using skilled craftspeople. If you happen to see a broadcast TV crew in your travels, the cover that protects the camera is very likely to be a PortaBrace product. The case that I ended up buying is one of their cargo cases CAR-3B, and cost roughly $180. A nice big main compartment for the lens & body combo, and lots of side pockets for other stuff.
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