Long lens case/backpack.

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tappilappi

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Hi, I wondered if you guys with 600mm lenses would share your experiences of long lens cases/backpacks? I have searched through the forum and found that the lowepro lenstrekker 600 seems to be the main one mentioned. I gather that this has now been superseeded by the mark 2 version. Is this the one to go for? Or is there anything better and/or cheaper?
Thankyou.
 
Thanks Ian. Is that what you were using at the Banham zoo meet last year? Any idea on price?
 
They are over 200 quid i think, and yes is the bag i had at Banham. The newer version of the bag is slightly bigger, as JoeT found out today lol :) The Lowepro bags all seem a bit tight specially the lens pouches and the long lens bags, although the MK2 is apparently better !
 
Thanks Joe. Just been looking on their website ... $253 to $322 !!!
 
I've got the Kinesis and Lowepro Mk1 and would definitely recommend paying the extra for the Kinesis. The difference is big enough that I've splashed out on a second Kinesis for the 300/2.8.

Bob
 
I have the lenstrekker 600 and the kinesis L511 and find the kinesis a far better bag and less than half the weight.
 
OK, thanks for all the advice so far ...

Now more questions :D
It looks like Kinesis is the way to go, but is there any preference for carrying the lens with body attached or detached; and hood reversed or in shooting position? Have you gone for the full backpack harness, or just the shoulder strap? (So many choices :thinking:)
I also understand that I can only get these directly from the States, approximately how much extra do I have to allow for import duty/vat?
 
tappilappi said:
OK, thanks for all the advice so far ...

Now more questions :D
It looks like Kinesis is the way to go, but is there any preference for carrying the lens with body attached or detached; and hood reversed or in shooting position? Have you gone for the full backpack harness, or just the shoulder strap? (So many choices :thinking:)
I also understand that I can only get these directly from the States, approximately how much extra do I have to allow for import duty/vat?
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I went for the harness
and use the bag for my 500L I can get the lens in with hood in posision but no body on but that fits in the included pouch, if I reverse the hood I can then leave the body on the lens.
 
tappilappi said:
OK, thanks for all the advice so far ...

Now more questions :D
It looks like Kinesis is the way to go, but is there any preference for carrying the lens with body attached or detached; and hood reversed or in shooting position? Have you gone for the full backpack harness, or just the shoulder strap? (So many choices :thinking:)
I also understand that I can only get these directly from the States, approximately how much extra do I have to allow for import duty/vat?
Click to expand...

I forgot to get a backpack harness - so I need to order this soon!

IanC and I placed an order together - total order value inc del was £359. VAT + Duty + processing fee was £78.

I prefer to put the lens in with the hood in shooting position simply cos its easier!

HTH
 
Joe T said:
I forgot to get a backpack harness - so I need to order this soon!

IanC and I placed an order together - total order value inc del was £359. VAT + Duty + processing fee was £78.

I prefer to put the lens in with the hood in shooting position simply cos its easier!

HTH
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Wish I had got 2 of them when I had the chance last year, I paid $277.95 for the L511 and harness.
 
Thanks for all the info guys, much appreciated. Just have to decide which exact model to save up for. (Credit card took a enough of a hit when I bought the lens.) :'(
 
Richard - I am interested in why? I have little experience of any of these bags mentioned, so any help/ideas you can give me will be much appreciated. The Lowepro bag I can view in a shop, whereas my only experience of the Kinesis is a quick look at the one IanC had at Banham last year - and at that time I did not expect to have a 600mm by now.
 
I have had a lowpro 600 mk1 and kinesis, i bought the lowepro 600 forst to fit my 500mm and it was fine, but on buying a 600mm Icouldnt carry it how i wanted, 600+1.4+camera all together so bought the kinesis for it and sold the lowepro.
Looking at the mk2 lowepro it looks good, if the changes made the bag good for what i required now I would seriously have a look a buying that.
Ask your self what you want from a long lens bag, then ask your self does the lowepro 600 mk2 fit your needs, if not ask the same questions of the kinesis.
 
I went for the Lowepro because I am just a fan of their general build quality and having just teh right amount of bulk and size for the lens it's going to carry. I looked at the Kenisis stuff online and just felt it looked a bit messy and bulky and I wasn't sure if the 600 bag offered the easy access of a fold down flap on the main section - as per the Lowepro. But it's all personal preference of course. The newer MK II allows the lens, 1.4 and body to be attached too.
 
mho - at the moment I don't know what I want/need from the bag. I've only had the lens a day, and obviously it doesn't fit any of my current bags! This lens has been a big outlay (for me) and I doubt that I will be changing it ... so I would like to get a good bag for it first time.
 
The Lowpro 'seems' to be the bag of choice usually but it's worth getting it right so just do your research and make as an informed choice as you can!

I'm waiting for thinktank photo to do a decent one for it, that'll be good!
 
Thanks Richard - I too like the Lowepro stuff - I have three of their bags at the moment that I use.
 
Cheeky question :D:D:D
I don't suppose that there is anyone in Norfolk who would let me have a look at their Kinesis long lens bag, please?
 
tappilappi said:
mho - at the moment I don't know what I want/need from the bag. I've only had the lens a day, and obviously it doesn't fit any of my current bags! This lens has been a big outlay (for me) and I doubt that I will be changing it ... so I would like to get a good bag for it first time.
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I know what you mean, Ask your self a few questions like these,

Does it have to meet airline carry on size.
Does it have to enable the hood to be in shooting position,
Does it have to carry a tripod / monopod on the outside,
Does it have to allow full frontal access or just top access,
Is uk customer support a priority,
Does it have to be a semi rigid construction to protect the lens,
How good does the back pack feature have to be,
Do you want a fully removable backpack feature,
Does the bag have to enable very quick access to lens,

This is the sort of things i would be asking myself, depending upon your answer to quite a few of these will indicate instantly that the lowepro is not the bag for you, as it isn't a feature of the bag.

If your ever around Sheffield your more than welcome to have another look at a kinesis L621 + backpack harness - kinesis have now replaced it with the longer L622.
 
Thanks mho, there are some good questions I have to answer. One that I know that I cannot answer is "hood on or reversed" - do these bags actually support the lens body (when in a verticle position) or is all the weight on the end of the hood.
 
tappilappi said:
Thanks mho, there are some good questions I have to answer. One that I know that I cannot answer is "hood on or reversed" - do these bags actually support the lens body (when in a verticle position) or is all the weight on the end of the hood.
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On the hood but that's not a problem
 
Just ordered my Kinesis L511 + HT250 Harness from Naturescapes, they are shipping it to my hotel in Orlando, right where I'll be in 4 weeks time.:)
 
I am still undecided, (and skint), but thanks to Cyclops I am probably going to aim to get the THG PR600.
 
tappilappi said:
I am still undecided, (and skint), but thanks to Cyclops I am probably going to aim to get the THG PR600.
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:woot: :woot: It might be a heavy b****r but it is very good :thumbs:
 
Cyclops - Do you have one of these bags? One of the main (silly) reasons for going for this one is the side pockets - I want to find out if they are big enough for either a vacuum flask or coke bottle. Reading the spec the measurements are pretty close ...
 
I dont have one as yet ( I am saving up ) but a friend has and he fits a 1ltr stainless steel flask and his sarnies in them OK.
 
Brilliant - That sounds ideal. (Mind you, I'm sure some people will think it is a bit expensive for a lunch box! :D
 
tappilappi said:
Brilliant - That sounds ideal. (Mind you, I'm sure some people will think it is a bit expensive for a lunch box! :D
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You can never have a big enough lunch box :)

I should have mine in a couple of weeks time would have got it by now if the car had not had to be repaired :(
 
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