I am looking at getting a carry bag for my 500mm f4 as currently I use a normal rucksack for humping it up into the hills but I end up getting stuff inside all squashed (my sarnies took a battering yesterday! ) so I am loking at a proper carry bag. The Lowepro 600 AWII seems pretty good. As I hump my lens up mountains and cover many miles the bag needs to be confortable for long periods. Anyone any experience or can offer any other suggestions on bags would be greatly appreciated.
I've used a mixture of bags to carry the 500 plus kit in over the years and still have one of the older Lowpro 600 bags - it's ok for short distances or storing the lens in, but doesn't match the comfort of the full rucksacks over any distance. It just gets used as storage these days. For general use I now tend to use one of the Long Lens bags that Tom had re-made a few years back, but again, not for serious hiking as the harness wasn't designed for that. You can find a few places selling knock-offs of that bag with much larger side pockets - beware of overloading the bag (and your back!).
For walking long distances with the lens, I'd look at one of Lowepro's proper rucksacks - the Pro Trekkers. They're bigger and more expensive, but the proper harness on them means you shouldn't wreck your back! I've an older Pro Trekker AW II and found it comfy to walk with when taking too much kit out on a hike - even when adding a Camelbak for water.
Can't speak for other makes like Tenba or ThinkTank as I've never used them.
As Nick U says, most camera bags are only suitable for short trips, I've used an Army "Rocky 33L" rucksack to carry my big lens about for about 7 years, its fully waterproof and green to boot. I made a sleeve to hold the lens out of a bit of camping mat and duck tape to protect it and reduce hard edges on my back, finally I put one of the Wildlife Watching Supplies camo sitting mats between the lens and my back as extra padding, it held my Canon 500mm F4.5 with D series camera mounted and lens hood reversed fairly easily, but it wouldn't hold a 600mm F4. My accessories go in the hood or my pockets, flash in side pocket 1 , Drink bottle in side pocket 2 - sarnies go in last on top of the lens.... this set up swallows my Oly gear very easily.
The difference in comfort between a rucksack and rigid camera bag is very noticeable.
I am a big fan of the Think Tank bags and I have several. The glass taxi is great if you just need to carry the 500 on its own but my airport accelerator V2 takes the 500 with body attached and hood reversed with stacks of room for more bodies and lenses. Once you get it adjusted correctly it is very comfortable and I have humped it across the fens many a time The Streetwalker Pro looks a usefull bag but I have not seen it in the flesh yet.
The 600 isn't ideal if you are trecking a long distance I still have one that I used for the 400/2.8, it sits at home now... It depends on how much you want to carry with you, I carry my 500, one camera body, a wide angle, 150 macro, flash and loads of bits and bobs in a Lowepro Flipside 500aw, a very secure rucksack as the main zips are against your back, the only downside is that the lens and body have to be separate which isn't a bad thing...
Have a look at the Cotswold Aquarious long lens bag. Have a look on their website for details - I don't have to break the camera down at all and it carries loads other kit besides.
I use an Expedition 5 for my 300f/2.8 + 2x TC with the camera and grip attached and its still got lots of room for my flash guns and triggers in the pockets. The el cheapo flash tripods go in the laptop pouch and the throw-over hide clips on the outside. I literally walk miles with it. It would probably fit a bare 500 at a push. Its got lots of big thick padding around your back, very much like a hiking backpack in construction. They make four bigger ones, the 6, 7, 8 and 9.
I've found that bags and tripods are as difficult as lenses to decide on. Pity there's not many places to go try them out before you buy these days....
Discussion
10 repliesNick.
For walking long distances with the lens, I'd look at one of Lowepro's proper rucksacks - the Pro Trekkers. They're bigger and more expensive, but the proper harness on them means you shouldn't wreck your back! I've an older Pro Trekker AW II and found it comfy to walk with when taking too much kit out on a hike - even when adding a Camelbak for water.
Can't speak for other makes like Tenba or ThinkTank as I've never used them.
HTH
The difference in comfort between a rucksack and rigid camera bag is very noticeable.
Bob
Phil.
The 600 isn't ideal if you are trecking a long distance I still have one that I used for the 400/2.8, it sits at home now... It depends on how much you want to carry with you, I carry my 500, one camera body, a wide angle, 150 macro, flash and loads of bits and bobs in a Lowepro Flipside 500aw, a very secure rucksack as the main zips are against your back, the only downside is that the lens and body have to be separate which isn't a bad thing...
HTH
Phil
Nick.
Bob
HTH's
I use an Expedition 5 for my 300f/2.8 + 2x TC with the camera and grip attached and its still got lots of room for my flash guns and triggers in the pockets. The el cheapo flash tripods go in the laptop pouch and the throw-over hide clips on the outside. I literally walk miles with it. It would probably fit a bare 500 at a push. Its got lots of big thick padding around your back, very much like a hiking backpack in construction. They make four bigger ones, the 6, 7, 8 and 9.
I've found that bags and tripods are as difficult as lenses to decide on. Pity there's not many places to go try them out before you buy these days....
Nick.