[snostorm]

Here’s another question:
Do you folks have the lens case pods behind you? In front of you? At your sides?

I currently have the lens cases at my hips, but at times it can be difficult to reach. (I use my left hand to change lens and right hand to hold the camera). I twist my body to reach for my lens, but now I’m thinking it will just have to be by feel and will just have to reach with my arm only. Is this the technique?

Also, curious as to how you all travel around with a beltpack… as in, do you wear it all day? Are there times when you take off the beltpack when travelling and put it in a bag for storage? I tried stuffing all my beltpack stuff into a backpack and what Russell Evans said earlier is correct… I’d need a very very big backpack as my current setup will simply not fit in a conventional backpack (or stretch it too far). When travelling, I'd be okay with luggage of some sort to carry it all but this may be a bit much for photowalks.

Hi Jonathan,

Changing lenses is very easy and quick with both the Cotton Carrier system and the Think Tank Lens Changer, which is one of the reasons I chose these. With the CC, the camera body doesn't swing around, and you have both hands free to manipulate the lenses. With the Lens Changer, the diameter of the case is large enough that it's easy to pop the lens you're removing into the case, release the lens mount, and drop the lens into the LC, grab another lens and mount it. You can then, at your leisure, transfer the removed lens to another case, or just leave it. Before putting this together, I always had to find a place to sit to securely change lenses.

Scott

[Ratmagiclady]

I sometimes add a LowePro Nova5 to the belt. It is small enough for that purpose and can swallow an amazing amount of gear.
Ben

If Ben's saying he can add a Nova 5 to his belt, this is why I say much depends on your physical size. (I believe these are about the same size as your 7MDH: I like the Nova series and was shopping earlier this year. ) Those are about as big in footprint as my biggest shoulder bag, one I call 'The Caboose.' (Cause when I have that slung, it ends up, err, behind me. Not leaving any room back there for, say, lens cases. I could hide behind a stack of them. )


Point being, that this would leave for me room for maybe just a long lens case on the other side and a holster of some kind up front, if I didn't want the bag to interfere with everything else. Not to say Ben's necessarily a big guy, but 'big' is sometimes a matter of perspective. Trying stuff on would possibly be good.

As for things sliding around, people in police and emergency services tend to attach their equipment belts to the one their trousers are held up by with 'keepers,' ...these can be made of leather-and-snaps or just strips of fabric like many camera straps with Velcro at either end. These can be placed to keep their stuff where it belongs at the same time.

[Ben_Edict]

If Ben's saying he can add a Nova 5 to his belt, this is why I say much depends on your physical size. (I believe these are about the same size as your 7MDH: I like the Nova series and was shopping earlier this year. ) Those are about as big in footprint as my biggest shoulder bag, one I call 'The Caboose.' (Cause when I have that slung, it ends up, err, behind me. Not leaving any room back there for, say, lens cases. I could hide behind a stack of them. )

The Nova5 is one of my smallest bags (apart from the Billingham Hadley)… As it is an older version (10 years?), it may be smaller than the current version, though.

Point being, that this would leave for me room for maybe just a long lens case on the other side and a holster of some kind up front, if I didn't want the bag to interfere with everything else. Not to say Ben's necessarily a big guy, but 'big' is sometimes a matter of perspective. Trying stuff on would possibly be good.

Oh, thanks. I am not a "big guy", medium height and (still) slim. Trying stuff is certainly important, especially as a belt system is worn like clothing. It is also important to try, whether the lenses/cameras really fit inside the pouches and bags. I took some equipment with me, when I tried the new LowePro Classified series, to make sure, lenses like the Bigma and a 70-200 fit, together with two bodies and grips... Some of the long lens pouches are simply too tight for fast and bulky lenses, even if the length is fine.

As for things sliding around, people in police and emergency services tend to attach their equipment belts to the one their trousers are held up by with 'keepers,' ...these can be made of leather-and-snaps or just strips of fabric like many camera straps with Velcro at either end. These can be placed to keep their stuff where it belongs at the same time.

That's interesting. Do you have a link, where I could actually see such a "keeper". That would be very helpful.

Ben

[dugrant153]

With the Lens Changer, the diameter of the case is large enough that it's easy to pop the lens you're removing into the case, release the lens mount, and drop the lens into the LC, grab another lens and mount it. You can then, at your leisure, transfer the removed lens to another case, or just leave it. Before putting this together, I always had to find a place to sit to securely change lenses.

That’s the reason I wanted to go belt and lens changer-style pods as well. Changing lenses can be time consuming and a huge juggle otherwise, and I’d have to be doing it on the ground or finding another flat surface to place it on. My first solution to that is shooting with two cameras with different focal lengths (currently 30mm and 55mm) so I simply don’t have to switch lenses. The other solution is this belt system (so I can change lenses on the fly for both cameras) and a way to hold my cameras without tangling on me. Using the R-strap right now and it’s very very nice.

Some of the long lens pouches are simply too tight for fast and bulky lenses, even if the length is fine.

Agreed. It is good to test out whether the lens pouches fit the individual lenses. Do you folks usually size a pod for a lens with a lens hood on or off? I find that my current pods are perfect for when the lens hood is off, but when they are on they extend out a little and cannot be zippered up.

If Ben's saying he can add a Nova 5 to his belt, this is why I say much depends on your physical size

Very true. Not to mention the balance of weight on your body (which is also relative to physical size). I find I am way more balanced when crouching or standing when the weight of my lenses and backup camera are on my hips rather than the small of my back. I wear my 7MDH “messenger-style” which makes it more comfortable as the weight is on my shoulder and my chest (WAY more comfortable) but with a heavy bag, I can become quite top heavy.

[Russell-Evans]

That's interesting. Do you have a link, where I could actually see such a "keeper".

http://www.google.com/products?q=tactical+belt+keeper&hl=en&aq=f

Thank you
Russell

[Ben_Edict]

tactical belt keeper - Google Product Search

Thank you
Russell

Thanks, Russel for the image and the link. I didn't know what "keepers" are as I am not even remotely familiar with rescue or police services (and my time at the army is in the long and distant past, where such "keepers" were unknown...)

Ben

[Ratmagiclady]

That’s the reason I wanted to go belt and lens changer-style pods as well. Changing lenses can be time consuming and a huge juggle otherwise, and I’d have to be doing it on the ground or finding another flat surface to place it on. My first solution to that is shooting with two cameras with different focal lengths (currently 30mm and 55mm) so I simply don’t have to switch lenses. The other solution is this belt system (so I can change lenses on the fly for both cameras) and a way to hold my cameras without tangling on me. Using the R-strap right now and it’s very very nice.

That sounds all very sensible. Probably goes very nicely with the R-strap, too, maybe with a holster for a second body with lens or whatever.

I do OK with as wieldy-sized a bag as can carry everything, (it can be a bit tight, but with cameras out, I can get at things) ...I've considered adding a bit of a belt thing to this, either to bring a longer lens at the last minute, or whatever else,maybe to work out ofmore-easily while I'm at it.

Agreed. It is good to test out whether the lens pouches fit the individual lenses. Do you folks usually size a pod for a lens with a lens hood on or off? I find that my current pods are perfect for when the lens hood is off, but when they are on they extend out a little and cannot be zippered up.

On, with anything, I'd say. You don't want to be fussing with hoods on a shoot. In general, I only reverse a hood if it's the only way the lens will come along at all.


If you have any big lenses with long hoods that stow that you want to use, though, it seems ThinkTank at least actually makes some cases that expand,so you can kind of do both.

Very true. Not to mention the balance of weight on your body (which is also relative to physical size). I find I am way more balanced when crouching or standing when the weight of my lenses and backup camera are on my hips rather than the small of my back. I wear my 7MDH “messenger-style” which makes it more comfortable as the weight is on my shoulder and my chest (WAY more comfortable) but with a heavy bag, I can become quite top heavy.

The nice thing about messengerey/appropriate shoulder bags is that you can wear them that way, or off the other shoulder and still have them in essentially the same place, switching if you become fatigued.

A lot of the cleverer solutions out there these days seem to tend to be organized around the M.O of fewer, bulkier lenses and bodies and stuff: I'm kind of stuck in the 80's to some degree, here. (But that's part of why I like Pentax. ) Because I'm still splitting my carry kit between Pentax and old Canon for film, it often adds up to carrying a lot of extra/redundant glass in a medium-sized bag, (I've got a Lowepro 190, about the size of a Nova 4.) but it could as easily be a nice selection of primes and a bigger piece or two for one system. Say, some flash, a longer lens or whatnot.

I somewhat lost my train of thought while writing this yesterday, so, no real conclusion, just maybe helpful ideas.

[johnmflores]

Man, I hope that you have a significant other because those lens pouches isn't going to attract many

I kid.

Looks like you already bought your gear, but FWIW I use a LowePro Stealth Reporter 400 carrying a K20d/DA* 50-135 and K-m/DA* 16-50 with a flash and a pancake or two and a netbook thrown in for good measure. It's heavy, so I use the second strap and cinch it snug around my waist to transfer the weight off my shoulder. The bag also becomes much lighter when I take the K20d/DA out!

[dugrant153]

I went on a recent trip to Victoria and a guy at a local camera store walked up to me and laughed at my belt setup.

To each his own :P My shoulders were very much happy after a long long day.

The belt setup was very comfortable. However, I ran into a few issues:
1) How tight do you folks have your belt? I find mine always had a bit of slack (probably due to the weight of two cameras and two extra lenses) and was difficult to tighten (due to the weight) when on my person.
2) Do you folks rotate your belt to gain access to your items?
3) How do you deal with sitting? I was constantly moving from bus to ferry and that meant taking off the belt and putting it back on... which became a bit of hassle.

Thanks!

[Russell-Evans]

1) How tight do you folks have your belt? I find mine always had a bit of slack (probably due to the weight of two cameras and two extra lenses) and was difficult to tighten (due to the weight) when on my person.

I like to have it snug, but not tight.

2) Do you folks rotate your belt to gain access to your items?

I rotate the belt when bending and kneeling, but don't like to rotate for access. If you end up with the chest harness you won't be able to rotate.

3) How do you deal with sitting? I was constantly moving from bus to ferry and that meant taking off the belt and putting it back on... which became a bit of hassle.

I've never used it in an urban environment. I have other bags for that type environment.

Thank you
Russell