How do you carry extra lenses?

[Jennifer Mitol]

I’m bringing my a6000 on my upcoming trip in 2 weeks (YEAH!) and I’m super excited about giving it a try.  A little sad about the moon phase for night photography, but you can’t have everything, eh?

Anyway, I’m totally copying Ian and purchased a Peak Design Capture to carry the camera on my pack strap, but I’m wondering how to carry an extra lens?

At the moment I’m planning on keeping the 12mm ON the camera, but I’d like to take along either the 16-50 zoom, or more likely the Sigma 30mm (which has become my favorite lens for this camera) for at least some flexibility (almost all of my backpacking shots are wide, but I do like some pseudo-macro shots, or flower/plant close ups, etc).  Either of these lenses would fit in the hip belt pocket, but how to protect it?  Is that a good idea to just carry the lens, naked, in the hip belt pocket?  Deep in the pack isn’t a great idea simply for convenience sake…but where else?

[Ken Thompson]

Recent thread mentioned carrying their lens in a shoulder pocket reinforced with a section of water bottle inside.

[d k]

Maybe water bottle section/shoulder pocket with some bubble wrap for cushioning?

[Ian]

I usually just wrap some clothing around my lens and keep it towards the top of my pack but still inside the waterproof liner.

 

[Nick Smolinske]

 

I haven’t worked out the details myself on carrying extra lenses.  But on the subject of the moon phase, you’d be surprised!  You might be heading out at the perfect time for night photography, because you’ve got a nearly full moon that sets in the early AM, which lets you use the moonlight to light up your foreground but shoot the milky way after the moon sets.

And for star trails it’s even better, you can shoot the foreground and star trails at the same time.  I do all of my star trails shooting in the two weeks surrounding a full moon.  In terms of pure star shots, the less moon the better, but truly good night photography includes the foreground and natural moonlight is the best option in my opinion to light it up.

[Jennifer Mitol]

Well thanks Nick!  I hadn’t thought of it like that, but you’re right…thanks for the insight

[Tom D.]

For day hikes or overnighters in the local mountains, I often only bring the 18-55 kit lens for versatility, but when I bring the 70-210 telephoto for wildlife I usually leave it on the camera with the camera in front for quick deployment. I keep the 18-55 in the top pouch of my pack, as its generally not needed as quickly. I have carried the extra lens in a water bottle pouch on my waist before, but for comfort reasons I prefer it in the top of the pack on longer hikes. But as we all know, if its in the pack, its easy to pass on some shots because I don’t feel like taking the pack off.

I have yet to take my interchangeable lens camera on a hike of more than a few days. But if and when I do the JMT again or another multi-day hike in the Sierras, I will likely keep 2 lenses ready for quick change, so the water bottle pouch will likely be used in some form. I saw Gadget Girl carrying hers in a Ribz front pack, seemed to work pretty well.

[bayden cline]

Depending on the size of the lens a lowepro dashpoint 20 could potentially work. Have used one in the past for this kind of use.

 

Have been using a think tank mirror less mover 25 series bag for my a6300 and three lens setup lately but have found that this is just a little bit too big to be completely comfortable so might try one of the smaller bags in the series

[Stuart .]

For my rangefinder and m4/3 lenses I would cut a neoprene UCO Cocoon in half, and rely on that to give enough cushioning to let them ride in an unpadded pouch like the ZPacks Multipack or in another pocket. Cheaper than dedicated neoprene lens pouches, they’re also thicker and that gave me much more peace of mind.

[Jennifer Mitol]

hey these are great ideas!  thanks!

[Will Elliott]

 

After lots of frustration and experimentation:

I too have a m4/3 setup, so the lenses are tiny. I have this:

with all the straps cut off. I clip it with a biner to the lower part of my shoulder strap. It rides all the way down by the hip belt out of the way, but can be pulled up to chest height. In there I have whatever lens I’m not using and a battery. I carry the camera out, but will put it back in the bag with the other lens when needed. This works with a prime and a medium zoom. A body plus a 5″ long lens will take up the whole bag. You could still store a short prime in the front pocket.

 

[Dale Wambaugh]

Food containers with silicone seals, like Systems or Lock & Lock. Pasta containers are round. Add bubble wrap, neoprene or closed cell foam to suit.

[Simon Wurster]

Lenses go in Opt/Tech neoprene cases (similar to the UCO’s mentioned above). These then go inside a MLD cuben drybag http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=48&products_id=148. I think I have the Small size, fits two m4/3 lenses and more.

One thing about the Opt/Tech neoprene cases: the dimensions are strange, or maybe not varied enough fo m4/3 lenses. Best to go to the Opt/Tech website and get the actual dimensions (vendor websites, including B&H, are not very accurate).

Simon

[Ken Thompson]

nm

[Boyan B]

How many lenses do you need to carry, how expensive are they, and how much are you willing to pay?  I usually hike with 20+ lbs of photo gear and carry a FX sized body, two lenses at 2-3 lbs each, a tripod at 4-5 lbs, the works (I can see the BPL gates of hell opening under me  as I write this:-) all of them in a padded camera insert.

If you search for  “backpack camera insert” on eBay you will see numerous cheap Chinese options that may be good enough for your needs.  You can also look at MountainSmith’s website for some other options, or bhphotovideo.com also carries a giant selection.

[Pamhikes]

Can I ask what 12mm you have? I’ve debating on a wide angle lens for the same camera body.

Thanks
Pam

[David Thomas]

Some food containers, like Gatorade, come in light-weight plastic with a screw-top lid.  Although that particular one is pretty big for a modern lenses, it would have been ideal for a short, squat, 1970’s-era lens.

Dumpster-diving in a #2 Plastic recycling bin will uncover HDPE shampoo bottles, cleanser bottles, and the like.  For a 3″ long lens, either cut 4″ off the bottom of the bottle, wrap the lens in bubble-wrap (or an extra sock or hat that you’d bring anyway), and jam it snugly in.

You could get a little fancier and trim the plastic bottle with one or two long strap(s) left intact, projecting towards the lid. Then thread the strap(s) through a slit on the opposite side of the bottle or the other strap.   It ought to weigh around 15-20 grams when done.

[Colin M]

Tyvek padded mailer. Weighs almost nothing and good protection for a lighter lens.

I use the Zpacks multi bag on my chest with an Xpro2 with lens on and a tyvek padded mailer lining it. My other lens goes in my pack in another padded mailer. Hard to beat the simplicity and weight of this system plus it’s waterproof.

[Pamhikes]

Great idea Colin!

[Author]

Posts