Birding Gear : Big lens transport
...interns are not sherpas!!!
When we acquired our Nikkor 200-500mm lens, we had to consider the best way to carry the big lens on outings. Together, the zoom lens and D850 body weigh almost 8 pounds (!), is somewhat of an awkward hefty combo, and not conducive for extended hand-carrying. However, we wanted fast and easy access for birding photography. So what would be the best way to transport/carry the gear? Should it be a rigid case? A padded backpack? What?
One behemoth of a lens.
After years of reviewing camera bags, we already had a lot of options in-house. Surely one of those bags could handle the challenge (Kata, Slappa, etc)? The winner, surprisingly, turned out to not be a dedicated camera bag at all, but the Maroon Bell Weekender!!!
Going places.
Weekender ITW
We reviewed the awesome Weekender pack from Maroon Bell a while back. After two years of service, we are excited to report to RainyDayReaders that, InTheWild (ITW), the Weekender is everything we hoped it would be…functional, versatile, AND durable. So while some may find our choice of the Weekender for carrying the big Nikkor lens surprising, based on our key criteria, it should have been obvious to us from the get-go!
- Hands-free transport and handling : multiple grab handles;
- Easy access : large tabbed zippers, top opening; and
- Room for other things : roomy, inside and outside pockets, zippered compartments.
On a shoot at the shoreline of Rhode Island.
We knew the pack needed to be comfortable under load, and the Weekender excelled in that department because hauling around the D850 (2 lb. 3.5 oz.) paired w/ the Nikkor 200-500mm (5 lb. 1.2 oz.) is an exercise in itself.
After using the Weekender/Nikon camera+lens combo for a few months, we got a good feel for the pluses and minuses of the pairing.
The padded straps make the pack comfortable to carry even when loaded down and on uneven ground. The large tabs and big zippers make opening the top of the pack to remove the camera easy. The multiple grab-handles make picking up the pack convenient and secure.
Some readers are probably thinking: “what about the padding?” We considered that as well, and decided that we could use a down vest, gloves, etc., to serve the same purpose. The pack is large enough to handle the camera/lens combo WITH the hood attached, which serves as protection as well. So, unlike the typical padded camera bags, this one is just as protective, will handle the wear & tear, but cam be a lot more versatile when the situation demands it.
A very good lens, being very well cared for.
FinalThoughts
“Easy access” doesn’t necessarily mean QUICK access. With a backpack, we still have to put the pack down to get the camera/big lens out. The top opening and easy-grab pulls made getting to the camera simple, but still there are many steps involved before we can actually start shooting.
The Nikon D850 body is rugged, but we were a little concerned about the stress on the mount if we just carried the body/lens combo by the camera’s grip. After all, the lens is close to six (6) pounds! We soon realized, though, that once we were on location, we cradled the camera/lens pair more often than we thought we did, while scouting/waiting for our next shot. Great for the biceps, but can be somewhat awkward on occasion.
I see you, you sea bird you.
Cradling the lens or carrying it by the foot of the tripod collar is not the most ergonomic way of transporting the gear, so while the Weekender pack is great for transporting the equipment, we knew we would need to address the “carry” issue going forward.
Slings Preview
There are many ways to transport a heavy camera and lens combo, but quick access while carrying it is a more difficult requirement. After a lot of research, the RainyDayInterns selected two slings for further evaluation: the BlackRapid Blackline, and the Cotton Carrier Skout G2.
The rugged high-tech material used by the two makers are similar, but the two slings differ in their approach to securing and carrying the gear. This mention is just a preview of what’s coming up. We’ll take our typical deep-dive into the features of both slings, but we all know the real test will be out in the field.
BlackRapid’s Blackline Sling has a pad that sits on the shoulder, a swivel anchor that attaches to the bottom of the camera body/lens ring, and everything is carried on the side of the body near the hip for quick access.
Cotton Carrier’s Skout G2 Strap also has a pad that sits on the shoulder, but the gear is hooked and locked onto a padded plate in the front of the chest. We are going to try the G2 with our heavy setup, but we may need the G3 Harness for the load we are asking it to carry. We’ll see.
Slings we’ll be reviewing.
The exact format of the reviews are still under consideration. We are debating whether to go head-to-head between FirstLook and FirstUse, or to combine the FirstLook/FirstUse for each sling and write them up separately.
In any case, we’ll let RainyDayReaders know in more detail how the two rate once we get our act together, LOL.
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