How do you store camera + lens in bag?

[Tony M]

I went to a camera shop today to look at battery grips and took my camera in its Lowepro Passport Sling bag. When the guy in the shop saw the way I had stowed it (as shown in this picture), he said I shouldn't stow it with the lens facing downwards, with the weight of the camera on it. If I stow it the other way, with the lens facing upward, then I can't put the flash next to it, in the padded part of the bag. I would have to keep it in its own pouch, in the unpadded compartment of the bag. Not a major problem, but it reduces the space for other things.

What do you think? Is it not good practice to stow the camera with the lens facing downwards? BTW, I have a Canon 6D, and Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens. (I have other lenses, but that's the one normally attached to the camera when in the bag.)

Tony

[IzzieK]

My rigs, if you can call it that, is always stowed on its side. I guess I am from the old school -- old habits since my film day...never really die...

[rpcrowe]

I often carry two cameras with 17-55mm IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses attached. When I do, I often carry the camera with the 70-200mm f/4L IS lens in a holster case (obviously with the lens pointed down). I see nothing wrong with carrying the camera with that lens, that way.

However when carrying a camera in my Domke F-2 bag, I usually carry it flat along the bottom of the case.

[mknittle]

I have two case logic bags. one backpack and a sling both carry the camera lens down with the body in a sling. I also just got a Cotton carrier vest that carries the camera by the tripod mount lens down.

I have noticed in this world no matter what you do there is somebody somewhere that thinks it is the wrong way to do it.

[Rita]

Hi Tony, I have the same sling bag and I have my camera lens down too. Just seems to fit best that way and is easy to retrieve quickly. Recently I was looking for another bag and many of them seem to be designed to store the camera lens down.

[Black Pearl]

Some bags are sized so the camera sits on its base but others it just get chucked in any old how, don't pay attention and don't see a problem.

[PhotomanJohn]

+1 Been carrying my cameras lens down for a long time. You might see the lens creep out especially during a trip in the car. Not to worry!

John

[Mike Buckley]

he said I shouldn't stow it with the lens facing downwards

My Nikon 300mm f/4 AF lens no longer being made was released with a rigid leather case. Nikon recommends not removing the lens from the case by lifting the built-in lens hood. The only way to do that is to store the lens with the glass facing downward, which might explain why Nikon included such a heavy-duty case.

I don't use the leather case, opting instead for a soft, vinyl case because it is so much lighter. I store the lens with the front element facing upward. That requires that I be very careful about removing the lens without damaging the lens hood. Even so, I think that's a safer compromise than storing the front element facing downward.

All of my other lenses not mounted on the camera are also stored with the front element facing upward for safety reasons. The lens mounted on the camera is stored horizontally.

I can't provide any empirical evidence that storing a lens with the front element facing downward is dangerous. However, storing the front element facing upward surely can't be more dangerous.

[DanK]

Beats me. I have never carried mine that way. One of my packs (a Tamrac) can only carry the camera lens-down, but it has foam against the bottom (that is, the front) of the camera body that catches the weight. In all of the other bags or containers I use, the camera is either flat on its bottom or sideways. The pack that holds it sideways supports both the lens and the body.

[RustBeltRaw]

Unless the camera's mount is incredibly weak, I have no idea why carrying it lens-down would be a problem. Chuck an 800mm f5.6 on a plastic-bodied camera, then carry the combination by the camera's strap lugs, and yes, you are probably playing with fire. There's a reason those lenses have built-in strap lugs. But anything smaller than a Big White Prime doesn't strike me as a serious risk.

All that said, everything goes in my bag fully disassembled. My main body gets carried on a sling, lens mounted, and the backup, with a body cap or 40mm f2.8 STM pancake, goes in a neoprene pocket built into my pack.

[Tony M]

This is just a carry-around bag; the camera's usually around my neck, but when I'm having lunch or otherwise occupied, it goes in the bag. The lens sits lens-down on the padded bottom of the bag, so the camera doesn't support its weight. I think the guy in the shop didn't think it good that the lens had the weight of the camera on top of it. I don't think it's a problem, as I've always carried it around like that during the day. I just wanted a poll of CiC members to check if I really was mistreating the lens. When it's in the backpack, it's a different story: the camera is sitting horizontal.

Tony

[Ken MT]

What if the lens is heavier than the camera, surely it would be better to have the lens downward. Therefore with a 70-200 f 2.8 on a 5D have it downward, a 24-105 have it upward, but with a 70-200 f4 which is about the same weight as the camera do you have it sidewards. Unless you are rough with your gear, I cannot see that it will make any difference.

[Glenn NK]

When the guy in the shop saw the way I had stowed it (as shown in this picture), he said I shouldn't stow it with the lens facing downwards, with the weight of the camera on it.

What do you think? Is it not good practice to stow the camera with the lens facing downwards? BTW, I have a Canon 6D, and Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens. (I have other lenses, but that's the one normally attached to the camera when in the bag.)

Tony

I must be heading for trouble - I've stored both cameras that way for seven years - 30D + 24-105 and 5DII + 25-105.

No trouble. If a camera couldn't carry its own weight, I'd quit photography.

What would he say with a 24-105 on the body and the body attached to a tripod (tripod mount on body). This puts the lens mount in tension whereas face down it's in uniform compression - far less likely to break.

Ignore him - he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Find a new salesman.

[zen]

Hi Tony,

My 5D3 with lens carries in my Lowrpro 50 attaché roller on its side. In my backpack, it carries lens downward in a compartment padded on all 6 sides, and in my Toploader holster, it carries lens pointing down. But in all cases, there is ample padding to protect the rig. And, of course I never put the thing in any bag without the lens cap in place. Have never heard this idea before seriously. I've carried my camera lens down for years and have never had a problem. Nor has anyone else I know, including several pros and a bunch of seriously dedicated amateurs. So I'd say don't worry about it.

Good luck.

Zen

[DanK]

If there is an issue--I doubt that there is--I don't think the issue would be the mount, which is very solid. What I would expect to be the issue is the mechanics behind the various rotational adjustments, particularly the zoom for externally zooming lenses. I worry unduly about my equipment, but I don't think this one will make my list.

[Colin Southern]

Unless you're hanging a 70-200/2.8 or bigger off the camera, and the camera is mounted to the tripod, don't worry about it.

[William W]

I carry a either 5D or 5DMkII (both with Battery Grips) loaded with either a 24 to 70/2.8 or 24 to 105/4 in Lowepro Slingshot Bags. When the bags are slung to the front, the cameras are face down. It is the obvious way to carry them for quick access and retrieval:



I also carry a bigger kit in a Lowepro Backpack and the main camera usually has a 70 to 200/2.8 loaded and it is face downwards, when I am carrying the backpack.

As Dan K implied, most of the smaller styled “one camera & one lens bags” are designed for a lens down carry and obviously that is for quick retrieval, to use the camera.

I think that the camera store man needs to explain why he gave you that advice and also he needs to back his reasons with the manufacturer’s recommendations / rationale.

WW

[Hero]

Allways lens down. Replacing a lenscap is not as expensive as a camera lcd, should I ever accidentally put the bag down on something sharp and pointy

[Letrow]

I never heard about this before. Looking at the camera bags I have had, most were made to carry the camera lens down. Never posed me any problems, so I am not changing that any time soon.

[darknight]

yep always lens down on the camera, in fact a lot of camera bags are designed for this as is my crumpled bag and even my backpack, with a lens cap on it should not do any damage at all