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Prototypes of the two new Xpandable LensCoat Long Lens bags in the back of my Toyota Sequoia. The 600 II is in the 4X bag on our left, the 200-400 in the 3X bag on our right. I originally encouraged Scott Elowitz to consider making a long lens bag just so I could store my long lenses safely while driving. Nearly 2 years in development, the 2 new bags do a ton more. And with my shoulder problems getting the 600 on my back will help my shoulders to continue to improve and prevent you from winding up in the same shoulder-boat that I am in. Also seen, the Gitzo 3532 LS tripod with the Mongoose M3.6 on top. The GT 1542 Travel tripod with the Giotto’s tiny ballhead attached. A long Canon umbrella. The Umbrella Clamp Rig. The larger or my two Think Tank Airport Rolling bags–click on the Think Tank link in the right hand column for more info on those. And, to dry my feet after getting wet at Fort DeSoto, Johnson’s Baby Powder |
Two Great New Expandable Long Lens Bags from LensCoat
Now Available for Pre-Order
Product will be shipped mid- to late-June
Please scroll down for details and the whole story from soup to nuts.
The Streak Continues: 184
This post marks 184 consecutive days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? To show your appreciation for my efforts here, I do ask that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I have used and tested, and know that you can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know the tools that you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
You can find the following items in the store: Gitzo tripods, Mongoose M3.6 and Wimberley heads, plates, low feet, and accessories, flash brackets, , Delkin e-film Pro Compact Flash Cards, LensCoat products, and our unique line-up of educational materials including ABP I & II, Digital Basics, Site and Set-up e-Guides, Canon and Nikon Camera Users and AF e-Guides, and MP-4 Photoshop video tutorials among others.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the BAA Online store as well.
This post took 2 hours to prepare. Enjoy!
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This image was created at 9:44am on Saturday past on a partly cloudy very bright morning at Lake Blue Cypress with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 640. Evaluative metering +1 stop of the light sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB. Central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF squarely on the bird’s left eye as originally framed active at the moment of exposure. (This is a very small crop from the left and above.) Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. |
An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
Last week, friend and mega multiple IPT veteran Clemens Van der Werf asked me if I would like to join him for a pontoon boat morning on lake just 45 minutes from my home in Indian Lake Estates. Twist my arm :). After a slow start, things really heated up. While the 200-400 is great for flight as you can zoom out when needed, I opted for the 300 II with either teleconverter because of its lighter weight: 5.19 pounds versus 7.98. 2.79 pounds when hand holding is huge…. I had the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 2X III and a 1D X on a bench seat ready to go on the tripod at a moments notice for perched birds and a few tight head portraits. I will be sharing some of those with you here in the future.
A very light wind from the north swung around to the east by 9:00am and the high thin clouds provided relatively soft light well into the morning. This combination was perfect for flight photography. Note the large chick in the nest on our left below the landing bird. At first we thought that it was dead but as it turned out it was just resting. We were both happy about that.
Thanks a stack Clemens for a great day.
Image Question
If you were going to remove a single stick from the nest, which one would it be? Why?
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Testing a prototype of the 4Xpandable Long Lens bag on safari in Tanzania. The trick is to wrap the strap around the head rest and then re-attach it to the bag. Doing so protects the lens during normal travel. At high speeds or over really rough roads it is best to hold the lens on your lap in hopes of preventing damage in case you hit a pothole or a large animal burrow. Do ask the driver to let you know in advance if you will be encountering any really rough going. I did not fully expand the bag so that I could easily grab the camera and pull the rig from the bag almost instantly when needed. The driver-guide in the front seat is the always-smiling Salvatore. |
Expandable Long Lens Bags from LensCoat
Now Available for Pre-Order
Will be shipped mid- to late-June
The Idea
It was probably two years ago when I suggested to Scott Elowitz of LensCoat that he develop a good long lens bag. My motivation? The Domke Lens Bags that I had been using for years were becoming tattered wrecks. One had already bitten the dust and the other was getting ready to do the same. I have been testing both sizes of the new Xpanadable Long Lens bags for more than a year. They have proved their worth over and over again in the back of my Sequoia, in the field at locations like Nickerson Beach and Gatorland, and while on safari in Tanzania last August. Scott took my idea and flew with it producing two expandable bags with tons of great options. When a lens is stowed for travel (by car, plane, or boat) in one of the Xpandable Long Lens bags I strongly recommend that the camera body be removed as vibrations can wreck the lens mounts over time. After all travel it is a good plan to check the tiny screws on all lens mounts for tightness.
You can pre-order yours today with a phone call to Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 weekdays from 8:30am til 5:00pm.
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The 3Xpandable Long Lens Bag is available in four patterns. |
3Xpandable: Price: $279.99 + $12.00 shipping to US addresses
This is one great bag. Whether you’re in the field, on a boat, ship, or pontoon boat, in your own or a safari vehicle, you will find this bag useful. It will protect your gear while leaving it almost instantly accessible. The 3Xpandable bag can be ingeniously folded to three different sizes – or folded flat for air travel!
Position 1: Full size, 27.75″ height; perfect for a long lens in shooting position with teleconverter and camera body.
Position 2: Folded down to 23.5”; makes the bag more compact and lowers its center of gravity.
Position 3: Folded down to 19.75”; now the bag is small enough to be used as an airline carry-on aboard most commercial aircraft.
• Removable lid with pocket zips on easily and securely at all three positions
• Male and female ends on removable shoulder strap allow for strap to be used to secure bag
• Removable reinforced insert panels allow you to configure the weight and support
• Soft sided construction allow the bag to be folded nearly flat for storage or packing
• Built to last with heavy-duty water-resistant Codura and lightweight, water-resistant nylon lining
• M.O.L.L.E webbing system to easily add pouches and accessories
• Removable harness (sold separately)
• Multiple connection points to secure the bag
• YKK zippers
• Expandable exterior mesh pocket
• Tripod/Monopod support options
• Made in the USA
The 3Xpandable Long Lens Bag accommodates a camera body with lenses such as the following: Canon 200-400mm, Canon 300mm f/2.8, Canon 400mm DO, Canon 500mm, Nikon 200-400mm, Nikon 300 f/2.8, Nikon 500mm, Sigma 500mm, Sigma 300-800mm, and Sony 500mm.
The 3Xpandable Long Lens Bag is available in four patterns: Realtree Max 4, Black, Forest Green Camo, and Digital Camo.
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The 4Xpandable Long Lens Bag is available in four patterns. |
4Xpandable: Price: $289.99 + $12.00 shipping to US addresses
The larger version is also one smart bag. Whether you’re in the field or a safari vehicle it’s perfect when you want to be ready to take the shot at a moment’s notice. The 4Xpandable bag can be ingeniously folded to three different sizes – or folded flat!
Position 1: full size, 28.75″ height; perfect for a long lens in shooting position with teleconverter and camera body.
Position 2: Folded down to 24.5”; makes the bag more compact and lowers the center of gravity.
Position 3: Folded down to 21.5”; now the bag is small enough to be used as an airline carry-on aboard most commercial aircraft.
• Removable lid with pocket zips on easily and securely at all three positions
• Male and female ends on removable shoulder strap allow for strap to be used to secure bag
• Removable reinforced insert panels allow you to configure the weight and support
• Soft sided construction allow the bag to be folded nearly flat for storage or packing
• Built to last with heavy-duty water-resistant Codura and lightweight, water-resistant nylon lining
• M.O.L.L.E webbing system to easily add pouches and accessories
• Removable harness (sold separately)
• Multiple connection points to secure the bag
• YKK zippers
• Expandable exterior mesh pocket
• Tripod/Monopod support options
• Made in the USA
The 4Xpandable Long Lens Bag accommodates a camera body and lenses such as Canon & Nikon 400mm f/2.8, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm.I know for a fact that when fully expanded it takes the Canon 600 II with a 1D X, a 2X TC, and the hood in place. Wow!
The 4Xpandable Long Lens Bag is also available in four patterns: Realtree Max 4, Black, Forest Green Camo, and Digital Camo.
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The LensCoat Harness is available in 2 sizes. See below for details. |
The Padded Harness for the LensCoat 3Xpandable and 4Xpandable Long Lens Bags: $44.99.
This padded backpack-style harness is constructed of thick (16mm–5/8″) closed-cell foam. The outside is covered on the top with nonabrasive water-repellent 400D nylon pack cloth. The inside surface that faces faces your body is made from 3D mesh fabric, a soft Polyester moisture-wicking substrate. There is a 2-way adjustable sternum strap.
If you are 5′ 10″ or shorter we typically recommend the Small/Medium Harness. Taller folks will need the Large/Extra Large Harness.
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Right now, the LensCoat Waist Belt is free for those who pre-order an Xpanadable Long Lens Bag and a Harness. |
The LensCoat Waist Belt
Free right now for those who pre-order an Xpanadable Long Lens Bag and a Harness.
The LensCoat Waist Belt is designed to work with the Xpandable series Long Lens Bag. It provides increased stability when used in conjunction with the harness. The lightweight, unpadded belt attaches easily and quickly to the d-rings on the Xpandable bag. The 2″ wide nylon webbing easily adjusts to fit a waist up to 60 inches. The waist belt has been designed with MOLLE-compliant attachment points on the sides (5 on each side) to accommodate pouches and accessories.
Xpandable Long Lens Bag Folding Instructions Only Video
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂
i feel like i would remove the thin stick on the far left hand side as it is distracting and would add more definition to the nest, making it looking taller and larger.
Scott
I do not mind that wispy stuff. It helps to frame the image and balances the green vegetation on the other side of the frame. artie
looking at it more I agree with what you said with regards to the middle stick which looks like it’s about to land on it, though originally I didnt see that as an issue.
Which stick would I remove?
I would remove the most distracting one. 🙂
Me too. But nobody has mentioned the one that bugs me! artie
Artie – Nice image. I’d remove the caramel-colored stick from the right side of the nest. It is the only one that color. The others appear to be part of the nest structure.
That one does not bother me as it frames the bird to some degree.
Okay – then the one it appears he is about to impale himself on?
That’s the one. I write often that strong verticals in the middle of horizontal frames can be destructive. Even toning it down would help as it is the lightest match in the box….
Ya know, I looked at that one too and immediately said to myself “that stick looks like it’s going to impale the incoming bird” but it didn’t look out of place to me.
Duh! I guess that says it was distracting me too but I didn’t realize it.
Which single stick would I remove from the nest? I initially want to say the stick going across the chick so the chick becomes part of the image. I must admit, until I read to look for the chick, I didn’t see it because my eye focused on the incoming adult.
But, the single stick that draws attention to my eyes is the vertical stick on the right that is a different color. The single vertical stick on the far left which goes out of frame doesn’t bother me because it doesn’t draw my attention away from the subject.
Ah, now I understand. The stick on the right does not bug me at all. artie
Arthur, For trips in you vehicle do you normally have the camera on the lens? I have a 500mm and 800mm and have missed several photographs because I normally travel, even a few miles, with the camera bodies and lenses separated. I only travel that way because of a few horror stories about the connection and possible bending at the joint.
Thanks,
James
If I am driving slowly in search of subjects I have the lens with the camera mounted on a pillow on the passenger seat, usually with the nose end on the floor in front of the seat, often on another pillow.
If I am driving more than 15 mph I always un-mount the camera….
Learned this lesson the hard way: last Easter on a trip in an India Nat Park (Kahna) I had my 500f4 with the 1DIV attached; a big bump and the lens fell on the floor in the jeep.
We almost immediately stopped and joined a great number of jeeps to see a leopard drinking (hence the wild rush and the bump).
When picking up my lens, the camera came half detached… Luckily I had my 70-200f2.8 with a 1.4 TC on a 1DIII at hand and made lots of pics. Later I discovered that one of the screws on the lens mount was missing. As I had several TC with me, I used a screw of a TC and fixed the 500. After that it worked fine. Reminds me to send it for maintenance!
Sometimes we get lucky when we learn expensive lessons…. artie
What you’ve been saying about the 300 makes a lot of sense, no surprise 🙂
I pulled the trigger and am going to buy Muir’s 300. I was primarily using my 300 F4 for flight, but as you’ve been touching upon, I figured with an extra stop of light, Muir’s lens would be even more usable by being a worthy substitute for those days I don’t feel like lugging around the equivalent of a bowling ball over my shoulder. Doug
Great. You will love it. If it needs a LensCoat give Jim a buzz. AF is much faster with with the 2.8 lens both with and without either TC. And still fast with the 2X. artie
That’s the plan with TC. With the extra TC’s I’m getting, the plan is to keep one 1.4 II, sell the other 1.4 II along with the 2x II. Then with that money, buy the 2x III based upon what you wrote.
I love buying used, especially when one version gets updated by another. My philosophy is, if the I is sharp, it doesn’t stop being sharp when II comes out 🙂
BTW, that’s your 300 F4 I have. Now I have to sell that also once I get the 2.8. Doug
Wow!! Your trunk NEVER looked so clean!!! Love the Osprey shot! Scott makes a nice product and the bag is now on my wishlist too!!!
🙂 I cleaned the trunk just for the product shot BTW…. Threw everything on the back seat!!! You need two, the 4X for the 600 II and a 3X for your 300 II.
Great long lens bag. Definitely on my wishlist.