# 800mm f/11 Carry Options



## David_D (Sep 30, 2021)

I have finally given in and bought an R5 & 800mm f/11 lens  My big dilemma now is how to carry it around. Most of my photography is of birds, done walking around, travelling light, previously with a 7D MkII with 100-400mm attached and another lens (100mm Macro or wide-angle depending what I expect to see), carried in a small waist bag. The bag is large enough to hold the 100-400mm (just) but will not fit the 800mm. I'm looking for creative suggestions for how to take both lenses with me, very easily accessible for rapid changing (i.e. probably not a backpack). My thoughts so far are:

A bigger waist bag
Some sort of clip system and hang the unused lens from my belt
Some sort of strap system and hang the unused lens from my shoulder
Have the 800mm on the R5 and 100-400mm on the 7DMkII and work out how to carry two setups
Any other ideas, products available I'm not aware of or specific recommendations for any of the options above?

Thanks.


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## AlanF (Sep 30, 2021)

David_D said:


> I have finally given in and bought an R5 & 800mm f/11 lens  My big dilemma now is how to carry it around. Most of my photography is of birds, done walking around, travelling light, previously with a 7D MkII with 100-400mm attached and another lens (100mm Macro or wide-angle depending what I expect to see), carried in a small waist bag. The bag is large enough to hold the 100-400mm (just) but will not fit the 800mm. I'm looking for creative suggestions for how to take both lenses with me, very easily accessible for rapid changing (i.e. probably not a backpack). My thoughts so far are:
> 
> A bigger waist bag
> Some sort of clip system and hang the unused lens from my belt
> ...


Do you need to take the 800mm and the zoom with you on walkabout? I take the 100-500mm on the R5 and one of the TCs and before that the 100-400mm II and a TC, and leave the 800 at home when out on a hike - I do bird photography in the same way as you.


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## EricN (Sep 30, 2021)

I use this, but the 800 will stick out, so don't do any flips.



https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1474897-REG/kelly_moore_bag_kmb_hrt_lncs_the_leather_lens_case.html


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## David_D (Sep 30, 2021)

AlanF said:


> Do you need to take the 800mm and the zoom with you on walkabout? I take the 100-500mm on the R5 and one of the TCs and before that the 100-400mm II and a TC, and leave the 800 at home when out on a hike - I do bird photography in the same way as you.


Well, I guess I don't have to, but it would be disappointing to leave it at home. It is probably my technique (at photography and staling birds), but even with the cropped 7D MkII I felt I needed more reach. I thought about a 600mm f/4 (I even hired one to try out) and although it was very nice it was too heavy and cumbersome, not to mention expensive! That is why I was tempted by the R5 & 800mm. The 45MPx more or less compensates for not being a crop sensor and the 800mm (optionally x1.4) gives extra reach.

So far, I am just getting the feel of things, taking it out with either the 100-400mm or 800mm on short walks. (Only had it a few days so far.) My plans for a trip to somewhere more exciting this weekend are now looking in doubt (unless I can get some petrol), but hopefully I will get a change for some real experience soon.

[My hope is to upgrade to the RF 100-500mm once I have saved some more money :-]

Happy with it so far...


... flying over the back garden!


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 30, 2021)

I suspect the RF 800 would fit in a Lowepro Lens Case 13x32, which you could hang on a Lowepro Utility Belt. I’ve done that with smaller lenses. But that's not what I'd do, personally.

For walking, I typically carry my camera on a BlackRapid strap (regular for most lenses, the Sport-L left side strap for my 600/4). The BR strap lug is connected (with Loctite, so it won't come loose as the lugs sometimes do) to a Kirk 1” clamp (Arca-Swiss), and I have RRS plates on my camera and lens feet. Here's the business end of the strap with the Kirk clamp connected to a lens plate:




So if I was trying to carry the RF 800 and another lens, I'd attach an RRS B-26 plate to the lens (it's a 'camcorder plate' but it's the right size and has the anti-twist pin to match the hole on the tripod mount of the RF 800):





Then I'd connect the Kirk clamp to that while in use for carrying and shooting, with the second lens in a smaller pouch on a belt. When I wanted to use the other lens, I'd leave the RF 800 hanging on the strap and handhold the camera with the second lens mounted.

Hope that helps...


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## AlanF (Sep 30, 2021)

David_D said:


> Well, I guess I don't have to, but it would be disappointing to leave it at home. It is probably my technique (at photography and staling birds), but even with the cropped 7D MkII I felt I needed more reach. I thought about a 600mm f/4 (I even hired one to try out) and although it was very nice it was too heavy and cumbersome, not to mention expensive! That is why I was tempted by the R5 & 800mm. The 45MPx more or less compensates for not being a crop sensor and the 800mm (optionally x1.4) gives extra reach.
> 
> So far, I am just getting the feel of things, taking it out with either the 100-400mm or 800mm on short walks. (Only had it a few days so far.) My plans for a trip to somewhere more exciting this weekend are now looking in doubt (unless I can get some petrol), but hopefully I will get a change for some real experience soon.
> 
> ...


Nice Red Kite. It's a bad time of year for us UK birders, but fortunately there are Red Kites around. I got one locally on Friday with the RF 2x on the 100-500mm. It was much further away than yours judging by the number of pixels https://www.canonrumors.com/forum/threads/show-your-bird-portraits.1280/page-1216#post-911906 Best of luck with the petrol - I fortunately filled up just before the queueing started but there's not much exciting within driving distance.


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## AlanF (Sep 30, 2021)

neuroanatomist said:


> I suspect the RF 800 would fit in a Lowepro Lens Case 13x32, which you could hang on a Lowepro Utility Belt. I’ve done that with smaller lenses. But that's not what I'd do, personally.
> 
> For walking, I typically carry my camera on a BlackRapid strap (regular for most lenses, the Sport-L left side strap for my 600/4). The BR strap lug is connected to a Kirk 1” clamp (Arca-Swiss), and I have RRS plates on my camera and lens feet. Here's the business end of the strap with the Kirk clamp connected to a lens plate:
> 
> ...


On the occasions I've used the 800mm R5 on the R5 for hiking, it's been on a simple Black Rapid with two carabiners, one through a standard BR screw into the lens base and the other through a cheap plate under the camera.


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## bhf3737 (Sep 30, 2021)

RF800mm fits into both original Canon pouch for this lens (rather expensive) and 
cheaper JJC Camera Lens Pouch Case for Canon RF 800mm (Interior Size 4.92x11.42” (125 x 290mm), Exterior Size 6.65x12.52” (169 x 318mm)). Both have shoulder strap but JJC also has a belt loop..


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## unfocused (Sep 30, 2021)

It fits in this (barely): https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/lens-changer-75-pop-down-v3-0 if you unzip the extension. It will also fit in the Turnstyle 20 https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/turnstyle-20-v2 with room to spare, but you can't fit much else in with it.


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## David_D (Oct 1, 2021)

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Long term I will investigate the BlackRapid options (as it had two votes). It looks a bit complex and expensive, so will need some thought about the best approach. Previously I have been hesitant about trusting my kit to a [heavy duty] lanyard, held on by a single bolt, but this helps with some of these fears 


neuroanatomist said:


> The BR strap lug is connected (*with Loctite*, so it won't come loose as the lugs sometimes do) to ...



In the short term I will probably get the JJC pouch and try hanging it by the belt loop from my waste bag. (It is fairly cheap and will get me _out in the field_ to see how well it works and indeed whether I need to carry both lenses.)


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 1, 2021)

David_D said:


> Previously I have been hesitant about trusting my kit to a [heavy duty] lanyard, held on by a single bolt, but this helps with some of these fears


FWIW, I hang my 600/4 II and 1D X from a BR strap – that’s close to $20K in gear.


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## David_D (Oct 1, 2021)

neuroanatomist said:


> FWIW, I hang my 600/4 II and 1D X from a BR strap – that’s close to $20K in gear.


Yes, I am reassured, especially with the Loctite suggestion. (Also the 800/11 is much lighter.) My greatest concern is my competence, worrying about the bolt coming undone may cause me to overtighten it and strip the thread


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## AlanF (Oct 1, 2021)

David_D said:


> Yes, I am reassured, especially with the Loctite suggestion. (Also the 800/11 is much lighter.) My greatest concern is my competence, worrying about the bolt coming undone may cause me to overtighten it and strip the thread


If you use 2 caribiners, it's insurance against 1 coming loose.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 1, 2021)

David_D said:


> Yes, I am reassured, especially with the Loctite suggestion. (Also the 800/11 is much lighter.) My greatest concern is my competence, worrying about the bolt coming undone may cause me to overtighten it and strip the thread


That's why I use the Kirk clamp to an Arca-Swiss plate. Apply Loctite to the bolt, attach it to the clamp, and forget about it. FYI, I use Loctite Blue 242, so with tools (bench vice and channel locks) and some force they can be separated if needed, but that's not going to happen in normal use.


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