Carrying a camera body with lens attached in camera backpack, good or bad?

[alecdann]

I was looking through the Q&As of the Nikkor 180-600mm on B&H and I noted that one person mentioned that they thought keeping a camera and lens attached while being carried in a camera backpack was not a good idea. They said they thought all of the jostling could cause misalignment of the lens and the body, as well as weaken the lens mount.

What do you think?

To add to what others have said, another good reason to keep your lens attached to your body is that assembling them in the field, where conditions may be windy is that you increase the chances of getting dust on your sensor. I learned this the hard way on an Oregon beach this summer -- I got dust on my sensor that Z6ii's sensor cleaning process would not remove. Had to send the camera in for cleaning.

As an aside, the insurance I bought at B&H when I bought the camera covered the cleaning. I got the camera back in two weeks. Great investment.

 

[Marsha Jane]

I am attaching photo of how I typically pack my bag... This is a Think Tank Backlight 36L. I also have an F-Stop Tilopa with XL ICU, but I do not like how the 800PF fits in that bag.
You'll notice that the Z9 is attached to the 800PF... If I bring my 800mm lens into the field, it is always attached to the Z9. If I am on a wildlife shoot, I attach the Z8 to the 400mm lens (w/ or w/out converter). If I'm on an anything goes trip, the Z8 is detached. The remaining lenses in the bag are the 17-28 and 70-180 f/2.8 lenses. Once I buy a straight Z7 (or Z6), I'll keep the Z8 attached the 400mm lens. The 3rd body will float between the two f/2.8 lenses.
I think the 26L would hold the new 180-600 + body attached, but you may want to measure it out first.
hope this helps...
bruce
View attachment 69485

My ThinkTank Backlight 18 L easily carries my D500 with 200-500 lens attached and room to spare at the end, so the 26L should easily accommodate.

 

[JanH]

I use a Ruggard backpack to carry my 300-800 attached to my camera. I have never had an issue. Ruggard makes some very nice products.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into it, because I am still looking for a new bag to fit the 180-600mm - whenever it arrives

I did receive the Lowepro Tactic 450II, which was on sale. It is a nice bag, very complete, though a bit unnecessarily heavy (e.g., heavy dividers). It is also not as big as I had feared, and can be carried around easily and relatively anonymously. Carries well too, from what I can tell so far.

Most importantly, this bag will fit the 180-600mm easily, both on the camera and separately. This is good news, regardless where you come down on the question raised by the OP.

However, when I set up the bag to be able to keep the 180-600mm on the camera, but also to store the 180-600mm and use the camera with my other lenses I find that there is little space left, and I may have to choose what other lenses and gear to bring along. This no fault of the bag, but I had hoped to be able to store more.

 

[simonsi]

If carrying in a backpack while on a shoot, yes, the camera is attached for quick access should I come accross something interesting to shoot. If transporting while traveling other than in the trunk of my car, no, I'll remove the body from the lens.

View attachment 69715

In you left hand picture be aware that as the camera end of the combo is fairly free to move, you may damage the lens hood mounting as that will be held by the bag and torque focused there. You really need a yoke around the top of the lens or dividers to limit the sideways movement of the body. I had a lens shipped to me where exactly that happened.

 

[Midway]

In you left hand picture be aware that as the camera end of the combo is fairly free to move, you may damage the lens hood mounting as that will be held by the bag and torque focused there. You really need a yoke around the top of the lens or dividers to limit the sideways movement of the body. I had a lens shipped to me where exactly that happened.

That was a picture when I had just received the bag. It is reconfigured plus I turn the foot horizontally to the divider side and that keeps the body with lens from moving without putting stress on the lens mount. Thanks.

 

[macwalter]

The answer to your question is based on your priorities in the field. I always design my shooting kit in a way that is responsive to my style of photography and the conditions in which I shoot. I will often hike and carry 3 cameras attached to 3 lenses as a way to eliminate the need to change lenses in the field. I tend to hike with my gear, throw down a bag and either grab something and shoot or grab something and get it on a tripod.
I also tend to prefer to shoot in inclement weather. I like to shoot in falling snow, rain, and fog. In the tropics, I find it a pain to switch lenses, as this can cause internal fogging. In a MN winter, changing lenses can be painful as one has to expose there fingers to sub-zero (F) temp and handle cold metal objects.
The only time I do not keep lenses attached to my cameras is when I travel by plane (allows TSA agents to pull items out w/ out F-ing things up) or on heavily rutted roads. In my many decades of shooting, I have never experienced a lens and mount related damage issue as a result of this practice. Of course, if you drop your camera mounted lens on the ground (ie a tripod flop) you may incur damages.
Too often people treat their cameras as if they were precious porcelain objects... these things have been designed to be used on a regular basis...
cheers,
bruce

I agree. I like to hike and carry my gear either on a loop at my side or a backpack. I think it is a good idea to try to avoid carrying the camera in such a way the the weight is on the body while having a heavy lens attached. When I carry it on a loop on my belt I make sure the loop keeps the weight off my shoulder and by using the tripod foot, keeping the weight off the body. Been doing it for years works great and I can quickdraw the camera in a flash to shoot BIF.

 

[Ken Miracle]

I have not birded with a backpack in years. For me the camera in a backpack is far to slow to deploy.

I use think tank cubes, holsters, lens bags and retro duffels for transport in the vehicle to the birding location of the day. I mix and match depending on where I am going.

My uncle wrote for Outdoor Life and in one article he described many Idaho roads quite well ... anyplace a coyote can make a u turn.

Vibration is not good for camera gear whether the body and lens are together or seperated. I use a special foam used for sound and vibration absorption that comes out of the audio world. I use that foam to line the bottom and sides of the retro duffles if they can not be on the cushy back seat of my SUV, I am going in someone elses vehicle etc..

 

[MJR]

This issue has been around forever it seems. I remember 30+ years ago when Arthur Morris in one of the popular forums at the time was talking about the dangers of leaving long lenses attached to camera bodies when not activly shooting. I think there is no problem when hiking with a backpack and the lens attached. When travelling though, especially by air when you have to gate check your bag you definately don't want the long lens attached. If you have ever seen how baggage handlers on larger planes handle luggage you would be horrified.

I want to ammend my initial reply when I stated "I think there is no problem when hiking with a backpack and the lens attached." The exception would be if you slipped and fell on your back there is a good chance that the impact could either snap the lens right off the mount and damage both the mount and the lens.

 

[DallasP]

Has anyone experienced or heard of a failure that was attributed to keeping a camera and a lens attached?

 

[BLev65]

Has anyone experienced or heard of a failure that was attributed to keeping a camera and a lens attached?

Anything can happen... if you are on a poorly graded road, are offroading, or hit a terribly deep pothole and your camera bag is poorly secured in your vehicle, the impact of a bag on a hard surface can cause the lens and mount to break. In addition, if you drop your bag from a height on a hard surface, there is a chance to do some damage.
I have visited Rara Avis in Costa Rica on two occasions. Transportation is via a tractor pulled cart. There is no road, only a mudded trench with split logs lying horizontally in the trench. You are pulled up trench into the virgin rainforest for about 90 minutes, and each turn of the wheels is a lurch that causes everything to bounce. If a camera bag was left on the bottom of the cart it would suffer many impacts. During these treks, I kept my body detached from the lenses. As soon as I arrived in the jungle and at my lodge, I reattached the lenses to the cameras and proceeded as normal.
So... can bad things happen, sure... but you can also be hit by a random car if you cross the road at the wrong time.

cheers,
bruce

 

[splatbass]

I want to ammend my initial reply when I stated "I think there is no problem when hiking with a backpack and the lens attached." The exception would be if you slipped and fell on your back there is a good chance that the impact could either snap the lens right off the mount and damage both the mount and the lens.

Could happen, but I think the mount is stronger than most people think. I had a D750 and 24-120 on a Peak Design strap when I tripped and fell on a concrete sidewalk. The lens and camera hit the concrete hard enough to break them, but the lens mount was not damaged at all. Enough force to damage both camera and lens, which were totally unprotected, and the mount was fine.

My face also needed stitches…not my best day.

 

[Ken Miracle]

Could happen, but I think the mount is stronger than most people think. I had a D750 and 24-120 on a Peak Design strap when I tripped and fell on a concrete sidewalk. The lens and camera hit the concrete hard enough to break them, but the lens mount was not damaged at all. Enough force to damage both camera and lens, which were totally unprotected, and the mount was fine.

My face also needed stitches…not my best day.

Ouch times 3.

 

[simonsi]

Has anyone experienced or heard of a failure that was attributed to keeping a camera and a lens attached?

Not where the combo hadn’t either been dropped or otherwise impacted - so all bets are off as if you arent there, you cant assess whether you would reasonably have expected the damage irrespective of the lens being mounted. Transporting mounted is certainly within what I consider an acceptable risk profile.