70-200 carry bag

[kevinwalsh]

Most nikon lenses come with a carry bag or leather pouch for storage. Is there

one available for the 70-200 2.8 vr? I didn't get one with the lens. Do most

people use these for storing their lenses in their equipment bags or boxes?

[akajohndoe]

I keep my lenses in a Pelican case for storage and in a photo backpack or on the camera when in use. I do have several sizes of padded soft cases from the LowePro Street & Field system (why do I always want to type Field and Stream?) that I use, particularly if I want to carry them outside the pack. I keep the original boxes in a bigger box in the attic in case I wish to resell the lenses.

[juanjo_viagran]

I just got a LowePro LC5 for my 300mm 2.8 and is AWESOME, you may need a different size for your 70-200mm 2.8 but I HIGHLY recommend it.

[kauffungj]

Unless you purchased your lens used, the 70-200mm 2.8VR comes with a CL-M2 case. It's

available from B&H for about $50. IMHO, I find it to be pretty useless...

 

For storage I keep my lenses (and cameras) in my LowePro backpack, ready to go when I

need. The ones that don't fit in the bag are stored in the original box. I should consider

selling these since I know longer use them, but I'm a pack rat!

[akajohndoe]

The Canon EOS EF 70-200/2.8L fits in the LowePro S&F Lens Case 3, so the Nikon should be similar.

[ShunCheung]

Both the LowePro Street and Field Lens Case 3 and 4 are listed for 80-200mm/f2.8 type lenses. You might want to take your lens to a store and see how well it fits:

http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Accessories/lens_cases/Lens_Case_4.aspx

 

When you get to that page, click on the specifications tab.

[frank_skomial]

Lowepro TLZ AW fits D200 or D70 camera with 70-200 VR lens and the lens hood mounted in reverse (for storage). It also has external pockets for extra batteries, memory cards, and a 77 mm filter or two.

 

The pockets are flat and would not fit a lens or a flash.

 

This is a minimal size case for the lens and camera without vertical handgrip. Good quality built.

[nickwhite]

The TLZ AW that Frank mentions is now superseded by the new Lowepro 'Toploader' series, which come complete with a chest harness, attachment loops for other Lowepro accessories, and the All Weather cover - the Toploader 70AW or 75AW would both take your camera with lens attached plus accessories.

If you expect to acquire allot of gear then I can recommend the new Lowepro Vertex backpacks - I recently got the '200' which is very well designed for digital gear.

http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Toploading/allWeather/

[kevinwalsh]

I'm wondering why I didn't recieve the CL-M2 case when I bought the lens new from Ritz. I'll have to check into that first. Don't know how much I'll need it, as this lens spends most of it's time on my D80, but I'd still like the option to store it apart from my bag. Thanks for all the quick and helpful responses.

[nickwhite]

I should have mentioned that in the UK Lowepro are currently offering 20% cashback on items costing over 50 quid! - available till the end of August.

[ShunCheung]

If you buy it new, both the 70-200mm/f2.8 AF-S VR and 300mm/f4 AF-S should come inside a CL-M2 nylon soft case with strap, which is in turn inside the respective cardboard box. IMO, the CL-M2 is a lot more useful than the leather hard case Nikon used to provide.

[Matt Laur]

Kevin: Give a look at the <a href="http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_product_DgtlHlstr.php" target="_blank"><b>Think Tank Digital Holster 30</b></a>. It allows you to keep your 70-200 mounted to your D80 in a really comfortable quick-draw configuration, and the holster marries perfectly with their various belt/harness rigs. What I REALLY like about it is that the bottom of the holster has a zipper that allows it to extend by the length of your lens's hood... so you can carry in a ready-to-shoot mode, or in a somewhat more compact mode when things aren't happening on the fly. I bought the "50" version of this holster so that I could keep a D200 in it, with the grip mounted. I really, really like this product... and I agree that the case that comes with (or SHOULD have come with!) your lens isn't terribly useful all by itself. If I don't have it mounted, my 70-200 is usually in a pack or larger case with other gear.

[kevinwalsh]

Thanks everyone. The responses have been great. I am definately adding a couple items from LowePro and/or Think Tank to my wish list. I'll probably also need a large Pelican case eventually for storage of gear that I'm not immediately using. Soon it will have a life of it's own.

[mark_in_st._louis]

<p>I have

never regretted the purchase of my <a

href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/279328-REG/Lowepro_1987510_Toploader_75_AW_Camera.html">Lowepro

75 AW</a> case.  I use it with a D200

that has the <a

href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407308-REG/Nikon_25337_MB_D200_Multi_Power_Battery_Pack.html">MB-D200

battery grip</a> and leave the Lens Hood inverted on the 70-200.  It is a very close fit but does work.  My protection filter is the <a

href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/132990-REG/B_W_66027034_77_mm_Skylight_KR_1_5.html">B+W

Skylight KR-1.5 MC Slim</a> which does not add to the overall length when used

with the push on lens cap.  This filter and cap are the same thickness as

the original lens cap supplied.