Anyone use "protective wraps" for their lenses?

[Chuck_P]

I have my 4x5 system ready to pack for the field except for one item. I basically am going by the article from the Large Format Photography site titled: "Using a monorail in the field - Horseman LE" by Nick Thornton. I bought a $30 back pack and cushioned the bottom with 4" foam and the dark cloth serves very nicely as filler around the standard, it's comfortable and easy to unpack, has plenty of room for holders and meter. I did a time trial and it took me 2 min and 50 sec (normal fashion not rushing) to take the pack off, remove the rail (the standards are turned parallel to the rail and locked down), install on the tripod, install the bellows, camera back, and lens. In all, a very short time compared to the time to position the camera, compose, meter, etc.....Thought this might be interesting to some.

Anyway, I am wandering if anyone uses the protective wraps (the ones I've seen are at B&H) for their lenses that are mounted on the board. They are not expensive and seem to me to be worth looking into for storage while in my pack; Thornton suggests using plastic containers for the lenses and bellows, but I'm thinking of this option. What do you think?

My lens boards for the LE are 5.5" x 5.5". The sizes listed at B&H are for the unfolded dimension (15"x15" or 19"x19", et al) but I wish they also listed the folded dimension relative to the lensboard.

Any input, as always, greatly appreciated.
Chuck

 

[Richard Kelham]

I use bubble-wrap and old food containers (Lidl's finest Kartoffelsalat to be precise) as it probably gives better protection than a lens wrap – not that I have ever used one...




Richard

 

[lee]

I use lens wraps and are good with them. www.photobackpacker.com has custom gear for this.

lee\c

 

[roteague]

I use them on all my lenses. I also keep three of them in one of Photobackpacker's smaller cases.

 

[papagene]

A-yup... I use them (from Calumet) to wrap my lenses up to lug around in my Domke bag.

gene

 

[Bob F.]

When I used a normal backpack I used a largish plastic box with a snap-on lid to hold the lenses, meter and other accessories separated by compartments made from sleeping pad foam with a layer of bubble-wrap top and bottom. Film holders went inside two other plastic containers that hold 5 holders each.

It all just about fitted inside the pack with room for the camera wrapped in the dark-cloth on top. I still use the film holder boxes in my Photo Trekker backpack as they help keep the dust out. The wraps I've seen did not convince me of their protective powers if left loose in a bag to bounce around.

Cheers, Bob.

 

[BrianShaw]

I use them too. I tuck the wrapped lenses into the hard case that holds my Calumet monorail. They "wedge in" perfectly and are well protected that way.

 

[copake_ham]

While I'm a 35mm and MF shooter - and just a LF on-looker, I can only wonder who would not wrap/protect their lenses while in transit?

Don't see any "upside" in carrying around unprotected lenses. If it's "macho" to do otherwise; it's ironic to what a grown man cry when he discovers the "downside".

 

[Monophoto]

I use lens wraps for my lenses (both mounted on boards) and my light meter. My not be necessary, but I feel more comfortable having taken the precaution.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I kept the boxes my lenses came in, and just use those. Heavy in comparison to wraps I'm sure, but they've protected my lenses from a hard life, far removed from any studio.

Murray

 

[darinwc]

I use lens wraps for some of my lenses and buble-wrap for others.
Frankly, bubble-wrap is superior in many ways.
The felt of the lens-wraps attract all manner of sand, dirt, and grasses. Ive' written the names and focal lengths of my lenses on their wraps, but with buble-wrap you can just see which ones they are. The buble-wrap offers better protection. The bubble-wrap can get bulky though depending on how much you use, but then that protects the lenses better the more you use so its kinda a trade-off.

Darinwc

 

[KenM]

I use lens wraps and are good with them. www.photobackpacker.com has custom gear for this.

lee\c

Yup, I concur. Great stuff from Bruce.

I do use lens wraps when I carry on my gear when flying - I check my pack with all my lens cases (stuffed full of socks and other small items), and use my roller to pack my 4x5 and most of my lenses, wrapped in normal lens wraps.

I use the cases exclusively when hiking with my kit, however.

 

[Nick Zentena]

I kept the boxes my lenses came in, and just use those. Heavy in comparison to wraps I'm sure, but they've protected my lenses from a hard life, far removed from any studio.

Murray

I bet the boxes weigh less then the wraps -) The problem with the boxes is the room they take up. Plus most used lenses are box less.

I've used bubble wrap in the past. I'm not sure wraps are any better other then the velcro.

 

[Louis Nargi]

Mine are from Calumet they work great.

 

[Capocheny]

I prefer the Gnass cases... you can also use a wrap in the case for extra cushion, not that you need any more in a Gnass!

They're well built & very protective.

Cheers

 

[rossb]

I use Domke's on all my LF lenses in the field. Very happy with them and no misadventures!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've used both the Domke and the RoadWired wraps. I have come down on the side of preferring the Domke, because they're less bulky. I still use the RoadWired ones for my 8x10 lenses, because they offer even more padding. I prefer them over bubble-wrap because you can close and re-open them over and over again. They also make a handy catch-all for your lenscaps so you know where the caps to the lens went when you're done with it.

 

[Prospero]

I'm happy with the padding my LF lenses get from the compartments in my Lowepro Nature Trekker - but on trips I seal each one in a zip-lock plastic bag to keep the dust out.

 

[Steve Smith]

I only have one lens wrap - it was free with Amateur Photographer a couple of months ago.

I use it to wrap up my RB67 50mm lens as I haven't got round to buying a rear lens cap for it yet.

As it lives in a padded bag, it's more for dust protection than mechanical protection.


Steve.

 

[noseoil]

I use a Lowepro pack as well, but use lens wraps on all of my LF lenses (8x10 lenses in the trunk, as well). They are compact, soft and secure. Use a magic marker on each to identify the lens. Get them from Badger Graphics. tim

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use wraps for my Hasselblad lenses. Each focal length has a different color wrap. They are a little inconvenient, but it beats these minty lenses from banging into each other in the pack.

My Nikon is carried in a different camera bag that affords better protection for the unmounted lens, so I do not use wraps for that.

Steve

 

[Neanderman]

All my LF lenses are in wraps. They like to be snug when they are tucked in.

I use Calumets.

 

[Dan Fromm]

I keep most of my LF lenses in plastic food storage containers. Rubbermaid, Martha Stewart, etc. The tiny ones go as many as four in a container with foam to keep them from moving.

The one huge tele lens has a lovely shipping case, foam lined, that's just too big to travel with so it travels in a lens wrap bought from B&H. No damage so far, but I'm always a little apprehensive.

Most of the lenses for my Nikons live with the bodies in a Pelican case. The Questar is in a big case for something else. And the long refracting teles travel suspended on foam in 4" PVC drain pipe.

 

[Chuck_P]

I use lens wraps and are good with them. www.photobackpacker.com has custom gear for this.

lee\c

First, thanks everyone for your thoughts---interesting to see what others are doing.


Lee, after looking at the wraps versus the product at Photo Backpacker, I have settled on the Genesis 6x6 lens case-----$21.95. It looks like just what I am looking for and it should be on a UPS truck about now, I hope.

Thanks

Chuck

 

[Charles Webb]

Looks like I don't fit the mold again, I have used the plastic polaroid bags (used to come with 4x5 Poloroid film) for keeping dust off and lenses dry. I then wrap the lens in the plastic bag with a heavy nap terry cloth towel. A zip lock is fine, but did not exist along with "lens wraps" when
I began looking for a better way to pack em. The towel can
serve many other duties than just being a wrap for lenses.

Made the Ensenada to LaPaz mortorcycle run many times
with my lenses packed as I described. Never lost a screw!


Charlie...................................
PS, They were packed in Domke tan canvas bags along with my Hasselblads, Nikons and film.