For music photographers, backpacks are not practical for lens changing during shows: drop it, open it, change your lens, put it back in place. This can be a huge waste of time, particularly with a three songs rule. This all changes with the arrival of Lowepro’s S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW, a case designed for a quick one hand lens change.
The Lowepro S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW serves as a second pair of hands. The case actually has two compartments that compress into one. When you take the lens off your camera, simply put it in the open compartment. Then take the lens you want to mount out of the other compartment. Close with one hand, and the case collapses back to a single-lens carrier.
The outside of the case is made of a durable, moisture-resistant fabric. As for the dimensions of the (closed) case, they are quite similar to those of the older Lowepro Lens Case 4 model. The Lowepro S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW will hold every size lens up to a 70-200mm, it holds my 24-70mm with an attached lens hood perfectly.
Attached to two heavy duty zippers that run all the way down the sides of the case, an easy-grip main handle that opens the compartment wide for easy and fast access.
On top a secure metal snap closure. If the case accidentally opens with the handle, the snap closure is tough enough to make sure the case stays closed.
When fully opened the case becomes twice as deep as closed, reveling two compartments. Openend this case may feel big at first, but after a while you’ll find it’s the perfect size.
Some may find the padding a bit too thin, especially compared to other lens cases. But since your lens is sits in an inner compartment, it’s very well protected in my opinion.
A nice addition are the 2 mesh pockets on both sides of the case. Very handy to hold lens caps or other items. The elastic bands hold everything into place. Supprisingly the small pockets are strong enough to hold a 0,5 liter water bottle.
As one of Lowepro’s S&F (Street and Field) series, the Lens Echange Case features a SlipLock attachment tab on the back to attach to a belt, vest or harness. I attach it to my belt, in combination with the shoulder strap, for extra stability while changing lenses.
Being part of the AW Lowepro product line, this lens case has a build in weather protection cover. When not in use it’s secured into the lower bottom at the back of the case.
To use, just pull out the cover and stretch it over the front of the case. The elastic sides keeps the cover from slipping off. I’ve only had to use the AW cover on one or two occasion and it works perfectly.
A bonus about this case is the removable and adjustable shoulder strap. The strap itself connects to 2 D rings on both sides of the case. The snaphooks are very strong and supply a durable connection.
The padded edition is movable across the entire strap, it features a non-slip strip. Overall the strap feels very comfortable, even after wearing it for hours.
Every product has his limitations, the Lowepro S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW is no exception.
One of it’s major drawbacks is that it will not hold a 70-200mm lens with an attached lens hood. You can store one if you reverse the lens hood every time you put it back into the case. There are solutions to this problem, using a screw-in folding rubber lens hood or not using one at all.
Another thing I noticed is that you must place the heaviest lens into the closest compartment (to the back) otherwise you might unbalance the case while changing lenses.
Pros:
Cons:
Backpacks, they’re just too big for small photopits. Nothing is more annoying than a photographer carrying his backpack in a crowded photopit with his backpack bumping into others. The Lowepro LS Lens Exchange 200 AW helps by keeping your gear close, instantly changing it and continue shooting without distractions.
As a conclusion, I’m really happy with this case and I would highly recommand it if you’re a photographer in need of constant lens changing. If you’re not really on a hurry and want to remain discreet, I’d go for a more basic lens case.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 at 7:24 pm. It is filed under Review and tagged with Lowepro, Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Hello, I'm Lode and I try to capture the world through my eyes. Being twenty-three years old, I decided to dedicate my life to photography 24/7 so here I am!
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