Camera placement in Camera bag

Ok, total noob question here:

I notice many of you place your cameras in lens first in your camera bags. Is there a reason for that? My first instinct was the put my 20D in camera first, so that the LCD is flat on the bottom of the bag. But from what I've seen, this seems incorrect.

Thoughts?

I put it in lens first so the body is:
1) on top, where I can grab it out easiest
2) overhanging other lenses in adjacent pockets, instead of under them

Of course, when I have a long lens mounted, it's sidewise across the front of the bag (and riding on top of some spare AA cell packages and teleconverters or very short lenses).

So mostly you do it out of a matter of convenience. I guess I'm wondering, is the camera safer when placed either way? As with most of us, I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can to protect my investment(s).

Thanks for the quick reply Jon.

Safer? Wouldn't think so - there's always going to be something on top to be exposed to (whatever). By the same token, if any grit, sand, etc. gets into the bag when you're not looking, where's it going to end up? On the bottom, right?

I put mine lens-down for the same reason Jon does -- so I can grab it when a photo-op presents itself. I also am careful when putting anything else into the camera bag so as not do just drop it on top of the body or lenses.

The point of many camera bags is to hold the camera like a holster....lens in first, so you can simply open the bag and grab the camera by the body and be ready to shoot.

My small camera bag has 3 slots. I put a second lens in the left slot, the lens hoods for two lenses in the right slot and the camera, lens down in the centre slot. The camera would not fit in lens up. The flaps on the top of the dividends protect the front of the camera from the top of the lens and hoods. The slot is deeper than the length of the lens so the front element is not being rubbed against the bottom of the bag if the lens cap comes off. The camera is much quicker to get out and put away than it if was body down.

My large camera bag works in a similar manner, but if I have a longer lens such as a 70-200 or 50-500 on the camera it will lie flat on the top, above the other lenses, hoods, Flashtrax, patch cords, etc. I just have to turn the tripod mount to the side so the top of the bag will close.

In the camera back pack, I ususally have a telephoto lens mounted on the camera and it fits in flat. There are supports for the camera so it hangs lens down when I zipper the pack shut and hang it from my shoulders.

Is it even possible to the camera in body first in most camera bags?

Chris1le wrote:
Is it even possible to the camera in body first in most camera bags?

Yep. That's how I carried my 20D at first. Now I'm going to change though, I want to be able to get it up quick.

You know, I have this rather large Tamrac Pro12 camera bag, and it must have 25 pieces of velcro'd support walls inside it. When I got it they were all just sitting in there. I have it set up pretty well, but I'd almost pay someone who really knew these things to 'rebuild' it for me!

Anyone want to start a professional camera bag configuration service?

Or even better some write a computer program where you enter the dimentions of your bag and list your "stuff" and the program would create an optimal configuation for you

Adam Hicks wrote:
You know, I have this rather large Tamrac Pro12 camera bag, and it must have 25 pieces of velcro'd support walls inside it. When I got it they were all just sitting in there. I have it set up pretty well, but I'd almost pay someone who really knew these things to 'rebuild' it for me!

Anyone want to start a professional camera bag configuration service?

You should have had the sales clerk put it together for you -- before you got out your credit card.

Make them earn their keep and at least show you they know something about the product they are trying to flog.