I recently picked up a lens changer 3 from thinktankphoto. Well, I guess I shouldn’t say recently, I tend to take my time evaluating a product before I consider reviewing it because I want to see how I like the product after the initial “honeymoon” has worn off. For this reason my bag reviews generally take at least a month. So I’ve had the lens changer 3 for about a month, and I’ve finally decided I’ve had enough time with the bag to write up a bit of a review and add a video review as well (click the play button above for the video).  All my images are in a gallery at the bottom of the page as well.  Make sure you take the time to go through the gallery as I have specific comments under each image as you view them!

The Lens changer is an interesting bag concept for me. I’ve always felt there are two different style bags photographers need. The first is a carrying bag. These get your kit from one location to the next and protect everything. Second is a shooting solution. Shooting solutions are meant to help you work with your kit more effectively once you arrive on location. Typically bags fall into either one category or another and usually we end up getting a bag for one of those purposes as a primary reason then force it to do the other… The lens changer 3 is clearly aimed at the shooting solution market. It’s meant to be the bag you keep JUST your lenses (the name makes this very obvious) while you’re shooting. And the bag does this BRILLIANTLY. It has three main “sleeves” that can take just about any lens you’d consider using with a bag (everything but the super tele primes?). I personally use it with a 100-400 which is roughly the same size as the 70-200 2.8 IS lenses. It goes completely in the sleeve w/o issue, the sleeves are easily wide enough to handle the lens with it’s hood w/o anything sticking. It’s deep enough the lens “disappears” down into bag by an inch or two which is quite nice. If you want to store the lens with it’s hood in it’s proper position it will do this but the hood will stick up about an inch above the top of the tube. While shooting this works quite well. Now, the bag has 2 accessory pockets to go with the three lens tubes. The one on the front is perfect for a wallet and phone, a memory card wallet, or other small accessories. The pocket on the back is the same size as the pocket in the retro line, only instead of being inside the bag, it’s on the outside/back with a zipper at the top. This works quite well in practice.

The whole bag works very well as a lens “caddy” as it is, but that’s NOT why I was curious to check one out. I’m primarily a landscape and architectural shooter. When I shoot I need a few lenses and some accessories (cards, spare battery, remote and filter kit). I don’t like to have a massive bag with me but I like my kit to be easily accessibly so I can change lenses quickly w/o issue. Because of this the lens changer looked like a great shooting solution, and I felt I could “punt” with it and maybe carry a camera in there as well. Well I was right and this bag really makes for a nice streamlined bare bones carrying solution for me as well as the ideal shooting solution. It’s small, it’s thin, and it’s VERY easy to get access to whatever you’re looking for.

Here’s the specs from TT’s site:

• ID (each lens section): 4.75” Diameter x 10″ H
• OD: 15” W x 11.75″ H x 5” D
• Weight: 2.2 lbs

If you’ve watched or read my reviews before, you know I’m never completely satisfied with anything, so what’s not perfect with this bag?  Well, if you want to use it as a carrying solution, there’s NO padding.  Yes this is perfect as a shooting solution, but when you set it down, it’s thin shape makes it want to lay flat and if you set it down NOT flat gravity helps you out… clunk! This isn’t really a knock on the bag though because the POINT is to be small/thin/easy to access.  It’s more of a warning for the first time you set it down.  My other complaint is with the strap, similar to what I said in my retro 10 review.  It’s thicker than it needs to be, but DOES “break in” after a bit, it’s just heavier than needed.  Again, no swivels which some people will love and some hate (I’ve learned to like it this way).  About the only other critique I have of this bag’s design is where the straps attach.   They’re stitched onto the back of the bag which actually helps it lay flat against your body VERY well.  But the issue is the straps are on the lens side of the accessory pocket.  I’m sure this is to make the bag stronger (otherwise the zipper would hold the load) but it makes accessing the back accessory pocket difficult when you’re wearing the bag…  The weight of the bag needs to be supported to get the zipper out from behind the strap.  If you leave it unzipped this solves the problem, but it’s less than ideal.  If you’re shooting with the flap open for quick access to your lenses, the flap covers this pocket anyway.  This isn’t a huge issue though because the small accessories I store in this back pocket aren’t things I need in a hurry or often.  I’m not sure moving the straps to the side would help because they’d then compress the bag in from the sides making it harder to get the lenses out.  So it’s a trade off and it’s obviously designed to carry lenses first and everything else second.  I guess what I mean to say is that the bag is laid out very well as a lens caddy, and it works in terms of holding everything else as well, but that’s it’s secondary role.   There is really NOTHING I don’t love about this bag…

I’ve been using it for a month IN PLACE of my retro (which I still love).  Here’s what I can put in it:

• 7D w/ 24L, 10-22 below that, 100-400 to one side, filter kit and another small lens on the other side, accessories galore in the back (pixel pocket, battery, 12mm macro tube, remote, cleaning cloth, lens pen)
• replace the filters and small lens with a body w/o a lens and a small lens (5D and 10-22 below it)
• replace any one tube with 2 flashes and 16 batteries in cases

I am also a ThinkTank affiliate. This does NOT mean I’m biased in my reviews, I paid the same price you’ll pay for the bag.  What this does mean is if you’re considering buying the bag, please use my ThinkTank Affiliate link. You’ll help support this site, but you’ll also get a free gift from ThinkTank for doing so, so we BOTH get something!

ThinkTank Affiliate Link!

Lens Changer 3 direct affiliate link!