The New Canon Super Telephoto Lens Case

For as long as I can remember, Canon’s super telephoto lenses came in a rigid lens trunk. These lockable shaped trunks were very protective and were good for storage, stacking and shipping purposes. However, these trunks were expensive, often far oversized, could not hold a camera body, were not especially comfortable to shoulder carry and rarely left my studio.
 
Upon opening the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens box, I found a surprise. New with the version III telephoto lenses is a sling-style (single strap) shoulder case, the Canon LS400 Soft Lens Case, replacing the trunk.
 
This nylon case looks great, is relatively compact and light, is well-padded, is easy to use with smooth-functioning zippers and large pulls, and has a round molded-plastic bottom that keeps it upright on a flat surface. A thin 7″ (178mm) tall by 5″ (127mm) wide zippered pocket and two strap attachment points are provided on both sides of the case. The shoulder strap is padded and strong, and breathable padding is provided on the case side of the strap, adding to the shoulder-carrying comfort. The convenient hand strap on top is also strong with breathable-padding. Four hook-and-loop-adjustable pads are provided for interior use.
 

 
My first impressions were good and upon first looking into the case, I got a little extra excited – it was over-sized at the top and it appeared that a mounted DSLR might fit. Unfortunately, that excitement was short lived – the case is not quite big enough at the top to hold even a non-gripped DSLR.
 

 
Leaving the extra 2″ (50mm) of vertical space at the top of the case for an extender to be mounted makes some sense, but for that purpose, the case could have been made less broad at the top for more compact design, though perhaps not as aesthetically pleasing. Making the case shorter seems more logical to me. Of course, the extra 2″ on top would make this case accommodate larger lenses. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens was announced at the same time as the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens, but it is too long to fit in this case. Perhaps an upcoming Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS III Lens will share this case?
 
Making the case large enough for a mounted DSLR to fit would have been my preference. The additional cost would have been very little (especially relative to the cost of the lens) and the utility of the case would have been greatly increased.
 
For those who love the trunk style case, Canon has you covered. The Canon 400E Lens Case is available. Brace yourself before looking at the price. And, take good care of your LS400, because it also has a very big price tag.