Rear/side view.
L522 shown w/o external pouches (L511 is similar).
Side handle for carrying the case horizontally.
Hidden under a piece of webbing is a metal slider, for which a backpack harness attaches.
We’ve changed our logo! Old label on the left—new one on the right. Some current inventory may have old label.
Top handle.
Mesh pocket with an elastic closure fits water bottles up to 1 liter in size.
Attach a backpack harness to any long lens case (old style case).
Add a monopod to the side of the case (old pocket shown).
Attach a T164 to the bottom (or left side) and add a Y204 strap to carry a tripod. Use a ballhead pouch to carry the tripod upside down instead of a T164.
L511 — Compact Long Lens Case 500 (w/ shoulder strap)
L311 with optional L128 Deep Lid (L228 custom adapter strap required)
L311 with optional L128 opened.
Inside dimensions for the L311 & L511. 165mm = 6-½". 200mm = 7-⅞". 195mm = 7-⅝".
L511 with standard A257 Body Pouch Attached. Included shoulder strap is shown in the foreground.
 L511 with standard A257 Body Pouch Attached. Included shoulder strap is shown in the foreground.
L511 with standard A257 Body Pouch Attached. Included shoulder strap is shown in the foreground.
$154.00

L511 — Compact Long Lens Case 500 (w/ shoulder strap)

The L511 is a shoulder bag for a 500/4 or 200-400/4 lens with DSLR body attached & hood reversed. Also for 300/2.8 with DSLR body & hood in shooting position. 53cm (20-3/4") I.D. Height.

  • This case was designed for a 500/4 lens with a body attached, but will also hold other combinations. It is called a “compact” long lens case because the diameter is smaller than the L522 PolyCore™ 500 case. The L511 is too small for 400/2.8 and 600/4 lenses. It is also lighter in weight and offers less protection.
  • Smaller lenses like the 200-400s, 400/4s and 300/2.8s get lost in this case. We strongly advise purchasing the L029 Foam Insert (which reduces the diameter of the case near the front element) or consider purchasing the E660 or E976 lens pouch instead.
  • Converts to a backpack with optional H255 harness.
  • Increase the height of your case — the L128 deep lid will fit these cases with a special L228 made-to-order adapter strap (the L128 was designed for the PolyCore series cases which utilize a removable lid, so this adaptation is a little goofy).

Product Update: We are transitioning from a solid nylon fabric pocket (as shown in most product photos) to a mesh pocket as shown in some detail photos.

All L511s now have a sewn-in side handle, so the case can be carried either vertically or horizontally!

Compatible Lenses

- Nikon or Canon 500/4 or Nikon 200-400/4 lens with a full-sized body attached (with quick-release plate attached) with hood reversed (with leatherette lens cover).
- 300/2.8 with full-sized body attached with hood in shooting position (with leatherette lens cover) + teleconverter. 

Field Reports

- Sigma or Tamron 150-600 with the hood in the shooting position should fit inside this case, with a full-sized body attached. With the hood reversed and in the stowed position, choose the shorter L311 instead (March 2015).

- “My Minolta 600mm/f4 fits perfectly in the bag even with the Sony A99 (+ vertical grip) mounted or the lens alone but with the hood in shooting position” (June 2013 from Switzerland).

- Nikon 600/4 AF-S: The following combination will fit inside this case: Nikon 600/4 AF-S with the larger diameter hood piece removed and with a Moose Peterson lens cap & Kirk low-profile tripod foot (Sept. 2005).

- Nikon 200-400/4: The following combination will fit inside this case (w/ about an inch to spare): 200-400 with the 1.4x teleconverter and hood reversed with a body (D90) attached (Oct. 2009).

- Nikon 600/4 VR II: “The hood diameter of this lens is 7-½" without soft cover and 8-½" with soft cover, both being too large to fit into this case.” No report on whether or not this lens without a hood will fit (March 2011).

External Attachment Options

Lower Position

- One A257 or M330 can be attached in the lower center of the case (standard position & shown in photos).
- Two single-wide pouches (E105, E280 etc.) can be attached to either side of the lower A257, covering the collapsible pockets. Alternately, a double-wide pouch (A257, M330 etc.) can also be attached to either the left or right of the standard A257 Body Pouch, but this attachment location is a little loose which may cause the pouch to shift around a little, unless secured with a Y205 strap.

Upper Position
- The upper part of the case will house an equal amount of pouches, except it has additional attachment points, so two single-wide pouches can be attached in the center.

Back (flat) Side of the Case
- A double-wide pouch (A257, M330 etc.) can be attached to the lower back or flat part of the case, although this disables use of any backpack harness or may make using a shoulder strap awkward.

Tripod Use
Remove the A257 center pouch (shown in photo above) and replace it with a T164 or T317 pouch for attaching a tripod (see this page for pix). Attach a Y204 to the top of the case to hold the top part of the tripod. The A257 can then be reattached to the upper or lower part of the case, slightly off center.

Long Lens Case Instruction Sheet (PDF)

Specifications

The sidewalls are constructed with 12mm closed-cell foam and the lid uses 10mm foam. Sewn into the bottom is a piece of stiff 13mm PolyCore™.

U.S./Imperial
20-3/4h x 7" dia I.D.
21-3/4h x 9" dia O.D.
Volume = 1005 cu in
Weight with A257 pouch & Y515 shoulder strap: 2 lbs. 5.5 oz.
Weight w/o A257 or Y515: 1 lb. 13 oz.

Metric
53h x 17.8cm dia I.D.
55h x 23cm dia O.D.
Volume = 16.5 lit
Weight with A257 pouch & Y515 shoulder strap: 1063 g
Weight w/o A257 or Y515: 823 g

I.D. = Inside Dimension | O.D. = Outside Dimension

The “dia” is the maximum diameter of the front element and/or lens cover that will fit inside this case. The circumference is 66cm (26") and measures the entire inside perimeter of the "D" shape of the case. It is larger than 3.14 times the diameter to allow extra room for the lens tripod foot. 

Designed & Crafted in USA

made in usa