ATTN: Photographers

[Kiwi]

How do you carry your gear such that you can always stop, take pics, and resume your climb quickly?

 

Putting in the pack takes too long to take out the camera and put it away. And carrying the camera outside is kind of flimsy and exposes your camera to the elements and damage. Plus, if it's dangling from your neck, it gets in the way.

 

Btw, I'm talking about mountaineering/snowshoeing/hiking.

[Rodchester]

Kiwi:

 

I have seen many use a harness or strap system where it puts the camera in a pouch on you chest that is intergrated with your pack harness. I think LowePro makes various camera pouches of this type.

 

LowePro

 

I usually carry a smaller point and shoot 35 mm and it fits nicely into a small LowePro case that fits nicely on my sternum strap of whatever pack I use, daypack or full pack.

 

In very cold conditions you have to watch it because the battery can freeze.

Edited December 22, 2003 by Rodchester

[DPS]

I found this to be a big problem with my SLR. Carried around my neck it swung around and got in the way of technical climbing. Stashed in the pack I missed shots. I use a small point and shoot that stays in my chest pocket now.

 

A pro photographer friend of mine carried his Nikon FM 2 in a padded lens case clipped to his harness. It stayed out of the way while climbing yet he was able to access it when he needed to.

[jja]

Disclaimer: I take suck pictures.

 

I only use a point and shoot, so this will only work with small cameras. But I've found it's handy to run the lanyard around my neck and then tuck the camera in the chest pocket of my jacket. It keeps the camera warm (important for the batteries esp on digital) and provides for quick one handed access w/o fear of dropping the camera.

 

For rock climbing when I don't have a jacket on I use a small case I got at rei with a clip on it. I just clip it to my harness. Access here isn't as quick but w/o gloves it's easy enough and I don't worry too much about dropping it.

[Figger_Eight]

If you're toting an SLR, LowePro and Sundog make great harnesses that strap your camera bag to your chest.

 

If it's just a small point and shoot - stick it on your sternum or waist strap like Rodchester says.

 

Get a good camera bag if you have a nice camera. Putting an expensive digital camera in a 5 dollar bag is the same as the guy with the $2,000 dollar ti bike putting it on a $20 trunk rack.

[PONCHO&LEFTY]

I've started to rate my travels in the mountains by how I hold my camera

I- camera may dangle around my neck freely

II- camera stays around neck, but with use of hands must be held on to

III- camera stays in pack until something good comes up

IV- camera stays in pack until the top because I'm scared and can't take pictures

 

Only thing that I have really found that works is around the old neck, but only in good weather. Helps to have strap around the shoulder too instead of just neck.

[cj001f]

I use a point & shoot case from Lowepro (D-Res 8S). The Beltloop on the back is attached on oneside with velcro. I attach it to the shoulder straps of my backpack - really quick and easy to take out for a quick picture. Battery can get a bit cold in winter.

[HRoark]

One idea a friend of mine came up with to carry a p&s safely, is to use a mid-sized chalkbag. Most of them are somewhat padded and already have clip-in points and a drawstring.

[icegirl]

camera strap around the neck, but around my chest I wear a length of rubber tubing that I tuck the camera and strap underneath, this usually keeps it tucked in... If weather is an issue, I tuck the camera under my coat, this also keeps it warm and keeps the batteries from freezing. If I'm worried about getting it wet from sweat, I put it in a baggy. So far all my cameras still work, so far so good. I used to carry them in a case on my pack, but same story, it was just not easy enough to pull it out and shoot when you see that sunbeam breaking through the clouds.

[scrambler]

Napolean pocket. Works good also for quick access to sunglasses and GU.

[willstrickland]

LowePro makes a camera case/backpack called the Orion AW. It's basically a sizeable padded waistpack for an SLR that has a detachable daypack/shoulderstrap component. The waistpack section of the thing can be moved to the front of your body without removing the packstraps. For carrying a full-on SLR rig on a dayclimb or on summit day, this thing rocks your dome. The camera compartment has enough space for an SLR with a small zoom, an larger zoom, and extra film/batts/etc. It's very well padded and laid out specifically for camera gear. The daypack section has enough space for raingear,lunch, water...not much else only about 800 Cubic inches in the daypack. http://www.lowepro.com/pages/series/trekking/orionaw.htm I got one barely used for $80 at keh.com

[fern]

if I am not wearing a pack, but am wearing a harness over

my jacket then I sometimes leave a pit zip partly open and

tuck my P'n'S camera in behind my back. I don't like having

extra bulk on my chest.

[Jim]

I use SLRs - Nikon FM2 and N80. For mountaineering or skiing I use a padded Tamron case, loop the chest strap thru the back of the case, and loop the padded camera strap over my neck. The chest strap of the pack takes the weight of the camera off you neck. I leave the case unzipped so I can pull it out quick.

 

For technical routes I clip the case to my harness and loop the camera strap over one shoulder & my neck, and have a safety biner clipped to the camera strap and somewhere outta the way. I find it easy to pull the camera out, take a picture, and slide it back in.

 

My best advice: keep the camera accesible, otherwise it's the same as if you didn't have one.

 

PS: Fiends don't let friends by point and shoots.

[Kiwi]

Kiwi:

 

I have seen many use a harness or strap system where it puts the camera in a pouch on you chest that is intergrated with your pack harness. I think LowePro makes various camera pouches of this type.

 

LowePro

If you're toting an SLR, LowePro and Sundog make great harnesses that strap your camera bag to your chest.

Yeah, I was thinking a chest pack/harness for the camera would be ideal. But I wasn't sure if it existed. Thanks.

 

I have no problem with my digital point-n-shoot. Fits in my chest pocket. It's the SLR behemoth that sucks.

 

LowePro makes a camera case/backpack called the Orion AW. It's basically a sizeable padded waistpack for an SLR that has a detachable daypack/shoulderstrap component. The waistpack section of the thing can be moved to the front of your body without removing the packstraps. For carrying a full-on SLR rig on a dayclimb or on summit day, this thing rocks your dome. The camera compartment has enough space for an SLR with a small zoom, an larger zoom, and extra film/batts/etc. It's very well padded and laid out specifically for camera gear. The daypack section has enough space for raingear,lunch, water...not much else only about 800 Cubic inches in the daypack. http://www.lowepro.com/pages/series/trekking/orionaw.htm I got one barely used for $80 at keh.com

Thanks.

[cj001f]

Fiends don't let friends by point and shoots.

Fiends are the ones who like hauling around an SLR with a good quality Zoom!

[willstrickland]

Hogwash! A couple of P&S in particular take excellent photos. The Ricoh GR1 w/ a 28mm, the Ricoh GR21 w/ a 21mm, the Yashica T4 & T5, and the Nikon 28Ti are really good small cameras. The GR21 is a phenomenal camera for it's size, especially if you enjoy superwide lenses. GR21 also has auto bracketing capability. The Richos lenses are not quite as fast as the Yashicas (f3.5 vs f2.8) The Yashicas have great lenses, but lack any manual exposure compensation...a major problem if you're shooting slides on snow. The Richos have manual EV comp (+/- 2 EV), dial-in +1 to +1.5 for snow scenes and you'll be on the money.

 

 

I find that I use a 20mm on my SLR alot while shooting both climbing and landscapes...which is typically what you're shooting on climbing trips. I've got probably 2-3k invested in SLR gear, but it's a no-brainer to throw the P&S in anytime you go anywhere.

[cj001f]

but it's a no-brainer to throw the P&S in anytime you go anywhere.

Indeed! I used to mock P&S, until I bought one. I find I take 10x the number of pictures now, compared to the few trips I lugged around a SLR.

[Kiwi]

PnS are not that bad. I took some really nice ones last weekend.

 

http://www.nationleprechaun.com/photos/2003-12-18_mt-rainier/

[Jim]

Hogwash! A couple of P&S in particular take excellent photos. The Ricoh GR1 w/ a 28mm, the Ricoh GR21 w/ a 21mm, the Yashica T4 & T5, and the Nikon 28Ti are really good small cameras. The GR21 is a phenomenal camera for it's size, especially if you enjoy superwide lenses. GR21 also has auto bracketing capability. The Richos lenses are not quite as fast as the Yashicas (f3.5 vs f2.8) The Yashicas have great lenses, but lack any manual exposure compensation...a major problem if you're shooting slides on snow. The Richos have manual EV comp (+/- 2 EV), dial-in +1 to +1.5 for snow scenes and you'll be on the money.

 

You're right Will - I should have been more precise. I used to have a GR21 until I dropped off a peak in Argentina. I should have referred to the standard zoom-lens point and shoots. The difference of the ones you mention are the lens quality. I've been debating about getting another Rioch or a good quality digital. Thoughts?

[gslater]

I usually keep my camera in a Dana Wet Rib attached to my pack. That makes for handy access, with a fair degree of protection. It also keeps the camera away from my body a bit, unlike sticking it in a pocket, so I don't have as many condensation issues as I would moving it back and forth between a warm pocket and cold air.

[willstrickland]

Harsh man, those babies are pricey. I'm biased toward film, but it sure is nice to have no processing, blast away at will, and not have to scan the slides for photoshop manipulations. Really depends on your intended end result. For stuff on the web or 3x5 or 4x6, digi is the way to go, but if you have any desire to print 8x10 or larger, I think film is still the ticket.

 

Personally, I'm waiting for Canon to put out an SLR body that has a 1:1 mag ratio and pixel range like the D1, but with a price around what the Rebel Dig costs. D1 is like $8000, Rebel Dig is around $1000 I think.

[scott_harpell]

no baggin the PnS. contax PnS kicks ass!

[Jim]

Harsh man, those babies are pricey. I'm biased toward film, but it sure is nice to have no processing, blast away at will, and not have to scan the slides for photoshop manipulations. Really depends on your intended end result. For stuff on the web or 3x5 or 4x6, digi is the way to go, but if you have any desire to print 8x10 or larger, I think film is still the ticket.

 

Personally, I'm waiting for Canon to put out an SLR body that has a 1:1 mag ratio and pixel range like the D1, but with a price around what the Rebel Dig costs. D1 is like $8000, Rebel Dig is around $1000 I think.

 

Yep same here. Not quite convinced about the digital cameras yet for quality prints above 4x6. Does Rioch still make the GR1? I'd like a 28mm.

[willstrickland]

As far as I know, they still make them, but don't import them to the US. I think a UK or Japanese source would be your best option. Chances are, the big retailers like B7H or Adorama might still have some in stock. KEH is always worth a look too, I've been very happy with the EX or higher rated gear from KEH, they grade very conservatively.

[ncascademtns]

For you SLR people.

I never miss a shot.

I have a ZING neoprene case that mounts to my chest. Camera strap is clipped to my torso strap on my pack and a waist strap to secure it to my body. Best thing ever. The Lowe camera cases are to bulky!

I wouldn't bring my camera if I could not take a picture at any given time. I normally shoot about (1) 36 exp. slide roll a day when I am out.

I purchased a Digital SLR this fall so most likely I'll be retiring my 35mm.