a PDF - Photo Course

AA30470C
Camera Straps and Cases
Cover
An Extension to
The Textbook of Digital Photography
Straps and Cases
AA30470C
Dennis P. Curtin
http
: / / w w w . ShortCourses. c o m
http://www.PhotoCourse.com
For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com
Camera Straps and Cases
ShortCourses
and
PhotoCourse Publishing Programs
S
hort Courses, the parent site of PhotoCourse.com, is the leading
publisher of digital photography books, textbooks, and guides to
specific cameras. Be sure to visit the Short Courses bookstore at http://
www.shortcourses.com/bookstore/book.htm. One of our specialities is highquality, easy to follow, camera guides so be sure to visit the store to see if
there is a guide to your camera. If you find any errors in this book, would like
to make suggestions for improvements, or just want to let me know what you
think—I welcome your feedback, even though I can’t always respond personally.
Contact/Feedback Information
ShortCourses.com
16 Preston Beach Road
Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945
E-mail: denny@shortcourses.com
Copyright Notice
© Copyright 2007 by Dennis P. Curtin. All rights reserved. Printed in the
United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States
Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication, or the resources to which
it links, may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or
stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission
of the publisher.
Web Sites
To learn more about digital photography visit our two Web sites:
• http://www.photocourse.com
• http://www.shortcourses.com
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/copyright/circ01.pdf
Click to view a PDF
document on how
copyright law protects
photographers and
other artists.
EDUCATORS
PhotoCourse and Short Courses books are used by hundreds of
schools, major camera companies, police and military training
programs. If you are an instructor, you should know that special
pricing is available for classroom use.
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/copyright/circ01.pdf
Click to view a PDF
document on how
copyright law protects
photographers and
other artists.
For details on using this and other texts in the classroom, please
call us at 781-631-8520, Boston Massachusetts USA time.
For more on textbooks in digital photography, visit http://www.photocourse.com
Camera Straps and Cases
Camera Straps
and
Sites to Visit
• thinktankphoto.
com
• kata-bags.com
• lowepro.com
• tamrac.com
• tenbagear.com
Cases
The problem with most cameras is that they don’t fit in a shirt pocket. That
means they have to be carried, protected, and stored in some manner. There
are all kinds of cases for digital cameras but all are basically bags with padded compartments and straps. What determines your choice is what you will
be carrying and how far you plan on carrying it. For example, a camera bag
that hangs from a shoulder strap is ideal for short distances, but for hiking, a
fanny pack for a small camera or a backpack for an SLR and lenses would be
more comfortable.
The number of camera straps and bags available is mind boggling. Not only
that but the designers are so inventive, it’s hard to organize them all into
definitive categories. In this section we’ll discuss some of the many types
available, but you should visit a camera store to see them first hand. Unfortunately, as with tripods, most camera stores carry a very limited selection.
Neck straps
I once read one of the typical lawyer’s warnings in the front of a digital
camera manual. What surprised me was that they warned against using the
camera’s neck strap to hang the camera around your neck! I thought it was
funny at the time, but have often thought of how easy it would be to get hung
up in the back country if you slid. I still use one, but I’m more conscious of it
now and don’t use it when in a precarious position. If you use one, you know
that the one that comes with your camera seems to have been designed to
cut into your neck after a while on the street or trail, especially if carrying a
heavy lens. One answer is a wider, more padded strap. Many of these come
with quick release connectors so it’s easy to remove the strap when you want.
Some backpacks also have straps to hang the camera from, so its weight shifts
from your neck to your shoulders.
Op/Tech makes straps
for both light and heavy
camera loads. For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com
Camera Straps and Cases
Chest straps or harnesses
They may look funny, but if you’ve ever jumped off a ledge only to have your
camera swing and smash into a boulder, you’ll know the value of a quick
release chest harness. It keeps the camera firmly in place while climbing
or fighting your way through brush. When you see a picture, it just takes a
moment to release the camera. These harnesses also take the weight of the
camera off the back of your neck, something that’s always welcome.
Tenba makes a welldesigned photovest.
Tenba makes cases for
lenses in many sizes
and shapes.
Vests
I wouldn’t be caught dead in a photographer’s vest, but often pay dearly for
my vanity. The point of a vest is to give you lots of pockets to store the things
you need. On a long hike I’m always taking my backpack off to get at the
things that could be much more conveniently carried and accessed in a vest’s
pockets. One problem with a vest is what to do with it, when the day gets
warmer. You either have to wear it, or find a way to carry it comfortably.
Cases, packs and pouches
Camera pouches and cases come in all shapes and size, just as cameras do
but are usually used for small point and shoot cameras. Some have a neck
strap and others have a belt that wraps around your waist turning the pack
into what’s called a fanny, hip or belt pack. Some of these belt packs are quite
large and surprisingly easy to carry and access. Some also have pockets or
compartments for other gear such as memory cards and batteries. All of these
designs work quite well with a small camera. For SLRs you will probably need
a larger bag but you can carry the camera over your shoulder with everything
else you need in the pack.
If your camera has interchangeable lenses, they probably cost you hundreds
and maybe thousands of dollars. It pays to spend a little more to make sure
they are protected, especially in storage and while traveling. One way to do
The Pod from Roadwired
has room for your camera
and all of its cable and
other accessories.
For more on textbooks in digital photography, visit http://www.photocourse.com
Camera Straps and Cases
this is in a padded camera case. Another is a separate pouch for each lens.
With lenses protected in these pouches they can be stored or packed in a
larger bag that gives them even more protection.
Some camera bags and
cases, like this one from
Kata, have a separate
compartment for a
notebook computer.
Shoulder bags
Many popular camera bags have shoulder straps that shift the weight of the
load from a hand grip to your shoulder. These bags are most useful when
storing your equipment or traveling short distances. Carry one all day can be
tiresome, but they do have one advantage over a backpack type bag, you can
get to your things without having the hassle of taking the pack off.
Larger camera bags usually contain a number of adjustable, self adhering
padded dividers so you can customize the interior layout for your digital camera, table top tripod, notebook computer, lenses, batteries, filters and power
pack. There may also be pockets designed for memory cards, pens/pencils,
business cards, manuals, and CDs. Some are even designed to hold a notebook computer as well. Some of these have a handle so they can be carried
like an attache case, a strap for carrying over the shoulder, or even straps that
let you convert it into a backpack.
Backpacks
For heavy loads or long treks, there is no substitute for a backpack. These
bags have wide straps that shift the entire load to your shoulders and some
have waist straps that shift much of it to your hips. Although it can be a
bother to take the pack off, remove some gear, and then put the pack back on,
it need not be that way. Most photographers carry the camera around their
neck and only remove the pack when they need to changes batteries, lenses,
or what have you. These packs are usually not 100% waterproof so you may
want to look into a poncho or pack cover if there is a chance you might get
caught in the rain. I always carry a light poncho that doubles as a ground
cloth if I need to kneel or lie down on damp or tick-infested ground.
A Kata backpack (right)
and with optional cart
(above).
For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com
Camera Straps and Cases
Sling bags
Sling bags fall somewhere between a shoulder bag and a backpack. They have
a single strap and fits over your head to rest on one shoulder. This design
makes the bag fast and easy to put on and take off.
Sling bags are fast and
easy to put on and take
off.
Waterproofing
If you want protection from the rain, many bags have separate rain covers or
you can buy generic backpack covers from outdoor stores such as REI. Some
of these have a light colored or reflective side to keep the bag cool in bright
sun. If you want even more protection Lowepro makes waterproof backpack
bags called “Dry-Zone.” These Dry-Zone bags have a waterproof lining and
zipper and are said to keep your gear dry even during complete immersion.
In less extreme conditions, you can fasten the inner zipper and the top clip,
and leave the waterproof zipper open so you have faster access to your gear.
Lowepro makes waterproof
Dry-Zone backpacks.
Waterproofing while shooting
Just because it starts to rain is no excuse for packing up and going home.
What you need is an umbrella or other way to keep rain off the camera and
lens. If there is wind, you might reconsider, but in light rain and still air,
great pictures are waiting.
Aquapac makes
waterproof enclosures
that let you shoot under
water or in the rain.
They also protect your
camera on canoe and
other boating trips.
Rain covers let you keep
shooting while the rain
is falling. Tenba makes
rain covers for various
sized camera and lens
combinations.
For more on textbooks in digital photography, visit http://www.photocourse.com
Camera Straps and Cases
Rigid cases
Rigid cases made from aluminum or other materials such as high-impact
plastic are usually used for shipping cameras, as when checking them into
baggage on a flight. You might as well label them “Steal this Case” in big neon
letters. Rigid waterproof cases are perfect for canoe or kayak trips, but be
sure to strap them to a thwart so they don’t sink or float away if you capsize.
Some not only have waterproof seals, but also a pressure system. You pump
up the inside pressure so water can’t get in even if it can find a way around
the seals.
Seahorse makes
an entire family of
watertight cases.
Tripod straps and cases
A tripod can be a pain to carry, even if it’s light it gets in the way and ties up
one of your hands. To free up that hand you need a tripod strap that lets you
sling it over a shoulder. An alternative is a backpack that has straps to mount
the tripod. A padded tripod case comes in handy when you carrying a tripod
in the car or checking it into baggage.
Kata bakes a tripod bag
with wheels.
For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com