Grear/Tips/Tricks for hiking/camping with DSLRs?

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

07/17/2007 08:39:34 PM · #1

Does anyone have any tips&tricks or gear selections they have found which really have worked out for hiking and camping with their DSLR?

I've found an overwhelming number of sites full of all sorts of packs and gear which are all supposed to be "the best"... but I'd rather hear from people who actually *use* some of it day to day and find out what and worked vs. turned out to be a waste of time and money.

The basic DSLR camera bags and daypacks I've tried so far haven't worked out for me. My soft bag (a basic universal camera bag that came with my camera) isn't holding up to hiking any distances (I've already broken two of the clips that hold the bag closed, apparently just from the repeated stress of walking/jostling the bag up and down), and my existing day/backpacks require me to bury the camera too deep in the bag, so that when I find "the shot", it takes me 5 minutes just to get the bag off, dig out the camera and get ready to shoot.

So, I'm looking for best of both worlds... Something I can use to carry my camera, so my hands are free to use a walking stick, scramble up rocks, keep my balance, whatever; but something that doesn't require much time to unpack or ready the camera to take some shots. Yeah, I know you can't have your cake and eat it to, but I'm looking for a decent compromise.

Anyone have any great tips, tricks, or suggestions for the truely "best gear" for hiking with a DSLR?

Thanks!

- Chuck

dacrazyrn

Nikon D300

07/17/2007 09:16:28 PM · #2

I bought the Podzilla by RoadWired and love the thing. Have been using it for over 2 years and I forget all the crap I have crammed in there. I bought a 1.5in webbing OpTech camera harness that I hooked to the bag, put that on and then my backpack. The Bag stays right up front, secure, I can take out the camera and put the neck strapo n and still get the camera back in the bag if needed (without taking off the neckstrap). I am actually looking into building something like this harness for connecting it to the pack now. Easier to get on and off then.

what's in the Podzilla? I have the D70 with either the 17-80mm or 50mm on with the other below it, a 70-300mm in one side pocket, flash in the other, 6 AA batteries, extra EN-EL3 for the camera, WhiBal card, remote, 3 extra CF cards, pen, hand notebook, Lumiquest softbox (for flash), bubble level, 17-80mm lens shade, lens cloth, lens pen, table tripod, flash stand, Place to attach my GPS (and or 2 way radio) ummmmm......more crap and more places to cram stuff.
It is on sale for under $50 now.

You can make your own harness

If you are only needing the camera, then look for a neoprene cover for it and get a harness to hold it in front. Like this

Message edited by author 2007-07-17 21:25:24.

Tim

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

07/17/2007 09:24:44 PM · #3

It's hard work - I'll give you that tip. I've got all the lightweight gear you can poke a stick at and I still end up having the heaviest load on the hike.

I've done a few week long hikes with my camera gear and I haven't found an easy way to do it yet. I guess my problem is that I like really heavy tripods and heads, lots of batteries and I can't bring myself to leave the 24-105mm even though most of the time I really only use the 16-35mm.

The easiest way I've found so far is to keep the camera in a simple shoulder bag (not particularly waterproof) and put it on tight so it hangs around my chest - I put it on before I put my pack on and the weight is very well spread out and it doesn't seem to add much to the load. The real pain is finding somewhere to put the tripod. the last hike I went on it was on the side of the pack but kept getting knocked by branches, getting crap in the head and latches being released.

smellyfish1002

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

07/17/2007 10:20:43 PM · #4

If weight is an issue, you can ditch the relatively non-essentials like deoderant, toothpaste, toilet paper, heart medications, etc in order to bring just one more lens!

LOL
JD

Kronus

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

07/17/2007 10:23:00 PM · #5

Originally posted by smellyfish1002:

If weight is an issue, you can ditch the relatively non-essentials like deoderant, toothpaste, toilet paper, heart medications, etc in order to bring just one more lens!

LOL
JD

THIS is great advise from "SMELLY Fish

abhinaba

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

07/17/2007 10:29:13 PM · #6

Originally posted by smellyfish1002:

If weight is an issue, you can ditch the relatively non-essentials like deoderant, toothpaste, toilet paper, heart medications, etc in order to bring just one more lens!

LOL
JD

My fav space in this site will stink now onwards because you go straight to my fav photog for that comment!!! LOL!!!

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

07/17/2007 11:46:15 PM · #7

Don't sleep on it. Make sure it's at the top of your pack and not at the bottom.

Also, make sure you bear bag it. The bears really like to eat them.

07/25/2007 05:40:03 AM · #8

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. I fashioned what was-to-be a temporary harness myself, using some of the designs I found online and from links referred to in the thread above, and went hiking for most of last week in the Utah back-country. Had a great time and took nearly 500 pictures (not counting what I discarded in the field). I'm still facing some challenges with tripods also, but I'm quite pleased with the simplisity and usability of my chest strap.

If I could figure out how, I'd post a picture of it. :P

Has anyone tried the convertable monopod/tripod/walking sticks? Something like this one?

I tried a couple out in a camera store in Sedona, AZ, and they seemed pretty sturdy -- but I wondered how practical they are out in the field. Seems like the legs are so low, that when converted to a tripod, it would be very top-heavy and likely to tip. Also, it seems you'd need a perfectly flat surface to use, since the tripod legs don't extend on retract, etc. Anyone have any input?

On the topic of tripods, is there such a thing as a universal mount (i.e. the quick-release or head piece for the camera mount itself)? Maybe it's 'cause I'm using mid-budget tripods, but every tripod I've got has a different @#%@ mount on it, so I have to unscrew the stupid connector every time I want to switch tripods...

Happy hiking!

- Chuck

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

07/25/2007 05:53:03 AM · #9

get one of those cables that ties your camera to your backpack.
so if the camera accidentally slipped out of your hands while you're on the ledge of a waterfall, it's saved :)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

07/25/2007 05:59:13 AM · #10

Originally posted by crayon:

get one of those cables that ties your camera to your backpack.
so if the camera accidentally slipped out of your hands while you're on the ledge of a waterfall, it's saved :)

With my luck, I should probably cable my camera to my wife's pack... I'm more likely to fall in myself, backpack, camera and all. :P

darnok

Nikon D850

07/25/2007 11:03:03 AM · #11

Originally posted by cdrice:

Has anyone tried the convertable monopod/tripod/walking sticks? Something like this one?

I tried a couple out in a camera store in Sedona, AZ, and they seemed pretty sturdy -- but I wondered how practical they are out in the field. Seems like the legs are so low, that when converted to a tripod, it would be very top-heavy and likely to tip. Also, it seems you'd need a perfectly flat surface to use, since the tripod legs don't extend on retract, etc. Anyone have any input?

That doesn't look at all stable to me. I suppose it will make a handy monopod, but I would never replace a proper tripod with it.

brizmama

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

07/25/2007 11:06:23 AM · #12

I believe these guys have some info on it as well as some product reviews www.twohikers.org

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/25/2007 11:08:52 AM · #13

Take a large ziplock baggie with you to tuck your camera in if it rains - also some dry cloths for wiping dust, dirt & splashed water off your camera & lenses.

citymars

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

07/25/2007 11:14:29 AM · #14

Hire a sherpa! :-)