[pct-l] as anyone carried a full size DSLR for the entire PCT?

[jeff.singewald at comcast.net]

Travis,
Andrew,

My thoughts are that if you are an avid photographer and enjoy taking high quality pics of your adventure, don't worry about the additional weight.  You can compensate if necessary.  Far too often the ultralight gram weenies on this list try and persuade newbies to go light.  Hike this hike your way and take what you want.  If you are into high quality pics, you will likely not be truely happy with the quality that you will get from the light weight digitals.  For me, the quality of these pics were sufficient, but after seeing the quality of pictures from Bearcant in 2005 and from Aaron in 2006, I would strongly consider going with a different (likely heavier) setup when I hike again.

Once you are on the trail for a week or two, you will likely acclimate to whatever pack weight you choose.  In 2006, I was heavier than most of the ultralight gang and it didn't hinder me in the least.  You can always choose to send your setup home if it does become a burden.  For me, I would suggest looking for a chest harness similar to what I think Bearcant used in 2005 as this seemed to take much of the weight off then neck when carrying the heavier rig.

I look forward to seeing your photos!

Elevator

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Travis Beals <trbeals at berkeley.edu> 

> Hi Andrew, 
> 
> I'm also thinking of bringing a DSLR on the PCT (Canon Digital Rebel 
> XTi, which is a bit lighter but also less durable than the 5D). I'm 
> only hiking the ~500 miles from Walker Pass to Soda Springs (i.e., the 
> Sierras), but I'm still not sure if it's worth the weight. I've 
> previously brought my DSLR on short hikes (3-6 days) in the Sierras, 
> and gotten great pictures, but it was a substantial hassle. In 
> particular, it's hard to find a way to carry a DSLR that's not either 
> in the way or hard to get at. 
> 
> I recently acquired a Casio EX-V8, which is a nice little point-and- 
> shoot with 7x optical zoom and no external moving parts (i.e., totally 
> internal zoom mechanism, which should make it more trail-resistant). 
> This camera is my alternate choice if I don't bring the DSLR. 
> 
> I'd appreciate it if you could pass on any information you come up 
> with during your research on the issue. In particular, I'm interested 
> in knowing about how to manage battery & memory card logistics on the 
> trail. On one trip in the Sierras, I shot about 150 pictures in 3 
> days, but other trips have yielded far fewer photos per day. It's hard 
> to know what to budget for in terms of spare batteries and memory cards. 
> 
> -Travis 
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