[pct-l] DSLR Camera

[Scott Williams]

I've always carried a heavy SLR and now a DSLR.  I've done so from the
early '70's when I carried an old Nikkormat on the DMZ in Korea bivouacked
at -60 windchill.  That camera looks like someone took a ball peen hammer
to it, but still takes gorgeous pix on film.  I carried a Canon Rebel on
the PCT in 2010, twice on the West Coast Trail in BC, the Wonderland and on
and on, and am heading out for the CDT with it still in great shape after 6
hard years of trail use.  I've dropped it in the snow, in the mud and just
about everyplace else and took it in for its first professional cleaning
when I got back from the PCT.  Poor sucker was really dirty, but it's still
working like new, 2 years later.

I'm used to the weight of it simply slung over my shoulder after I hoist my
pack as I've been carrying one like this for 40 years now.  I keep all the
goodies in the soft case and in an outside pocket keep a Sea to Summit UL
bag to put it in for waterproofing, for dangerous stream crossings, when I
strap it on the back of my pack and hope for the best.  When it rains I use
a chrome dome umbrella secured under my chest strap and shift the camera
shoulder strap so it just goes over my neck and the camera hangs in front.
 I zip my rain jacket up part way and can still get at it to take fantastic
rain shots.  When we were in the woods of WA those shots look like
fairyland with all the rocks, trees and mist.  And the shots on the Knife's
Edge were taken within hours of Cliffhanger's great photo used on the cover
of the Communicator this month.

Others who hiked with big cameras were Psycho who secures it to his
shoulder straps in front with metal O rings, but has to unhook to take off
his pack.  Motor, an incredible photographer, strapped hers to the top of
her pack and took pix when we stopped and dropped our packs.  Yoshihiro has
the best rig I've seen for a front carry and you can find it on his web
site, or he'll probably chime in and give a link to it.  His is secured top
and bottom and really rides nicely, but again, he has to unhook things to
take off his pack.

The photos are so good, and the landscapes so incredible, I wouldn't leave
home without a good camera.  Slung over my shoulder sometimes causes one
side to get sore, but I just sling it on the other side for a bit and every
thing's fine.  By mid PCT, a number of the folks I hiked with were asking
me to take the landscape shots as the little point and shoots they had just
didn't do justice to what we were seeing and living in.

I just gave a talk and slide show to the Berkeley Rotary (hey, they fed me
good!) and having those marvelous photos made for a great show.  To me it
is simply well worth the weight, but that is by no means for everybody.
 They are heavy!!

Shroomer

On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 2:22 PM, <treerings at gmail.com> wrote:

> Does anyone have experience carrying a heavy (16 oz) DSLR camera on the
> PCT? The quality of photos is so much better than a point-and-shoot that
> I've made up my mind I'm going to try it. Any advice, tips, etc would be
> greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Treerings
>
> --
> "All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy." -Spike
> Milligan
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
>