Backpacking with your DSLR Camera

Posted on November 15, 2012 by hike734 — 8 Comments ↓

Camera Backpacking SetupOne of the greatest challenges of being a backpacking photographer/videographer is how to haul around your DSLR in a way that’s relatively comfortable and accessible. I hiked over 1,200 miles in Glacier National Park with my DSLR Camera setup (which I blogged about) using a couple of great pieces from ThinkTank Photo. The case and the camera connection kit are listed below. If you use these links, you’ll get a choice of a free gift of gear depending upon how much you spend!

I would love to hear what solutions you’ve come up with! Please post them in the comments below.

ThinkTank Photo Digital Holster 30 V2.0
ThinkTank Photo Lens Changer 25 V2.0
ThinkTank Photo Backpack Connection Kit

Posted in Educational
  • http://www.GlacierLife.com Craig

    Do you ever fall? Are you ever scared of damaging gear? Chest mounts work well for super quick shooting, but depending on what adventure your doing its sometimes best to have them in a pack. How is heat management during hiking with something on your chest? I’m pretty quick on the draw with my pack system, but still double your time I’m guessing.

    Great blog! Keep up the good work.
    Craig

    • hike734

      I did fall once. It scuffed the camera on a corner where it was poking up, but it stays mostly protected. If you are concerned about that, I think leaving it in the bag will do pretty well for it. The case is padded and it’s different than just straight up dropping it.

      It is warmer for sure. I tended to sweat a bunch right where it sits, but not crazy. I have found that some days it gets a bit itchy and you have to make sure that your sternum strap doesn’t get in the way.

  • Adam

    Do you think the backpack connection kit will connect to other non-ThinkTank serious many-night backpacks? Looks like it will, but you never know… Thanks!

    • hike734

      I think that you’ll be golden! As long as the pack has load-lifters, I think that you’ll be able to figure out the bottom part as well. What pack are you using?

  • http://twitter.com/BeauxPilgrim Beaux Pilgrim

    How does the bag protect against rain or are you doing something else to protect from rain and possible submersion on creek crossings?

    • http://www.hike734.com/ Jake Bramante

      The bag comes with a rain-fly. I pull it over, but by using the two D-rings on the top, the rain fly doesn’t come all the way over and it stays mostly dry. What that means is that it’s just damp in the bag and sometimes I struggled with some condensation, but if you watch my blogs, I had ample rain and most of the time, I was able to get pretty good footage.

      As far as submersing in creeks, not with this bag. ;-)

      • http://twitter.com/BeauxPilgrim Beaux Pilgrim

        I used a ziplock bag before but that was with a point and shoot. Don’t think I want to use something I get 30 of in a box for $3 protecting my DSLR. LOL. I was just curious if you were using some extra protection when crossing streams. I dropped mine in a creek in the Smokies once. Don’t want to do that again.

        • http://www.hike734.com/ Jake Bramante

          With my DSLR, I would carry it with the long lens on and in my chest pack. If it was falling into the stream, I was also getting dunked too. Let’s just say that I had one river crossing where I was close to testing that. Ugh.