Any fellow photo enthusiasts, what do you carry your SLR cameras, and other photo gear in.  I have always wanted to take my SLR but decided at the last moment to leave it home because it seemed cumbersome.  Thanks in advance,

Cedarstripper

Pelican Box

I second the Peli cases. I seem to have built a collection of them, from very, very small to big dogs. They seem indestructible. Just be sure to keep the gasket cleam.

Storm cases are also well made, just lighter (and possibly not as tough).

Pete

Snow_Dog wrote on Aug 10^th, 2010 at 12:04am:

Pelican Box

;)

I bought a new, larger digital SLR with some good lenses this year and got a big Pelican case for it, then discovered that if I kept it in it in the case it would be virtually inaccessible for any photography while paddling.  No good, as far as I am concerned.  I don't take my camera on a canoe trip to have it in a case under my seat.

So. . .it ended up in its soft camera bag in a SeaLine dry bag where I could pull it out and take pictures.  I probably should mention that all of my photography equipment is insured against all disasters with a special rider on our household insurance.  

I still use a waterproof point-and-shoot on really rainy days, but otherwise I go ahead and use the SLR in the canoe when the spirit moves.  The dry bag is cumbersome to portage--a backpack would be easier (I have one for photo excursions when I am not in a canoe) but that would result in triple portaging and we aren't there yet.   ;)

I agree, but be mindful of the condensation factor/dewpoint in the box! Desiccant should help this problem. Early and late season trips is where I have noticed this most.

Spartan2 wrote on Aug 10^th, 2010 at 1:35am:

... got a big Pelican case for it, then discovered that if I kept it in it in the case it would be virtually inaccessible for any photography while paddling.  No good, as far as I am concerned.  I don't take my camera on a canoe trip to have it in a case under my seat.

I take it you paddle bow? Ya-know, I agree with you in that case. It would suck in the bow. In the stern it just sits there within perfect reach on the 'floor' in front of you. After a while, in good weather, you got a camera and a lens or whatever sitting on top of the case. In the rain you just slide it under you and shield it if you want to grab a quick shot.

I do like the Pelican cases though. They are the utmost in protection. You know it every morning when the suction makes it harder to open. No worries.

I did buy an after market gasket for mine when the old one rotted away. When it's hot or in the sun, the new one falls out way too often. I gotta do something about that. I'd glue it in but have seen what glue fumes do to plastic. Any ideas?

Silicon Grease?

marlin55388 wrote on Aug 10^th, 2010 at 5:25am:

Silicon Grease?

That's my best guess at the moment too. I really hate silicone though and I have some in the basement. I don't know.


marlin55388 wrote on Aug 10^th, 2010 at 5:17am:

I agree, but be mindful of the condensation factor/dewpoint in the box! Desiccant should help this problem. Early and late season trips is where I have noticed this most.

No on the Desiccants in my experience. Long term and slow maybe....

I've learned to leave the case in the vestibule. That's my baby and it's hard but nothing is worse than getting up early, taking stuff out of the box and everything fogs up. Nice surprises that way but there are better ways to get there. Learning from them is nice. Frustration, as in you can't get what you want because you didn't expect the expected, isn't.

Yes, I paddle bow.  In a Bell Northwind, which I think is particularly narrow in the bow.  And because I bought a Canon 7D and some big lenses, I got a big case!  It will fit under my seat, but there isn't a prayer of sliding it out while paddling to open it and get that camera out.  Doesn't help that I have a bad back and flexibility issues.

It's OK.  If I ruin the camera, I guess I'll just have to get another one.  I am too old to worry about STUFF anymore--I'll just do without something else and get another camera.  I drive an old car but I have a nice camera.  I have my priorities in order.   ;D

I too put my camera(Olympus SP 800) in a waterproof roll up bag and carry that in my personal pack sack.  Just have to be gentle with the pack sack.

I'm torn on this one. I love having my SLR with me but I ruined by film model when I dumped my boat. Can't chance that anymore with the digital.

I love having pics but if the camera is tucked away when I need it I can guarantee you it will stay there. I have a cannon A720, mid sized ( I hate teeny tiny cameras) with image stabilizer and 6x zoom. Not National Geographic quality anymore but good enough for me to remember what happened ("Oh yea I remember standing on that point now").

I house my camera in a carrying case from Duluth trading co. Lots of good stuff there. The case is made from the same material firehose is made out of and closes with velcro and rides on my hip (fast, easy and tough.......kinda like me ::)................Ok, maybe one out of three  ;D )
ANYWAY, it's right there when you need it. Out and back........in a flash!

I leave the fancy photo equipment home and go with a point & shot waterproof Pentax Optio. It's in a fanny pack with a headnet, bug juice, & whatever else. So it's always with me & quickly accessible. IMO that's more important than long lens.

DB....yet the grease may stick the gasket to the box but it will go where ever you go, a trail of finger prints...just was marinating on a mechanics trick.

Yes I have been frustrated by vapors in the wrong spot...this how I am trying to sort it out inclusive of dessicant, expanding possibilities.

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My desire to stay smaller that SLR is totally eluding me.

Do any of you shoot large format film; 4 x 5? Thinking about a new journey/vehicle to share what I love...

Quote:

I did buy an after market gasket for mine when the old one rotted away. When it's hot or in the sun, the new one falls out way too often. I gotta do something about that. I'd glue it in but have seen what glue fumes do to plastic. Any ideas?

I don't know if this would work on a Pelican box, it would depend on the way the gasket is engineered?

On my plastic snap-lid food boxes, I made a homemade silicone gasket by applying a bead of clear RV silicone/sealer and then covering with a sheets(s) of plastic wrap. You then snap on the lid and let set overnight.
You get a very serviceable gasket. You can use a razor blade to trim any excess squeeze-out after it dries. You have to wipe plastic with alcohol wipe to prep before applying silicone.

I'd maybe experiment on a plastic coffee can or something similar to see if it would work okay on a Pelican box, but it held up on the food box for 2 years and might be worth a look :-/

Buy the smallest Pelican Box that your camera fits in (with the recommended 1/2" foam all around.  Mine fits a Cannon 40D w/ a 200mm lens attached to the body, and has room to spare.  It won't work for a long telephoto lens, but usually you will have more time in those situations, as you're using the lens to reach the wildlife instead of the paddle ;)

I need to replace the gasket soon, but the box has been tripping with me since '00 and I find that I take it over my camera bag most of the time due to better protection.

Thanks to all!  Good info...glad I asked.

Cedarstripper

db wrote on Aug 10^th, 2010 at 5:18am:

I did buy an after market gasket for mine when the old one rotted away. When it's hot or in the sun, the new one falls out way too often. I gotta do something about that. I'd glue it in but have seen what glue fumes do to plastic. Any ideas?

If you just need glue, I'd try using left-over epoxy the next time you're doing canoe or paddle maintenance.

That will be permanent, though, and it sounds more like your replacement gasket is too small, or it has dried out and shrunk. Auto parts stores often sell sheets of rubber gasketing material that you can cut yourself to fit, maybe this will work better.

i have used an aloksak inside a sealine dry bag.  dumped once and though the sealine leaked a little, the aloksak kept the camera dry.  have now acquired a watershed chatooga submersible dry bag with padded liner and am very happy with it.  a great seal and bombproof construction.  check them out at drybags.com.

I got a pellican 1050 case for my camera and it work great on my trip. I did get the foam insert and the case in yellow so I'd did not soak up as much heat from the sun.

10-4 on the Pelican case. The way to go. That said, I've taken to an Olympus Stylus Tough for Quetico trips. It's small and waterproof. It does not have the flexibility of my Olympus E-400 with the multiple lenses (for that matter, the latter has more tricks than I can deal with anyway). But with the little camera I've taken pictures reproduced in 4-color separations in national magazines -- so it's a pretty good piece of equipment and virtually indestructible.

I dunked an SLR and insurance covered the loss, but it was a pain in the tail. So, I'm gonna disagree with one of the best phototogs on thiss site -- Spartan 2.

That's OK, Tim.  You're not going to change my mind, but I agree that you take some nice photos.  Actually, I have taken some beauties with my little waterproof Pentax Optio also, and some of them have been my POD's.  It depends upon the conditions.  But there are some shots that I never could have gotten without the SLR and I won't be without it.  

We're friends, we can agree to disagree.   ;)