Anybody here use photo vests?

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twebster
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Anybody here use photo vests?

Post by twebster »

Hi y'all, :D

Due to problems with my back it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to carry a camera bag and tripod. I am considering purchasing a photo vest and would like to know if anybody uses one. My thought is a vest will spread the load across my shoulders more equally. What do you all think?

Best regards as always, :D
Tom Webster
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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

I wear a photo vest regularly. I use (and think highly of) the Campco Safari Vest. About $50 at B&H photo. It's a good product at a reasonable price, but I'm not sure it will solve your problem if it is the tripod that is bugging you. I own two of them, one supersized to fit on the outside of a jacket in winter, and one that is a more correct fit for other times. I usually just wear the supersized one all the time, and it has held up well for almost four years and looks like it will serve for many more.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... ype=search

It does distribute things over both shoulders, though it won't help with a tripod--The pockets on that vest are bit, but not big enough to put most tripods in, I think! It does have an amazing capacity. One of the lower front pockets will hold the huge 1-series Canon 35mm camera, and the other will hold a Canon 100-400L with hood reversed. There are some pockets on your right side that are excellent for small filters in cases. And the upper left pocket is quite large, also. There's a large pocket in back that I use to carry a water bottle, a couple of plastic trash bags in case of rain, and stuff my big floppy hat in if I go indoors.

You'll need to put something in the rear pocket if you put much stuff in front, or else the weight will be off-balance forward, and will be fairly uncomfortable.

I suspect a better solution is to use a harness and belt pouch system. The advantage is that, like a good backpack, it takes some of the load off your shoulders and puts it on your hips (if that doesn't concern you, you may not worry about it). But I haven't been moved to change yet. A harness and belt pouches would be cooler in hot weather (you are in Arizona, right?). Kinesis and others make them, but I haven't tried them.

A couple of suggestions:

The only vest I know that is designed to hold a tripod is one of the expensive custom-made "Vested Interest" photo vests. They are expensive, but not out of this world, and they do custom fit them to your measurements. Sound excellent, but I'm satisfied with the Campco for about 1/5 the price.

I have a big, heavy Gitzo 1325 tripod that can hold a sherman tank, and a light, featherweight tripod with much less capacity and nothing in between. I'm pondering ordering one of the Chinese (Taiwain)-made Feisol tripods. Their 3301N model weighs about 2.5 pounds without a center column, and receives good reports. It costs about $225 or so shipped. I'm considering that because I have the same trouble of sore shoulders when carrying a tripod. Cutting back the tripod weight may help. I've also had the urge to try some landscape photography from streams, and I'd be willing to take the Feisol out there (unlike my Gitzo!).

Finally, if you're going to carry the tripod a ways, Kinesis makes a harness system that fits onto their tripod bag and lets you carry the tripod as a sort of very light backpack. Looks very comfortable. Check out their website, I believe it is kinesisgear.com. Lowepro or others may have a similar system.

I own a kinesis case for my 300/2.8 that I'm very happy with, and also bought one of their overpriced tripod bags to hold my tripod in on the snowmobile at Yellowstone (you want something that will catch any screws or parts that vibrate loose!).

Hope this helps. If you have more specific questions about the campco vest, I'll try to answer 'em, but I am about to go out of town Till Sunday, so may not reply for awhile.

One more thing--I get some relief from tripod-shoulder by varying how I carry my 'pod. I will sometimes open the legs, spread them apart (but not extend them) and put the tripod so that two legs go in front of my shoulder, one is in back, and the head and camera (if mounted) are above my shoulder. I also try to carry the tripod by putting the legs over one shoulder, the head right behind my neck, and resting the camera lens over my other shoulder. Varying these things helps some.
Mike Broderick
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nzmacro
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Post by nzmacro »

Who told ya :wink: :D . Yeah I do Tom, but its actually a fly fishing vest. Nice and water proof because I like to shoot in the rain and I find the many pockets just the right size for the lenses I tend to use M8t. The only thing I can't figure out, is what to do with the small bit at the top thats supposed to hold the flies. Never mind :D

All the best up and beyond :D

Danny.

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Thanks guys, :D

I wrote this question late last night and I should have been more clear about the tripod. :roll: I have a well-padded carrying strap for the tripod and the tripod isn't all that heavy to carry by hand. It's the camera bag that is killing me. It is much heavier than the tripod and the bulk of it pulls the weight further off-center than the tripod. By the end of even a short photo excursion my shoulders and lower back ache. Lately, I've been using the monopod more than the tripod, anyhow.

I'm shooting in a lot more public places, too, so I just can't slip the camera bag off and leave it by itself when I'm shooting. Someone will surely steal it. :evil: I am also getting tired of the bag slipping around when I need to bend over to shoot something close to the ground. I know there's no perfect system. I used to use a backpack but that wasn't much more convenient, either. I had to unshoulder it every time I needed something out of the backpack.

Here's what I usually carry when I'm shooting macros...

1. Canon D30 with 90mm macro lens, Kirk flash bracket, and Canon 380ex flash. These are hung around my neck on the camera strap.

2. 2x and 1.4x teleconverters.

3. 5T and 6T Nikon diopter lenses.

4. 8 spare AA batteries and 2 spare Canon batteries for the D30.

5. 4 compact flash cards.

6. Canon right angle finder.

7. 2 polarizing filters.

8. Set of 3 Kenko extension tubes.

9. 4 filter step-up/step-down rings.

10. Remote release cable.

11. 3 to 4 front and rear lens caps.

12. Small note pad and mechanical pencil.

13. Canon FD 50 f. 1.8 lens permanently mounted on an EF reverse adapter ring.

14. Canon EF 28-105 zoom lens.

15. 2 very lightweight neoprene knee pads.

16. Monopod or tripod.

Looks like a lot of stuff :!: :shock: Will items 2 through 15 fit easily into a photo vest :?:

Shooting landscapes or cityscapes I don't carry nearly as much. I usually have my Tokina EF 19-35mm zoom lens and Canon EF 28-105 zoom lens, a couple of polarizing filters, remote release, and tripod. I think a vest would ideal for landscape/cityscape work. It's just the darned macro equipment that bogs me down. :shock:

Thanks for your input, my friends. :D
Tom Webster
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S. Alden
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Post by S. Alden »

I use one like this (only in Small)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... Navigation

I get a new one as soon as it looks like my other one is on the last leg. I like it as I can remove the sleeves during warmer weather and put them back on when it cools down. It also has a rain hood too. Loads of pockets.
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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Hi y'all, :D

Well, I spent the afternoon and evening, today, looking at photo and flyfishing vests. I took along my camera bag and loaded up all the different vests. Sue, I really liked the Domke but I just couldn't afford it. Mike, the Campco Safari was good but I couldn't find an XX-Large that fit comfortably around my...er...midsection :!: :D I tried Tenbas and even a Canon EOS vest. I finally settled on a Columbia Omni-Dry Titanium ( :roll: ) Adventurer vest. It has fewer pockets but the pockets are roomier than other vests. The most important thing, though, was it fit my pot bel...er...midsection best and distributed the load best. I'll be giving it a shakedown trip to the local zoo tomorrow.

Thanks for your help and advice, my friends. :D
Tom Webster
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Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

Glad you found one you like, Tom. I also am a "person of substance"! The extra-extra large campco is available through some internet outlets if you dig a bit (in case you ever decide you have to have one after all!) :-)

But I'm betting your Columbia will serve you well.
Mike Broderick
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"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul.....My mandate includes weird bugs."--Calvin

(reposts on this site of my images for critique or instruction are welcome)

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