Camera Armor...any good?

Viperjet · Oct 25, 2007

I'm thinking of getting some Camera Armor for my Canon Rebel XTi. What do you guys know about Camera Armor? Good? Bad? Worth it?

I do a good amount of my shooting while backpacking/mountain biking, and other crazy things like that.

Big Mike · Oct 25, 2007

It looks neat, but if you drop the camera hard enough that the outer case would crack...then the more delicate insides would probably be toast anyway...and the armor won't really prevent that.

If it makes the camera more comfortable to hold, then it might be worth it...other wise, just keep it in a good camera bag whenever possible.

Viperjet · Oct 25, 2007

Yea, dropping it from a high distance would definitely kill my camera, but then again, there's not a whole lot of things that would protect it. I'm more worried about little drops, scratches, and most of all, the LCD screen. Nikon D80's come with an LCD protector, but my XTi didn't.

TCimages · Oct 25, 2007

I have it on my 30D, I love it. You can still access all of the buttons and the camera works the same. It really helps you keep a grip on the camera.
I recommend taking it off and cleaning under it every couple of months. Dust and dirt will accumulate and could scratch the case.

Big Mike · Oct 26, 2007

I'm more worried about little drops, scratches, and most of all, the LCD screen. Nikon D80's come with an LCD protector, but my XTi didn't.

The actual LCD screen is protected with a thick, clear cover that is built into the camera body. I haven't confirmed this, but I've heard that you can buy replacement screen/covers for a very reasonable price, lower than the cost of the armor.

Of all the people that I know, in person and on forums like this...I don't know of anyone who had damaged their LCD screen.

lextalionis · Oct 26, 2007

I read the reviews on amazon and they were horrible.

ukrainetz · Oct 26, 2007

I totally agree with TCimages. If you're going to use it for better grip, go for it. If you expect it to keep the camera looking like new, you have to take it off and clean it at least once a week. Otherwise you'd get what I like to call "ipod case effect." Especially if you're gonna be biking, and stirring up a lot of dirt, all that dirt will build up under the armor, and eventually scratch the camera like you wouldn't imagine. Perfect example is yet again the mirror finished ipods that dont look so hot after a while in their plastic/rubber cases.

Viperjet · Oct 26, 2007

True, but if the camera didn't have the camera armor on, then it would get scratched easier. So maybe it's a good idea as long as I clean underneath regularly?

TCimages · Oct 26, 2007

Viperjet said:
True, but if the camera didn't have the camera armor on, then it would get scratched easier. So maybe it's a good idea as long as I clean underneath regularly?

Correct. I've been using this for a year now with no problems on my 30D. You lose the fancy look tho.