Packing Camera

[TrueIntuition]

Hi Everyone,
I have a couple of questions I wanted to ask.
This has to do with hiking and photographing.
I'v been section hiking the Appalachian Trail for a number of years. We usually hike about 3-5 days at a time.
This year I have the crazy idea to bring a DSLR with me.
I hike with a standard multi day internal frame 50L pack. What might be a good way to pack the camera in that pack ??
Also, what are some suggestions for battery life, other than packing extra batteries, I already have 2 ??

Thanks,
Pete

 

[vimwiz]

Hi Everyone,
I have a couple of questions I wanted to ask.
This has to do with hiking and photographing.
I'v been section hiking the Appalachian Trail for a number of years. We usually hike about 3-5 days at a time.
This year I have the crazy idea to bring a DSLR with me.
I hike with a standard multi day internal frame 50L pack. What might be a good way to pack the camera in that pack ??
Also, what are some suggestions for battery life, other than packing extra batteries, I already have 2 ??

Thanks,
Pete

Take a battery grip, one of the ones that lets you use AAs if you need to.

Disable live view! And IS, and dont shoot video. Also, turn the brightness down, and dont really use the display.
When I disable the display and anything which leaves the sensor on constantly, my camera lasts for weeks.

 

[The_Traveler]

A protective wrap Camera Wrap | eBay might be helpful.
(i used bubble warp [small bubbles] last trip; not as sturdy but very light and cheap and protective

 

[GertjanGoetynck]

I am in a situation very alike yours, and to me the best option seems to be not putting it in your backpack, but finding a way to carry it outside of it. I did quite alot of research and planned to make a thread about this myself one of these days, but the best option seems to be a Camera Toploader like Lowepro | Toploader Pro AW Series which you carry in front of you. Easy access and I heared people say that it actually creates better balance because it "offsets" some of the weight of your backpack since it's in front of you.

The best way to carry these Toploaders seems to be attaching it to your backpack shoulder straps, and NOT your neck.

 

[Designer]

What might be a good way to pack the camera in that pack ??

Centered, near the top for easy access, lens down. Something soft under and on both sides. Be sure to use the lens cap.

 

[TrueIntuition]

Great responses and ideas from everyone!
Thank you !!

I think the Lowepro Toploader is spot on and looks like the way to go. The chest harness can be used and the pack can go on right on top of it, or some people strap the toploader right to the pack shoulder straps so that it's in front of you ready to go.

 

[KmH]

The camera does little good in the backpack.

Back in the day when I backpacked my camera was readily at hand as I was hiking. The camera didn't spend much time at all in the backpack.