Videocameras aside, have any of you ever seen any SLR’s on your PCT hike?
Perhaps I’m I’m just looking to see that I won’t be the only one out there, but as of now I fully plan on lugging around outrageously heavy photo equipment. Being the avid photographer that I am, I just can’t pass up the oppurtunity to take 5 months of amazing pictures on quality equipment. I know it’ll suck, I know I’ll probably get lots of funny looks, but hopefully I won’t be alone?
Novakaine
See http://www.dpreview.com/ for everything you ever wanted to know about digital cameras. I think the EOS 350 is the lightest weight true SLR on the market. Do give a little thought to how you plan to keep it dry. I don’t think any of the SLRs are weather proof. Plus, look at the Olympus Stylus cameras (the 810 looks really good to me, but not available until March). Not as good as a SLR in the picture taking abilities, but far more robust than any SLR you can take! And the pictures you can take with such a small camera can be remarkable good.
Whatever you decide to take, figure out a way to tie the camera to your shoulder straps or something. Make sure you have enough mobility to use it, but short enough to keep it out of the river if you drop it. I managed to drop my Canon SD500 in the water on a January hike this year. First time I’ve ever dropped a camera in the water in ten years of hiking.
I only saw one person with a true SLR on my 2004 through hike. It was at the beginning of the hike. When I saw him later in the Smokies, he had ditched it in favor of a smaller point and shoot camera. I think they were both Nikons.
Bear Bag Hanger
I carried an F3.
I saw “shutterbug” with a cannon SLR.
Worth the weight. My back weighs 12 lbs dry -with 4 lbs of camera gear.
Tha Wookie
On my '02 AT hike, I neglected to bring my oldie but goodie Nikon FE2, and I really wish I had. All my other backpacking though, I haul my SLR around in a small Lowepro Off Trail 1. I borrowed the idea from Grizzly Adam, but it’s been the most effective way to have quick and comfortable access to my camera. The case itself holds the body w/ lens attached and two pockets large enough for a 70-210 lens. I wrap the belt portion of the bag around my stomach attaching the buckle at the side to avoid any rubbing between my back and my backpack. Running a lightweight carabiner from my sternum strap to the camera bag keeps it in a comfortable position without too much weight on my shoulder straps. See a basic picture of it here: http://trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=126164
Now I never have an excuse to miss a shot, except the mirror locked up on me last trip. Off to be repaired.
One more thing, don’t let anyone tell you a good 2 lb. tripod is excess weight. It was one of my best pieces of gear on the JMT last year. Go light so you can carry more camera gear!
Cap’n
Freefall had a Nikon F100 I believe in 2003 on his thruhike. The Northerner had a Nikon N80 on his in the same year.
Suge
howdy, dont feel alone!!
when i hiked the pct this last year i carried two different pentax me super cameras with two lenses and a tripod the whole trail. i also carried a small aps point and shoot camera. one of the cameras was only for black and white the other was for color slide film and the aps was mostly for taking pictures of other hikers and town stops and stuff like that.
you will get the best quality with a slr camera unless you are willing to carry around a medium format camera, or spend 2-3 thousand dollars on a GOOD digital camera.
all my camera gear weighed just a little over 5.5 pounds. it was sooooo worth it!!!!
i hope that you get some good pictures!!!
TYVEK.
TYVEK
on my JMT hike this past summer, i lugged about fifteen pounds of camera gear. yes, that was a 15. it was well worth the weight. i carried two 35mm SLRs and one medium format. there were a total of 5 lenses between the three cameras. so, if you want to carry your SLR, then definitely do it.
grizzly adam
I carry a Nikon FM10 with me on all my hikes. It’s the same as the venerable FM2 but smaller and lighter. For a lense I use a Tamaron 20-200 zoom lense. This combo is pretty much the lightest/diverse setup you can have.
don koller