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The Camera I bought was an ACTIVEON CX Action Camera Camcorder with 2"LCD Screen. got it for a bit under 50 Dollars U.S. (here in the U.S.) ... also got a chest harness for it for about 5 Dollars. I've never tested to see if I can wear the harness AND the backpack at the same time ... the only issue I have with it is that video seems to use up quite a bit of space on the micro SD card ... pictures use up a reasonable amount of memory (depending on resolution) ... haven't tested the battery on how long a full charge will last ... you could I suppose attach it to your walking stick? unsure how long it takes to switch on from sleep state ... the woman behind the counter told me that it can accommodate a 64Gb micro SD card, but no where on the instructions does it say it can do this, so I bought a couple of 32Gb micro SD cards instead ... Camera comes with it's own weather proof case ...Hi guys
I have been lurking and searching the forum for years - seems that almost whatever question I have thrown at Google, it has let me here
<SNIPPED to save space>
Any suggestions - or perhaps I will just stick to my smartphone...
Thank you in advance for any help / ideas you might have.
Buen camino
Mettchen
Hi guys
I have been lurking and searching the forum for years - seems that almost whatever question I have thrown at Google, it has let me here
I apologize if I have picked the wrong group for my post. Thought about the mobile/tablet one, but my question is more camera-related, so... Also tried searching for answers for weeks, and finally caved in and here I am
I am heading for my first Camino (CF) in a few weeks - and I am still contemplating on whether to bring my camera or just my (smart)phone. My camera is not a big DSLR, but also not a pocket camera... I would prefer to bring my camera - both to take better pictures, but also to not grab for my phone all the time (though I can turn notifications off to not be distracted by msg etc. whenever I want to take a picture).
My issue is - I do NOT want to bring my camera if I will have to carry it in my backpack (do not want to depend on stopping and unloading/loading whenever I wanna take a picture). So, I will only bring my camera if I can find a clever and easy-access kind of way of carrying it. Do you have any ideas/suggestions?
I have a not too big case for it that has a sorta "belt strap" on it. So I could attach it to a fanny pack or perhaps even the hip-belt of my backpack? Has anyone tried that (with success)?
Or how about a slide/string-strap thingie to carry under the backpack, could that work?
Any suggestions - or perhaps I will just stick to my smartphone...
Thank you in advance for any help / ideas you might have.
Buen camino
Mettchen
Hi Mettchen,Hi guys
I have been lurking and searching the forum for years - seems that almost whatever question I have thrown at Google, it has let me here
I apologize if I have picked the wrong group for my post. Thought about the mobile/tablet one, but my question is more camera-related, so... Also tried searching for answers for weeks, and finally caved in and here I am
I am heading for my first Camino (CF) in a few weeks - and I am still contemplating on whether to bring my camera or just my (smart)phone. My camera is not a big DSLR, but also not a pocket camera... I would prefer to bring my camera - both to take better pictures, but also to not grab for my phone all the time (though I can turn notifications off to not be distracted by msg etc. whenever I want to take a picture).
My issue is - I do NOT want to bring my camera if I will have to carry it in my backpack (do not want to depend on stopping and unloading/loading whenever I wanna take a picture). So, I will only bring my camera if I can find a clever and easy-access kind of way of carrying it. Do you have any ideas/suggestions?
I have a not too big case for it that has a sorta "belt strap" on it. So I could attach it to a fanny pack or perhaps even the hip-belt of my backpack? Has anyone tried that (with success)?
Or how about a slide/string-strap thingie to carry under the backpack, could that work?
Any suggestions - or perhaps I will just stick to my smartphone...
Thank you in advance for any help / ideas you might have.
Buen camino
Mettchen
Hi Mettchen,
Since my Camino, I bought one of these, it's the answer to all my prayers: https://www.peakdesign.com/product/clips/capture/
In the post I reference above I mention the iXpand drive. You can use it for external storage to take pictures off your phone. Weighs nothing.I bought one of these this summer, both for use while working and doing photography here in Katmai National Park (my seasonal job) and to test for possible use on the Camino.
The Capture clamps onto your shoulder strap or your waist belt, depending on the width/thickness of the strap/belt but is lightweight and I don't notice the Capture itself. I do notice the extra weight on my shoulder but think it'll work even better on my waist strap. It's super easy to clip and unclip the camera from the Capture and best of all it keeps the camera from flopping around. I think it would be perfect for something smaller than a full-on DSLR like I use with it.
In the past few years, I've gotten really into using my DSLR (Canon 70D) and have tentatively been planning on bringing it, as I feel I'd strongly prefer the optical zoom. However, I will be needing a new phone and I like the idea of simplifying in terms of weight/devices. In purchasing a new phone, I could choose one with a good camera and better storage. But as a true shutter bug I think I'd prefer the ability to swap out SD cards since I don't plan on using the internet. Hmm.
Hi guys
I have been lurking and searching the forum for years - seems that almost whatever question I have thrown at Google, it has let me here
I apologize if I have picked the wrong group for my post. Thought about the mobile/tablet one, but my question is more camera-related, so... Also tried searching for answers for weeks, and finally caved in and here I am
I am heading for my first Camino (CF) in a few weeks - and I am still contemplating on whether to bring my camera or just my (smart)phone. My camera is not a big DSLR, but also not a pocket camera... I would prefer to bring my camera - both to take better pictures, but also to not grab for my phone all the time (though I can turn notifications off to not be distracted by msg etc. whenever I want to take a picture).
My inexpensive solution was to find a couple of clip rings and a cheap or inexpensive camera bag and clip the bag to the front of my pack straps, across my chest. Total cost was C$4.00. Inexpensive camera bags can be forund in many places including repurposing shops, Walmarts, Tesco or Asda stores.
I will carry an iPhone, two very small Vivitar cameras and a JVC HiDef video camera for some very special video shots. As I do a lot of visual media, these items, cables, adapters and a 35000mAH power bank are worth their weight in gold.
My issue is - I do NOT want to bring my camera if I will have to carry it in my backpack (do not want to depend on stopping and unloading/loading whenever I wanna take a picture). So, I will only bring my camera if I can find a clever and easy-access kind of way of carrying it. Do you have any ideas/suggestions?
I have a not too big case for it that has a sorta "belt strap" on it. So I could attach it to a fanny pack or perhaps even the hip-belt of my backpack? Has anyone tried that (with success)?
Or how about a slide/string-strap thingie to carry under the backpack, could that work?
Any suggestions - or perhaps I will just stick to my smartphone...
Thank you in advance for any help / ideas you might have.
Buen camino
Mettchen
Just searched the App store for ProCam 4 and came up with nothing...I left my expensive and heavy DSLR at home. Instead I used my iPhone 7 Plus. Here's why: http://www.musingsfromthelastfrontier.com/raw-capable-iphone-camera-apps/
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories.shtml
walked with chest pack carried camera snacks buff gloves ect...
Doesn't weight over ride the question? How heavy are things? When the weight of the camera takes its toll do you leave it?
Hi Mettchen...the struggles of a pilgrim..haha..!!
I walked the CF last year with only my iphone 6 and was very pleased with the quality of the photos. I had it in a lifeproof case and it slipped into my pocket as per normal. However I also had what I call a bum bag which you may call a fanny pack.....a small bag that hangs usually in the front with a belt around the waist, this worked really well for all sorts of things like water bottle, ear phones, pain relief, snacks, cash, so a camera would probably be fine in there. I did meet others that had massive SLR's and didn't complain about the extra weight....but i'm sticking with my iphone again for this years Camino.
Great thoughts,
Mark
Thank you - I quite like this idea - especially the weight in centered. You didn't feel that the camera was bouncing too much when you walked? Ever scared of tripping - could both be painful and painfully expensiveView attachment 35520 I attached my camera strap to my backpack using caribiners. It worked fabulously. None of the weight was carried on my neck. My camera was always there at the ready when I wanted to shoot.
I would do this too - or have it in a fanny pack / bum bag - if my camera was that size. But it's bigger than a compact camera, yet smaller than a DLSR - for a day it might be ok to hang it there - but for a month, I think it might give too much uneven-weight. I might just take my phone :-/ hmmmm. But thank you.View attachment 35522 I carry a small compact Canon in a pouch that is connected by a single carabineer to the front straps of my back pack. The camera is accessible in seconds, is protected in the pouch from damage and all but the heaviest rains. Unless your camera is easily accessible, you will likely not take that many pictures after the first few days. I witnessed a few people dropping their pack to get out an Ipad every time they wanted a picture. Also, as good as cameras are getting in smart phones, they are still not at the level of a decent compact camera and not even close to a full size DLSR
Forgot to mention, the camera cannot be attached to a selfie stick IF its inside the weather proof case ... it cannot be screwed on. Unsure if this feature is similar in other cameras - I've never really quite had a digital camera such as this one ... it's almost cheap enough to be lost/misplaced/stolen - just as long as the memory card is backed up somewhere else .
I think my best choice was when I didn't take a camera and I didn't take a phone. Instead I decided to take ten minutes a day every day, to stop and memorise a scene. I ended up doing it a few times a day. I can still see, hear, and smell those moments in the valleys and amongst the buildings in my mind's eye*. The ringing of bells and the rustle of wind, the buzz of a distant moped, always there.
I know this is not a fashionable view but I feel that mediating your life digitally distances you from your lived experience.
I carried my small 'point and shoot' camera in this case round my neck. It also has a back loop to fit the rucksack belt. However I felt it was more secure worn across my body (over one shoulder and across to hang at the side not just round neck) under my backpack straps.
(Edit:- For quick access only do up the zip not the clip)
Hi Mettchen,
Since my Camino, I bought one of these, it's the answer to all my prayers: https://www.peakdesign.com/product/clips/capture/
With it I clip my Olympus EM-1 micro four/thirds mirrorless to my pack strap at chest level. It's super-light, camera weight is almost not noticeable. Clip fastened to camera slots into a gizmo clamped to backpack strap, removal is quick-release, camera slots back in instantly. I keep the medium zoom on the camera, two more in backpack.
I had same problems as you mention while on Camino last year. I missed many shots, mostly in the rain when poncho made pack access a pain. Tried carrying camera with a neck strap but very annoying, especially under poncho. I had a neoprene case on the camera but it kept swinging against my walking pole, abrasive upper section of pole tore through the case. Peak Design also makes a thin, tough, weatherproof camera pouch - I also have one of these so camera is not so visible all the time. See their product videos.
The only downside, IMHO: Camera suddenly flops dangerously/expensively if you take off your pack with camera still clipped to the pack-strap.
Good luck, Mike
I was so glad I brought a small camera. I carried it in a waist pack (worn in the front), along with snacks and water. The camera was waterproof and easy to use with one hand. My phone is not waterproof and I can't take an adequate picture without using two hands. Since I was using walking sticks, taking one-handed photos was much easier and quicker.
Thats a great idea - not sure if my camera + case it too big for this - but definitely worth a try. ThanksI carried a small Canon (PowerShot SX260HS) in a small (3.5x6 inch) padded nylon case which had a zipper section for holding spare battery and an additional disc and zipper across the top for access to the camera. It had a belt loop that I put on my chest strap upside down (zipper on bottom) so that unzipping the zipper dropped the camera into my hand. A couple of safety pins held the belt loop to my chest strap so it didn't fall off whenever I unfastened the chest strap. Worked great.
I've taken probably 10,000 pictures in over 50 countries over the years and I would recommend taking only the smartphone (unless you are an avid photographer who likes to really frame each shot or wants to do a lot of post processing on high-res photos). When I walked the Camino two years ago, I took my camera and quickly found out that it wasn't worth the weight during the day. My iPhone 6 has good enough resolution for almost any photo. The newer iPhones are even better in this regard. The iphone can also provide you with a record of where you walked which could be matched into google earth for a better view of where you were. What you might consider (and I did have), is a USB based battery so that you can recharge the phone should the need arise.
Like Finisterre, I tend to try and memorize a scene in the big memory card in my head. However, as I get older, I find that the memory seems to become corrupted a bit with junk files from previous forays into the wilderness. Therefore, I do carry a camera and use it, just not as much as I did in my youth. The digital age spawned many wonders as far as cameras but the ability to take thousands of pics is a downside, in my opinion. If I thought I could get away with film, I would bring a compact 110 SLR but with that format, if I could not convince the TSA types not to irradiate it, the pics could very well be lost.
All in all, I will probably take my Canon Compact Camera. Only 8mg per picture but I do not plan on making murals of any of them. Hooking the straps to the pack, as Tomnorth shows is probably the best choice. As for cellphones, I just have problems with the ergonomics. Turning the phone on, finding the camera icon, finding my fingers are in front of the lens, pushing on the magnification icon; all these are too much for me when a picture should be taken in a hurry. Castles sit still for you, most critters don't.
As an avid amateur photographer, I swore I'd never travel without at least a high-end compact camera, but when we did the Camino Portugués earlier this year I took only my iPhone. I was surprisingly pleased with most of the photos I took. It was always handy in the cargo pocket of my zip-off pants. The only thing I really missed was the ability to optically zoom when composing shots; the in-camera digital zoom (or cropping later) can sometimes cause the individual pixels to be visible in the photos if you go too far. The current smartphone cameras, both iPhone and most Androids, are actually pretty good, but most still suffer from rather convoluted procedures to move the photos onto a computer for post-processing.
If you use a smartphone, be aware of the potential issues of battery power and internal storage limitations if you take a lot of photos daily.
Unfortunately my mirror-less system camera doesnt have a viewfinder - I miss it - but it was one of the (money) compromises I made. I miss that from my old DSLR, never used the screen... but oh well. Thanks for your input.I always walk with a small Lumix LF1 that has a screen and a viewfinder which is so good for bright conditions. It's packed with features and I've put a 64gb SD card in and carry a spare card and a spare battery. I carry it in a small Lowe zip case with the strap across my (right) shoulder and it goes on before my rucsac; in wet weather it goes under my waterproof jacket; in very wet conditions it goes inside my rucsac. It weighs practically nothing and has never been a burden, it's easily accessible and takes great pictures. I'd like to take my Lumix DSLR, and do so on short walks but on long walks it's always the little one. By putting it on before the rucsac you don't take it off when you take your 'sac off so there's less chance of forgetting it when you move on. A smart phone takes acceptable pictures but for really good ones you need a camera.
Ultreïa.
Thanks - my Samsung also allows me to shoot in RAW, but I have never done that - since I don't really do any editing afterwards besides some cropping. So not sure if I should use the ekstra storage for the RAW files...I left my expensive and heavy DSLR at home. Instead I used my iPhone 7 Plus. Here's why: http://www.musingsfromthelastfrontier.com/raw-capable-iphone-camera-apps/
I agonised for months over this same issue before my Camino last year. Finally, I ended up walking 1000 kms from Lourdes to SdC with my Canon 6D and the 17-40 EF lens in the camera bag attached to the backpack straps at hip height (all 3kgs of gear) and it never bothered me a single bit. I did also take a few photos and videos woth my iPhone 6, but after looking at the more than 6000 images, I would have kicked myself endlessly if I hadn't. The difference in quality (and options) between the phone and a good dslr is significant and well worth the effort if you are a keen photographer.
However, is there a risk that this becomes more of a photographic journey and clouding or compeeting with the main reason for your Camino?... You need to decide. Just keep in mind what Finisterre said: take time every day to be there, to be present and mindful of where you are, of the sights, sounds, tastes, smels, feelings and emotions. Be mindful and you will take the Camino with you, like 'a moveable feast'...
Buen Camino!
It's there ProCam 4 . I searched again and it showed up fine. Great app.Just searched the App store for ProCam 4 and came up with nothing...
Thank you - I quite like this idea - especially the weight in centered. You didn't feel that the camera was bouncing too much when you walked? Ever scared of tripping - could both be painful and painfully expensive
I would do this too - or have it in a fanny pack / bum bag - if my camera was that size. But it's bigger than a compact camera, yet smaller than a DLSR - for a day it might be ok to hang it there - but for a month, I think it might give too much uneven-weight. I might just take my phone :-/ hmmmm. But thank you.
If your phone allows the use of an inserted micro-SD card, get the largest card you think you'll need. iPhones do not have a slot for an added memory card, but I found an external 64 gb thumb drive that had an Apple Lightning plug on one end and a standard USB plug on the other, so as my internal memory filled up (I only had 16gb for everything on that phone), I saved a batch to the thumb drive. I later transferred all the photos to my computer for selection and editing. That was a somewhat inconvenient procedure, and after returning from the Camino I upgraded to a newer phone with 128gb of memory.Thanks - I have a Samsung S7 and an extra memory card and plan on emptying the phone before I go - and I also have a power bank.
Did you print any of your phone-pictures afterwards? And with success? I think the pictures are quite often really good on the phone - but then when viewed on a bigger screen, not always so much. And then worried about potentially printing some. Hmmm - but thanks again.
No agonizing hereI agonised for months over this same issue before my Camino last year. Finally, I ended up walking 1000 kms from Lourdes to SdC with my Canon 6D and the 17-40 EF lens in the camera bag attached to the backpack straps at hip height (all 3kgs of gear) and it never bothered me a single bit. I did also take a few photos and videos woth my iPhone 6, but after looking at the more than 6000 images, I would have kicked myself endlessly if I hadn't. The difference in quality (and options) between the phone and a good dslr is significant and well worth the effort if you are a keen photographer.
However, is there a risk that this becomes more of a photographic journey and clouding or compeeting with the main reason for your Camino?... You need to decide. Just keep in mind what Finisterre said: take time every day to be there, to be present and mindful of where you are, of the sights, sounds, tastes, smels, feelings and emotions. Be mindful and you will take the Camino with you, like 'a moveable feast'...
Buen Camino!
Yes, I would have loved to take my 70-200 but that was clearly beyond what I considered sensible... Too heavy, too expensive, too obvious and too silly to take with me to the showers every day!!! My 14-35 was not a bad compromise... Especially for inside the old churches and for the ochre hills of September.No agonizing here- I am lugging my beloved 6D and 16-35mm along too, plus 70-200 zoom (though I am agonizing about this one). 3 kg the lot. Seems insane, no doubt about it. For me, though, seeing through the camera eye enhances the deep exploration of place and mood.
Buen camino to you!
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