Carry a DSLR?

I've got this camera bag from Topo Designs: https://topodesigns.com/products/camera-cube

It's padded enough, little buiky but works in a multipitch pack if I'm bringing up my camera.  That fits my Sony mirrorless with a fairly large lens pretty well, assuming you aren't bringing something longer than 100mm on a route with you.  For single pitch, or if I want to hang out at the anchors to shoot, I'll just have friends clip it to a rope and I'll pull it up, sturdy enough with enough padding to (carefully) pull it up the cliff and have it knock around a little bit.

Curious. Has anyone tried keeping their camera in a fanny pack while climbing?

Best thing you can buy for your camera is insurance plan to replace it then just take it everywhere, beat it up and don't worry about breaking it to get the perfect shot.

Andrew Child wrote: Curious. Has anyone tried keeping their camera in a fanny pack while climbing?

The carrier I referenced is a waist pack--I just flip it around back when climbing, at the front on belays.  A small, lightly padded fanny pack should work well.

Briggs Lazalde wrote: Next post will be in the lost and found section. Titled stolen camera..keep cameras on u always. Not at the base

No shit. My A7r got nabbed from the base of Reeds. Fuckin' dirtbag climbers.

I don't carry a DSLR, but I do carry a Mirrorless Digital camera and an extra lens.  I have a small very basic 2 zipper compartment Sony video camera bag.  It fits perfectly inside my helmet in my pack.  In the main compartment is my camera fitted with an 18.5mm lens.  Then I have a 30-110 mm lens which i keep inside a koozie in the bag.  It tucks perfectly in next to the camera, and keeps everything snug. It also leaves just enough room to toss in a little Sony action cam, with a mount for it, and a pocket sized mini tripod. In the small front pocket of the bag is an extra SD card, an extra battery or two depending on the length of the trip, a lightning port SD card reader, and a camera remote.

Look for a Lowe Pro case.  I've had one for 30+ yrs.  Don't know if they still make 'em (or even if still in business).

Put on the equivalent of the old 35mm " 28mm to 70mm" lens (12mm to 48mm??? for digitals??) and you're good to go for 80-90% of climbing photos.  Remember, a good DSLR produces photos with such good resolution and pixels that you can crop the finished photo so much ( i.e. "blow a section up") that you really don't need a telephoto.

Robert Hall wrote: Look for a Lowe Pro case.  I've had one for 30+ yrs.  Don't know if they still make 'em (or even if still in business).

Put on the equivalent of the old 35mm " 28mm to 70mm" lens (12mm to 48mm??? for digitals??) and you're good to go for 80-90% of climbing photos.  Remember, a good DSLR produces photos with such good resolution and pixels that you can crop the finished photo so much ( i.e. "blow a section up") that you really don't need a telephoto.

Thanks, yeah. I'm familiar with Lowe Pro and that's probably what I'll buy when I buy a case. Also yes, due to the sensor size (APS-C), the equivalent is to the standard kit lens for the old 35mm camerias is 18-55, and is the kit lens included with the camera. That's probably what I'll shoot with until I get enough dinero together to buy some bigger glass.

Thanks everyone, your suggestions are all very helpful. It seems like everyone has a preference, but the common consensus seems to be something light, small, and accessible. 

Hi All,

This post has been great for ideas and I tried a few before settling on my own thing. IMO carrying a nice camera is important to really get the shots you will keep and put on the wall. I opted for a micro four thirds with weather proofing for cost and relative compactness vs. dslr. First and foremost I want my camera accessible and so even having it in a bag on my harness would be too much fuss. It needs to really be at the ready. All I have to do now is take the lens cap off.

Thankfully the pictures should do the best job of explaining, but I got a cheap neoprene cover from B&H and then cut a hole out for the viewfinder, and cut the nose off. Then I got a beer bottle cosy to protect the lens. It is tight enough to stay on and it is easy to operate the zoom. The shutter button is easy to feel through the neoprene and other functions can either be preset or simply reached b flipping up the velcro'd flap. I run the sling over my shoulder and clip the biner to my harness out of the way. The best part is, I'm now actually using my camera more and it is well protected from scrapes and scratches. I don't use the lcd screen while I'm out there, only the viewfinder, which helps with battery life as well.

Cheers and happy climbing!

I carry a fuji x-t2 in one of these neoprene cases. I think I picked the 8" size. It's made it up mt shasta, conness and survived offwidths.
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-DZS1311195-7-Inch-Tablet-Sleeve/dp/B00I8T4J5C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=tablet+neoprene&qid=1568833640&sr=8-4