Camera Labs

Has anyone considered, adding a vest alternative to their camera bag. I recently did, and the pair work together! much better than either one alone. The bag works better for primary transportation of your gear, and the vest can be loaded for the current shooting conditions, from day to day.

Thus eliminating the hassle of carrying, and protecting a large bag from theft! if temporarily un-shouldred. And pockets are a lot handier than digging through a crowded camera bag; a place for everything, and everything in its place.

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Steve Owen.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com

I thought the vest went extinct with film and the pipe.

No they are very much alive, and well.

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Steve Owen.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com

I think it depends on where you are. On a safari or a remote hike I would consider a vest, but in an urban environment I wouldn't.

Here's my son demonstrating my fishing vest that I also use for photography when out all day birding at the sanctuary.


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I was at a zoo/wildlife park in Tucson AZ and a lady was wearing not a vest like a fishing vest but more like a tactical vest like i would wear for the Army. She had 2 cameras attached and all this stuff hanging on her. Said it was the best thing if you needed 2 cameras handy.

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Mike "The Squirrel"
Canon 550D | Canon EF 35mm 1:2 | Canon 50 f/1.8 II | Sigma 18-125mm DC OS | Tamron SP 70-300mm Di VC USD | Canon 430EX II
Military Issued Canon 40D | Canon 55-250mm IS

^^ Get a name? Not the girl... the vest...

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

Mine is a Domke Protogs, not so tactical it provokes the swat team. But has plenty of useful pockets, and places to stuff things. While being really functional, its also practical/conservative looking.

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Steve Owen.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com

I see it a bit like the camera bag and bush walking/ hiking day pack. It may have its place in specific purposes.

I have got a Tamrac Expedition 5xxx Series bag, great for putting all your gear in, stores in well, protects it, keeps it dry and safe.
But a rather horrible back pack to take on a day hike. Ok if going to the zoo or similar or just transporting all your gear. I much rather take my proper day hiking pack when going on any bush walk. They are much more comfortable and easier to use.

A vest might be great for storing all the stuff in, but is not really a jacket to protect you from the elements or to keep you warm and dry, alternatively you may just get too hot and want to take it off.
Good if you need quick access to batteries, cards and cleaning gear with the odd lens tugged in.

I got a pretty weatherproof resistant jacket with a top pocket that is fully sealed and generous side pockets as well as generous interior sidepockets that work really well. I can tug the 7D with 15-85 lens into interior side pockets and the 70-300 into the outside sidepocket.

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

I have quite a bit of Street & Field gear from Lowepro which I've used while on assignment last summer. Here's what I use with it:

• S&F Technical Vest (which has an incredibly press badge/event credentials holder),
• S&F Deluxe Technical Belt,
• S&F Utility Bag 100 AW,
• S&F Audio Utility Bag 100,
• S&F Bottle Pouch,
• S&F Memory Wallet,
• S&F Phone Case 20,
• S&F Transport Duffle Backpack.

It's an awesome system - love it!

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Sony α77V/VG-C77AM/α350/18-70/70-400 G SSM/NEX-5/18-55 OSS/Lowepro Pro Trekker 600 AW/CompuTrekker AW/Nova 140 AW/Street & Field gear/Toploader Pro 75 AW. And a huge wishlist...

My photos on Flickr...

The vest reminds me of what would be on the back of any generic 90's cereal box... Well... Almost. The binoculars are missing...

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

I have an old Canon camera vest, which is quite nice. The problem with it is: I cannot put the camera inside the vest so I have to carry a bag (in my case I just bought a Lowepro Fastpack 350, nice) and now there's not so much to put into my vest. OK, last week I put a 80-200mm 2.8 lens into the vest and some batteries for quick access.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

I've got a 5.11 vest that I like because I can put 2 long lenses in the rear "water bottle" pockets. And a bunch of other stuff elsewhere, of course.

At the very least, wearing the vest saves me some time going back-and-forth to the Lowepro Roller x200 which houses all my other gear. And at best, there's the day-to-day option that Steve pointed out in the OP.

Mark

Amazon.com (which can be accessed through the Camaralabs link to benefit Cameralabs financially) lists a Billingham vest that I would like to order. I have used a Royal Robbins Guide Vest for several years, whether shooting photos or not, as it does a good job of concealing a holstered handgun while being reasonably comfortable in warm weather. (In the USA it is customary for police officers to be considered subject to duty at all times, so it is normal for us to carry weapons virtually all the time.)

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro