Camera Carrying Options

The photographic community has countless articles and videos on cameras, lenses, and other equipment, but (with the exception of a certain video by Chris and Jordan when they were still part of The Camera Store) there doesn't seem to be as much in-depth discussion when it comes to the options for carrying cameras and lenses.

This article/blog entry aims to provide a more exhaustive list of the pros and cons of camera carrying tools and accessories. There's a wide variety of options out there, but for simplicity, most of them will be classified under 3 broad categories:

1. bags
2. straps
3. holsters

Note that these three are not mutually exclusive, so feel free to mix and match them based on your needs and preferences.

Gear/D.I.Y.: Tripod Attachments for Positioning Small Subjects

Note: For demonstration purposes, none of the shots here involve photo manipulation such as cloning in Photoshop.

Tripods are typically used in conjunction with cameras or some other piece of photography equipment. However, other things can also be mounted via a standard 1/4-inch nut and some basic D.I.Y. modifications. Shown here are two variants that I use for my toy photography.

Camera Settings: Utilizing In-Camera Reference Folders

 
Among DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and perhaps some advanced compact cameras, one common feature is the ability to create separate folders to which the pictures would be saved. In the case of Canon, the first folder to be created in a freshly formatted SD or CF card would be "100CANON", and subsequent folders would be "101CANON", "102CANON", and so on.

Camera Settings: Utilizing Minimum Contrast

contrast: 0

0 (zero) is the default contrast value for Canon cameras. Some photographers may find this misleading since 0 is actually the median in the set of possible values ranging from -4 to +4. What this means is, by default, your camera is already adding contrast to your photos. This can have a detrimental effect if the scene you are shooting requires a wide dynamic range.

With so many online tutorials advocating the use of RAW files for post-production editing, it's easy to take the in-camera JPEG settings for granted. However, dropping your camera's contrast settings to the minimum value can have benefits whether you shoot in JPEG or in RAW format.

Indigo Eye Photography Project

This new blog was created in an attempt to systematically catalog future articles on photographic gear and techniques. The next posts will feature less common shooting practices, DIY projects, and product reviews/comparisons.

As an average non-professional photographer, I am in no position to give advice on improving one's vision or skills. However, I hope that my experiences with the equipment may help fellow photographers become aware of the options available to them.

• The first set composed of 3 posts (March - April) will focus on toy photography applications.
• The second set will consist of subject isolation techniques and equipment.
• The third set will feature reviews and comparisons of minor photographic tools.

The old blog (Katipunan Kaidashi Kikou) will continue to feature my occasional reflections as well as the actual output of my attempts at photography.

Basically:
Katipunan Kaidashi Kikou - the output
Indigo Eye Photography Project - the processes


Incidentally, this blog is named after chapter 59 of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.