Two moovies - Two Ideas

R

ruben

Guest
Hi folks,

1) NECK COMFORT

I count with many of you having watched that film making a kind of imaginary portrait of Diane Arbus, played by Nicole Kidman. The film itself could be a nice theme to talk but I am going cheap this time by refering to a small piece of gear that attracted much of my attention.

At the film Kidman uses a Rolleiflex, whose strap has a special padding for the neck, both practical and very nice looking.

For a long time I have been randomly looking for a satisfactory solution for my neck whenever I have to use a heavy camera. But lately my doctor told me with utmost seriousness to stop cycling and start walking more than half an hour per day, every day. Therefore my neck demanded both a nice padding as well as a sweat absorvent one.

I use to do basic leather works and own both leather, instruments and ideas. All the ingredients for a small project.

But today, at work, I saw a beautifull piece of fabric which opened my mind. I wrapped it around the corresponding part of my camera strap and fixed both ends with thin bands of the same fabric.

Easy to do, to dismount, sweat absorvent, light, flexible.


2) TRULY EVER READY CAMERA "CASE"

This too I have seen at another moovie, and is in my opinion the ultimative solution for those who walk with their cameras inside a bag, although outside a bag it may work as well.

Lower part camera cases are, in general, somewhat easy to purchase. The problem starts with the upper part, which includes the lens. If your camera has a fixed lens and you own the whole case, both parts, you are a happy folk.

But if your camera is a system one, or if you do not have any case, you are in some trouble whenever using a longer lens than the standard.

Here too a piece of fabric will make for the perfect solution. But of course, now we are talking about a more dense piece, providing some cushion, and cut like a scarf. Something to enable two wrapping rows over the camera, will solve all problems.

What most amazed me at the film I saw this way of protecting a camera was the speed with which the photographer was able to unwrap his camera - a much more short way than using the top case and starting to fiddle with the nose.

If you go for a real scarf, take into consideration that while being thick enough, it will not leave hairs, nor dust on your precious camera.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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Older narrow straps often come with a sort of padding made of plastic or rubber, and they were invariably too stiff to wrap around anyone's neck. Luigi's neckstraps that comes with his cases have a very good leather padding which works wonders. For the best functionality I have seen Op-Tech straps that are designed for maximum comfort, however they look rather massive and only comes in eye-straining bright colours so I did not go for them. I think they are better suited for medium format. The best piece of strap I have used so far is a Mamiya one for the 7 rangefinder (I think), very good material, non-slip lining and just as wide as you would like your strap. The Nikon new straps for flagship models are a tad below but as good for most uses.
BTW, I think there is a scrapbooker's store on *bay where she sells one-off designs of decorated camera straps, some of them are really funky and they look mildily absorbant too.

I am not too familiar with other SLR systems, but Nikon and Minolta did make everyready case tops doe different lenses. You start with a case that takes the camera and a 50, as you buy new glass you can get extra long tops for the lens while keeping the base. I have never seen one that takes a pro telephoto because it would have been way too bulky. Nikon even made a case called CF-100 that takes the formidable F3/MD4 combo plus a standard zoom lens, no surprise that it is very rare.
 
It is difficult to pick one strap to satisfy every camera. On heavier cameras I use the Optitechs while on lighter fixed lens cameras I use the wrist strap. On large medium formats although there is a strap attached to the camera but when it comes out of a bag it generally goes onto a tripod. For MF I don't carry them much around the neck.
Lenses are much stronger than we give them credit for. If they have a filter on the front element there should not be much of a problem. The real danger is dust blowing into the lens between the elements which will happen when the camera is attached to the camera. For years with my Nikon lenses I carried them unprotected in a camera bag and they remained scratch free. Only recently have I started to use small lens bags mainly as I have found a number of them relatively inexpensively as some of the lenses I purchased came with them.
There have been two issues for me with carrying of camera equipment. The first is long travel while the second is daily use. For long travel with several cameras and lenses I use a large bag. But, for daily use I generaly travel with one camera & lens attached (fixed lens or otherwise just one lens). The film I carry in a pocket. When I had a second lens or camera I found that I did not use it.
When I attach a lens to my camera, as it is a prime, I need to observe the world through that lens and be prepared to photograph quickly. I tend to see the world through a 28mm to 50mm format, though the 50mm is a little tight.
But as for bags one bag that I did find comfortable is the LLBean shoulder bag. It is padded and has several pockets. Definitely not a camera bag. Since I am carrying only one camera (more often than not no second lens) I carry half a dozen rolls of film, cleaner, and I have a large lens bag to carry the camera in when not in use for extra protection. If I have a second lens it is carried in a lens bag and lays in the bottom.
 
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