Gear for Mountain biking and Photography

[striker]

Intro and question. Striker from Apex, NC.

I've been riding for years as well as loving to take pictures. I've recently upgraded to a nice digital and will plan certain rides just for taking shots.

What is your set up for gear while riding? Do you bring a tripod? Anythings you always brings?

Currently I bring my digicam in a small pack, hung from the straps of my camelbak. It is threaded through a strap. I also lanyard the camera pack to my camelbak as a precaution. I've lost one camera before I started using a lanyard.
I also bring a small tripod from REI. It has a strap that I can secure the tripod to a tree or my bike for a makeshift tripod. Does anyone bring a real tripod and if so, what kind?

thanks for your advice and I look forward to posting some MTB shots on this forum.

Tim

Kudos to Photo-john for leading me to this great resource.

[®andyA]

What is your set up for gear while riding? Do you bring a tripod? Anythings you always brings?

I usually keep things simple. I pack my S30 into the front pocket of my Camelbak MULE and that's usually sufficient. The unfortunate side is that if I want to take a pic, I have to stop, remove my camelbak, take out the camera, etc. It slows down the ride. I do want to get one of those cellphone/camera cases that can attach to the front straps though (like your setup).

I usually don't bring a tripod. Most of my shots are usually candids, quick scenery shots, or a few action shots here & there and don't require the use of a tripod. I suppose if I were to change my approach and start looking at taking better or more "artistic" landscape shots then maybe I would bring a tripod. But then it'd have to be a compact, collapsible type that can fit in a Camelbak MULE.



my 2¢...

Randy

[SunnySideUp]

If I am riding and shooting, I use a Camel bak TransAlp. It is a little big and I want to see if I can make some dividers for it but it carries water, food, tools, camera with additional lenses and anything else I may need for a day long journey.

[Ouvinen]

I carry a Lowepro Minitrekker backpack with an EOS 30, EF 24/2.8, a Sigma 70-200/2.8 EX HSM and a Metz flasgun + spare batteries, film etc..

[mtbbrian]

Those are all good suggestions, but do you carry any bike tools too?

I just recently got a new HAWG, so I will have my bike tools in the front compartment, and my photo gear in the back one.
I ususally carry a body(Nikon F100), lens(24mm), a strobe(SB-80), and some film.
Sometimes, I will just carry my Holga.
Brian
Ride On!

[ThoughtfulPirate]

I carry my camera in the front pocket of my camelbak blowfish. With my old camera, which was a small one, I duct taped the case to the strap. I dont really carry anything else other than a tube and a pump and some food.


Oh yeah, and where is apex? I live in SC and ride pisgah a lot.

[Photo-John]

There are two kinds of photo sessions for me, the kind where I'm on the bike, and the kind where I just hike with my whole bag. Latelt I've been doing more of the latter. If I really want good photos, I have to take everything and not let riding interfere with photography.

For riding, I've had lots of stuff. I used to ride with a weatherproof, Yashica T4 Super 35mm p&s in the pocket of my baggies. That camera took some of my favorite photos ever. I can't say enough about small cameras that are always available. A lot of the time, they're the best. If you have to stop and take it out of the pack, you might not take the picture.

For a long time I rode with a Canon G2 digital and 550EX flash. That's a pretty versatile and powerful kit to ride with. But it's on the bulky side and you have to carry it in a backpack. I've also carried a Canon EOS 10D with two lenses, the 550EX flash, and even radio slaves, in my backpack. That puts a pretty severe cramp on the riding, though.

Lately, I've had a loaner Pentax *ist D digital SLR. It's small, light, and very, very nice. I don't think it's as good as my Canon digital SLRs, but it's a lot more flexible and powerful than the G2. And it feels about the same to carry it on a ride. It's got a pop-up flash and the 18-35mm kit lens, so it's pretty flexible. Still, it's expensive, and a little on the bulky side. But for a digital SLR it's awesome.

I've been waiting and watching for a digital camera comparable to my old Yashica T4 Super. I don't think the digital equivalent exists yet. That camera had such a wonderful lens and it was so quick to use. Compact digitals can't macth the image quality of that camera yet and most of them are a lot slower. I really miss having a camera right in my pocket. A camera that I could use without even getting off my bike.

One more detail. I've been using a Deuter Superbike hydration pack. It's a big one and sometimes it probably weighs 15 lbs. But it can hold a lot of stuff, which is nice when you want to take good photos on the trail. I have a LowePro Topload Zoom AW that I can load up and put inside the Deuter. I also have a small Tamrac bag that usually holds my G2 and flash, that fits in the Deuter. The Deuter also has a 70 oz. bladder and always carries a pump. tubes, Crank Bros tool, tire irons, food, knife, extra clothes, etc. Gotta be prepared!

[Ouvinen]

I don't really carry much aside the camera gear. Usually just a few hex keys so I can adjust saddle height if I have to. I don't even own a hydrapack, although that would be good. Anyway, I can always pop in for a beer or stop at a supermarket to get something to drink. I don't ride long rides, and our rides are always in urban areas, where there's always a gas station or a supermarket somewhere within a few mile radius..

As for spare tubes, I don't need 'em. I ride on pinch protected Maxxis High Rollers with Hutchinson DH tubes. Totally indestructible... Although I might go for a little lighter tire set up as I'm upgrading to a full susser..

[striker]

I wrote an article last year about whats in the camelbak. Although this post is more focused on how to carry your photo gear, I did write and article last year about what to carry in your pack for mountain biking.

What's in the bag?

I recently bought a Canon g5 for use on my website and mountain biking. I chose it for the full features and the size. I plan on putting it in a pack, laced through my sternum strap on the camelbak. It will also have a leash to the camelbak. I stick my small REI tripod in the pack. That's it for camera gear. I've ridden with my old camera on my sternum in some pretty technical stuff. When I stop to do jumps or technical riding, I throw the camera in the pack or give it to a friend to take a pic with.

I hope to be a common MTB poster on this site and welcome the criticism to help me become a better photographer.

Tim

Apex is south of Raleigh, NC>

[JDub]

I just upgraded to a DSLR setup, but I'm not likely to take it on any rides due to its size and cost. I typically put my Canon S40 (great pictures for a small size) in the inner pocket of my Camelbak Mule usually in a small camera case for added protection. Its still relatively easy to get out to snap pictures.

[devoninbred]

On the trail i use an oly 350z attached to the chest strap and a ring on the shoulder strap of my cloudwalker, if i am heading out on the trail to just do photo's i take my oly 5050z which fits into the pack with all my water and tools, i will have to re-think all this as i have just bought a cannon 10d or travel very light!

[Pete]

I throw everything into whatever hydropack I'm riding with that day.

I don't bring a tripod. I do sometimes bring a number of lenses in addition to a flash.

[Photo-John]

Gooseberry! Your Gooseberry photos are the best, Pete. Mine didn't even come close. Gotta go back!

[brianc]

This is from FRUUUUUUUTIIIAAAAA.

love that picture, pete.

[Pete]

This is from FRUUUUUUUTIIIAAAAA.

love that picture, pete.

Lesson learned:

Always back up your RAW files.

That's the only working copy of that pic left.

The NEF got corrupted somehow and my digital "negative" is lost forever...

p.s. Moore Fun, Fruita, CO.

[brianc]

Sorry to hear that. but that's for the heads up, I need to do another back up.

you didn't by chance send Eric a big version of it?

[ThoughtfulPirate]

That blows. Maybe I should save some of mine to a cd or something just in case. Please tell me you at least got it printed at one point?

[devoninbred]

Definatly a good idea, i have yet to back all mine up yet, will do it pretty soon, i heard from a friend a little while ago, he caught a virus that erased all his jpegs! not good.

[mtbkanata]

I never bother with a tripod... it's just too much to ride with on your back, only not to use it!

I throw the SLR in a Lowerpro backpack.. I only bring:

Extra Flash
2 Lens (70-300mm and a 24-55mm)
Batteries
Mindstore 20GB imagetank (For when my cards are full)
4 Compact Flash cards

Since I only shoot in the highest res possible, 1GB of cards fills up fast... so I have to dump them on the Mindstore. The key to the whole operation is how easy the backpack is to ride with! I suggest getting one.