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    Photographs on Gravelbikes, what’s your solution to travel with a camera

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    35 Comments

    1. geared-for-adventure on

      Ortlieb Ultimate handlebar bag with a camera insert is all you need.

    2. Closet-PowPow on

      Handlebar bag. I use one from Po Campo but plenty of good options out there.

    3. demian_west on

      Phone has taken over a bit on bike rides, but I miss the quality of my Fuji lenses.

      Currently reverse-engineering those 3 points camera straps useable when riding. That said, I’m unsure it would be enough for the camera we see here (my camera is an xt-1, much more compact, even with a 18-55 lens). For storing on the bike, I usually pad it carefully well with clothes, in a waterproof bag (handlebar or rear rack).

    4. _MountainFit on

      No to the handlebar bag. Lots of big hits and vibrations.

      It’s fine for short rides, but over time it’s going to risk or possibly actually damage your camera.

      The only safe way is on body with a hip pack. I just use an old mountainsmith cordura hip pack with a padded insert and a square drysack. Under the dry sack I have some trash bags for sustained rain as it’s not a heavy duty drysack and I expect it to eventually wet out.

      While riding you can leave it out in low risk photo rich environments by adding a cross body strap. So I use a Peak capture plate with a string that I clip a small carabiner to. This gives it a around the body stabilizer and the regular strap is over the shoulder (cross body). I simply unclip the stabilizer strap and can generally get it to eye level.

      I don’t leave or out a lot but it’s a good option to easily grab shots.

    5. HowardBateman on

      Handlebar bag or some of those drink pouches for your handlebar, as long as your lens is small enough/detached.

      You can also get a belt clip that clips the camera strap to your belt, so your camera dangles on your belt while riding. I do that when I what to have my camera ready all the time, but still secured.

      Sun sniper has one.

    6. robemmy on

      My main issue with carrying a dslr while riding isn’t where to put it but just how likely it is to get damaged in a crash. I’ve toyed with the idea of jerry rigging a peak design capture clip to a front or rear pannier rack, but there’s also plenty of bar, saddle etc. bags that would fit it. But in the end, the huge weight penalty and high chance of doing some serious damage to it means I just make do with my phone camera.

    7. TimLikesPi on

      I used to carry a camera on my cycling trip. Slowly the cameras got smaller. This past trip I just used my phone- 900 mile trip. If I was still going to take a larger camera, I would just go with s strap and let it ride on my back. There are some special straps for this, but some people seem to just use a regular strap- see samisauri on IG. I am always worried about a camera bouncing if it is mounted to the frame. A bag that hangs seems to maybe lessen this, like a handlebar bag. Still, I would not take a camera that I cry over if it got damaged.

    9. SHFT101 on

      If you want to carry it while cycling a ‘Rille camera strap’ is very handy. 

    10. Snowdriftless on

      Micro 4/3 and a limited lense selection (pancake standard zoom + Telephoto or prime) in a padded waterproof bag.

    11. colourofsound on

      That’s a big unit. I’d consider buying something smaller if you have the budget.

      I’m considering one of these for my setup: [Cycling Camera Strap](https://lumiereandco.com/products/cycling-camera-strap?_pos=1&_fid=9d0e8f0f4&_ss=c) but I’d also consider a hip pack.

      Handlebar bags will be fine if your camera doesn’t have IBIS; however anything with moving parts in like IBIS cameras will eventually suffer. I’ve also found that I just don’t use the camera if its in the handlebar bag; because its annoying to take out.

      Ultimately though, a camera this big might feel like a burden over 4 days and I’d consider something smaller.

    12. Necessary_Yellow_530 on

      Smaller camera and a hip bag or a cross body. The vibrations fuck with the image stabilization

    13. rhinodakid on

      My bank balance will attest to how serious I am about photography, but I’ve pretty much decided that for cycling I can only really justify using my phone camera. I know that it’s not going to be quite as good quality, and that there’s no way I’d get the sort of shots I could get with my 100-500 lens, but for landscapes in the daytime it’ll be plenty good enough, and it’s more than good enough for recording memory shots to look back on after a trip.

      Really interested to see the suggestions though, because I can certainly appreciate sometimes wanting to get those nature photos that the full camera would allow!

    14. nvspace126 on

      On short and smooth rides, I use a skingrowsbabck 3Point strap. When riding on more rough terrain, longer distances, and/or with more gear, I use the Chrome Kadet Sling 9L with some added padding.

      Regarding the skingrowsback strap, I would look for alternatives. I found that the straps are rather large and their strap mechanism is confusing. On the other hand, I’m really enjoying the Kadet Sling. It can be easily adjusted and sits comfortably on my back. For reference, I run a Fuji X-T3 body with either a small 23mm prime, or a larger 16-55mm lens. I managed to pack the body and 4 lenses in the Kadet without any issues (except when trying to fit my 100-400mm).

    16. badger906 on

      Backpack! my main lens cost more than my bike, my camera body cost more than my bike. If I fell and broke all 3.. I’d be out like £15k!

    17. MudNo5783 on

      Depending on the trip I’d look at Shimoda. I’ve rocked my Explorer on a few occasions. You can keep the full camera kit and drone in the pack with some additional storage. FYI, it gets heavy so maybe minimal kit for longer trips and a smaller pack like the Side series. I’ve used the Shimoda for way more than photography. Fantastic general kit.

    18. Sodapizzop1 on

      Bought a fujifilm x100vi recently and its nice to carry around, can fit in frame bag or backpack without being heavy

      Id say if dslr maybe have to bring a backpack or find a pancake/prime lens

    20. guenhwyvar117 on

      I have my sleeping pad and bag in a handlebar bag drysack and I add a revelate design bag on top that the camera lives in most of the time. It’s easy to access. If it super bumpy I grab it and put it over my shoulder. Also if wearing a Hydration pack I’ll use the capture clip.

    21. lorem_opossum on

      I have a mashsf camera strap that works well for my Sony a6500 with a pancake lense. I’m scared to carry any bigger lenses though and even with that I only ride with it on slower rides where I’m not going to be sweating a ton. I have a crossbody chrome bag that I should probably use more often.

    24. BitbeanBandit on

      I carry a small Ricoh GRIII in my jersey pocket most of the times. I’ll sometimes use a Rille strap for a bigger camera (Leica M) but just having a compact camera in my jersey pocket is much more comfortable.

    25. SP3_Hybrid on

      I use an OM5 mkii and either a 25mm or the 12-40mm f4 pro. I have the outer shell bags camera strap, or I use an Osprey Savu hip bag. Sometimes with the 25mm on I throw it in a stern bag. Micro 4/3 lenses are tiny so this works out nicely.

    26. le_mod on

      I recommend checking out camera backpacks like Wndrd or the Peak Design everyday. They have a decent amount of protection with camera cube structure and easy access.

      That said my preferred solution would be to use a smaller fixed lens like the Fuji X100 which I can keep on a sling bag and pop out… that or a combo of GoPro for ride recording plus my phone for photos, the telephoto lens on the new phones is frankly insane

    27. tdfolts on

      About 40% of my job is being a photographer

      If I am biking, then i rely on my phone for photos. My iphone has more than enough for what I need – when Im biking.

      If I am working (being a photographer) or out for the sole purpose to take pictures; then i bring my nikon. Im not biking. Drive, park, walk/hike, and shoot.

    28. InternetsIsBoring on

      I ordered aluminum quick release camera mounts. One goes on the cam and the 2nd part I attached to the shoulder strap of a camelbak. It was very secure, inexpensive, lockable to the strap, and I used it on rough mountain bike trails to take photos of an ÖTILLÖ Swimrun.

    29. PomeloElegant on

      Check out the Sony RX100 VII (cyber shot) small, amazing quality and good zoom. I take this camera out on the mountains and it does the job.

    31. Mufasa_ETNO on

      Buy a camera sling. Tamrac is my favorite brand for budget eBay or thrift store finds. They make great compact slings. You won’t want to put this on the bike. Bad idea, and general no no, think worst case scenario. Also get a smaller lens if you plan to travel with it. If it’s a canon, they make great pancake lenses, in particular the EF 40mm f2.8

    33. chesapeake_bryan on

      I have an outer shell 137 basket bag that stays on the bike permanently. I love it. Very expensive, but lifetime warranty and a really cool company to support. Camera has gone on every ride for the past 2 years with zero issues. I’ve got pieces of foam padding that goes in the bottom of the bag, and then I use this cheapo padded insert to put the camera in. Sometimes I bring one extra lens, sometimes two, sometimes just take one, on the camera. Lately I’ve been using these neoprene lens pouches that you can buy on Amazon. Works pretty good. I ride a lot of chunky gravel and mellow mountain bike trails and haven’t destroyed the camera yet. The key is lots of padding. Even if I slam my front wheel down on the ground the camera won’t take a hard hit because I’ve got some of that egg carton shaped foam plus some other scraps varying thickness padding underneath it. Here’s a link to a picture of what it looks like. Right now I have it arranged a little differently than in this picture, but you get the idea.
      [CAMERA BAG](https://photos.app.goo.gl/JJPBXwChdGf48guYA)

      Here’s a link to what it looks like on the bike
      [ON THE BIKE](https://photos.app.goo.gl/W3oJnpYA5Y1Ei9jd9)

    34. Mental_Enthusiasm_71 on

      As a professional photographer I’d suggest leave the dslr at home and buy a Ricoh gr3.

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