Every so often, a new product hits the market that changes the game. In this situation, it is an entire brand. A whole line of products that have revolutionized the camera accessory industry! Peak Design has consistently created and released products that make life easier for photographers around the world, while keeping an eye for design and simplicity!
Check out their video below.
Peak Design was founded in 2010 by Peter Dering, who discovered on a trip around the world, that carrying a DSLR can both be uncomfortable, and inconvenient. What he then did was created a new carrying system that was quick, convenient and versatile.
The first design they started with was the Capture® system, a quick easy solution and alternative to a camera strap, that takes the weight off your neck, and puts the camera and all it’s weight on your belt/hip or any other type of strap or bag you can think of! It has since been modified and adapted to support not only cameras, but binoculars, POV/Action cameras, as well as the Capture Lens, a system that allows you to quickly and easily switch lenses with none of the awkward fumbling and juggling!
Another issue They decided to tackle was the camera strap. They started by addressing all the issues with the straps that are given away with cameras: painful, tacky, and hard to remove when you just don’t want to use a strap! They then looked at traditional sling straps. Great for taking the weight off your shoulder, but the harness requires the tripod socket, making it impossible to mount the camera on a tripod for steady shooting. When you bring the camera up, instead of staying in place as they are designed to, the straps slide and shift. Although intended for ease of use, and support of the camera, sling straps still leave the camera bouncing around as you walk, risking damaging your gear. The solution? Slide. A strap that is easy to remove thanks to Peak Design’s custom Anchor system, and made of a material designed to slide, and glide easily from a carry position, to a shooting position. The best part? It includes an Arca-Swiss plate that you can use on tripods, and if you have a Manfrotto, no need to worry, they have thought about that as well!
The next biggest thing they needed to address was the bags. Together with Trey Ratcliff, they designed the Everyday Messenger. This is a bag that changed everything. It is a bag that not only carried and protected your camera with ease and comfort, but also your laptop and tablet and enough room and customizability for every day! From snacks and lunches, to clothes, to books and paperwork, this bag has you covered at the office, at school, or even at the beach! To make things even sweeter, the Everday Messenger has the perfect spot on the side of it to mount Capture. This means if you were packing light camera gear, or say one lens with your camera body, you could attach it to Capture on the outside of the bag, leaving you the entire interior of the bag as storage! The Everyday Messenger paired with the Field Pouch makes it easy to keep everything organized. Phone and laptop chargers fit easily inside the Field Pouch, as well as anything else you would keep in your wallet/purse. This makes it easy to keep everything together all in one place!
Coming from a background in action sports, events, and photojournalism, I personally feel the Peak Design brand, and all of their gear and systems available on the market today have changed the way I shoot, and increased the number of shots I get and reduced the number of shots I miss. The design of the Everyday Messenger makes it easy to reach into my bag and switch lenses. Having the Capture on the outside of my bag not only makes it easy to carry my camera, but also allows me to carry an extra lens or two inside my bag. I can also have my MacBook by my side and edit on the go. The Slide strap is possibly one of, if not the best strap on the market today for any photographer. It is easy and comfortable to carry, and if you decide you don’t want the strap on there, you have the option to take it off in seconds thanks to Peak Design’s Anchor system! If you haven’t already done so, I very strongly suggest checking out Peak Design, or at least giving them a chance. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Cheers!
Scott is a photographer born and raised in Southern Ontario, with approximately 10 years of shooting experience, Scott focuses his talent mostly on Action Sports Photography and Photojournalism. Scott most commonly photographs freestyle skiing in both urban and park settings. Some of his clients include Liberty Skis, Ovyo Outerwear, IXNine and Moss Culture. He has also covered stories for news agencies such as CTV, CHCH, and City News.
