Photo vest/waistcoat?

Box Brownie

Box Brownie

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Hi all

I am fairly sure that this has come up before, possibly by me ;)

However, time matches on and I have never made up my mind about it???

But with my shift to MFT a while back and with Xmas looming I am thinking of this again :)

So, who here at TP uses one and which brand do you recommend........and how do you see (having had it a while?) the pro's & con's of it???

TIA :)
 
Sold mine .small bag or small backpack
 
I use an Alpinestars media vest - these are issued to high end motorsport photographers. Its got loads of pockets for equipment, water bottles etc., and since having this I leave camera bag in the car.

I think Domke does a jacket, but there are lots of fishing vests which does a similar job.

I find mine very useful and wouldn't part with it.
 
Kevin MacDonnell, who was wrote a monthly column in "Photography" from the 1950s to the 1980s has this to say about waistcoats: "when fully loaded they become as heavy as a gadget bag but cannot be placed on the ground to give you a rest; the weight is there all the time. They also make you look conspicuous and mark you out as a photographer, which is not a good idea,"

I reckon he's right! :naughty:
 
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The advantage is that the weight is placed around you rather than on your back, so the load is more evenly spread.
I don't pack mine to the gunnels, one camera body on monopod over shoulder, one on a sling strap around other shoulder. Bottle of water, batteries, memory cards, lens cloth, possibly a flash and a short lens.
 
My friend passed me a waistcoat with massive pockets. I think it's a birding one really by Country Innovation. I find when it is loaded with lenses, batteries etc that at the end of the day my neck is a bit sore. It's fine if you don't put too much in it so I would agree with @AndrewFlannigan although I probably am a bit of a weakling :LOL:
 
I've got a multi pocket "vest" (bloody Americanisms!!!) in the cupboard. Tried it once (it was a tenner from a county show) and didn't like it enough to persevere. Pockets are also more open to crap than camera bags.

Might dig the waistcoat out - bike has pretty much zero carrying space so every little will help!
 
I use a multi-pocketed, padded Gillet. lower pockets for photographic kit, higher pockets for naturalist kit. Left hand breast pocket for nature notebook, right hand breast pocket for photographic notebook. Works well from September to May but too hot for the summer.
 
I have one of these that I use for fishing, and it would certainly take some m4/3 stuff, but remember there's none of the protective padding that you have in a bag. I've also got one of these, but it's already heavy when it's empty and it doesn't get used. Big pockets and plenty of them, but still no padding.
 
Having tried many, I now have a 'Stealth Gear' vest for winter (arms unzip from the jacket, which is heavy, but brilliant). - Pockets are enormous with removable padding and it has a built-in seat panel to avoid a wet bum when sitting on wet grass/rocks etc.

For summer use, I have a 'Panoramic Specialities' vest, which also has HUGE padded pockets.........However, I have only ever seen one (which I bought).

Neither are made anymore, but if you see one for sale....buy it!
 
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You mean a “wankervest” as they are known in the sport photography world. I bought a Domke one for an assignment to Brazil and I only used it to load lots of my gear into the pockets when trying to lighten my carry on bag for flights. Never used it since.
 
I find mine invaluable for motorsport, where I'm moving around back and forth to the furthest corner, back to the paddock and don't want to be burdened with a backpack.

If I'm shooting athletics / cycling / mud runs or other mass participation endurance events, I'll not bother as I'm in one place for an extended period of time.

I guess get a cheap one. If you don't like it sell it on, if you do, spend a little more on a better one.
The Alpinestars ones are not easy to get but have been thought out by photographers.
 
Tobers said:
You mean a “wankervest” as they are known in the sport photography world. I only used it to load lots of my gear into the pockets when trying to lighten my carry on bag for flights. Never used it since.
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Does that mean only been a w*anker just the once?
 
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I got a reasonably priced model (probably not designed for photography) several years ago. Don't use it much but it's proved ideal when flying. They never ask to weigh your clothes or want to check them into the hold!
 
I use a Domke Photovest, I have 2 one for over a fleece or microfleece in warmer weather and one (much larger) for over a winter coat in the cold. I only use them when doing landscape really in addition to my backpack. When hiking to location the gear is in the backpack except for a Digital compact (Leica D-Lux Typ 109) which I keep to hand as a preview device really but when set up for shooting I will typically have things like light meter, filters lens cloths in the pockets perhaps spare lens or film back (when shooting film). I don't use the vests to carry my main equipment.
 
I lived in Spain for two years and found a lightweight denim bodywarmer in a Chinese tat shop..... 6 euros it was and its brilliant with huge pockets
 
Use mine for getting my kit onto airplanes. Fishing vests are not that good. Pockets have velcro so no good for bird watching: trust me they know the sound better than a sheep knows a trouser zip.

I only use the zip compartments for things like filters, cleaning cloth etc. Nothing small. Perhaps a headlight in a medium size velcro pocket.

Try getting hold of a Yank M jacket and cut the sleeves off. Big pockets and bulky yes, but the last a lot better then a £10 effort from COVID-19 R US.
 
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