Hello.
I didn’t plan to pay attention to the rag for wrapping equipment, I shared the pictures in the TG channel, but, reading the comments, I felt it was necessary to speak about this subject. I recently replaced my old Canon 5D Mark III with a new camera. I was tempted to switch to Leica, but I stayed with Canon and chose the R5 Mark II. The dimensions are comparable plus or minus, the ergonomics are exactly the same, I’m very pleased with the camera – not just a different level, but a fundamentally new experience, I’m drawn to photograph non-stop. But now we’re not talking about the camera, but about how I carry it with me and take it on trips.
I try to take a camera on business trips; it is sometimes necessary, especially in situations where a phone is clearly not enough, and the quality of the pictures is different, it is noticeably higher. In my backpack, the main compartment easily holds a camera; I usually put it first, and then put something else on top – a book, a charger, some small items. Over the course of twelve years, the previous camera was somewhat worn out from contact with other objects, but did not receive any damage. A working tool, that’s exactly how I perceive my cameras.
The new camera has a folding touch screen and is best closed when transporting it. One of the bloggers spotted a cloth for wrapping the camera while traveling, and I liked the idea. In particular, it was said that the cloth can “be magnetized,” that is, you can wrap a camera or other object, and the edges will stick together by themselves. Sounded great.
I chose exactly the same brand that I saw; the cost of a cloth in size M is just under 2,000 rubles.
There are different colors and sizes, here you can choose a rag to suit your taste. The only peculiarity is that the edges are glued together (more precisely, the entire surface, top and bottom) and you can swaddle the camera without much difficulty. With a 24-70 mm lens, the cloth completely covers the camera.
I use this swaddling exclusively for transporting my camera from point A to point B. When I arrive in another city, I don’t carry a backpack with me, but if I take a camera, I hang it on my chest, so the cloth is only needed to prevent others from rubbing against the camera items in the backpack. And this fabric protects against minor scratches with a bang.
There are no special technologies here; a cloth made of ordinary synthetics does not collect static electricity, at least at first. From time to time I plan to wash it, I think that a washing machine is quite suitable for this. I have antistatic liquid; it wouldn’t hurt to treat the fabric after washing; synthetics need to be treated with care. But this is a matter for the future; this is still far away. I think that I’ll get around to washing it in six months at best, I’ll see in practice how the fabric gets dirty.
In the comments I read about many negative aspects associated with such a rag, for example, that it will not protect the camera from falls. Surprisingly, such a wrapper should not protect the camera or other electronics from falls – only from scratches. And it is suitable only for those who, like me, do not use a case for photographic equipment. It’s inconvenient for me to carry a separate bag for the camera; I don’t see much point in it.
Another complaint that was made about the cloth is its cost. An ordinary towel purchased at any store will cost mere pennies. I’m sure you can do it this way. I liked the design and the ability to choose from a variety of prints. And compared to the cost of the camera, the price of the cloth looks insignificant (I remember how much the wipe from Apple costs, exactly the same 20 dollars, only it is much smaller in size).
Another imaginary moment is how to take out the camera and open it in public. Not my story, because I carry the camera in my backpack, and then carry it on myself. But even if I have to unswaddle her somewhere, I don’t see anything wrong with that. There is no comparison with a plastic bag for the control panel, the analogy does not work. You don’t have to take care of the camera; everyone chooses for themselves. My previous camera went through thick and thin, traveled most of the world in a backpack, it was worn out from the heart. But if I knew then that you could hide the camera in a velvet cloth, I would have done so. And the reason is that it is an easy way to avoid most abrasions. I still have the old camera; I don’t plan to sell it. So abrasions do not play a role from this point of view, but for some, the residual value of the equipment may be important; with such a rag it will potentially be higher.
People are divided into two large camps: some blow away specks of dust from equipment, others treat it calmly and are not carried away by all kinds of protection. I have a more pragmatic view, but if possible, I don’t see anything wrong with avoiding scratches on the case. I am not required to radically change my habits. There is only one downside: at the airport, during security screening you need to turn the camera around and show that it is turning on. But it only takes about fifteen seconds, so there’s no loss of time here either.
The bottom line is that a cloth is useful for me, but for you I don’t know, it all depends on your habits, on how you carry the camera and whether you have one in principle.
Source: mobile-review.com
