Bringing a digital SLR on our world tour was a last-minute decision. About a month before we left, my friend Ian Meyer convinced me that we'd be fools to leave without one. At the time, my main concern was how we'd carry yet another heavy and expensive piece of electronics. We have a lot of technology in tow. The right case wound up making our SLR easier to use than our point and shoot, which we have since sent home. You were right Ian, thank you!
We carry a Nikon D60 with the kit lens, one of the smallest/lightest DSLRs on the market. The job of keeping it safe, dry, and readily accessible goes to another remarkably small piece of gear: ThinkTank's Digital Holster 10.
The most important feature of the case (for us) is the sturdy velcro-secured flap on the back. ThinkTank calls it the "Rotate or Lock" flap; it is meant to mount to some other fancy product they sell called the "Pro Speed Belt". We use it to mount the case to the bungie net on the back of my bike. An unintentional benefit of this system: the bungie strapping acts as an effective suspension for particularly rough roads!
The Digital Holster 10 zips open easily from the top and I can now retrieve our camera from it in a matter of seconds, even while riding. This wound up being so convenient that a week into the trip we completely stopped using our point and shoot. The darn thing would invariably be lost in Tara's handlebar bag every time we wanted to use it!
The nylon case is waterproof enough to withstand mild showers on its own, but when it really starts pouring we use the included "Two Stage Rain Cover" to keep our camera safe and dry. When skies are clear, the protective cover gets stuffed into the bottom of the case itself, taking up practically no space at all. Other features include a zippered compartment in the top flap where we store a lint-less cloth to clean our lens, a side compartment where we store our battery charger and an expanding bottom for longer lenses.
Our Nikon D60 is not a ruggedized camera but it is still working splendidly after nearly a year in the elements, a testament to the case it lives in when we're not shooting (and the care we take with it when we are). Looking at our photo collection now, I cannot imagine going on a bicycle tour with anything but an SLR, nor can I envision a case more perfect for keeping it safe than ThinkTank's Digital Holster 10.
