Naked cameras

[presspass]

How many of you use the camera bare - no accessories - and how many customize them? I have a couple that are used the way they came from the manufacturer - mostly Canon EOS film and digital. The rangefinders seem to beg for soft shutter releases, winders, grips, and external viewfinders. Even my Nikon F2s have soft shutter releases and grips.
If you've personalized your cameras, what did you add and why?
Thanks

[f16sunshine]

Are we assuming non lens related accessories.... filters shades etc...? I’ll use shades and filters as needed.
I put a neck strap on reflex cameras whether tlr or slr and, a wrist strap on rf’s, p&s , and mirrorless cameras. That’s it .... otherwise as manufacters intended

[css9450]

I have Kirk L-brackets on my DSLRs pretty much permanently, unlike my film cameras where I might attach a tripod plate but then remove it after the tripod shoot is over.

[Robert Lai]

I don't normally add much to the cameras besides what the manufacturer put on them.

Half case or Arca-Swiss type tripod plate.
I prefer the half cases where the strap attaches to the case. It saves a lot of wear on the camera. When I need to take it out to use on a tripod, the strap is superfluous in that siutation anyway. That's when the Arca-Swiss type plate goes on.

Lately I've taken to adding some "Mint camera armour"
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._material.html
I place these on the camera top where the strap would rub.
For example, the M6 and M7 have little plastic rub strips to protect against strap wear above the lugs. My M2, M3, M4-2, and M5 are missing these. I've put them in using the Mint protector. I also use them on the top plate of the cameras without a built-in meter, to prevent meter marks from showing when I put on the Leicameters.
Final protection spot is under the wind lever, on the rear vertical surface. Prevents thumb wear from showing on the metal or black chrome there.

Oh yes, if you're one of those that don't want the Leica logo to show, then you can cover it up with this material also.

[sepiareverb]

Rapidgrips on the M bodies, Leica grip on the M9 & Monochrom. Sadly there is no Rapidgrip for the digital bodies - it is miles better than any Leica made grip.

Soft releases on everything roll film, cable release on the 8x10.

Neck straps on all the roll film bodies as of today (just got half cases for the T2 and T3 that allows a neck strap. With winter here those slippery bodies shan't be headed into a snowbank this year because I wear gloves).

[Bingley]

I use a half-case on my RFs. The Mr. Zhou cases incorporate a grip that I like on my Leica M cameras. Other than a half case and a neck strap, I don't do any additional customization.

[jsrockit]

Besides adding a strap that doesn't come with the camera... I use mine naked.

[B-9]

I paint mine Orange.

Also have some bright yellow and back striped caution tape for the rest.

I like stickers, but all my adventure time sets are to big for a camera so they go on the Pelican....

Still looking for a set of ****luck stickers to finish it off!

[Spanik]

If you have to add something to make the camera usable for you then the camera isn't the right one for you or the manufacturer hasn't done a proper job. I never have to add something to a reflex. However rangefinders are hardly usable without adding grips, extra viewfinders or others fluff. Makes me think the reduce the camera so much it becomes unusable.

[Dwig]

Naked, except for a strap, preferably a Nikon AN-4B or equivalent.

[seajak]

My M6 and X-E1 are naked except for soft releases and short, black A&A straps. Both have the white logos on the front blacked out with a china marker and the M6 has a black dot. I prefer the look and feel of naked cameras.

cheers,
clay

[gcspeed]

I always use my M's with a neck strap attached and customize with a black dot. The lens will also usually have a filter. That's it. Half cases and soft releases just seem to get in the way.

[rbsinto]

Because all of my film SLRs have attached motor drives, they've all been customized with home-made hand straps attached by base plates that were either made by me or custom-made by machine shops for me.
And a couple of my Nikon rangefinder bodies have the black plastic tips from F2 film advance levers grafted onto their advance levers.
And of course all of my camera straps have Velcro patches sewn on them to mate with the patches sewn on my vest's epaulettes for a positive never slip attachment when I carry cameras hanging off my shoulders.
I've customized other gear bits as well but the question here was about camera bodies, so I'll leave that for another day.
Robert

[Rob-F]

Leica M: Leica neck strap; I use the grip with some lenses, mainly heavy or longer ones; I use a Luigi case some of the time; And a Tom A. rapid winder once in a while. And of course auxiliary finders for the wide angle lenses.

Nikon: No case; possibly a motor; neckstrap could be a Tamrac, Domke or Nikon strap.

Hasselblad: I use the short hand strap. I don't want that kind of weight around my neck. 45 degree prism; compendium shade.

Favorite tripod is a Promaster carbon fiber with Acratech ball head.

[maddoc]

All my cameras have neck straps permanently attached and the M bodies and S2 also small soft releases. Filters on all of my lenses and additionally hoods/external VF for my 21 and 28mm lenses. Occasionally, I use a rapidgrip.

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I shoot a lot with a Canon 5DmkII, and I have never liked autofocus. Every AF camera I have ever owned had had accuracy issues, especially as the camera ages. Manual focus is hard on digital SLR cameras because the focusing screens in them suck.

There's a guy in Taiwan who modifies the screens from Canon's EOS 1V film camera to fit the 5DmkII, and I got one from him with a microprism focusing aid. It is wonderful!

That's the only accessory I use on that camera most of the time. I also have a remote release cord for it that I use when I use a tripod.

For my film cameras, I use soft releases and or tripod use a cable release.

[SolaresLarrave]

All my remaining film cameras (which are Leicas) go naked into the world, except for a strap and a soft release button. My digital behemoth (Nikon D700) has an additional battery pack because it fits my hands better that way, and works towards balancing the obscenely huge AF 24-70 zoom on it. I'm sure if I personalized my cameras more, I'd end up losing the gizmos... like lens caps.

[michaelwj]

Naked. Camera, film, lens, hood, and filter.

I sometimes add a strap for specific outings, and add an RRS plate to the bottom and a cable release when using a tripod. This applies to all cameras I've ever used.

[Mute-on]

My Leicas are total exhibitionists. They go out bare ar$e naked. No strap, no case, no grip, no soft release, nada!

I like a strap on an SLR, but that’s all.

J

[kuuan]

naked, without strap, my cameras come out from and go back into my waist camera bag.

[dmr]

Straps (wrist for the RFs, shoulder for the SLRs), lens hoods, filters to protect lenses, soft releases. I also prefer the springy-thingy lens caps that clips on the threads rather than those fall-off-and-lose ones that come with the cameras.

[JoeLopez]

Originally Posted by presspass

How many of you use the camera bare - no accessories - and how many customize them? I have a couple that are used the way they came from the manufacturer - mostly Canon EOS film and digital. The rangefinders seem to beg for soft shutter releases, winders, grips, and external viewfinders. Even my Nikon F2s have soft shutter releases and grips.
If you've personalized your cameras, what did you add and why?
Thanks

My mods are very minor.

GSN - Only a "Spiderman" 2" strap and a viewfinder sometimes for looks
black X100T - A black strap, lensmate thumbsup and red soft shutter release
F3 - Nikon AR9 black soft shutter release and black strap
D7100 - Nikon grip and Black Rapid wrist strap

[Dogman]

My main cameras are all Fujis. They get used a lot. All of them have thumb grips, soft releases (except the X-T1) and after market leather straps. Some have screen protectors, all lenses have UV or clear filters and lens hoods. All with diopter adjustments have gaffer tape covering those dials.

My Ricoh GRII gets used without accessories 95% of the time (5% of the time I use it with the 21mm equivalent conversion lens).

The Olympus OMD E-M1 has an after market leather strap. Nothing else on the camera but all lenses have filters and hoods.

I still have a couple of Canon bodies. They're naked and neglected.

[zuiko85]

Had an OM-2sp addicted to eating button cells so I made an 'L' grip that held 2 AAA batteries, but that was desperation. My little Pen F (the real, film model) has a home made wood and aluminum grip that also has a slot that allows vertical hanging strap.
Other than that I like slim, small cameras so don't generally festoon them with accessories.

Soft releases, love them or hate them, I'm in the hate camp. Most all of my cameras, I can place the ball of my finger on the release, take up the free movement, and you when I release you would not be able to tell by watching my finger move, it's just so small a movement.

[davidnewtonguitars]

Naked? Hardly. Who goes out naked.
I bought all my cameras body only, so I added a lens, a strap, a SBOOI for the Leica Standard.
When I go shooting, they go in a pack with extra film, yellow filters, a cloth.

[zuiko85]

Originally Posted by Chriscrawfordphoto

I shoot a lot with a Canon 5DmkII, and I have never liked autofocus. Every AF camera I have ever owned had had accuracy issues, especially as the camera ages. Manual focus is hard on digital SLR cameras because the focusing screens in them suck.

There's a guy in Taiwan who modifies the screens from Canon's EOS 1V film camera to fit the 5DmkII, and I got one from him with a microprism focusing aid. It is wonderful!

That's the only accessory I use on that camera most of the time. I also have a remote release cord for it that I use when I use a tripod.

For my film cameras, I use soft releases and or tripod use a cable release.

Precisely! This has been one of the main reasons I lost all interest in SLR's after about 1985-1989, when most went autofocus. Also why I've preferred user interchangeable screens in my cameras. I like all matte types, with grid lines, no microprism or split wedge messing up the view.

[Dwig]

Originally Posted by zuiko85

...
Soft releases, love them or hate them, I'm in the hate camp. Most all of my cameras, I can place the ball of my finger on the release, take up the free movement, and you when I release you would not be able to tell by watching my finger move, it's just so small a movement.

Same here.

I properly designed camera in proper condition (e.g. Leica M, Nikon just about any, my Pany G-1, ...) will, when used properly, perform better with less vibration makes than with any so-called soft release.

When you place your finger on the release, most of the finger tip should be supported by the collar around the release. From this point it should be more of a matter of squeezing the pad of your finger down into the collar to release the shutter. There should be almost no movement. With a properly adjusted Leica M, you should be able to place a straight edge across the collar and the shutter will release only when you press the shutter button down an additional 1mm. Nikons are generally very very close to the same spec.

[Big Ursus]

Lens hood, UV filter, strap that came with the camera AND bits of gaffer tape
1) to hold the exposure compemsation dial still on my Fuji X-T2,
2) to hold the veiwfinder on my Sony RX1r

[d_c]

A Leica M strap, UV filter, and black taped logos are the only changes to my M6.