Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3 Review
It’s been ten years since Peak Design’s wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for the first Capture Camera Clip System. Their 3rd iteration is now available with a lighter and sleeker design.
A niche product, no doubt, but is it worth the $69.95 price tag?
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip features
The Capture Camera Clip aims to make your camera easily accessible by creating a mounting point on, for example, a backpack strap. Capture can, in fact, be connected to any strap as long as it’s not too thick or wide, but the backpack and belt are the most common placements.
You paid good money for that camera, so get it out of your bag and use the dang thing. With Capture, you can safely and comfortably carry your camera anytime, anywhere, and always have instant access
peakdesign.com
You can buy the camera clip with either an Acra baseplate, a Manfrotto baseplate, or no baseplate at all. The Acra can be inserted from all four sides, the Manfrotto only two.
The Capture package includes two finger-screws, two 4mm hex-screws that are slightly longer, a hex wrench, and a small pouch to store everything inside. Initially, I thought the hex wrench was only for the two hex screws, but alas. It is also used to secure the baseplate. Annoying! For every other baseplate, I use a penny.
The camera clip is available in black and silver. In addition, Peak Design claims it’s waterproof and resists rust and saltwater. I don’t know how much resistance we’re talking about, but mine has been soaked several times outside in the rain and has yet to be affected.
Peak Design also claims Capture can carry “well over 90kg.”
All in all, the product feels solid and well put together. It does scratch rather easily, so expect it to have some “character.”
Inserting the camera makes a satisfying click, so you know it’s secure. It is also possible to turn the release button 90 degrees to lock it. This action also clicks. I like it.
Even the packaging looks pretty sweet.
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip User Experience
Peak Capture on the chest
Securing the camera clip to a backpack strap is an easy process with only two screws. Although designed for the Peak Design bags, it can fit others as well.
As for placement, I feel like heavier setups with physically longer lenses benefit from being higher up on the backpack strap. The advantage of a higher-up position is less travel up and down; however, inserting the camera is more of a hassle. Also, depending on your body type, longer lenses can bounce into your ribcage with a lower position.
Smaller setups can get away with being lower on the strap.
Peak Camera clip high position
The camera will be tilted forwards when using a lower position.
My standard setup consists of my good ol’ Canon 5D Mark II with the 24–70 lens. A heavy setup, weighing in at 1.85 kg, but the lens is just short enough to comfortably have the Camera Clip under the standard strap position on the Peak Design Everyday Backpack.
And talking about straps, a tight chest strap reduces a lot of side-to-side movement.
Peak Design Pro Pad User Experience
The Pro Pad stiffens up the strap to reduce up and down travel. It also stops long lenses from hitting your ribcage. In addition, thin straps benefit a lot from the Pro Pad by adding some padding and minimizing movement.
However, even though it’s called a Pro Pad, it’s not as padded as you might think, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being that you’re most likely only wearing it on one strap, a thicker pad would have skewed the balance of the backpack too much. For me, it’s padded just enough to not think about it, but some people have found it to be too hard.
The Pro Pad is nice to have, but not a must for most camera setups.
Peak Camera Clip v3 on the belt
The camera clip can be fastened directly on a belt, but this means you have to sideload the camera. Sideloading inherently doesn’t feel as secure, being that gravity is not on your side. As mentioned, you can lock the release button by turning it 90 degrees. In theory, this makes it rather safe, but my nerves are yet to be convinced.
You can, however, get gravity on your side by using the Pro Pad. Instructions on how to fasten it to the belt are actually on the pro pad itself. This setup works great, but I still prefer to have the camera clip on the backpack whenever I can. It’s just more comfortable.
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip with and without the Pro Pad
